I have to go tomorrow to get an ultrasound of my interior girly bits. I went to the doctor today on follow-up from an ER visit I made a couple of weeks ago when my back hurt so bad I could barely walk; after poking around today he didn’t find any back pain, but we did find some abdominal pain.
Poke.
“OW!”
“That’s not normal…” Poke poke.
“Ow! Ouch!”
"We need to (poke “Ow!”) get some tests run (poke “Ow!”) and find out what’s causing this (poke “Ouch!”) because sometimes pelvic problems (poke poke “Owww!”) can cause back pain (poke “Ow!”). Okay, I’ll stop doing this (poke “Eee!”).
I’ve had ultrasounds before, but there were babies involved. Is this pretty much the same thing? My best friend said when they did hers, lo these many years ago, they used an internal wand, but she thinks they only used that because she is morbidly obese. Would that be correct?
No, I think “pelvic ultrasound” == “interior wand”. I had a few when I was pregnant (early ultrasound, and then checking on some cysts). It’s a little oogy having the tech basically fishing around in there with a giant dildo (complete with condom and lube), but it’s not that bad. It may hurt a bit in basically the same way that the doctor’s poking around did.
I had a pelvic ultrasound when I was early in my pregnancy. It gives a better view early on. It didn’t hurt, in fact she let me hold it so I could control what was happening with a little verbal guidance from her.
It is a little odd feeling, but the worst part I remember was having to pee, for some reason a full bladder gives a better picture and boy did I have to go!
It’s possible they may use them for obese patients later in pregnancy if they can’t get a good picture with a regular one, but that’s not the only reason.
They poke to see if they can feel the cause- appendix, cyst, tumor, lump, previously undetected siamese twin now horribly generating, you know, the usual.
Yes, you will likely have an internal. Remember Bob Barker’s funky microphone on Price Is Right? It looks something like that, except it’s white, a bit thicker. Oh, and it’ll be covered with a condom or a nonlatex glove if’n you’s the type that can’t be near latex.
It’ll be a lot like watching a 14 year old boy aggressively joystick while playing Atari. Except of course, the joystick’s in you. It doesn’t hurt. The ultrasound gel may cause you to smell a little funny for the next day or so (warn your hot dates, cause it doesn’t taste very good either).
Also, bring a pantiliner for your undies afterward.
And don’t worry- it’s probably just the siamese twin thing. Pesky mutant twins. Best to get it now before you have a Dark Half scenario on your hands.
You will likely have a vaginal probe ultrasound and a bimanual pelvic exam. The US should not be painful unless you have an infection or cervicitis or something like that.
Probably won’t make a difference, I mean, that’s just so much extra fluid, right? (aside from the oogy factor, and I’m sure they’ve seen worse).
Pre-existing - depends on how long you’ve had that insurance. IIRC, they’ll pick up coverage for preexisting conditions after a year of being covered in general. So if your twin wasn’t causing any symptoms until now, and/or you’ve had insurance for more than a year, they should cover the twin-ectomy
Well, Dr. Pokey done told me wrong. Turns out I needed an appointment in radiology for the ultrasound; he just gave me the work order and told me to go over there. So all they did today was draw approximately 20 pints of blood and a cup of pee. I’ll go back Monday for the ultrasound. Apparently they’re going to do the internal one first, and I can’t have anything to eat or drink after midnight on Sunday (which is going to make working that night loads of fun), and then I’ll drink a bunch of water and hang around until I have to pee, at which point they’ll do the abdominal one.
At least Aunt Flo will be long gone by then.
Thanks for the responses, everybody! I haven’t been to the doctor for anything other than strep throat in about 7 years, so I’m really not looking forward to this, but I suppose it’s time. If they do discover an evil twin, can I claim her as a dependant on my taxes?
I had my period when I had my pelvic ultrasound. The doc and the tech were both looking at the screen and saying “hmm.” and “uhh.” Not encouraging.They couldn’t figure out what something on the scan was–after it was over (I dont’ remember pain, but I do remember pressure)–I passed a huge clot. I told the doc about it (large clots were one reason I was having the US) and she said, “that’s what that was!”
I had thought that I might have that Alien in me, but it was not to be.
And doctors poke because poking can tell them alot. And some of them enjoy it! (kidding).
The ultrasound tech does not laugh when you ask her to set it to vibrate.
After the tech tells you to “grab the probe and keep it there” while she goes to change the printer paper, asking husband if he’d “like in on this” will make him blush a bright shade of red.
A pelvic ultrasound is code 76856 (for women) and is an exterior exam only. There is no interior wand. However, it may not be possible to visualize everything they wish depending on the patient’s weight. (Women who are both very heavy and very very thin do not provide good readings. A small amount of subcutaneous fat seems to make the sonograph work best.)
Pelvic ultrasounds for women are sometimes (but not always) accompanied by a transvaginal ultrasound (76830). That’s the wand you’re thinking of. It is used so the tech can get the instrument closer to clearly visualize everything the doctor wants to see (ovaries, the entirety of the uterus, etc).
Occasionally a patient will be ooged out by the idea of having one done, and simply refuses it. The patient’s refusal is noted on the report and the transvaginal part isn’t performed.
Note: some insurance companies ask doctors to bundle these two codes as one. Some even ask doctors to bundle the codes together even if the doctor isn’t a contracted provider, or refuse to pay the 76830 because they think “well, it’s the same exam, right?” It’s not; they are billable separately. You may wish to call your insurance before the exam (heck, it’s always a good idea, irritating as it may be) to make sure you know how your insurance will handle them.
