How painful is it to be a bone marrow donor?

There are two ways of donating.

1. You donate actual bone marrow. In which case, you will be under anesthia. They will stick a large needle into your hip bone, and pull out the marrow. Since you will be asleep, you will not feel this. You may have some minor bone and joint pain before and after, and your hip area will be sore for a couple days, but tylonal can help that.

2. You donate peripheral blood stem cells. They are a type of white blood cell. You are hooked to a aphersis machine. You will have 2 needles stuck in you. One will be pulling out blood, the machine will run the blood through a centrifuse to seperate out the stem cells, then the rest of the blood will go through a warmer and back in to you. You will have some bone and joint pain this way as well, and again tylonal will help that.

You can read more about the donor process at the National Marrow Donors Program

http://www.marrow.org/

It is so great that you are considering doing this for a family member - good for you. It will hurt after wood, it will be sore. But when you think of the good you are doing, that will help. When I was looking for a donor, my own mother wouldn't even consider doing it. she couldn't be bothered with dealing with any pain of discomfort. I never did get the bone marrow. I take chemo every day. Hang in there and best wishes to you and the person that needs your help. Take care.

I am pretty sure they put the donor under to do this.

So, effectively "painless" for the donor.

I'd do it, if it was my family member.

No hesitation.