[Greg H]

Hi All!

I had an interesting Bone Marrow Biopsy experience a couple of days ago that I thought I'd share. I'm curious whether anything like this has happened to anyone else.

My fourth BMB, this was the least painful I have had so far. I think the doc used a very healthy amount of lidocaine. I have very hard bones, and the doc had to bear down pretty hard to get the instrument to penetrate the bones in my behind. Still, she persevered without actually bringing out the electric drill (Yikes!).

Once it was over and we did the usual lie on your back for 15 minutes, I walked to a shuttle bus stop, was transported to the subway, rode for 20 minutes, and rode another shuttle to my hotel. My hip started hurting a bit when I got up to walk off the train, but the pain subsided with walking. Little did I know this was but an appetizer.

Resting at the hotel trolling the internet, I discovered a quilt shop around the corner (but too far to walk), so we drove over, and I went for a long walk around the shopping center to get the kinks out of my behind while my wife shopped. We went straight from there to a Memphis-style BBQ joint (plenty of helpful antioxidants in that dry rub they put on the ribs).

After forty-five minutes or an hour, we paid the check and I headed for the men's room. About the time I turned the corner at the hostess station, the pain kicked in. Serious pain. Can't take another step with this hip pain.

I grabbed the back of a booth and made it to the bar, where I sat for a minute or two on a bench. Game for another try, I started toward the men's room, using the moulding on top of the wainscoting as a brace. I made it, with much pain, to the collection of kids' high chairs near the men's room. I stopped, braced myself on them, and thought I might throw up. I felt faint from the pain.

I woke up on the carpet.

I picked myself up and stumbled into the men's room, leaned over the sink, and threw cold water in my face. At lest a couple of other patrons wandered in and out, probably thinking I'd had too much to drink, before I texted my wife to come rescue me.

The nausea eventually passed and I was able to walk out to the sidewalk, where my wife picked me up and drove me back to the hotel. Some Tylenol and rest, and everything was better in the morning. No problems since.

I've never had this kind of reaction to a bone marrow biopsy before. I'm betting it was the result of my hip muscle or bone -- or both -- reacting to the intense pressure required for my doctor to get the special BMB tool through my very hard bones. Either that or it's not a real good idea to go for a long stroll a couple of hours after a BMB.

Sound familiar to anyone?

Greg