STORMYWHALEN: If you get this, the sensation under your ribcage is probable because your spleen is enlarged. Your spleen is part of your lymphatic system. Mine was enlarged and has gone down but it is right next to your stomach so when you eat to much it pushes on the spleen. Sometimes if you take a deep breath you can feel it come down under the ribcage. The spleen is enlarged because it is working overtime to clean out dead white blood cells to make new ones due to NHL. Milkthistle is supposed to be good for the spleen and may help the swelling go down.

Dhitter: I had mine there, too. I did hear from two others that said that it was not painful, but everyone else said horrible (only for the 2 seconds that they withdrew the marrow). I don't understand this. Perhaps your pain threshold is higher. Regarding the local injection, that will only numb the outer tissue and can't get insie the bone. My brother (a plastic surgeon) has had 10 of these for his hairy cell leukemia. He uses Versed for his now, too. Hopefully, all of yours continue to be pain free. Mine definitely was not.

I just had my first bone marrow biopsy. I did this without sedation and am so glad that I chose this method. I only felt pressure, a bit of aching in the bone and a VERY brief pain (approx. 15-20 seconds) when the marrow was aspirated. The second puncture went just as well when they removed a column of bone. I chatted about swimming and biking with the nurse and physician during the entire procedure which last only 30 minutes. Went back to work right after. Just wanted to let others know that they should not have anxiety if you are facing this for the first time. That being said, the experience of pain is a relative thing and everyone experiences this differently. Just wanted to share that, for me, I would do this procedure again without sedation. I think it is important to make sure that the physician conducting the test has lots of experience. I think that probably matters a great deal. Good luck and prayers to everyone.

Thank you, Coetie and Dave. You have been so helpful. Much appreciated!

I have had only one , I had a Valium , it was done in he dr office , I was told by a friend that had one , not. To do it if they wouldn't put me to sleep , the dr told me we didn't have the time to book a op room , so I layed down on he table and my wonderful husband held my hand , I will say the first part was not to bad , when the went in to get the bone marrow I will say it was pretty bad , but mosty pressure, the good thing was it didn't last long , if I have to have another one , I would do the same thing , I hate being put to sleep , and it wasn't as bad. As what I had read, that's my take on , just remember everyone is different , and handles things different , it's a individual
Thing

I was told it wouldn't be that painful by my consultant, so I went on my own not even looking into it much. Had some pain killers to take an hour before but damn it hurt, made me cry.

My own fault I guess but I even had to drive home on my own afterwards in agony.

I actually was expecting the worse - had one 35 years ago that was uniquely painful, but as the good doctor promised, limited pain and no agony.

Hi, ive had 4 or 5, i would say it is one of the most painful things to have done. But after the first few i had a very nice and cleaver consultant who explained to me that if you go very slow and draw it back everytime you hit a nerve, then go in at a slightly different angle you reduce the pain quite a lot. Marina x

I spoke to my younger brother earlier this month about his experiences with this. He is a plastic surgeon, who has had Hairy Cell Leukemia (another branch on the NHL tree) for 15 years, and has had 11 bone marrow biopsies. He told me that he has them come to his office and self administers Versed, since due to the number of procedures there is a lot of scarring to get through. He also offered to me, that if I need another one, to come out there to do it (w/Versed). A six hour drive, but .... Just not into pain! I am going back to my oncologist for my 6 month follow-up next week. I wonder what pleasurable activities they will have in store for me?

Hi, you know ive never heard of Versed. It must be an American thing, i just googled it and it looks scarry, dont think its avalible in England.

I also had a bone marrow biopsy. I didn't know I was getting one actually. I was at my oncologist's office for a check up when he informed me that he was also going to do a biopsy at the same time. So I just went with it. They numbed my hip with lidocaine, and only felt a tiny pressure as the marrow was sucked up. Getting the bone extracted felt like a jackhammer on my hip, but it was over in seconds and didn't hurt. I just think I have a high pain threshold.

But bottom line, I think it was better for me because I didn't know I was getting it until 2 minutes before it took place. If one sits and thinks, and starts to agonize over the possibility of how bad it COULD BE, it WILL BE. As hard as it might be, try to stay calm and just think "this will be over very quickly".

Marina - Versed is a short acting anesthesia that is used for consciuos sedation (twilight) procedures of surgeries (i.e., a colonoscopy). Definitely not an over the counter drug. I am sure that that drug exists in England, but may have a different name. The problem in the US is that most insurance companies will not pay for anesthesia for a bone marrow biopsy.

Yvette - You are probably very right about the value of not thinking about it, helping out the mental aspect of the procedure. Being my normal self, I researched the heck out of the procedure prior to getting it. When I went on google to look up bone marrow biopsy, I also looked right below the reference and read "bone marrow transplant", too. I shouldn't have read that one. I almost threw up reading about that procedure. Perhaps there are some things that we shouldn't know about.

Hey Dave, i had a Bone Marrow Transplant, its my two years anniversary this week, i would not be alive now if i had not had it. Guess what, it was an unrelated donor, i dont know thier identity yet but i do know they are American. Well i have love for BMT and Americans, i owe both my life.
Marina

Speaking for me: Glad to to hear that you seem to have had great success with this (still scares the heck out of me, but ... I will do what I have to do. My 6 month oncology visit is next Weds., so I am ramping up my anxiety)
Speaking for all Americans: Glad that we could help you out.
Sincerely, real happy that you have had success with this!! Hope it continues for a long, long time!!!!

I had a bone marrow biopsy and didn't think it was too bad. The doctor number it and if I felt the needle, he numbed it some more!