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Follicular lymphoma patient. New doctor wants to do bone marrow test
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Oct 28, 2023 | Replies (8)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for this detailed response. I'm also relieved, but a bit upset that my previous doctor seems to have not been thorough (something I suspected), and nervous about the new test, what it will do to my body in the short term and what it may turn up that could impact my life long term (assuming I have long term to think about). It turns out nothing in my file says definitively what I have (yes, I did read it, but much can get lost in translation when all documentation is in a language you don't speak fluently). I am nervous, but I don't think the doctor would order a test like this without good reason. You remember correctly; I do have a young son who is the light of my life and who has absolutely kept my spirits up through all of this. I don't know how I'm going to explain to him that while I'm not feeling ill, I'm probably not going to feel up to roughhousing with him for a couple of days. But, I'm sure I'll figure it out.
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Good morning @caracello22. It doesn’t do you any good at this point to think about what your former doctor should or shouldn’t have done. It is in the past and there are no do-overs. I’ve learned over my lifetime that ‘shoulda-coulda or what if’ has no merit and it only serves as a stressor. ☺️
So now, it’s a fresh beginning for you with a new doctor who is starting with her own baseline of tests and information. Don’t read too much into this! Your doctor is doing the right thing to not take your previous diagnosis as gospel. From what you’re saying it sounds vague anyway. I think she’s getting the idea that not much was done in the past and she’s trying to rectify that. She’s being comprehensive in testing for herself so she can start with a clean slate of information. I had the same thing when I went to Mayo Clinic. They did their own testing on me instead of relying on other data that might not be up to their standards.
If I can encourage you at all, I’d like you to look at this in a different perspective. Not “what if everything goes wrong”…change that to “what if everything goes right?!” I know, it’s mind games but they work! I’ve had 13 of these biopsies over the past few years and hundreds of blood tests, scans, MRIs, etc. so I understand about Scanxiety. But each time my pre-conceived notions were far worse than reality.
Now to the testing. You have nothing to fear about what it will do short term to your body. This bone marrow biopsy isn’t a highly invasive surgery whereby there is no cutting, sutures or long term recovery from this.
While it doesn’t sound pleasant the procedure is done with the insertion of an aspirating needle. It will take a little core sample from your marrow and also take a small sample of peripheral blood from the marrow. The test is relatively easy and instead of a sharp pain, it is like a pressure.
The area tested is on your back hip bone, just near one of the little dimples over your bum. The first day it is important to keep the compression bandaid on it just to make sure there is no bleeding. Much like putting a bandaid over where you’ve had blood drawn except this will be on for 24 hours. After that you can take a shower and life resumes.
Long term, it may be a relief to actually get a diagnosis so that there is a firm treatment plan. You’ve been foundering for years with no plan in place and left to wonder about your future. Your new doctor sounds like the type of person who will help you find some answers so that you can relax and start enjoying your life again without living in a world of uncertainty.
As for roughhousing with your son, probably not a good idea for mom to give horseyback rides for a day but you can sure play with him. This test won’t leave you fatigued or out of commission. I think I’ve only taking an Advil once or twice. The rest of the times there was no discomfort at all.
You’ll take this one day at a time and I think you’ll find a sense of relief to have a good doctor on your team. Let me know how it goes, ok?