I've Had a Transvaginal Ultrasound - by DH of Oregon

[kpete]

WED FEB 22, 2012 AT 10:24 AM PST
I've Had a Transvaginal Ultrasound
byDH of OregonFollow

One of the most unpleasant experiences I ever had. Here's the procedure: drink 32 oz of water at least 1 hour prior to the procedure - your bladder must be full for the procedure. Feet in the stirrups, yadda, yadda, yadda. Now hold still and try not to move for the next 30-60 minutes with a full bladder while they probe you with this instrument - over and over and over until they find what they need.

Ladies - if this shit passes, you have my permission to pee all over them!


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/22/1067303/-I-ve-Had-a-Transvaginal-Ultrasound?via=siderec

[RKP5637]

1. What has this nation become and where is it headed ... what next. n/t

[southernyankeebelle]

10. This is forced rape. That simple. If they require a woman to have this procedure than the

daddy or a republican who supports this procedure has to go in.

[RKP5637]

12. Definitely! Government sanctioned and enforced rape! n/t

[southernyankeebelle]

16. State sanctioned rape.

[RKP5637]

19. Yep, state. Thanks for correction. n/t

[southernyankeebelle]

22. No problem. I can see the mix up republicans are always talking the federal govt.

[notadmblnd]

2. I would. If I were a woman being forced to go through that, I would piss right in their faces.

[RKP5637]

3. I would take a dump too!!! n/t

[LisaL]

17. Except the ultrasound technician is not the one forcing anyone to do anything.

[notadmblnd]

21. Oh well, if their job is more important that their principles

then maybe they will get tired of getting pissed on and refuse to perform the procedure?

[Happyhippychick]

4. I've had a bunch. They are very uncomfortable.

[rocktivity]

5. Well, duh -- of course they knew perfectly well how invasive and potentially demeaning it is

Last edited Wed Feb 22, 2012, 06:18 PM - Edit history (1)

and that's EXACTLY why they want to make it mandatory! Does having a baby seem like such a big deal in comparison?

Here's transvaginal ultrasound as used in the real world -- that is, as used on a morning talk show guest starred by Fran Drescher...

rocktivity

[HowHasItComeToThis]

6. IF JEEBUS KNEW WHAT THEY ARE DOING HE WOULD KICK BUTT

OH WELL

[tabatha]

7. This is what is called "civilized" rape.

That is, it cannot be done in the street, in the boardrooms, in the military, etc - all about keeping women under control.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. I don't remember being made to drink for mine, but I surely remember how

uncomfortable they are!

[gkhouston]

11. I remember having to drink water for at least one of mine

and then the tech said it didn't matter if you were only having a transvaginal ultrasound... and that a good tech doesn't really need it for an abdominal one, either.

[Bluerthanblue]

13. i didn't have to have a full bladder for the TVU either-

it was a indeed an uncomfortable procedure. Not something anyone should have to go through if it isn't really necessiary.

[laundry_queen]

23. You don't have to drink for the transvaginal one

just the abdominal. With my pregnancies, I had really early ultrasounds (prone to side pain b/c of cysts, so had to make sure there was no ectopic) and the usual procedure was drink a half-gallon, go in, have them, with the abdominal transducer, press on your bladder until you are writhing in pain trying not to pee yourself. Then when they are done, you hobble over to the restroom, pee for a half hour (lol) and go back for the transvaginal which is a 'better view' apparently early in pregnancy (so why bother with the first method of torture?). I personally much prefered the transvaginal to having my bladder about to burst, but that's just me.

[Imalittleteapot]

9. And how were women supposed to pay for the procedure?

I had one for cancer screening and my Aetna policy refused to pay for it. The procedure was performed at a radiology center and was very expensive. Follow the money. Is it paranoid for me to think that somehow a radiological equipment manufacturing lobby group was involved in this transvaginal ultrasound issue?

And yes, the full bladder thing and probe was horrible.

[vankuria]

26. My thought exactly

Will all insurances be covering this? Or since it's a gov't mandate perhaps tax dollars will be used?

[HopeHoops]

14. Shit. And here I always thought you were a dude.

On Edit: Then again, I originally thought MFM was a woman.

[Jennicut]

15. I remember drinking water for a regular ultrasound during both my pregnancies.

It was pretty tortuous with the full bladder going on. Add the probing in and it sounds incredibly uncomfortable. It is not necessary to put women through this. If you want an abortion I am pretty sure you have wrestled around with the decision in your head long enough. Someone should make the men wanting to pass the law all drink tons of water and then be probed and see how they like it.

[GoCubsGo]

18. I had one, too. That was not my experience.

I had a choice between this and the standard ultrasound. I was told that with the standard ultrasound, I would have to drink the water and wait an hour. With the other, I could get it done right away, no filling of the bladder required. I wouldn't call the experience "pleasant", but a standard pelvic exam is by far more painful and uncomfortable.

I am not saying that I approve of what is going on in Virginia by any means. I'm just saying that this is not necessarily the standard procedure.

[laundry_queen]

25. I agree.

Pelvic exam was WAY worse. I found the transvaginal one way less uncomfortable than the abdominal/full bladder one.

Still think no one should be forced to go through either one.

[Odin2005]

20. Why a full bladder?

[laundry_queen]

24. The full bladder

is supposed to give the ultrasound waves something to bounce off of for contrast. At least that is how it was explained to me by my u/s techs. For transvaginal, I never needed a full bladder because the 'wand' (don't know what else to call it) is so much closer to the parts that need examining that the extreme contrast is not needed. In fact, as I explained upthread, whenever I was pregnant and going in for an early ultrasound (I've had 4 kids, had early u/s with all of them) the procedure was to use the abdominal/full bladder method first, and then the transvaginal to 'get a better look'.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

27. I've had two of these procedures done within the last 3 months to track the growth of uterine

fibroids. Indeed, the most unpleasant experience of my life. Worse than a pap smear.

FUCK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!!!

[cynannmarie]

28. I've had one too

and had to have the full bladder and it was highly uncomfortable!

[clyrc]

29. When I had my last miscarriage,

I had to have this done twice. I HATED it. It was slightly uncomfortable, but worse than that it felt so invasive. I went in to the doctor suspecting ovarian cysts in October, and I had the choice between a regular ultrasound and a transvaginal one, and there was no contest. I can not imagine women being forced to do this for no reason, it's beyond repugnant.