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Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
I was wondering how you are after the biopsy. I have not had mine yet. Were you able to walk? Will I need to have someone bring a wheelchair for me? Did you have to stay in bed a few days?
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megan2 - Name: Megan
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
Last time I had a bone marrow biopsy was in January. After the biopsy, I walked out of the hospital, got in the car with my husband, and went out to lunch and then to the grocery store!
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Margaret Hock
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
I go in this Friday to have mine done, I'm very nervous about it. The doctor did give me a prescription for Ativan to take 30 minutes prior. Trying not to think about it and just want it behind me so we will know what stage of this I'm at: MGUS, smoldering or active myeloma.
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Dippydoo - Name: DippyDoo
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself MGUS
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2/9/2017
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
Just wanted to add this because, well, whoo hoo!
I'm a wuss. I freely admit it.
OK, yeah, I've had five kids 'naturally' (more or less) but that doesn't mean I liked the birth process any.
Unlike many of you who've been through the mill, I've only had two bone marrow biopsies in the doctor's office with lidocaine only.
I did not like it. After the second one, I made a very great point of telling my docs that if I ever had to do it again, I didn't want to be there for it. Period.
Yesterday I got one done. Actually, it was a 'twofer,' in that I did two procedures more or less at the same time. I got a port-a-cath and a bone marrow biopsy.
With the bone marrow biopsy, I was put in a CT scanning room, my butt was mapped, the doc doing the procedure said 'I'm going to start now," the anesthesiologist stepped to where I could see her put the happy juice in my IV line, and I woke up in the recovery room.
I strongly, most strongly, recommend this way of doing things.
I don't have any problem at all being a wuss. I don't have anything to prove to anybody, after all, do I? I have given birth to five kids. I can deal with pain if I have to, but I don't see the point in dealing with it if I don't have to.
Good luck and blessings to all of us.
I'm a wuss. I freely admit it.
OK, yeah, I've had five kids 'naturally' (more or less) but that doesn't mean I liked the birth process any.
Unlike many of you who've been through the mill, I've only had two bone marrow biopsies in the doctor's office with lidocaine only.
I did not like it. After the second one, I made a very great point of telling my docs that if I ever had to do it again, I didn't want to be there for it. Period.
Yesterday I got one done. Actually, it was a 'twofer,' in that I did two procedures more or less at the same time. I got a port-a-cath and a bone marrow biopsy.
With the bone marrow biopsy, I was put in a CT scanning room, my butt was mapped, the doc doing the procedure said 'I'm going to start now," the anesthesiologist stepped to where I could see her put the happy juice in my IV line, and I woke up in the recovery room.
I strongly, most strongly, recommend this way of doing things.
I don't have any problem at all being a wuss. I don't have anything to prove to anybody, after all, do I? I have given birth to five kids. I can deal with pain if I have to, but I don't see the point in dealing with it if I don't have to.
Good luck and blessings to all of us.
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dianaiad - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Officially...March 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 63
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
Hi Dianaiad:
Amen! I don't feel the need to be a superhero anymore either. I felt bad for so long complaining that I didn't feel well, or that I wanted sedation for those more painful procedures. No longer. I have only had 2 children (God bless you for having and raising 5), but I would rather have had more children without pain medications then go through some of the things that I have been through with this cancer.
Unfortunately some of the health professionals don't tell you how bad something can be until your in the middle of it and it's too late to turn back. For me, my biggest shock was my reaction to the Neupogen to mobilize the stem cells before the transplant. Talk about childbirth being bad
. My body had an extreme bone pain reaction, and it felt like someone was ripping my spine out of my body - a la Predator movie When my husband called the doctor (because I was writhing on the floor and screaming), they said "oh yeah, that can happen". Well thanks a TON for telling me. Needless to say it took a few more pain medications to take care of THAT pain. Good news though it only took 3 hours to collect 20 million stem cells.
I hope no one suffers in silence. My advice; tell someone, and make them listen. If they don't, find someone that will. We are living in the 21st century, and no one should be in pain.
Thanks for your comment, (and congrats on the wedding).
Kathleen
Amen! I don't feel the need to be a superhero anymore either. I felt bad for so long complaining that I didn't feel well, or that I wanted sedation for those more painful procedures. No longer. I have only had 2 children (God bless you for having and raising 5), but I would rather have had more children without pain medications then go through some of the things that I have been through with this cancer.
Unfortunately some of the health professionals don't tell you how bad something can be until your in the middle of it and it's too late to turn back. For me, my biggest shock was my reaction to the Neupogen to mobilize the stem cells before the transplant. Talk about childbirth being bad
. My body had an extreme bone pain reaction, and it felt like someone was ripping my spine out of my body - a la Predator movie When my husband called the doctor (because I was writhing on the floor and screaming), they said "oh yeah, that can happen". Well thanks a TON for telling me. Needless to say it took a few more pain medications to take care of THAT pain. Good news though it only took 3 hours to collect 20 million stem cells.I hope no one suffers in silence. My advice; tell someone, and make them listen. If they don't, find someone that will. We are living in the 21st century, and no one should be in pain.
Thanks for your comment, (and congrats on the wedding).
Kathleen
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kshornb - Name: kshornber
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
Hi Dianalad,
No I don't think you are being unreasonable in wanting to avoid painful procedures! Some people seem to get thru bone marrow biopsies with little difficulty, but in my case I had one with just lidocaine and it was painful! The 2 or 3 (can't remember now) that I had after that were with conscious sedation. in my area, apparently the protocol now is just to do the lidocaine, so naturally I am not looking forward to that again! I had them at the time of diagnosis in 2009, and then before and after the stem cell transplant in 2009 -2010.
And the Hickman catheter was also inserted under conscious sedation via midazolam (Versed). The whole procedure and having to deal with the concept of having myeloma added angst, but fortunately the medical people were very good and helped me to get thru these procedures!
Hope everything goes well with you also, and please keep us updated. Glad the wedding went off well!
I am a mother of two and sometimes I think that my previous experiences with childbirth over 30 years ago helped me to get thru these more recent experiences.
No I don't think you are being unreasonable in wanting to avoid painful procedures! Some people seem to get thru bone marrow biopsies with little difficulty, but in my case I had one with just lidocaine and it was painful! The 2 or 3 (can't remember now) that I had after that were with conscious sedation. in my area, apparently the protocol now is just to do the lidocaine, so naturally I am not looking forward to that again! I had them at the time of diagnosis in 2009, and then before and after the stem cell transplant in 2009 -2010.
And the Hickman catheter was also inserted under conscious sedation via midazolam (Versed). The whole procedure and having to deal with the concept of having myeloma added angst, but fortunately the medical people were very good and helped me to get thru these procedures!
Hope everything goes well with you also, and please keep us updated. Glad the wedding went off well!
I am a mother of two and sometimes I think that my previous experiences with childbirth over 30 years ago helped me to get thru these more recent experiences.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
Hello Dianaiad,
Any way you need to get through that bone marrow biopsy is fine. Everybody is different. Just did my 4th one. In a way I was fortunate with my first one. I had mine scheduled out about a week from the day my doctor telling me he wanted to do a biopsy. Two hours later, his office staff called and said they had two cancellations. Would I like to come back in for that biopsy. So I had no time to think about it and no time to Google or search for anything related.
I accepted the appointment. My doctor has a table something like a massage table where your head is in an opening and pillow supports so your rear end is up. Him and his nurse talked me through every step. Really, just a little sting from the shots to numb the area. He also used the needle to see how sensitive I was and let him know I was totally numb.
I would rather have a bone marrow biopsy than have my mouth numbed up for major dental work. I guess I am a wuss when it comes to the dentist.
Best of luck,
Castaway
Any way you need to get through that bone marrow biopsy is fine. Everybody is different. Just did my 4th one. In a way I was fortunate with my first one. I had mine scheduled out about a week from the day my doctor telling me he wanted to do a biopsy. Two hours later, his office staff called and said they had two cancellations. Would I like to come back in for that biopsy. So I had no time to think about it and no time to Google or search for anything related.
I accepted the appointment. My doctor has a table something like a massage table where your head is in an opening and pillow supports so your rear end is up. Him and his nurse talked me through every step. Really, just a little sting from the shots to numb the area. He also used the needle to see how sensitive I was and let him know I was totally numb.
I would rather have a bone marrow biopsy than have my mouth numbed up for major dental work. I guess I am a wuss when it comes to the dentist.
Best of luck,
Castaway
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Castaway - Name: George
- Who do you know with myeloma?: just myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 1/24/14
- Age at diagnosis: 62
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
I dreaded mine and delayed it for a while after my MGUS diagnosis in September 2015. Eventually I got it done around lunch time May, 2016. Went right back to work afterwards, and then to son's ultimate Frisbee nationals tournament 8 hours away next morning. It hurt, but I'd say a root canal is worse
The band-aid and some pain days after was somewhat bothersome.
Unfortunately, result was 20% plasma cells, thus a multiple myeloma diagnosis. Another unfortunate thing is that the oncologist "forgot" to do the FISH test, so I have no clue of risk factors, outside of high kappa-lambda ratio and immunoparesis.
Would not mind doing it again to get FISH done, but it is not deemed necessary at the moment.
The band-aid and some pain days after was somewhat bothersome.
Unfortunately, result was 20% plasma cells, thus a multiple myeloma diagnosis. Another unfortunate thing is that the oncologist "forgot" to do the FISH test, so I have no clue of risk factors, outside of high kappa-lambda ratio and immunoparesis.
Would not mind doing it again to get FISH done, but it is not deemed necessary at the moment.
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Dimamar - When were you/they diagnosed?: June, 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
In truth, some of us can whiz through a biopsy without so much as a blink.
Some of us (me) fixate on it. This procedure, for me, was the "oh, sh**" moment that seemed to exemplify everything miserable about multiple myeloma, from the loss of dignity to the pain to the you-name-it.
I hated it. And yes, for me, it was incredibly painful. I have had five kids. I have had to deal with root canals where the anesthesia didn't work. I've had, along with everybody else, to deal with pain of all kinds.
I refuse to deal with this one.
Period.
I honestly do not see why anybody would have to do so, if there is a pain free alternative. For me, obviously, there was, and I'm very grateful.
As to Neupogen, I hear you! I didn't have any problems during the time I actually had the shots, mind you. It didn't hit me until I was admitted for the transplant. That first night?
Yeah. I remember the writhing and the pain that morphine wouldn't touch.
I also remember that, oddly enough, Claritin (loratadine) did help. There have been a few studies regarding loratidine and drug-induced bone pain, and the results are mixed, to say the least. However, it seems that the efficacy of this (not Claritin D, just the Claritin and generic loratidine) is at least a fifty/fifty shot, and you won't get hayfever. )
Worked for me just fine, though, and there is lots of anecdotal evidence to show that it does work. For me. Tylenol (acetaminophen / paracetamol), NSAIDS (which of course I can no longer take) and even opioids didn't work, but the Claritin did.
Mind you, I doubt that I will have to deal with the Neupogen shots again, but it's a thought.
Some of us (me) fixate on it. This procedure, for me, was the "oh, sh**" moment that seemed to exemplify everything miserable about multiple myeloma, from the loss of dignity to the pain to the you-name-it.
I hated it. And yes, for me, it was incredibly painful. I have had five kids. I have had to deal with root canals where the anesthesia didn't work. I've had, along with everybody else, to deal with pain of all kinds.
I refuse to deal with this one.
Period.
I honestly do not see why anybody would have to do so, if there is a pain free alternative. For me, obviously, there was, and I'm very grateful.
As to Neupogen, I hear you! I didn't have any problems during the time I actually had the shots, mind you. It didn't hit me until I was admitted for the transplant. That first night?
Yeah. I remember the writhing and the pain that morphine wouldn't touch.
I also remember that, oddly enough, Claritin (loratadine) did help. There have been a few studies regarding loratidine and drug-induced bone pain, and the results are mixed, to say the least. However, it seems that the efficacy of this (not Claritin D, just the Claritin and generic loratidine) is at least a fifty/fifty shot, and you won't get hayfever. )
Worked for me just fine, though, and there is lots of anecdotal evidence to show that it does work. For me. Tylenol (acetaminophen / paracetamol), NSAIDS (which of course I can no longer take) and even opioids didn't work, but the Claritin did.
Mind you, I doubt that I will have to deal with the Neupogen shots again, but it's a thought.
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dianaiad - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Officially...March 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 63
Re: Bone marrow biopsy - videos cause unnecessary fear
Mine was a piece of cake with no real pain involved, but that doesn't mean I'm not a wuss when it comes to such things. I am! I am a complete believer in avoidance of any pain that is in any way controllable or avoidable. Therefore, I absolutely agree that if you have any problems even thinking about the procedure, then you should push your doctor to put you out in whatever manner they're willing to do so. Mine was easy, but not everyone's is, and there's enough pain involved with myeloma already. There's no need to add more to it.
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Mike F - Name: Mike F
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 18, 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 53
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