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Question for Red34, Judy2, possibly other ladies here ...

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/17/2012 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Did anyone undergo pelvic ultrasound during the past 6 yrs? I ask because I have only experience with the older equipment used in 1980s-90s for comparison, and now found out that it has changed. So I'm not sure whether to attribute recent unpleasant effects to the new equipment or to a heavy-handed technician ... grrrrrr. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/17/2012 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
I had it done twice in the last six months. It was not at all unpleasant just weird. What happened?
Posted 7/17/2012 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
For the trans-abdominal the technician applied a bit of warm jelly below navel, then added what felt like a hot pebble onto that, then pressed down hard on it for several minutes with one hand-- while keying into a computer monitor with the other hand. I found the steady pressure uncomfortable & very different from the earlier technique where the equipment just skimmed over a jellied patch of skin lightly. But you do say that you found the newer process "weird" ... how so? / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/17/2012 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
I've had a lot of ultrasounds and what you experienced sounds normal. I've had abdominal, trans-abdominal and vaginal. It's not the most pleasant experience but it's not the worst either! lol What were you having the ultra sound for?
Posted 7/17/2012 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
Sherry-- because recent Pap reported presence of "non-endometrial cells". Never had this come up before & gyno then ordered the ultrasound follow-up. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/17/2012 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
?? What could that be from? Menopause?
Posted 7/17/2012 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
So far gyno has just told me that it's not an unusual Pap finding pre-menopause, but if it occurs several yrs post-menopause then follow-up is called for. The ultrasound tech told me that 1 thing it can indicate is the presence of a uterine polyp! (LOL-- should we laugh or cry? As if we don't already have enough to worry about with chances of colon polyps ...) / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/18/2012 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
Can I just say that I'm freaking out because I always thought you, Old Hat, were of the other gender.

Sorry for the odd pap finding and the weird u/s experience.
Posted 7/18/2012 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
lol @ kazbern...


me too, Old hat sounds like a guy's name. I was surprised also.
Posted 7/18/2012 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
yes maybe we should stick our gender in our sig also.

sounds normal. i've had 2 abdominal US. the pressure is very uncomfortable esp when your bladder is full.

Ju
Posted 7/18/2012 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
"Old hat" is an American slang expression for something that is very familiar, to the point of becoming trite or boring. I picked it for a moniker here because I already had UC for 25+ yrs when I joined this forum-- so the ailment was "old hat" for me. Most of what we discuss here applies to both genders so it shouldn't matter whether or not one's forum name specifies gender. But maybe some members mixed me up with Old Mike ... ? / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/18/2012 4:15 AM (GMT 0)
The vaginal ultra sound I found strange. I guess I had the old-fashioned trans abdominal ultrasound. I had the same test result. Ultrasounds showed ovaries the size of lemons. They should be the size of walnuts. They were extremely damaged by the perforated colon toxins.
Posted 7/19/2012 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
That's ghastly, Subzero! So you needed to have hysterectomy, too, because of perforated colon? I've heard of that happening from severe diverticulitis; the abscess gets to nearby organs. You are a brave person, going for multiple j-pouch surgeries afterward. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/19/2012 6:38 AM (GMT 0)
I kept the uterus but they took out lymph nodes, ovaries, Fallopian tubes etc. I should change my signature to 6 organs. The j-pouch has been better than I imagined but anything was better than the last 18 months of pain.
Posted 7/19/2012 11:22 AM (GMT 0)
I never had trans-vaginal, but did have a regular pelvic US; it was during the ice age about twenty years ago, so not sure how well I remember. I don't recall pain, what I recall was the temperature in the room being about 50 degrees and them pushing on my full bladder. Not fun.

My uterus was at the size of a five-month pregnancy from fibroid tumors, one of which had grown completely through the uterine wall and into the abdominal cavity. One of my ovaries had a shadow, but that turned out to be from my extreme hyperthyroidism.

Long story short, they removed the whole works as soon as my thyroid was under control.
Posted 7/19/2012 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
OldHat,

Why didn't your doc prescribe trans-vaginal ultrasound - you get alot more clarity and reliability that way vs. abdominal ultrasound?

Posted 7/19/2012 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for input, Judy2. So you needed surgery because fibroids did not shrink naturally post-M? ****** InSoFla, my gyno did indeed order both types of pelvic u/s, but technician was unable to execute the trans-vag! Kept hitting pubic bone with the transducer. I'm more than a bit ticked off by that, as you might well imagine. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/22/2012 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
Many thanks for input, Subzero, Sherry, Juju, Judy2, & InSoFla. Gyno left message on Fri stating that endometrium is o.k., & I'll see her later to discuss u/s report, etc. Whew!!!!! Hoping nothing else goes wrong at least 'til dental implant gets finished in the fall ... (LOL). / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/22/2012 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Old Hat, I didn't make it to menopause. That's what I was trying for, and why I got so bad before I finally gave in to surgery.
Posted 7/23/2012 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Old Hat,

I know I am a little late to join this discussion, but just wanted to let you know I have uterine fibroid and its not a big deal unless it gets too big(Judy2's experience). Mine grew a but during my second pregnancy three years ago, but nothing to worry about. I know uterine cysts and fibroids are fairly common, don't know if they are that different than a polyp though. I got a transvaginal ultrasound to dx it, not fun, but I am surprised the tech doing yours kept hitting your pelvic bone(um, ouch). Isn't that their job to know how to do that? I know for the regular abdominal ultrasounds they do push down a bit and like a full bladder, but I don't think it should hurt, you should definitely speak up if that happens again.
Posted 7/23/2012 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Aquafly! Right now gyno is taking vacation, but I have an appointment to discuss the u/s results when she returns to office. For sure I will tell her about that technician! "Ouch" was definitely the word, and i got the impression that tech (rather elderly) really doesn't want to be doing trans-vag. So why in blazes do the radiologists there assign her to that procedure? (Maybe they would like her to retire?) At this point I feel I should complain to the city health dept.; however, I'll wait to hear what gyno says about it. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/31/2012 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
UPDATE after discussing tech's behavior with gyno in person: gyno says I should write a letter of complaint to the radiologist who heads office where I went for the u/s and give him the specific details. On the basis of the successful trans-abdominal u/s, I'm considered to be 99% safe from endometrial problems & do not require biopsy at this time. Phew! / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 7/31/2012 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
Congratulations on the good news! Definitely write the complaint. I am appalled that she kept hitting your pubic bone. I shiver just thinking about it....
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