Re: transvaginal ultrasound

February 24, 2000

Hi Manijeh,

A transvaginal ultrasound is the one in which they insert a probe in

your vagina non??

Having these has become one of my latest hobbies, as a couple of years

ago at my annual check-up my doctor noticed that my uterus was

" enlarged " . Turns out I have fibroids which I have been monitoring

every six months since then.

For me the probe is not particularly problematic. I have pain during

intercourse which is a kind of splitting and then the feeling of being

rubbed raw. The ultra sound was lubricated plenty (although that KY can

be a bit stingy later on) and is smaller in diameter than a penis, so

insertion wasn't a problem. Then the actual exam is more with the probe

kind of waving about inside rather than the in-out friction of

intercourse. I've always had them done mid-cyclish too and tend to be

more lubricated and " soft " at that time....

I don't expect anyone who hasn't had a problem to be investigated would

even have had one of these. And, I am sure that for some women all of

the elements would cause pain. For me the greatest pain was the time

had to put my two fists beneath my buttocks!! Yowww that really hurt my

fists after a while!! The other pain was more in terms of pressure to

my internal organs. Truly though, the overall position comfort has

varied tremendously. Generally I would lie on the examination bed in

the most comfortable position and then be told to move my buttocks down

which meant that my neck and back were really sore. Some places are

much better at doing this than others. And, please tell me you use a

cover on the probe????

I am glad to hear that you experimented by having one of these

yourself! The last one I had was done by a woman and I was going to ask

her if she had practiced on herself at all - but didn't get around to

it.

Daphne

P.S. For some reason I prefer to have the ultrasonographer insert the

probe. I suppose I feel that he/she knows what to do better than I??

=====

daphne_j_60@...

__________________________________________________

February 24, 2000

At 22:40 23/02/00 +0000, you wrote:

>Can anyone tell me if they had transvaginal ultrasound? How

>uncomfortable is it for you? I'm a physician and in a person with no

>vulvodynia it doesn't hurt only that it is a strange feeling. I let

>the patients insert the probe and i find that some prefer me to do it

>and some like the option of inserting the probe. It is a very good

>diagnostic device although personally I myself felt strange with the

>probe the first time I went for transvaginal ultrasound. I did it to

>see how it felt to have the probe inside the vagina. Although I don't

>have vulvodynia, I can appreciate the pain a person with vuvodynia

>might have during the examination.

>Please let me know what you all think.

I had one once, and it didn't really hurt that much, but it was very smooth

and the probe doesn't seem that big and there was lots of lube. OTOH, if I

tried one now, it *might* hurt--my symptoms can be very variable, and I

really suspect it would hurt internally at least right now. Sorry if that

isn't much help! I'd imagine some women would hurt a lot more, however.

--'--,-{@ --,--'-{@ --'--,-{@

Rosen-Wakeford

<http://www.lilitu.com>

<http://www.lechatnoir.com>

" There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. "

- Albert Schweitzer

March 4, 2000

Sorry I'm a little late on this response, my PC was down for a week and I'm

now catching up on the postings. I had this done ultrasound a year ago

before I was diagnosed with VV and my gyno was trying to figure out why I

wasn't responding to the yeast infection meds she gave me. She suspected

endometris (sp?) and I had the ultrasound. It was a little painful for me

but like the others, I had a lot of KY put on me (thank God). KY is also a

little stingy afterwards, a little irritating. The whole experience was less

painful than I anticipated, but that's how the " expecting train of thought "

flows for us VV ladies, eh?

An additional note, I'm still having a hard time finding a doctor, NP, gyno,

or ANYONE in ville Florida that has a clue about vestibulitis. My

gyno is clueless, I got diagnosed by an oncologist (that my gyno send me to)

that suggested only surgery -- don't want that route yet. I've check all the

websites I can find and their listings, nothing in Florida, let alone North

Florida. Any suggestions? Anyone?? Please??

Desperate for help,

Bucci

March 4, 2000