I had my yearly bmb yesterday and was told that now we could only have light sedation it had been a national decision, it was the worst one I 've had in 7 years of cml. Has anyone else been given only light sedation. Dont know how others have bmb's with out sedation they must be very brave people.
Yvonne
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bmb
I was diagnosed in May(30 years old) and had my first BMB.
Something I prefer to forget but I know it will be happening again. The doctor attempted 3 times with no success eventually hit a nerve and had pain down my leg for 5 days. He did a local anaesthetic.
I have been told that because my WBC (570 is this high?) were so high that the pain should not be there on the next occassion. Am I wrong in believing this?
I am currently on the Dasatanib trial as first port of call trial rather than using Imatinib. So far so good (I think). I have had a haemotological response, not quite sure how good news that is. I am currently on Bi monthly visits.
Luckily (I think) i am just around the corner from Addenbrookes.
Hi
Just to add that I have had 5 BMB's and never had sedation. It has never been offered at any of the hospitals.
The BMB's have been ****ing painful and each time the doctor told me that they were 'expert' at doing it and it wouldn't hurt too much.........and each time they had to resort to the bigger thicker needle. I was climbing the walls with pain.
I haven't had one for 2 years and hope I never need another.
On the other hand not sure if I would want to be bothered being sedated, I think it is what you are used to and what works on an individual basis.........but to deny sedation seems very hard.
Good luck with taking this further
Susan
Hello Carlos,
When I had my first bmb, my count was only 298, nothing compared to yours, but the actual extraction of te fluid was painfull. This was explained as trying to extract thick soup up the needle, & that as my count dropped, & my bone marrow returned to normal that the actual extracion would become less painfull. This appears to be the case, so hang in there & things should get easier.
This will never be a pain free experience, but it will get better, & doesn't last long.
Bob
Had my first in 1996, near knocked unconcious by hitting head against the wall. The second one two months later, took one and a half hours to do and I managed to break the examination bed with my bare hands. Since that date all bmb's were done under sedation. Now thanks to dasainib, I don't have them. I would never ever consent to a bmb under local.
Have fun
Keith
I've had four or five now all with local. Admittedly it was very painful the first time, which was a double BMB and I felt like a lorry had crashed into my back, followed by a good kicking from a donkey to top it up for good measure. I was stiff for a few days to say the least.
The next few have been painful at the time, as the Doc said they can't numb the bone & agree with Michael the 'tugging' feels weird. Oddly it does get easier, and my past couple I've been able to go straight to work after an hour break to recover. Must be the big plaster that does the trick!!
macca
I guess it must be different for young people. Rio is 16 now and has always had sedation for his BMAs over the last 3+ years. He is only 'under' for a few minutes and although he is sore after, he is always able to go out to see his mates that evening! Last BMA he refused to have any paracetamol afterwards too - do kids just bounce back faster?!
kestrel
When I had my first BML I asked the doctor if this is ever done without anasthetic, he replied no, it would be considered assault, he reckoned no-one would lie there and take that without an anasthetic.
How does the medical system work in the UK? In SA if you have a medical aid scheme these things are all covered. I'm sure even under state medical it would be done with an anasthetic, and our state medical system is pretty putrid.
hi,all
I was dx 1995 but I only started keeping records in 2000, since then I have had over 20 bone marrow & aspirates. All the early ones were done with just a local anaethetic, but in 2002
I had a really bad experiance,the doc took several attemps to get a good sample and I said that I would never have it done with a local again.With sedation they can do it as many times as they like and I wont know. The only time I have done was at HH as you cant drive after anaethetic.Now if HH need one I arrange to have it done at my local hospital the day before HH appointment and they parcel it up.take it with me, and I give it to the doctor when I see her.I dont know what causes one procedure to give so much more pain than another, some ive had you hardly know about it the next day,others I'm hobling about for a week. The last one I had at HH the registrar said "youve got blooming hard bones" so perhaps thats the problem.Its a sure fact that the people who do it havent had it done themselves, "you will perhaps feel a slight tingle in your leg, and perhaps feel a bit bruised for an hour" Yeah right!
Any way I now look forward to tea and toast afterwards
kind regards, les.
I must have been very lucky - had my first one last week with local anaesthetic only, and though it was a bit uncomfortable for a few minutes I came away thinking "I've had worse fillings". No pain once the anaesthetic wore off, and only a slight itch at the site over the next couple of days. Perhaps they are very skilled in Edinburgh, or do I have unfeeling bones?
Olivia