Yesterday, I went for a transvaginal ultrasound in order to find out why I am having pain (a week) before and during my periods. The radiologist was very gentle but quit the procedure within minutes of starting because it was painful to me. I have had this procedure done years ago and it was not painful (a little uncomfortable). I am still have some minor twinges of pain today in the area of my ovaries, like ovulation. I am a bit unnerved that there is nothing on the internet that explains why this procedure might be painful. Also, will there be another procedure my Dr. will recommend that will help him diagnose my problem? What about an MRI?
me, too! just today had a recheck on ovarian cyst, and the transvaginal u/s was painful! not just ovarian pain, but everywhere she pointed the wand, it seemed. maybe i have endometriosis? have never had pain with sex. just went off birth control pills first week of April so maybe am getting ready to start so any endometriosis is flared??
did anyone send you an answer? have any doctors tried to answer?
Ashley
did anyone send you an answer? have any doctors tried to answer?
Ashley
I don't see any answers on this and I'm not finding much by searching under this topic. I went to have a transvaginal ultrasound this morning and it was the worst pain I can remember having... probably since labor pains from having my son 13 years ago. I asked the tech if it was normal to be so painful and she said definitely not... but she also said she didn't see anything wrong from the pictures she was taking. She told me that she wasn't supposed to give me info like that, but she was feeling really sorry for me because I was in so much pain and crying. She suggested that I may have an abscess and that wouldn't picked up during the ultrasound, but again reminded me that she is not a doctor and is not supposed to be sharing that kind of info. My doctor that sent me to have the ultrasound seems pretty certain the abdominal pain I've been having is from a "pulled ligament", but I find that hard to believe since today's test was so extremely painful everytime she touched me in a certain spot with the wand. Anyone have any similar experience??
I am also looking for answers. I just had one today and I have to take Tylenol and not move much I am in soooo much pain! I had one years ago and I don't remember it hurting this much!
I was inspired to post after reading several comments/frustrations on seeing nothing on or during/after trans vaginal ultrasound.
Otherwise healthy, I have had menstruation pain issues for as long as I can remember. The last 2 and a 1/2 years became much worse where I was taking 14 ibuprofin tablets (not recommended) and nearly 3 weeks of pain out of the month. I tried BC pils off and on but finally switched OBGYN's so identify the problem. A year ago, I was given a pelvic ultrasound, transvaginal & finally -hysteopinogram. All 3 showed nothing -frustrating. I finally insisted on laporscopic procedure -which is the only way to truly identify endo. They found a few lesions (none that would have ever been picked up with the 3 tests) and lasered them off. It's been a few months, and I am having pain all over again. They did another Trans vaginal due to seeing a (new) cyst in the fallopian tubes. While you will read trans vaginal "don't cause pain", I am not buying that - as many stories I have heard with those dealing with pain issues do feel bruising or more pain during. It also seemed to have caused an increased amount of pelvic pain hours after the procedure and into the next day. Bottom Line - it's your body & you know what you are feeling.
I hope this story encourages those of you to continue to get help even if their feelings of pain is disregarded (by Doctors, friends or others going through something "similar). Don't to anyone but your body - change Doctors if needed.
Otherwise healthy, I have had menstruation pain issues for as long as I can remember. The last 2 and a 1/2 years became much worse where I was taking 14 ibuprofin tablets (not recommended) and nearly 3 weeks of pain out of the month. I tried BC pils off and on but finally switched OBGYN's so identify the problem. A year ago, I was given a pelvic ultrasound, transvaginal & finally -hysteopinogram. All 3 showed nothing -frustrating. I finally insisted on laporscopic procedure -which is the only way to truly identify endo. They found a few lesions (none that would have ever been picked up with the 3 tests) and lasered them off. It's been a few months, and I am having pain all over again. They did another Trans vaginal due to seeing a (new) cyst in the fallopian tubes. While you will read trans vaginal "don't cause pain", I am not buying that - as many stories I have heard with those dealing with pain issues do feel bruising or more pain during. It also seemed to have caused an increased amount of pelvic pain hours after the procedure and into the next day. Bottom Line - it's your body & you know what you are feeling.
I hope this story encourages those of you to continue to get help even if their feelings of pain is disregarded (by Doctors, friends or others going through something "similar). Don't to anyone but your body - change Doctors if needed.
I had a situation a few years ago. Had a vag ultrasound after slight bleeding on pap smear. It was very painful and the tech said she could not find one of my ovaries, so she kept probing. It really hurt, (she never did find it). Pain began soon after and to make a long story short, this went on a very long time (months) and after seeing numerous MD's and going into a full blown episode of depression it was discovered that I had what is called a levator muscle spasm. This is the large muscle that holds everything in up there. I also felt as if I had to urinate all the time as I believe the muscle was somehow pressing on my bladder. I did some physical therapy (yes internally, fairly new procedure)... took muscle relaxers and eventually it slowly went away. I get so mad when I think what I went through for a tiny amount of spotting. that did not to turn up to be anything. PRaise God. I did not write this to cause alarm for anyone going in for a vaginal u/s but I just would not want anyone to go through what I went through and recognize what the pain may be.
If you're feeling pain during the insertion on the transvaginal probe, you might be suffering from vaginismus, or a spasm of the pelvic floor muscels. You can learn more about it at Hope this helps!
***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed
***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed
You can also have pain when this is done because of a variety of pain syndromes. It is very good, though, that you had these tests to rule out other thigs. I hope you are feeling better.
I had the test today and it hurt so bad. I was feeling so good w/o pain before I went in and now, 8 hrs later, i'm hurting :-(. I hope someone post what is wrong. Once I find my results, I will post it.
I had the scan done on saturday as i was trying to find out why i was having problems concieving the probe itself didnt hurt but when she presed on the one side ( on the outside of my tummy) I shot through the roof. Since then I have had a constant pain one one side that at times is unbearable. so whether this is because there is a cyst there and maybe pressing on my tummy has agrevated it. Any one offer any ideas. tahnks
I had the ultrasound done over a month ago. Ever since I've been having terrible pain down there that would come and go. Come to eventually find out that the technician had apparently done a bad job, and my vulva was swollen because she'd torn part of my urethra and it was trying to heal. So just a tip, if you have pain a while after your ultrasound, go get a pelvic exam!!! Needless to say I was incredibly pissed because the ultrasound showed nothing, so I've been going through a month of pain for no reason.
I see that this is kind of an old message but just for anyone stumbling across this page, I wanted to contribute.
I'm 24 and a "virgin" ... to men, I'm gay and I also don't use tampons (have tried desperately so many times and have failed) but I used to get my periods about twice a year anyway because of major ovarian cyst issues(PCOS) but now I'm on the pill to regulate it.
I've been to the ER 5 or 6 times for ovarian cyst ruptures and actually had to have an ovary surgically removed. So I have had a lot of vaginal ultrasounds, I absolutely dread them. I don't want to scare people but just respond to comments I've seen on other forums claiming "it's completely pain-free I PROMISE", I don't see how people can promise this when it obviously will vary from person to person. Personally, for me it is torture. The worst part is getting it in, I've always had to do it myself and they say "just put it in like a tampon" and I am way to embarrassed to admit I'm 24 and can't put a tampon in. I think it takes me waaay longer than everybody else and I panic, it's just horrible. I pretty much can't figure out where to put it and then shoving it in just makes me panic more. But what I have learned is the less you push it in the more painful it is. Once it's in there and the tech says it's in there...properly, relaxing is key. Then I close my eyes and go to my happy place :-) The tech will move it around and that also hurts me a lot.
I don't know if all of this is because I have ovarian cysts, don't usually have big things up there, or because I'm gay or whatever but it's just absolute torture for me. I also have labral tears in my hips that make the stirrup just extremely painful. I have one coming up to monitor yet another cyst that ruptures. But the relief when they pull it out is just amazing :-) Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer but thought I'd contribute the other side of things, good luck!!!
I'm 24 and a "virgin" ... to men, I'm gay and I also don't use tampons (have tried desperately so many times and have failed) but I used to get my periods about twice a year anyway because of major ovarian cyst issues(PCOS) but now I'm on the pill to regulate it.
I've been to the ER 5 or 6 times for ovarian cyst ruptures and actually had to have an ovary surgically removed. So I have had a lot of vaginal ultrasounds, I absolutely dread them. I don't want to scare people but just respond to comments I've seen on other forums claiming "it's completely pain-free I PROMISE", I don't see how people can promise this when it obviously will vary from person to person. Personally, for me it is torture. The worst part is getting it in, I've always had to do it myself and they say "just put it in like a tampon" and I am way to embarrassed to admit I'm 24 and can't put a tampon in. I think it takes me waaay longer than everybody else and I panic, it's just horrible. I pretty much can't figure out where to put it and then shoving it in just makes me panic more. But what I have learned is the less you push it in the more painful it is. Once it's in there and the tech says it's in there...properly, relaxing is key. Then I close my eyes and go to my happy place :-) The tech will move it around and that also hurts me a lot.
I don't know if all of this is because I have ovarian cysts, don't usually have big things up there, or because I'm gay or whatever but it's just absolute torture for me. I also have labral tears in my hips that make the stirrup just extremely painful. I have one coming up to monitor yet another cyst that ruptures. But the relief when they pull it out is just amazing :-) Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer but thought I'd contribute the other side of things, good luck!!!
I had a vaginal ultrasound 15 years ago and it was fine, during and after. I had another one recently and now have cramps and back ache on a daily basis. Not really sure why it is.....
It is possible to have this procedure done if you are a virgin. I was a virgin when I had one and it was slightly uncomfortable but not painful. My secret was that I started using the biggest tampons I could find before the exam. I had only used the slender,junior ones before the exam and even then I rarely used them since pads were so much quicker and easier to use. During the ultrasound I was lucky to have one of the most experienced and nicest techs. She didn't rush me and she kept me calm. She inserted it and I just tried to relax as much as possible. It was actually far less painful and uncomfortable than the yearly pelvic and rectal exam.
I started getting my period when I was 14. They've always been regular. I had a kid when I was 22. There were a few minor problems but everything turned out okay.
Then at 34 I started having irregular periods. I'd get my period twice a month and heavy. So my GYN ordered a transvaginal ultrasound and found a cyst and a few fibriods. The ultrasound was uncomfortable but not painful. Since then I've had 3 or 4 other ultrasounds. All painless. However, yesterday after experiencing extreme pelvic pain I had another ultrasound done. It was the most painful experience I've had apart from giving birth to my daughter.
Apparently, it had to do with timing . . . it's painful to had an ultrasound during the first day of your period (that's what I was told), and my fibroids were irritated because I was on my period and already cramping, and also another cyst had collasped/ruptured. I'm not sure that I trust the explanation, but that's what I was told. Unless I'm running a fever or vomiting, I am not having another ultrasound. They never seem to lead to a solution to my initial problem and only cause new ones.
Then at 34 I started having irregular periods. I'd get my period twice a month and heavy. So my GYN ordered a transvaginal ultrasound and found a cyst and a few fibriods. The ultrasound was uncomfortable but not painful. Since then I've had 3 or 4 other ultrasounds. All painless. However, yesterday after experiencing extreme pelvic pain I had another ultrasound done. It was the most painful experience I've had apart from giving birth to my daughter.
Apparently, it had to do with timing . . . it's painful to had an ultrasound during the first day of your period (that's what I was told), and my fibroids were irritated because I was on my period and already cramping, and also another cyst had collasped/ruptured. I'm not sure that I trust the explanation, but that's what I was told. Unless I'm running a fever or vomiting, I am not having another ultrasound. They never seem to lead to a solution to my initial problem and only cause new ones.