What was your experience with bone marrow biopsy?

I would only have bone marrow biopsy with sedation. Very uncomfortable procedure

I had one with a local numbing agent. They gave me Xanax. Is that what everyone means by sedation?

It takes about 10-15 minutes. Far less painful than dental work for me. My husband got me a latte afterwards and drove home thru the country fall foliage. It was extremely pleasant, possibly in part due to lingering Xanax high.

The nurse told me that pain levels are tolerable for most people, but a lot depends on how sick you are. She offered to hold my hand, bless her.

The tape over the puncture site REALLY irritated my skin, and that was the worst part.

What hosptial were you in ?

Mayo Clinic in Minnesota

I had a biopsy a couple of weeks ago without sedation even though it was offered. That’s my second one without sedation. I like to stay awake so I know what’s happening, it is painful but only for a short time.
Good luck, have sedation if you have any doubts.

I have had two, one with Tylenol at my local hospital.
I only had the lidocaine shot to deaden the skin area. I had no problems. I could feel the light pressure when they extracted the blood. But no pain.
The second one was at May clinic, Jacksonville fl.
I had a shot to deaden the skin area.
No other pain meds. Mayo did the procedure completely different from my first bone marrow aspiration.
When the blood was extracted I got a togling feeling down my leg. But still, no pain. Got up walked out and drove home, 130 miles.
I have only experienced a tender spot at the extraction site if I lean on the extraction site. No problem sitting or walking.
Hope this helps.
Good luck and get well.
Your note alone.

I just had one this morning. Used mild sedation with Versed and Fentanyl. Piece of cake.

I had my bone marrow biopsy and aspiration today. As I was lying on my stomach, waiting for the doctor to come in, I felt an unexpected feeling of calmness, which I was very happy about. Much to my surprise, I don't think I felt anxious at all. That's not just me putting on a brave face - I'm not the brave type.

My doctor began by prepping the area and then administering the local anesthetic. I think that was the most uncomfortable part of it all. I've certainly experienced pain far greater in the past. I winced a bit, maybe gnashed my teeth a little. My anxiety level went up. But once the anesthetic took effect, the rest of the procedure was a piece of cake. At some point, my doctor told me that he was going to count to three and by the time he reached "three", I was to take a deep breath. Again, my anxiety level jumped. I was expecting the worst when he reached "three". At "three", I sucked in a bunch of air and...nothing. I felt no pain. Some pressure, some unusual sensations, for sure, but nothing like I had feared.

From the time he administered the anesthetic to the time he removed the needle, I'd say it took no more than 10 minutes.

Getting the results in about a week.

Good for you! He sounds like a good clinician. 🙌

@kappaking
Thanks so much for sharing this. I think that there is a lot of anxiety about bone marrow biopsies as some have had a more negative experience. It’s good to know that clinician competency is key.
Years ago, my PCP grinned at me and said this about colonoscopies. She said “think about it… You want a person who does five colonoscopies a day rather than a person who does five colonoscopies a year.”
Certainly made sense to me, and I have asked a lot of questions before procedures. We should all vet our physicians carefully.
Do you have anxiety about the 10 day wait before you get your results?