bone marrow test??

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

Ok I am not asking for med advice, just a question...

My 81 year old grandmother informed me she was having a bone marrow test done next week---I asked why and of course she didnt know, Grandpa was put on the phone and he said becuase she was anemic her hgb was 8.--said she has been low for a couple of years like in the 10 range--OK so those sound like acurate numbers for being anemic..I asked if she had been given a blood transfusion---"blankty blank--no"..ok...has she been given iron? "marge---do you take iron?"--no.....

since that conversation was not going well, I then called my aunt, who sometimes goes to the Drs with them...she said it was because Gmas sed rate was low...grandma has arthritis, so I thought sed rate would be elevated, not low, but aunt says it is low....apparently no one in the family really knows why gma was asked to have this test, and no one seems to be aware of how painful this is going to be....and well who am I to inform them? only a nurse right??/ no, in thier mind of course I am still a kid, who happens to be 37 years old...and has 4 kids of her own.

I am really against invasive test on elderly---she may very well be anemic. But does she really need a bone marrow test done???

My Aunts are telling me not to make a big deal out of this and dont tell her how painful this may be, cause it will make her nervouse---picture the classic italian maryter--that is my grandma---

So what do you guys know about bone marrow test/anemia and low sed rate??? I know my information is limited, --but if you had to guess, what do you think they are testing for?? when I think of bone marrow test I think of leukemia. but i am sure there are other things too...

[suzanne4, RN]

You just need to Google the bone marrow aspiration procedure and it will give you all of the information that you are looking for. Quite easy to find.

Best of luck to you and your family.

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

You just need to Google the bone marrow aspiration procedure and it will give you all of the information that you are looking for. Quite easy to find.

Best of luck to you and your family.

I did that search and many more--bone marrow test/low sed rate. low hgb/low sed rate...spent lots of time on emedicine and other reputable sites.. etc etc etc. many times. I know the info I am giving is very vague, because that was the information I was given, vague.

God love my imigrant grandparents, they are huge preventive med pts and with thier neurotic nature will do anything any dr will tell them.

I know I am only getting a fraction of the story...Thats why I was hoping there would be a nurse that works oncology/hematology that would know the link between the bone marrow test and the low sed rate.??

[JohnnysGirl]

well, if she does end up having the procedure, at least I can tell you from personal experience that it wasn't very painful - at all. I had the procedure done twice. I was 18 at the time and it was to see if I had gone into remission for Leukemia, but I found it more uncomfortable than painful. Sorry to hear your grandmother is having a tough time.

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

Thanks-- I am relived to know that it is not as painful as it appears...that is my main fear for her is the pain. She is very dramatic to say the least and I was dreading the pain I thought it entailed---more so for my Grandpas sake of having her live with her!!!

[Tait, MSN, RN]

I don't have any advice on why, but I wanted to say "keep on advocating until you get the answers you are looking for!" I am sure your loved ones appreciate your attentiveness :)

[danissa, LPN, LVN]

Sorry, I disagree with JohnnysGirl about the pain of bone marrow aspiration. I had it done, it was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my life! (And I've delivered 3 kiddos weighing nearly nine pounds each!)

Maybe there was a different technique, but when they entered the bone, the negative pressure caused made me feel sick, and the agony radiated right down my right leg. I felt like my leg was being torn off! My poor husbands hand was nearly crushed as he held mine, the pain was so intense.

I'd say, if your granma doesn't urgently need this, it's not a test one would choose to have. If the medics however, feel that it would be beneficial in diagnosing, then it may be a necessary pain. Hope all goes well for your dear Granma.

Oh, and JohnnysGirl, I'm glad that this procedure was not as painful for you as I found it to be, I'd be terrified to go for a repeat, you may save your life by doing so! Well done ..you get the Bravery Badge of the day!

[Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN]

Sorry, I disagree with JohnnysGirl about the pain of bone marrow aspiration. I had it done, it was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my life! (And I've delivered 3 kiddos weighing nearly nine pounds each!)

Maybe there was a different technique, but when they entered the bone, the negative pressure caused made me feel sick, and the agony radiated right down my right leg. I felt like my leg was being torn off! My poor husbands hand was nearly crushed as he held mine, the pain was so intense.

I'd say, if your granma doesn't urgently need this, it's not a test one would choose to have. If the medics however, feel that it would be beneficial in diagnosing, then it may be a necessary pain. Hope all goes well for your dear Granma.

Oh, and JohnnysGirl, I'm glad that this procedure was not as painful for you as I found it to be, I'd be terrified to go for a repeat, you may save your life by doing so! Well done ..you get the Bravery Badge of the day!

I agree with you - it does hurt more than childbirth. In the hospital, we pre-medicate for it, but I had mine done at the oncologist's office.

To the OP, I hope that you find answers soon, but rather than googling and getting yourself scared silly, why not ask your Grandparents if you can come along? FWIW, knowing what her white cell and platelet count could be more helpful than a sed rate.

Blee

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

I agree with you - it does hurt more than childbirth. In the hospital, we pre-medicate for it, but I had mine done at the oncologist's office.

To the OP, I hope that you find answers soon, but rather than googling and getting yourself scared silly, why not ask your Grandparents if you can come along? FWIW, knowing what her white cell and platelet count could be more helpful than a sed rate.

Blee

Yes I am planning to go, I am hoping Aunt gets a hold of ordering Dr and writes down what he says before the procedure so I can possibly talk her out of it before hand that is...I asked what her WBC count was and was told via Aunt it was "fine"...I did not think to ask about the platelet count.

I appreciate all your responses ( I was very afraid about the pain part--she is very fragile and dramatic) I know my initial question is very vague. My family God Love them are the typical immigrant family that will do what the Drs say, because they are the Drs.

Drs and Priests---in their mind one of the same....

Grandpa does not have the best hearing (and is short tempered) and Grandma is dingy, so getting anything specific out of them is like pulling teeth. I am not their medical POA nor am I listed on their Hippa forms so I can not call this out of state Dr even if I wanted.

[*ac*]

I have taken care of many laukemia paitents (in-patients) who have gone off the floor to have this done - none have come back with horror stories or complaints of pain.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

Has anyone known or been a bone marrow donor? Is the procedure painful? Any risks one takes with donating bone marrow?

[becembrie]

When I worked in pediatric oncology years ago, I knew many siblings that were donors. The procedure was done under general anesthesia so they didn't feel pain at the time, but because many aspirates are done in surgery, they felt very bruised and sore later. I think the main cause for concern later is infection as with most surgical procedures.

They seemed to bounce back pretty quickly, but kids are so resilient. I'd probably whine for a few weeks.

Karen