Bone marrow biopsy

Hi.

I have to have one next week following confirmation i'm producing too many red blood cells and a JAK2 blood test came back ok.

This is happening way to fast and I'm unsure what they are testing for now and I know they say you should not use Google for medical information but i have and starting to worry now.

It  doesn't sound like this is a nice test and sorry you have had to have 4 times in 18 months but are you able to give any information around the test?

Hi James 1234.  I have to be honest, it's not a very nice test but I think sometimes the thought of it is worse than the actual test.  The sample is taken from the hip bone (at the back) so you lie on your side.  You are given a local anaesthetic and it doesn't take long at all.  I was in and out within 25 minutes and that includes signing the paperwork and allowing a few minutes for the local to work.  It is apparently a more accurate way of measuring the level of disease than a normal venous blood test. Do you mind me asking what the JAK test is you mentioned, never come across this?  Good Luck with the test, hope all goes well and let me know how you get on, if you'd like to.

Hi all, my first time I've logged in. I"ve just been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia on the 29th July, been an in patient since then. MY bone marrow was such an ordeal for me, I'm due another and I've asked them to make me feel drowsy as I felt everything.

Butt I uses its one step further down the journey for me, I have to have a 2nd round of chemo and stem cell transplant, so four months away from home.

Hi everyone

Thanks for the advice and I gave the hospital a quick call to find out a little more about it and they mentioned they have gas and air on stand by for people like me that might be nervous which is great news.

I've had that before and it really helped with a procedure I had to have.

I believe the JAK2 test looks for mutations but my doctor could not give me any information around the results and I had to wait for my haematologist appointment but the results were clear(below from google)

The JAK2 mutation test may be used, along with other tests such as bone marrow disordersthat lead to overproduction of blood cells. These conditions are known as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

I now have to go in for a bone marrow biopsy which is going to find out the reason i'm producing too many red blood cells and this is turning into a very difficult wait thanks to me best and worst friend.....Google 

So I went for the biopsy earlier today at Southmead Hospital in Bristol and was not prepared at all for it

The doctor I saw was fantastic and took over from a nurse as he could see I was very worried about it. and I was given gas and air but he stopped half way through and said he is going to perform one under a general.This was not a good experience for me.

If anyone is going for one I was advised that a number of people can tolerate it and the person before me today was very worried and it went really well.

I'm just a wimp guys ha ha

I did ask the doctor though what he thinks could be wrong with me and he believes I have Myeloproliferativve Neoplasms(MPN)which is a form of blood cancer and seems pretty rare.

I'm going to be going back in shortly and will hopefully know a lot more once the biopsy has been fully carried out