Propofol for bone marrow biopsy

I'm not able to speak about others experience, only my own. I received many phlebotomies over a few years. They were painful. The needle used was much thicker and larger then those used for a regular blood test. My veins were difficult to find so that add stress to the nurses and myself. The good news is I felt better afterwards. Good luck!

If they didn’t do sedation on everybody that has sleep apnea, nobody would get sedation. And they don’t even ask that question when I get my endoscopies or colonoscopies. That sounds like they don’t have adequate staffing in terms of licensure and expertise to do sedation.
Yes, by all means insist.

So true, I was never asked when I had endoscopies or colonoscopies , I had the BMB done at the hospital I go to. Yes next time I will demand, but hoping I never have one again!!! I have had MM now for 3 years and had the one only.

Can I schedule a bone marrow biopsy at Mayo myself? Or do I need to see a doctor at Mayo first. Can I self refer to see a specialist. Can I go to Mayo just a biopsy?

Pretty sure you need an order from a doctor. I’m not sure if non-Mayo physicians can place orders there. But I agree with others, my biopsies there have been so much better than my first (which was a nightmare).

@kittycatgirl, I’m not sure about the protocol for self-scheduling the bone marrow biopsy at Mayo without a Mayo Doctor.

However, you can refer yourself to Mayo Clinic for an appointment. You don’t need a referral though I’ve heard it can help if your doctor does it.
I’ll post the link again for you: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

When you click on that link it will take you to Mayo’s page for requesting an appointment. Follow the prompts to schedule an appt. Here are the numbers for each campus if you’d like to call instead:

Rochester, Minnesota
Central Appointment Office
507-538-3270
7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central time
Monday through Friday

Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona
Central Appointment Office
480-301-8484
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain time
Monday through Friday

Jacksonville, Florida
Central Appointment Office
904-953-0853
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time
Monday through Friday

The coordinator on the phone may be able to answer the question as to whether you can self schedule a bone marrow biopsy. If not, then go ahead and start the process for a request.
I know this is really lying heavily on your mind and I understand the special circumstances that make this request for sedation important for you. This uses basically the same sedation as for a colonoscopy. I’m wondering if your biopsy could be performed in an outpatient clinic where they use this sedation. Wouldn’t hurt to ask your clinic.

Let me know what you find out!

From what I am seeing, it is common now to have the biopsy done in the hip on the back side. Since I cannot lie prone, I would prefer it be done the old-fashioned way in the hip bone on the front, as my previous one was done. I also knew someone who had one in his shoulder. No idea of which bone there.

I have diaphragm palsy so any drug that creates any breathing suppression requires intubation (or an LMA at the least) with fully supported ventilation. But this is a bit different to OSA (where there is still the drive to breathe and diaphragm is still functioning, and obstruction is controlled with positioning so the airway is clear, thus patients are still ‘breathing’ under their own diaphragmatic independent function). Having said that, I always have as many scheduled procedures as I can without anaesthesia to minimise the risks of anaesthesia. The bone marrow biopsies I’ve had haven’t been as bad as some of the ‘awake’ procedures I’ve had (eg: I had a 4.5cm x 2.8cm lump excised from where it was adhered against my chest wall, originating from my breast tissue, while I sat back and practiced staring at the ceiling and focussing on anything but what I could feel happening inside my breast and up into my armpit, which was a somewhat sweat-inducing experience, hehe), and so I have a ‘relative’ scale of what’s tolerable and what’s not (I do have colonoscopies and gastroscopies under general, because I don’t want to be fully awake for something *that* invasive).
I’ve got pins and screws in my pelvis so the BMB in the similar area doesn’t hurt that much due to the chronic pain 24/7 that is there anyway, and I’ve had osteonecrosis (replaced with metal and donor bone graft) in my pelvis and that’s much more acutely painful than a BMB.
I think if you discuss the importance of having sedation/anaesthesia to your situation, it gives the staff an opportunity to plan well 🙂

Hi, Lori, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma April of 2023. I am currently being evaluated for Autologous Stem Cell Transplant. I will be returning to the Mayo Clinic the week of Oct 23 to do a harvest procedure as I have some other complications to deal with before completing the stem cell transplant.

Yes, I feel that I am in excellent hands!!

Thank you so much

I forgot to mention that my treatment will be at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.