What happens when you donate bone marrow?

Question

I'm thinking of joining the The British Bone Marrow Registry, but I'm not sure what you actually have to do.

I give blood at the moment and that's fun, you get free biscuits and coffee, plus I get to see a bag of my red stuff.

What happens when you give bone marrow though? Is it an operation? Does it hurt? Do you have to stay in hospital? Does it affect your life? How do they get the marrow? What is the procedure?

The NBS sent me a video about "Your First Blood Donation" before I donated blood for the first time, is there anything like that around for bone marrow?

Answer 1

ask the British bone marrow place I'm sure they will have all your answers.
i should think it would hurt like hell, but there again i faint if i have a needle lol
good on you and good luck x

Answer 2

I am registered as a bone marrow donor with the Anthony Nolan Trust. They are a charity which operate an international register - it can be searched by the British Bone Marrow Registry as well as others in other countries.

When I signed up, I had to give a small blood sample such as you might give for a test at the doctor. This is stored by them and used to match you initially to a potential patient.

If your initial sample is matched, they will call you in for more tests, and then if the more rigorous tests show you match, then you will have a choice of two ways to donate.

In the first method, which is newer, you have a course of five injections, which cause your body to overproduce bone marrow cells, which spill over into the blood.

You are then hooked up to a machine which takes blood from one arm, removes the stem cells, and puts it back in the other arm. It takes 3-4 hours, but you may have to do it twice. It is done as an outpatient procedure and is painless, and people often feel back to normal within 24 hours.

The other, older method is to take bone marrow from the pelvic bone using a needle. The donor will have a general anaesthetic, and will normally have to spend two nights in hospital. Afterwards, it is recommended to allow five days recovery before going back to work, etc.

You can choose which method you want, but there is a catch - the first method does not always work for everybody, and once you have been matched to a patient, you have to go through with it. The reason is that the patient will have their immune system destroyed by radiation, so unless they get the bone marrow they will die.

This means that if the easier procedure does not work, you will have to have it taken the old fashioned way.

HOWEVER, joining the register does not commit you to donate - you are only committed after you have agreed to give marrow to a particular patient.

Most marrow donors say that the pain is not as bad as they thought it would be - many even give twice. You can read testimonies from donors and recipients on the ANT website.

All of your travel costs are paid and you will be reimbursed for any time off work.

If you go to an ANT donor recruitment clinic, then they will talk about all of the procedures with you beforehand.

I was very nervous before I signed up, but I finally took the plunge last year. I am proud to think that one day I might be able to save somebody else's life.

I say go for it!

Answer 3

The surgeon typically removes marrow from the iliac crest, which is the back part of the pelvis (your hip bone). Several incisions—from four to eight—are made in your skin, and a large hollow needle is inserted several times through these incisions into the bone to extract the marrow. The incisions are small enough to heal without requiring stitches.

About one or two pints (500-1,000 milliliters) of marrow are taken, representing only 2%-5% of your body's entire marrow. The procedure lasts 60 to 90 minutes. The bone marrow is cleaned to remove bone fragments and unwanted blood components. The marrow may also be specially treated and frozen for transportation. Frozen marrow can last as long as three years.

You will be moved to a recovery room following the surgery until you wake up from the anesthesia. Then you will be moved to a hospital room. When you go home depends on how quickly you recover fully from the anesthesia.

Following surgery you will have pain in your hip area. You may also feel tired.

The risks associated with this procedure are similar to those of other surgeries involving anesthesia but not as severe as whole organ donation:

Pain. This is a certainty. The pain is described as similar to having taken a hard fall. The pain is treated with analgesics and goes away after 14 days on average.
Plus ive had some bone marrow removed when i was in hospital or testing i was only sedated although it was nothing like this.
x
when you donate blood you tell them that you want to be bone marrow donater and they will take an extra vile of blood to tissue match it to see what type it is you dont actually have to donate any bone marrow to be tested.

Answer 4

If you decide to become a bone marrow donor all you have to do is tell the nurse at your next blood donation session and they will take a little extra blood from you for extra testing. Donating bone marrow is a painful and invasive procedure, and the decision mustn't be taken lightly, however the chance of you ever being a match for someone in need of a donor is very very slim. Most people go their whole lives without being called to donate. I personally have joined the registry. Even if my bone marrow isnt needed, I like knowing that if it's ever needed, I could help save someone's life. What better feeling is there than that?? Check out www.blood.co.uk for better information!

Answer 5

unless you're serious,
think long & hard before you commit yourself.
donating bone marrow is more invasive & ( sorry ) more painful than donating blood.
i'm not sure that they'll need an actual sample of your marrow, unless you're specifically asked to donate if & when you match some one who needs it.
i think they can tell most information from your blood.
donating marrow will involve an anaesthetic & is drawn from your hip, breaking thru your bone with a very large needle.
it involves a short hospital stay & discharged with painkillers.
& the self-satisfaction of helping someone, a complete stranger who needs your help.

Answer 6

OMG, i heard that bone marrow donating is the most painful thing you can ever do. No one in his right mind would voluntarily donate it, unless it's to save your own life, or the life of a VERY close relative.

I wouldn't do it. Unless they let you have some gooooood drugz.