Anyone hear of this? Bowel prep with

I am a little over a year since my hyster and now having tons of lower right pelvic pain - Had blood test, they said its not my appendix....
Question is this, my doctor that did my hyster wants to do an ultrasound but she wants me to do a bowel prep the night before??? Have any of you ladies heard of having a bowel prep before an ultrasound?I am wondering if it seems like a waste of time and misery...Any suggestions? Maybe I should forget the ultrasound (hate the bowel prep) and just go to a gastro doctor?? I am at a loss here ans so mad that pain is back thanks for any help ~ Colleen

I have had a US for stomach problems and they never made me do it. I would ask why it has to be empty. Maybe they are looking for something that they cannot see if you are full.

I have never had to do a bowel prep with an ultrasound before and I have had dozens of them! But then last week I was supposed to go for an IVP (kidney x-ray) and they wanted me to do a 2 day bowel prep for that!!!!! I don't know what is up with the whole bowel prep thing before these tests----are the radiologists so worried about being able to 'read' our tests that they are now making us be totally empty before hand????? In my case, I refused the bowel prep and canceled my appts. I am going to a urologist instead and I know they don't require one before they do the testing.

Maybe you could call a Gastro office and ask what they think about the bowel prep and if it is really necessary? Or call the radiology dept and ask the purpose of the cleansing?

I feel for you!! Bowel preps are miserable!

Hugs
Becky

Hello,

I schedule Ultrasounds and Diagnostic tests in the radiology department of a large teaching hospital. What kind of an ultrasound does she want you to have?? There is NO bowel prep for any ultrasound we perform. An NPO, maybe, depending the the type of ultrasound, but never a bowel prep. I think you should call your doctors office and ask them flat out why you have to do a bowel prep for an ultrasound. Something is wrong!!!

Thanks so much for the info ladies! You know when I saw the doctor she said I want to try something "weird" and that's when she brought up the bowel prep and ultrasound....Its just SO weird that I am going to take your advice and call today to see exacly why I need to do a bowel prep before the ultrasound. I'll let you know what happens,
Thanks again,
Colleen

I am a sonographer, although GYN is a bit out of my specialty. However, I do know that stool in the intestines can "shadow" everything behind it, making it difficult to visualize everything you might be looking for (such as bladder and kidney structures). I have trouble visualizing different views sometimes when there is stool or gas inside the intestines (ultrasound doesn't pass through air). It would be difficult to tell if a structure you were "seeing" was a mass, an adhesion, or stool. I've seen them do enemas from time to time, trying to differentiate stool from normal or abnormal pelvic structures.

I hope this helps. Like you, I hate the bowel prep (ask about the capsules, they're easier on the system). But it's worth it if it helps the sonographer performing your exam to visualize all the pelvic organs!



Audrey