Hello All,
i have got to admit I am very very scared about my forthcoming bone marrow biopsy. I already bear a lot of pain daily from my lower back problems as a result of a prolapsed disc, hip bursatis and terrible terrible tendonities and shoulder impingement problems but what has seriously scared me is a very unpleasant removal of an abscess from the buttocks. Did not feel the procedure but the six local anaesthetic injections took my breath away, literally. I have been told by numerous people that my threshold of pain is quite high but this is an experience I would not like repeated and the marrow biopsy sounds pretty similar. I have undergone an amniocentesis as well and it was nothing.
But this agonising wait of a diagnosis is stressful. For the past two years I have been hearing you could or could not have cancer. Until they are ruling this out, they are not even investigating a likely auto immune disorder which is an alternative possibility. My nodes were detected in Jan 2019 and are either too subtle or too risky to be biopsied with a needle. Hence the bone marrow biopsy.
Apologies for the long post but would someone like a nurse or who has recently had one let me know if it is really as bad as it sounds. Wish they had put me completely under. My procedure is in early Jan 2021. Thanks and God bless and have a merry Christmas.
Hi and a warm welcome to the Online Community, a Community that no one really looks to see themselves joining, and so sorry to hear about your ongoing diagnosis.
You don’t say what type of cancer is being looked at. For me, Bone Marrow Biopsies have been part of my life for over 21 years as I have a rare Lymphoma blood cancer.
I have to say I have got used to BMBs, a few local anaesthetic jabs, some pushing and it’s done in 20-30mins.
BMBs are an essential part of cancer diagnosis like blood cancers as it can be the only way a diagnosis can be done. But do talk with your team as they can give you something to help you through it,
A cancer diagnosis can bring a lot of confusion, stress and many questions but talking with other people who are on the same type of journey can help a lot.
This Community is organised into various support groups and this is a link to all our Cancer specific Groups.
Have a look through then join the best group by choose ‘click to join' or ‘join’ when the page opens. You can then introduce yourself, post questions or just join in with existing discussions by clicking on 'reply'.
It’s always good to talk and the Macmillan Support Services provides lots of information, support or just a listing ear.
Most services are open 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week and it's free to call on 0808 808 00 00 have a look by Clicking here to see what is available and we also have our Ask an Expert section, but do allow two working days for replies from our expert team.
Our Online Information and Support Section is a good place to find information covering diagnosis, treatments and pages covering most types of cancers.
All the very best.
Hi Mike the highlander, thank you very much. It is the anaesthetic experience from the past that is a bit traumatic 
but I have realised no pain no gain and given in. They are thinking it’s “ low grade blood cancer” and have told me this is not the right tool for diagnosis but only used in staging. However, since my nodes are not amenable to a normal needle biopsy this is the next best thing.
Hi again, my type of Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma) was initially classed as low grade. I eventually went through all the stages up to stage 4 before us became very aggressive.
There are over 60 types of Lymphoma and that is before you take all the other types of blood cancers into the equation.
Biopsy is the normal tool along with a CT and indeed a BMB. Even although my consultant was 99% sure as to the type ai had it did take 12 months and 6 biopsies to get the truth.
Further along my treatment time line (hit my name for my story) we had to had a further biopsy done and this had to be done under a general anaesthetic due to the position it was in.
Lets hope for something me clearer information to help you move this forward.
