Ultrasounds <sob>

I posted not long ago about abdo stretchy pains and booked an appointment with the doctor. Just had my ultrasound done this morning. I got a bit of a shock as I hadn't heard of a transvaginal ultrasound before and my doctor didn't prepare me for it! I've never had a male gyno or male doctor for these things and I came out feeling somewhat horrified!

Anyway, I had both the pelvic ultrasound and I gritted my teeth and had the transvaginal one (whoever said that was painless was a moron - it was rather uncomfortable) and he thinks I have Polycystic ovaries :'( My bloods are coming back hopefully by tomorrow which will probably confirm it.

Any advice?

I looked on the PCOS and Endo section of the general conception page, but it's mostly about endo. The Sonographer said "it's fixible with hormone treatment" but he was German and had all the bedside manner of a cold fish. Am feeling some what violated and invaded and scared to death... we want a baby... will it ever happen?

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had the transvaginal one (whoever said that was painless was a moron -

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:dunno:

I have had to have a few during my TTC days & none have ever been painful at all... A tad embarassing & not like I enjoy them at all, but not painful...
Maybe it's due to your possible endo/pcos etc?

I'd not class myself as a moron though?:rolleyes:

Hi Miss Spuddle, how are you chick?? Welldone for being "a big girl" and getting checked out. I've had quite a few of those icky U/S too, and though Ive never found it painful, it is bloody embarassing. Also quite a shock when you're not expecting it eh?
Sorry about the poss PCOS diagnosis. Good news though is that if you know what's wrong, you can treat it. Small consulation I know, but it can always be worse. ANd if you look on BB you'll find HEAPS of girls who've conceived and delivered a healthy bub with PCOS. Anyway, hope you're doing OK. Take care :)

Nope never painful here either & I had them every second day for two weeks through my IVF cycle. Possibly it was due to you being stressed & embarrassed about it?

Have you checked out the article on the main BB site about PCOS - Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Also if you post in the PCOS / Endo section there are lots of ladies that will be able to talk you through it all. You will have a baby, it is still possible with medication & you'll find that lots of women fall pregnant without needing any assistance.

Hi,
I have PCOS, it is really scary when you first get diagnosed, and can be quite devastating, you feel like a bit of a failure as a woman.

I have two children, but they were born before I was diagnosed and before I had all the problems with AF, hair, pimples etc etc etc. What are your other symptoms? In saying that I had two children pre PCOS, I fell pregnant last year with twins which turned out for one to be ectopic and one uterine and lost both of them, so yes you can still fall pregnant (not a bad effort considering, no AF for months at a time), unfortunately mine did not have a happy ending, but I was told it was not to do with the PCOS.

There are plenty of women who go on to have happy healthy bubs with or without reproductive treatment. They may try a variety of things and treatments, medications, not to insult you I do believe, if you need to, by losing a few kilos can kick your cycle into drive (I certainly need to) as if you have PCOS it makes it hard to loose weight, some women do have fertility treatment ie clomid, etc, some women also try alternative therapy. Be guided by what your doctor says.

The best thing is now you have a diagnosis you can start to treat it, and start on the road to having a baby.

There is a great thread on the forum called "PCOS - what's your story" in the Endo and PCOS section, the girls here are great and a huge support, ask any questions or vent.

Good luck

Meagan

Oh I forgot to agree whole heartedly:

Those transvaginal ultrasounds are uncomfortable, I had one when I lost the babies, not pleasant.

Meagan

Thank you so much for all of your support! Tracey I'm so sorry darl - I didn't mean to say that anyone who didn't find it painfull was a moron. The Sonographer just pulled out this curling iron looking thing, slopped some lubricant on it, told me it wouldn't hurt a bit and thrust it inside. Then told me to relax my muscles!! It was incredibly uncomfortable and I was nearly in tears over it all anyway because I wasn't prepared for it in any way - didn't even know that such a thing existed. The only man to see me naked 'down there' is my fiance and now this wally. I was a bit emotional over it. I'm on CD22, have been feeling off colour with headaches and sore bbs for the last couple of days and I had the sharp stretchy pains again yesterday which is out of sync with the O pain thing because that was about 7 days earlier I think unless i'm doing it twice or the pain is totally unrelated. I will get my blood work back this afternoon hopefully, so will know for sure then, but he said my ovaries definitely looked polycystic and my doctor will be in touch with me soon.

Thank you Sarah for the link, I will definitely check it out. You've all made me feel a lot better about this... thank you so much xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When I had a TV ultrasound, I felt some discomfort too, so maybe it's the person doing it that has an influence on how it feels.

Big :hugs: spuddle, glad you are feeling a bit better..

How are you going?

Did you get your blood test results? What did the Doctor have to say?

Fingers crossed

Meagan

Guys, I just got back from the doctor -> the doc said my bloods could be in the normal range (I know - so terribly helpful), but the sonographer said that my ovaries looked like they were polycystic? Is it posible to have polycystic ovaries without a hormonal imbalance? Does this mean it's not "fixable"???????? would the vitex I've been taking be causing a problem here? could it help the hormonal problem and not help the polycycstic ovary issue? I'm starting to panic again :'(

And yes I could lose a couple of kilos - I'm thinking of taking the advice of the PCOS sites and go on a low GI diet. I've started going to the gym every day, but haven't been this past three weeks because I've been so sick. I'm starting again on Monday.

No, i had some odd hormones at one stage (low estrogen) but at diagnosis, my hormones were all normal, it is a syndrome, if you have so many of the symptoms then you are considered to have it ie cysts on the ovaries, weird hormones, irreg periods, facial/body hair etc, my ovaries looked okay when I lost the babies and they still say I have it due to all the other symptoms.

Sweetie, don't panic. Are you on fertility treatment? Could this account for funny ovaries? Sorry, not an expert at this stuff. I would try and post on the thread that I told you about before, there are girls who have been thru all this stuff and are going thru it as we speak, I am a little scared to want more children at the moment, as I will be like you, need to follow it up more carefully and look at my options, the girls on that thread will be able to help you.

I have heard that even if you lose 5kg this can start your cycle.

Don't panic it will be fine

Meagan

Hi Spuddle,

I've been on IVF and had numerous vaginal ultrasounds. At first I found it totally daunting and felt rather embarrassed. It's just something I've had to accept to achieve what I want which is a baby. I've had mixed experiences with discomfort with them and found the closer I was to ovulation etc the more 'tender' it all felt during the ultrasound.

Good luck with it all.

It is possible to have poly cystic ovaries, but not actual PCOS which is a syndrome with other symptoms. My sister has a few cysts on her ovaries & insulin resistance which are characteristic of PCOS, but she has no other symptoms & doesn't have the syndrome. Does that make sense?

Spuddles,
Sarah is correct that you can have polycystic ovaries but not have the syndrome that can go with it. I think they say as many as 1 in 4 women may have polycystic ovaries and most will never know. i only found out I had them when I was 44 when I started IVF and my sister found out she had them when she was 38. We both have always had regular periods and no other sign of the syndrome.
When I was diagnosed my fertility specialist said to make sure I don't put on any weight as when you have polycystic ovaries weight gain can bring on the full blown syndrome symptoms so the low GI diet might help you out. Also maybe Vitex is not a great idea as it influences your hormone levels so you don't want too many things messing with them
good luck spuddles and I hope you don't have to have another TV u/s again soon but I guess this time you will be prepared. I have had lots and some ultrasonographers are rougher than others. it would have been a shock to have one with no warning.

well there's no point worrying about that which you can't change hey. I'll wait for the ultrasound report and then talk to my doctor about the next step. I've decided to tackle to weight issue regardless, so who knows that might help anyway. Will keep you guys posted and thank you so so much for listening to me panic and supporting me!
I'm sure I'll get used to the TV U/S - I'll just try to avoid this sonographer. I would have felt so much more comfortable with a female one (in fact I wouldn't have been emotional over at all I don't think had the sonographer been a woman - I know I know, I'm a big sook and I'll get over that soon enough on my TTC journey!!) Thank you all again and stay tuned to the ongoing saga of Spuddles haha

Hey Spuddle,

PCOS is very common and affects us all differently - there is such a wide scale of symptoms and it varies in from individual to individual. 25% of women have the appearance of PCO on ultrasound - so it is actually thought to be something quite normal as not all these women have problems or even other symptoms. There are actually some very interesting theories on why it is normal for some women and some interesting examples of where it has been found to occur naturally in human and animals populations. Keeping within a healthy weight range and being otherwise healthy is important and I have always found this to be of benefit.

Me - yes, well I am UTD again with PCOS and haven't ever needed any medical assistance so it can happen. Have faith.

Just post if you have any questions.

All the best.
TICKLISH

Spuddle... I hear you on the vaginal ultraounds, I have them at least 5 times a month *bleh* I find them more embarrassing (especially since I have had to get some when I had AF....) than anything else, though I have PCOS and sometimes the pressure they apply does get a bit uncomfortable.

When I found out in April, I burst into tears as soon as we walked out of the FS' door, so I know where youa re coming from. I wondered if being pregnant and becoming mummys would even happen for us.

Luckily, my dr is 100% sure we will get pregnant. He really isn't even factoring the PCOS in, except to make sure I ovulate, so I am on Clomid. I had a cyst in my last cycle, and he wasn't even worried about it. I would take that on board, and if you have a FS who feels as though the PCOS is a massive barrier to getting pregnant, even with AC, I would probably get a different one. Thats what I always heard from friends. Just find someone who has seen that, with the right treatment, PCOS won't cause a problem.

Also, you can have poly cystic ovaries without having PCOS. The syndrome just includes other symtoms like hormone levels, insulin resistance, acne, excess hair in places woman don't want it!, and sometimes weight problems. I have funny hormone levels and acne... but nothing else.

I ws on the pill for four months (April - July) and that seemed to control the PCOS, but the cycle after I came off it, the cysts were back, so its not a long-term thing. But like I said, I had a cyst last cycle. Actually, last Friday I had a vaginal scan and it showed up a cyst, and then 2 days ago I had another one, and it was gone! He said it must have dissolved.

SO it doesn't mean the end of TTC or the parenthood dream.

Oh, I have heard vitex is no good for people with PCOS, because of the hormones, but unsure about PCO because the hormone irregularities aren't there... I'd check with your naturopath.

Yes Leasha, vitex needs to be used with caution with PCO because it can increase LH levels to stimulate O. LH can be elevated in women who have PCO/S anway and more LH is definitely not needed because it can make things worse.

I have the book Women's Trouble by Ruth Tickey and Kaz Cooke which makes alternative recommendations for herbs better suited for PCOS.

Always important not to self-prescribe and get professional advice - then on the other hand - I went to a naturopath who totally stuffed up my cycles - made them disappear for 5 months with her stupid formula containing vitex amongst other things so not all so-called naturopaths are competent.

TICKLISH

Yes, well I have elevated LH with PCOS and also on clomid, and apparently you aren't recommended to take vitex while either of those are happening, so I haven't even considered it. I didn't know there were other herbs i could take... I have just seen a new place that does acupuncture and reiki, and ear candling (always been a fav of mine lol), and also a anturopath, so I am going to have a look in their next chance I get and hopefully see someone who can give me some info. But yeah, some people aren't that sure of what is good or not for certain circumstances... I don't know how to work out the genuine naturopaths who know what they're doing, from the people who have no idea...

Leasha - I can also have elevated LH levels with my PCOS too. Probably why the herbs stuffed me up. I have also had bad experience with Chinese herbs too - made AF disappear too.

I think I am really too complicated with my PCOS and whacky hormones for herbalists to work me out.

I think you're better off on the Clomid because it is more standardised and more likely to produce a result. A good chinese medicine practitioner will regonise Clomid as a herb anyway. Acupuncture was really helpful for me.:) You can do with it with Clomid as it is not contraindicated and studies have shown it to be beneficial for patients undergoing IVF - it helps support the pregnancy too.

TICKLISH

Sorry to hear of your experience. Unfortunately I can't offer much advice, but I also had the transvaginal u/s. My experience I have to say wasn't too bad, but that's because the staff I had obviously were far nicer than the folk you had:cry:

It was uncomfortable, but def. not painful. good luck with the next step.

My doc told me that I wouldn't hear from her if my results were normal, and me being me, I couldn't wait to 'not' hear from her so I called to see if the results of the ultrasound had come back late on Friday afternoon and my doc said she wanted me to come in again and see her about the results, so there's obviously something there that's not good or at least, isn't 'normal.' My sweetheart of a DF spoke to a friend of his who had suffered PCOS before she had her first child and went and did some online research and when i came home on Friday he greeted me with a huge cuddle, cooked me dinner and told me that it was ok, that we'd get through it and we'd have a baby soon. The support helps so much... I still have moments of worry, but my Mom's a healer and is working on me too and I guess I can't really worry efficiently (hahaha) until I know what's actually wrong. So i'll have to wait til Tuesday to find out. My boobs have been so so so sore since Wed, and I haven't really had sore boobs befoe, but my tummy is still getting those stretchy pains (I had them on Wednesday at 7DPO and today at 10DPO) which I don't like very much not because it hurts but because it's a constant reminder that something's up and it brings the fear back. I think i just need to talk to the doctor to find out what the next step is. My doc said "there's no such thing as infertility - there's always something that can be done to increase your fertility chances." So I know I have a good one there to support me medically.

On a herbal note, I actually stopped taking Vitex on what I suspected was my O day because I'd read somewhere it can sometimes increase chances of miscarriage and I figured I'll see what happens if i only take it for the first half of my cycle. I'll talk to my doctor about it on Tuesday. Thanks for the heads up :)

Oh and Thank you so much ticklish xxxx

Hi Spuddle,
I am in the same boat as you. I had an ultrasound only a few days ago and the technician told me that my ovaries look polycystic as well. I have several cysts on both ovaries, they just looked polka dotted! I burst into tears at the thought of not having anymore children. I have to wait for the actual results though and then I guess the doctor and I will go from there. I have been reading up on PCOS and I don't have any of the symptoms that really indicate the syndrome. Fingers crossed that it is just cysts and I can still get pregnant! I want another baby so badly..

I have polycystic ovaries, irregular AF, weight issues (not helped by my love of chocolate LOL!!) but not the syndrome because my hormone and insulin levels are relatively normal. My DH and I were able to conceive without the help of medication but these was our last cycle before Clomid so it is definitely possible. Weight is a really a big thing with PCOS. I am carrying a few extra kilos (approx 8kg then average) and I was told to drop a few to help with conceiving.
Wishing you the best of luck. Let us know how you get on with the dr. Sending heaps of positive vibes your way.

My AF was fairly irregular comparatively. When I was a teenager up until when I had the depo provera or whatever it's called injection at 21 my AF was always always 30 days on the dot and 6-7 days in length with 2-3 days of heavy (need maternity SN), 2 days of medium (need super SN) and 2 days of light petering out. Now (before I took vitex), my AF could be anywhere from 30-35 days in length with a comparitively light flow (only need the blue SN now for light flow!). This has been happening for about 18 months ever since I came off the pill (was only on the injection for the first 6 months, then went onto the pill when I was still 21). I took vitex last cycle and had EWCM at CD13, 14 and 15 and then AF arrived on CD29! Textbook - assuming EWCM indicated I had ovulated, of course. I took vitex until I had the EWCM this month and the O pain I've been getting for the last year and then stopped it this month. Will wait and see if AF arrives on Wed or not (CD29).
Thanks for the ray of home Nurse Dan. I'm cutting out junk food and going back to the gym now (I stopped 3 weeks ago because i was horrendously sick andhad to take a whole week off work... unthinkable! And then the following week I was still a bit off, so thought I'd best not push it. Then last week I had all the docs appointments and tests in my lunch hour so I couldn't go!). I'm hoping to shift some weight quickly - at least 10kg I think. I'm not obese, but shedding 10kg will help me a lot I think.

Hi Spuddle,

I am a newly diagnosed PCOS sufferer, currently awaiting surgery. I have had several transvaginal ultrasounds bc of the reoccuring polyps I have had. I think the guy who did it must have been a bit rough with you (ask for someone different, and you can do this even in a public hosp). A transvaginal ultrasound shouldnt hurt at all, it will feel uncomfortable but generally thats it. I usually feel a lil bit of a twinge in my ovaries (particularly the left one), when they are prodding in that area apart from that its more of an uncomfortable experience compared to a painful one.

I am thinking of you and if I do have any answers on questions you have I will sure to post them, its unlikely right now though since I am a newby at this too.

Best of luck and know I am thinking of you