Thank for the replies.
Run thanks for supporting my idea, although I am losing hope. Being that this is still new to me and I'm not very adept at navigating the health system, I have a feeling it will be unlikely that I will be able to convince a doctor to perform a BMB for me if I'm not already a patient (or relative).
I've been monitoring my MGUS at Mount Sinai in NYC and it's a huge research hospital. I can't imagine why the won't offer conscious sedation.
Anyway, Marvin I also really appreciate your reassurance coming from one with BMB experience. It helps, though most of the BMB experience stories I've read are downright frightening.
Toni, thanks so much for your support, I wish you a speedy and easy BMB. Hopefully the extra help they give you will make a positive difference.
Thanks again to all. Also, I just realized that I should have posted this in the MGUS forum, so I apologize for the error.
Thanks so very much for the thoughtful, honest feedback.
Nikki
Forums
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
Any hospital that your insurance covers will likely gladly pick up your business (I've shopped around for other procedures with no issue whatsoever). Just get a listing of the covered hospitals that are close to you and call their main number and tell them the procedure you want to have done. They can then connect you with the department that does the BMB and you can ask them if they do sedation (be honest about why you are contacting them). They will then ask for your referring physician and they should be able to take care of the rest (including getting a pre-authorization from your insurance).
While some folks clearly have issues with a BMB, I'm one of those that turned down the sedation they offered me and had the procedure done with just a local and drove myself home afterwards. Really, getting my teeth cleaned was a worse experience. If I could, I would gladly sign up for a BMB (without sedation) every other month when I get my regular lab tests done.
While some folks clearly have issues with a BMB, I'm one of those that turned down the sedation they offered me and had the procedure done with just a local and drove myself home afterwards. Really, getting my teeth cleaned was a worse experience. If I could, I would gladly sign up for a BMB (without sedation) every other month when I get my regular lab tests done.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
Hi Nikki,
It is inevitable that you will find primarily horror stories about bone marrow biopsies when you scour the Internet looking for information about them. People who don't have a problem with them are not nearly as likely to say that's the case.
There was a poll a while back here in the forum that people should check out more often. It asked people about how much pain they experienced during their last BMB. The results will probably surprise you a lot.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-bone-marrow-biopsies-and-pain-2013-t2571.html
If you do the math, you'll see that about half the almost 180 people who responded to the poll said that the pain they experienced during their last BMB was minor, at most. A quarter said they didn't feel any pain at all, or barely noticed any pain.
And this isn't because most people were on full anesthesia during their BMB and therefore not couldn't feel anything. There was another poll about the same time as the one above that asked people what sort of anesthesia or sedatives they get during BMBs.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-pain-management-for-bone-marrow-biopsy-2013-t2513.html
As you'll see, most people get either lidocaine alone, or a local like lidocaine combined with a sedative.
I'm not saying that a BMB can't be really painful in some cases, or even consistently for some people. BMBs can be painful in some cases, and some people have more problems with them than others. But it would be a big mistake to think that they are consistently painful for most people
Most importantly, I wouldn't let fear of BMB get in the way of your getting one of if you really should have one.
It is inevitable that you will find primarily horror stories about bone marrow biopsies when you scour the Internet looking for information about them. People who don't have a problem with them are not nearly as likely to say that's the case.
There was a poll a while back here in the forum that people should check out more often. It asked people about how much pain they experienced during their last BMB. The results will probably surprise you a lot.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-bone-marrow-biopsies-and-pain-2013-t2571.html
If you do the math, you'll see that about half the almost 180 people who responded to the poll said that the pain they experienced during their last BMB was minor, at most. A quarter said they didn't feel any pain at all, or barely noticed any pain.
And this isn't because most people were on full anesthesia during their BMB and therefore not couldn't feel anything. There was another poll about the same time as the one above that asked people what sort of anesthesia or sedatives they get during BMBs.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-pain-management-for-bone-marrow-biopsy-2013-t2513.html
As you'll see, most people get either lidocaine alone, or a local like lidocaine combined with a sedative.
I'm not saying that a BMB can't be really painful in some cases, or even consistently for some people. BMBs can be painful in some cases, and some people have more problems with them than others. But it would be a big mistake to think that they are consistently painful for most people
Most importantly, I wouldn't let fear of BMB get in the way of your getting one of if you really should have one.
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
My oncologist asked me what hospital I would like to use for my BMB. I had lidocaine along with IV fentanyl and midazolam [Versed] for conscious sedation. I was awake the entire time and experienced little to no discomfort, only pressure lasting about 10 seconds.
I would suggest you ask around your area and find out who does BMB with conscious sedation. Even if you have to travel a bit to have it done, it may be worth the effort to give yourself some peace of mind. It shouldn't matter to your oncologist where you have your BMB done. He an call the order in to any approved facility.
The procedure is extremely short in duration, however you will spend several hours at the hospital .
I would suggest you ask around your area and find out who does BMB with conscious sedation. Even if you have to travel a bit to have it done, it may be worth the effort to give yourself some peace of mind. It shouldn't matter to your oncologist where you have your BMB done. He an call the order in to any approved facility.
The procedure is extremely short in duration, however you will spend several hours at the hospital .
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Dano - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Jan 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 65
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
I've had 3 thus far.
The first one was in the doctor's office and hurt like hell, and I have a very high threshold for pain. My wife was in the room at the time and was very shaken up by the ordeal. I don't think that I've ever yelled that loud due to pain. The bad news was that the doctor didn't extract enough marrow for all of the testing.
My second extraction was done in the local hospital. They gave me a small dose of whatever to basically relax me as well as an actual epidural. I didn't feel anything but a little pressure.
The third one I had was at the University of Michigan where they only do conscious sedation with a medication that tends to make you forget what happened. My wife said that I did yell one time when they first went in, but I honestly don't remember it. Odd, though, I remember having it done and the events afterwards.
The first one was in the doctor's office and hurt like hell, and I have a very high threshold for pain. My wife was in the room at the time and was very shaken up by the ordeal. I don't think that I've ever yelled that loud due to pain. The bad news was that the doctor didn't extract enough marrow for all of the testing.
My second extraction was done in the local hospital. They gave me a small dose of whatever to basically relax me as well as an actual epidural. I didn't feel anything but a little pressure.
The third one I had was at the University of Michigan where they only do conscious sedation with a medication that tends to make you forget what happened. My wife said that I did yell one time when they first went in, but I honestly don't remember it. Odd, though, I remember having it done and the events afterwards.
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Blackbird - Name: Rick Crow
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb, 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
This is wonderful advice! Thank you all!
I didn't think another hospital would just take me and I really appreciate the encouraging poll info, not to mention the personal experiences.
This is really very helpful. Thank you so very much. I think I'm going to start researching ASAP and see if I can find another facility. If not, I hope I fall into the non-excruciating group.
Nikki
I didn't think another hospital would just take me and I really appreciate the encouraging poll info, not to mention the personal experiences.
This is really very helpful. Thank you so very much. I think I'm going to start researching ASAP and see if I can find another facility. If not, I hope I fall into the non-excruciating group.
Nikki
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
I´ve had 5 bone marrow biopsies. They have all been hurtful but to a various degree. In my case, the worrying before the BMB has been worse than the actual BMB. So I´ve learned that taking 5-10 mg diazepam [Valium] before the procedure calms me down and I don´t worry at all in advance anymore.
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asaryden - Name: asaryden
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: August 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 48
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
The pain level has varied from one practitioner to another for me. I, like you, dread the biopsy, but I was told that a certain tech named Chris at the Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh was really good. He did my third biopsy and it was at least 50% less painful than the first two. From my experience I personally think it depends who does it.
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genk - Name: Ed
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: August 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 61
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
I agree about it depends on who does them. I've had 2 BMB's with only local anesthesia and the first one was painful and it hurt for several days afterwards. It even hurt to sit down afterwards. The 2nd one was much less painful and within a day or two I could barely even feel that it had been done. Each was done by a different person.
The first one was done by a doctor and the 2nd one, which was less painful, was done by a nurse practitioner who does a lot of them. I was told that she worked with another doctor at that office to come up with a less painful method. I couldn't tell you what she did different. Anyway, apparently it works.
When I get them done in the future (my transplant doctor wants me to get one done each year), hopefully I can get her to do them.
The first one was done by a doctor and the 2nd one, which was less painful, was done by a nurse practitioner who does a lot of them. I was told that she worked with another doctor at that office to come up with a less painful method. I couldn't tell you what she did different. Anyway, apparently it works.
When I get them done in the future (my transplant doctor wants me to get one done each year), hopefully I can get her to do them.
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DallasGG - Name: Kent
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 6/20/2013
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Bone marrow biopsy with conscious sedation - options?
My wife (67 yrs) has had 2 bone marrow biopsies when I was there. They both were given using local lidocaine anesthetic. The nurses in the office for the first one (the doctor / hematologist did the procedure) said she was good "you didn't scream!". The second one was probably less painful because she tolerated it better.
It is only when they aspirate the marrow that it is painful. The actual boring through the bone isn't painful. You just feel the pressure of the doctor pushing on you.
Yes it really sucks and it is very difficult to watch someone you love go through that, but it certainly hurts less than the kind of pain osteoporosis of the hip gives you.
It is only when they aspirate the marrow that it is painful. The actual boring through the bone isn't painful. You just feel the pressure of the doctor pushing on you.
Yes it really sucks and it is very difficult to watch someone you love go through that, but it certainly hurts less than the kind of pain osteoporosis of the hip gives you.
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caregiver
43 posts
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