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What was your experience with bone marrow biopsy?
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: 2 days ago | Replies (146)Comment receiving replies
Today I had this procedure. Sept 9th 2024, at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Washington state.
April 2021 I received two Pfizer Covid shots. Soon after I started to get weak, lost 15 lbs (looked like a skeleton) and my platelets became elevated.
Faster forward to Nov 2022 my doctor referred me to Fred Hutch. Fred Hutch diagnosed Essential Thrombocytosis with CALR exon 9 mutation. I started Hydroxyurea 1000mg a day, then 500mg a day, and now 500 mg every other day.
My doctor wanted to verify with a bone marrow asperation/biopsy.
Here's my experience.
I arrived for my appointment and of course they have to weigh you and get your vitals. After that they draw blood, and the nurse who will do the procedure talks to you and tells you what she's going to do and why it's being done. After that you lay face down on the table and lower your pants a little and the nurse feels around on your back hip and finds the right spot. She marks it with an X while the other technician is getting the needles and containers ready for the samples. Next is a local shot to numb the area, then after a while another shot to numb inside your body. That shot gave me a little jolt because she was numbing the bone at that time. When I was numb the nurse got another needle and started doing the aspiration. After the aspiration she took tissue from the bone.
The part from numbing to end was probably around 10-15 minutes. It didn't hurt and didn't hurt last night or this morning. Going to the dentist for a filling is worse than this procedure.
PS. I'm a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, so a lot of prayer went before my procedure. If we have faith in Jesus, God promises to get you thru whatever comes your way.
Replies to "Today I had this procedure. Sept 9th 2024, at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Washington state...."
Were you in the room with doctors? only joking.....exactly my experience, I had it Jan 2021. Only discomfort was lying on table face down with pandemic mask, and had trouble breathing.
I am contemplating the bone marrow test and believe me. I am extremely nervous about the whole thing so I want to thank you for sharing your good experience. I do have ET in the JAC2. I too have a strong faith in Jesus Christ or Lord and thank you for sharing that as well sometimes people look at you like you’re crazy, but I love to share what he has done for me. Thanks again and best wishes to you and you will be in my prayers.
Glad that you share faith in Jesus Christ.
Two things I observe:
1. It was a nurse, not a radiologist who conducted your procedure.
2. Didn't they scan to see exactly where to draw the sample from?
3. I was told that the bone cannot be numbed, so the numbing is superficial and I had two biopsies at the same time.
Glad that all seemed to have gone well with you. My challenge is Myelofibrosis and very dry bone marrow. Nothing to draw.
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@exon9, thanks for sharing your experience with bone marrow aspiration/biopsy. I added it to this collection of experiences that are helpful for people who are preparing for their first bone marrow biopsy:
- What was your experience with bone marrow biopsy?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/bone-biopsy-pain/