Many of us have had bone marrow aspirations. Some doctors still do them, but most rule out other reasons for low platelet based on CBC and other symptoms a patient has. Although, some doctors still do them, regardless of their thoughts on a patient diagnoses, just to be sure.
I've had 3 bone marrow aspirations, twice for ITP. Upon initial diagnosis in 1983, repeated in 1986 when I came out of a 2 year remission and had other symptoms besides ITP. The 3rd was prior to a stem cell transplant I had for autoimmune disease. I also have lupus and APS, along with ITP and was severely refractory to treatment. APS is a clotting disorder and ITP a bleeding disorder, so I was bleeding and clotting at the same time, which is why I choose to have the drastic treatment. It's the only treatment which has provided me with a remission from both.
I did not find the procedure that uncomfortable. I was scared to death before the first procedure, which was done in sternum, so I had a full view of the entire procedure. There was pain upon initial insertion of the needle and the numbing medication, but once the needle was in, it wasn't too bad, until they aspirate the marrow, that hurts, but was quick and pain ends as soon as the doctor stops aspirating the marrow. The second procedure was about the same as the first, although not as much fear was involved. Post procedure I felt like someone punched me in the chest, it was sore for about 10 days, but not exceptionally so.
The last procedure was a bilateral hip aspiration, both hips were attempted, but were "dry taps". The doctor could not get any marrow into the syringe. He tried 3 times on one hip and only 1 time on the other, before giving up. That was more uncomfortable to have dry taps, but most people don't have dry taps. He suspects my problems with dry taps were due to 25 years of immune suppressant drugs. I was in pain after the hip trys, but not too bad and it lasted about a week. I was bruised with those taps, but the sternum tap left such a small bruise, although I had been on high dose steroids prior to those taps, so my counts were normal. With the hip taps, my counts were about 30k and I was on blood thinners, so I was really bruised.
I really didn't find them all that bad, but I know some have very unpleasant experiences. I've heard that it depends on who does it. It was the same doctor who did the 2 sternum taps. The hip taps were done by a different doctor, but I know he does a lot of taps, as he works at a large university hospital, as did the first guy.
I had no pretreatment or drugs to anesthetize me, or make me relax. Both the doctors I had were really good about talking me through it and convinced me it wasn't necessary, which I appreciated, since I went back to work after the first 2 taps and after the third tap, we went out to lunch and shopping. Some people do get heavy medication to relax them and it's all up to you and your doctor. Some times I do wish I had something to relax me for the first, but that really wouldn't have changed the anxiety I had for the 3 days I waited for the appointment for the procedure, so I guess in the long run, I am just fine with how my procedures were managed.
Good luck to you, hope it goes as well as mine did.
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No pain after it either, not even that much of a bruise and my count at the time was 9.