Ultrasound Questions

JustJoyce · 04-28-2005, 01:47 PM

Hi,

Last week I found out that I have PCOS. I just had an ultrasound about an hour ago. The first was to look at my ovaries. The tech checked real fast and said "Your bladder is not full enough to see anything so we will go ahead and do the transvaginial ultrasound." I really wanted my ovaries scanned. I have a belly does that prevent them from seeing? I drank 24 oz of water. I choked it down but I did it. So if your "a woman of substance" how can they see your ovaries??????

Also the internal one showed my uterus lining is 15 mm. She said it was probably because I am due for my period. And that I may have to come back right after my period for a do over OR they might go ahead and schedule a biopsy. Another ? Is 15 mm thick for a woman starting her period??

The tech said 36 is young for a woman to have uterine cancer she said it is usually found in post menapausal women. Is that true??

I am terrified that I am going to have have a hsterectomy BEFORE I can loose some weight. I worry that I will have complications because of my weight.
What is a lap? Is it dangerous if you are overweight?

I don't see my doctor for 2 more weeks and I just have these questions that are driving me crazy. Any info would be so appreciated!

Thanks!!

innkeepermommy · 04-28-2005, 04:01 PM

They should have been able to see your ovaries with a trans-vaginal as far as I know. Did you drink the water early enough? It takes time to process and get into your bladder. When I had my last u/s, they waited for my bladder to fill.

I want to say my lining was around 12 or 13 mm and I was in the middle of my cycle. 15 mm doesn't sound like a lot if you were getting ready to start, but I'm not a doctor.

Weight doesn't have any bearing on an ultrasound as far as I know. I know many very heavy women who have ultrasounds during pregnancy and the doctor is able to see everything just fine.

JustJoyce · 04-28-2005, 04:19 PM

Yes I did drink the water but I bet you are right. She took me 1/2 hour early. I bet she didn't give me time to let my bladder fill because when she told me to go empty my bladder before the internal ultrasound I could barely go. Thanks for making me feel better. I have been so worried lately. And then after she couldn't or didn't see my ovaries I felt like it was my fault because I am overweight. I will tell the doctor when I go in in 2 weeks. Thanks! Joyce

stillhavehope · 04-28-2005, 05:28 PM

Joyce ~ It takes about 45min for the water to reach your bladder so it probably didn't have enough time to get down to your bladder if she took you early. Scanning really depends on the person. We use a full bladder as a window to help transmit sound better which is why babies are pretty easy to see b/c of all of the amniotic fluid. Yes, it is usu harder to scan heavier people than lighter people but you never really know til you get in there and start scanning. It is dependent on you tissues and the layer of tissue (fat/muscle/skin) between the surface of your skin and the object of interest (in your case the uterus and ovaries). It can also be dependent on the machine and probe. The newer machines that have all the bells and whistles will give better pics than a little bit older ones. Even 2 years can make a difference. For everyone it is easier to see the uterus/ovaries by transvaginal sono. That is why people under 12 weeks of pg usu get a transvaginal one. Also on t/v the sound doesn't have to go through as many layers of tissue as the abdominal one so you get a much better picture. Sound only has to travel through the cervix and doesn't have as many things to be bounced back or absorbed by. Now I don't know why they couldn't see your ovaries by transvaginal. Usu you can see them very well regardless of patient size unless they were obscured by bowel gas (which everyone has) but usu you can see at least one. As for the lining that is a little bit thick but she is probably right that it is only thickened b/c you are fixing to start your period. They would be able to tell by doing a f/u sono or and endometrial biopsy. A lap is a laprascopy which is when they go in your pelvic are and look around while you are asleep. There are 3 tiny holes cut into your abd and one gets a camera and one is used to put gas in your abdomen to puff it out so they can see better and the other is for surgical instruments to push organs out of the way or remove things like cysts/adhesions. There are certain risks anytime you go under anesthesia but the benefits probably outweigh the risks. If I can explain anything else pleas let me know. HTH.

Sherry

Pamie · 04-28-2005, 05:46 PM

Hi, sorry I dont have the answer to all your questions but I do know that haveing a belly has got nothing to do with not being able to see your ovaries. I had my water about 2 hours before my scan and it was really uncomfortable during the scan because I was dying to pee :o lol and pressing on my bladder really wasnt helping. I have got a belly too so it was definately to do with your scan being early!

innkeepermommy · 04-28-2005, 10:45 PM

I gave the incorrect measurement for my endometrium. In the middle of my cycle, it was 4.8mm.