Next week I'll be seeing a hematologist, who specializes in Amyloidosis, one of the world's best. He may want to have a bone marrow biopsy done given my various problems, including low white blood cell count. In fact, it's the next logical step. It's also one of the tests used to diagnose Amyloidosis.

So I'm wondering if anyone has had the test done and what it was like.

Did it hurt? If so, how painful wast it? I'm more concerned with long lasting pain or damage. I can deal with pain. We all can/have to, but I need to know it won't cause serious problems, damage and the like. So I'm curious to hear about anyone's experience. I'm not looking forward to the pain, I'll admit, but if it won't be too bad, and not a serious risk for damage and helpful for diagnosis, I'll do it. I think at this point it's necessary. I'll also see about being as drugged up as possible. I don't take any medication and deal with what I have to daily, but with such procedures I don't mind being knocked out.

Thank you in advance.

A friend of mine had a bone marrow biopsy as part of management of her multiple myeloma. It was a bit painful at the time but did not have any long-lasting effects.

I hope that the results of your biopsy are helpful.

As far as I remember the bone marrow biopsy was more intimidating than painful, the whole procedure took a few minutes and the biopsy itself was less painful than the lidocaine injection. The injection was deeper and prolonged than other superficial anesthesia. The area remained sore for a few days, as if I was kicked in the ass…
I know many people who went through this biopsy and as far as I know none of them had any long term effects.

Good luck with the new hematologist and the biopsy!

Hi David,

Everyone is different so you won't know how you will respond until you have it. John's had two. The first time it was done under a local. The second,he was sedated. The biopsy where they take out a core sample was not painful for John but the aspiration of the marrow felt like a jolt of lightning shooting through his body.

After experiencing the first with just a local, he will never do another without sedation. That being said, it about 50 -50 where people do just fine with a local and others need sedation. If you are anxious about having it, ask for sedation.

He had no problems post biopsy other than some bruising. But he had very low platelets. I think it also depends on how good the person is who is doing the procedure.

For many years I had a painful neuropathy called meralgia
paresthetica. This is a nerve that arises in the lumbar area--
lateral sensory femoral nerve---which travels past the pelvic bones into the abdomen of the back and exits under the pelvic ligament in the groin/thigh.

When I was at my worst just a decade ago I did alot of research on this problem. One of the surgical causes is
this biopsy if it is taken from the iliac bone of the pelvis. (this is the usual testing site). My trigger was a C-section that was the vertical incision looking for tumors on my ovaries which could have caused my high risk pregnancy with hypertension.
I suffered with this from 1981 until Lidoderm patches were marketed about 10 yrs ago. These patches put me into a remission when I used them daily for 2 weeks.

There are many hits on Google explaining this. Search
"meralgia paresthetica bone marrow test".

There can be some anatomical variants in the placement of this nerve...but if you have a good doctor and remind them that you don't want this side effect, you can escape damage to this nerve.

Thank you all for sharing. It's much appreciated. I'll take all the advice into consideration and will likely ask for sedation while they're doing the procedure. MrsD, I'll also mention what to the physician doing the procedure. I'm sure they're aware of all such side effects, but screw it up by being careless now and then. But that's all the more reason to remind them of precisely how they can screw up and cause us patients serious and long lasting problems. Thanks again.

Mrs. D,
I have been dealing with horrible left groin pain toward pelvic area which often goes down the inner and outer thigh areas for the past few weeks. The pain at times goes down the back of the legs as well; but is almost constant in the groin area/pelvic area. You had mentioned Meralgia paresthelica which I looked up. Much of what I read appears to be very similar to what I am experiencing.

Back this past November, I had repair surgery for three ventral incisional hernias (one was a epigastric hernia). A couple of months ago I went back to see the surgeon because of bulging in the area of the epigastric hernia above my navel began protruding. The doctor said this was due to diastasis recti which was the separating of the abdominal muscles from above and below the navel.

I went to my Pain Management doctor a two weeks ago for my monthly visit and told him about this pain. He insists it is from my left hip and has given me an order for a bilateral hip x-ray. I tried to explain I thought this was due to the belly loosely overlapping and somewhat bulging over the groin area which I thought was because of my abdominal hernia repair surgery. I see my PM or PA monthly so he wants me to have the results of the x-ray before my next visit in July.

You had mentioned using Lidoderm patches for ten days. I tried one a few days ago cutting in a narrow length of the patch so it was laying across the groin area. Wasn't sure it had helped at the time since I only used the patch once for a 12 hr. period. Would you be able to provide me with an idea where best to position the patch?

Since I do take 60mg's Oxycontin every 6 hrs. daily, I used Miralax a few times daily to avoid becoming impacted. This might be adding to the groin pain problem as well.

Appreciate any suggestions.


Gerry

This link has explanations about pain in the hip area.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0401/p2109.html

Trochanteric bursitis can get steroid injections for it.

The MP diagram is figure 2B. That is where I put 1/2 Lidoderm patch for 2 weeks. I also discovered that HEAT -- in any form will stimulate this nerve.

Notice the lumbar area that gives rise to this nerve as well as sciatica. If you had an epidural to numb your last surgeries, they could have hit BOTH nerves and that is why your pain is mixed. The lateral cutaneous femoral nerve does not go to the back of the leg or below the knee. So you may have a mixed situation. If after 2 weeks your Lidoderm does not work, try placing it across the lumbar area (you may need a whole patch placed vertically in this case).

Doctors are notorious for protecting each other. They will not often admit physician error causing damage (Iatrogenic damage) to patients. So expect this type of evasion from them.

I had this done when they were looking for multi myeloma. Unfortunately they were not able to sedate because they need you to feel what they are doing. Just make sure the doctor is strong enough to penetrate the bone the first time. I had a female who failed 3 attempts making for extra pain. That said. Once it is done you will walk out of there fine. YOU CAN DO IT BUDDY! Let us know how it went.

Thanks for sharing your experience and for the encouragement, Stillfighting. Much appreciated. I'll be seeing the hematologist in a few weeks again and think I'll push for a bone marrow biopsy, since I'm currently at a dead end and my WBC are low/below normal. If he does it, he's a strong guy, so hopefully it'll go fine. Regarding sedation, apparently it does happen, as an earlier poster has experienced and as I've read, but perhaps it's better to be awake in case they do need some guidance from you and in case they start poking around where they shouldn't.

Incidentally, I wasn't sure if they use a drill to get to the marrow. So they just push through with a needle, it seems.