Pelvic scan, bladder required to be fuller than it can be

[onetwothreeee]

I had lots of gynea issues last year which resulted in a 10cm solid mass being taken out connected to my ovary, so i lost my ovary and fallopian tube as well.

It was rather complex, and had caused me lots of issues including bladder issues.

Whilst I am so much better than I was, a year later I am still randomly bleeding and have issues with my bladder.
My bladder does not really get full anymore before i HAVE to empty it urgently or else i will have an accident.

I went to my GP last week who decided that I need to have a pelvic scan, to have a look and see if there is anything not quite right after my operation. Im happy with this and it seems like an obvious next step.

I have just got a letter with my appointment but it says i need to drink 1.5 pints of fluid an hour before so my bladder is full and not use the toilet until after the appointment

I know there is simply no way my bladder can hold that much.

Part of the reason for this scan is because of my bladder issues (which dont cause me issues day to day so long as i can access a toilet)

I just cant see how I can possibly turn up with that much in my bladder.

has anyone else with bladder issues managed this?

Do I just turn up in Tena pants. Will they even know? or mind?

The scan is internal so im sure if they are poking around up there i will leak during the scan.

It all seems really embarrasing and im dreading it.

Would it be better to drink a bit less, eg just a pint (which i still dont think i could hold)

Its quite a long walk from the car park to the area of the hospital and I will struggle to walk, while desperate, and not leak.

I would ring them up and explain. Probably get to the hospital 90 mins early and drink the fluid there.

this

You don't usually need a full bladder for an internal scan? It's external scans that need a full bladder. Are you having both maybe?

Fwiw I have had loads of ultrasounds some and have never had them complain that I needed a fuller bladder. I would go to the loo an hour or so before your appointment and then drink what your able to before your scan. But don't overthink it it will be fine.

Maybe yes.

It clearly says that my bladder needs to be full, and to drink etc and that also they will do an internal scan so maybe they are doing both?

2 seperate paragraphs.

The full bladder apparently helps to visualise things like a magnifying glass (how it was explained to me!) and of course they will see if the bladder has something in it at all. You won't be the only one going for scans due to issues though. Normally, its only full when they scan on the outside of your pelvis though, then you empty your bladder before they use the internal wand. I agree, just call and tell them your concerns, and if needed, drink the fluids once there and wait a bit longer.

Just as a side note. Depending on the scan results, the next step would often be urodynamic testing, which looks in more detail at the bladder function. Have you seen a continence nurse for any pelvic floor/bladder physio?
If you've had surgery, they likely checked this, but a friend had years of bladder issues. Cameras inside the bladder, scans and nothing ever showed up. Eventually, they found she had endometriosis on the outside of her bladder. Best of luck OP, I'm sure it will be fine.

I had to do this. I went earlier and drunk it in the waiting room so no driving or walking and it was in me for a limited amount of time.

sayinf that it was awful and the nurse found me sitting on the floor of the doctors crying my eyes out. But I did manage it. Sorry not to put better words out there. When I finally got in the room she scanned me quickly and then I rushed to the loo and went back to have the other part of the scan.

all u can do it try. And I really sympathise from one women who has had a bad bladder for twenty years to another who has a bad bladder.

Yeah I had two scans last year for fibroids etc and the letter said full bladder, but as soon as I arrived they sent me for a wee. Internal scans don't require a full bladder.

Deleted-duplicate post.

Don’t drink the full amount, and definitely wear a pad. If they decide you need to drink more, they will tell you.

The whole thing is fairly humiliating, but they are usually lovely. I say usually, the nurse once got really pissed off with me for wee-ing on the floor during a urodynamics test. Given that that is part of the test, I was not impressed (and also upset/embarrased). No adult woman would ever choose to wee themselves in front of others while wearing a gown and flip flops.