Well I have had two. My oncologist did not do it but the interventional radiology team does it. You get mild sedation and pretty much don’t even remember much after they are cleaning the area. It is quick and fairly painless. You have some crappy Indra discomfort around the site for a day. I have Kaiser so my option was to do it there with the team. The worst part of the whole procedure is waiting to hear the news!

I was hospitalized for a week a few days following my BMB with a diagnosis of possible osteomyelitis of the hip as a result of the procedure. Fortunately, the bone did not become infected, but it was a pretty severe week of IV antibiotics. A terribly painful procedure that I’m afraid that needs to be repeated later this year, my oncologist says. It’s been four years since I was diagnosed with PV and ET. 😐

I'm sorry to say, but was the Most Painful Experience I have ever had! The Twilight Meds didn't work & my BP went up to 200/100 & they still proceeded! I felt Everything! The screws going into my hip & out! I Will Never Ever do it again under any circumstances! I don't mean to scare you, but not everyone has an experience!

Hi, I had my BMB about 4 years ago. I did not have any sedation at all. It was done locally at Radiology Regional Center by a Dr who has a lot of experience. He talked me through it. First was a Lidocaine injection and I will say that it burns like heck and then you are super numb. All I felt after that was pressure. It was really interesting to see tubes and slides of my bone marrow when he was finished. I didn't have any lingering pain or discomfort to speak of. Mine was ordered by my Hematologist to confirm her blood tests. She made an appointment for 3 weeks out, but I understand the results were ready in about a week. I am over 60, considered high risk, JAK2 positive which mainly affects my Platelets although sometimes my WBC and RBC are a little off, and I am often low in Ferritin and get Iron Infusions. I also have auto-immune disease(s) so it's been a lot of tests and homework, but now stable. Good luck!

My experience with the bmb was pretty painful. I had the local anesthetic which numbed the site to some degree. I felt a lot of pressure and then horrible pain. Sedation is the way to go just in case you don't get numb enough. My bmb was done in Feb. 2023 so it's still a pretty vivid memory.