Ultrasounds? What do they show? what don'... - Endometriosis UK

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Ultrasounds? What do they show? what don't they show?

Sarve profile image
4 Replies

Hello ladies,

Just a quick Question about Ultrasounds. I had one this morning on my Kidneys and Bladder as I keep getting UTI's I've had 4 Ecoli infections in the past year. Ultrasound showed that both Kidneys and Bladder are fine, however the Dr said I was retaining urine after I thought I had emptied my bladder. He's therefore reffered me back to my GP.

I'd like to know what an ultrasound can show and what it can't so I'm prepared and have an idea of next steps with my GP. I have my diagnostic endo lap at the end of the month, do I wait until after that to press for more answers re: my UTI's? The I'm hopeful that the lap will help me find out what is going on....

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Sarve profile image
Sarve
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Impatient profile image
Impatient

No need to wait - the UTIs will most likely be Ecoli - about which several of us has posted quite a bit in the past few days - just use the search box on the green bar and type in E-coli or Ecoli.

...or Biofilm

And all the previous discussions will appear, click on the more recent ones .

We all have Ecoli in the body to some degree as good bacteria in the gut, but with endo our body proteins encourage the rampant development of Ecoli in the bladder and likewise that Ecoli helps to spread endo cells too.

The persister Ecoli hides in the bladder protected by a biofilm layer which doesn't let most antibiotics in to kill the ecoli. So the parent ecoli bugs are protected.

But antibiotics will kill all the children ecoli bugs in the bladder - so a course of antibiotics will improve your symptoms and you thing hooray problem solved. Only the parent ecoli bugs are justhiding protected by biofilm waiting for the coast to be clear of antibiotics and out they come and repopulate the bladder with ecoli all over again.

And so the cycle goes on. It is much much more common in ladies with endo and this is proven with scientific studies on the presence of ecoli in menstrual fluids. and endo bleeds else where.

The only course of attack is persistance with the currently available antibiotics until one is found to break through the biofilm and kill off the parent ecoli cells.

This means after every course of antibiotics don't sit back an do nothing - get your pee checked again at the lab and any hint that ecoli is still around you need to get back on the antibiotics and again compete that course. and again and again.

Sadly nowadays it's all to common for ecoli to become drug resistant - or rather the biolfilm that your own body creates in conjunction with the Ecoli parent bugs is resistant to antibiotics. Makes the task all the harder to resolve.

Look up on google E-coli and Biofilm resistance to antibiotics and you'll find lots of articles on this subject.

Also you can look up Endometriosis and E-coliand likewise find lots already written.

Urine retention or frequent peeing is a symptom of Ecoli infection. It doesn't always cause the burning pee sensation when you go to the loo that was typically expected of UTIs.

Sarve profile image
Sarve

Thanks Impatient, a fountain of knowledge as always!

DrWatson profile image
DrWatson

I think ultrasounds can only see relatively large issues e.g. Cyst on an ovary but not a bit of endo on the appendix. That's what my dr implied.

tinkerbell1993 profile image
tinkerbell1993

Just from personal experience I have had long term issues with my kidneys and repetitive UTI'S when I had my lap they found endo attached to the front of my kidneys and bladder and reckoned that this played a role in the experiences so definitely enquire before and after your surgery as to whether your endo could impact as from personal experience mine has :) xxx

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