Who needs Transvaginal ultrasound?

I do it once a year for as long as I'm on Arimidex. This was suggested by and ordered by my GP, not my oncologist. But I had had some problems (not cancer but a thickened lining requiring a D&C) in the past, so GP and I just want to be extra cautious.

My GYN had me get one after a pelvic..

I did and they couldn't find my ovaries..

Arimidex did them in

I had one done as a baseline because I'm starting Tamoxifen.  Robin Roberts is a BC survivor and I don't know the details of her situation, but maybe that's why she does it as well.

My oncologist says he likes to play it "cautious" and he is having me get a yearly MRI of the chest area (I had a BMX) and TWICE yearly transvaginal ultrasounds ~ to check the uterus and ovaries.  I am 44 premenapausal and taking Tamoxifen.

Prior to being dx'd with BC, my ob/gyn had me get a transvaginal ultrasound because she was concerned about a small fibroid. They found my uterine lining was "near the cusp' of normal - (I believe it measured 5 mm - at 6 mm they would worried about endometrial cancer.) The radiologist couldn't see my ovaries either, so I asked my ob/gyn what would cause a post-menopausal woman to get a thickened endometrial lining. She answered "Estrogen" - and then I asked, "Where is it coming from since my ovaries are so shrunken and I'm post-menopausal?" and she said "from your body fat." This was the FIRST time I ever heard that excess weight in post-menopausal women can lead to cancer! A few months later I'm dx'd with BC (estrogen positive)........I almost demanded a hysterectomy from a gynocological oncologist, but he convinced me it wasn't necessary (after doing a biopsy of a suspicious "endometrial stripe" which came back negative). I was avery relieved not to need Tamoxifen (I had read that it can cause uterine cancer) - my onc said they prefer giving post-menopausal women Arimidex.

So I still have my uterus and shrunken ovaries. After over 2 years on Arimidex, my last transvanginal ultrasound a few months ago showed that the endomtrial lining has SHRUNKEN to be absolutely normal! The only explanation for this is the effects of Arimidex..........it's WORKING on reducing the estrogen in my body (even though I haven't lost weight). I was SO impressed with this visible and measurable effect of Arimidex, that I told my girlfriend at work. She was dx'd with Stage 3 endometrial cancer and had a complete hysterectomy - strong internal radiation - and strong chemo. She's fine now but it worried me that she wasn't taking any estrogen-reducing drugs. We both see the same oncologist, so I told her to ask him if Arimidex would be good for her to reduce her risk of recurrence. Our oncologist consulted with a Sloan-Kettering onc (who specialized in endometrial cancer) and he said YES! There are promising studies showing that Arimidex IS helpful in reducing the recurrence of endometrial cancer - and so he immediately put my girl-friend the drug - but only for one year. So now, while we both complain about our joint pains, I tell her it's worth it knowing it's WORKING against our mutual enemy, post-menopausal Estrogen.

Sorry for being so long-winded, but I just needed to tell that story - about the wonders of Arimidex in fighting estrogen - and how a transvaginal ultrasound helped give me more peace-of-mind regarding my need to take this drug - and also - how it is helping my friend.

In short - to answer mawhinney's question - AI's do NOT cause thickening of the uterus lining - rather the reverse is true (at least with Arimidex.)

For those of you who had uterine thickening - did you have symptoms?  If so, what were they?  I had an ultrasound today becaue of pelvic pressure and feeling of fullness.  I am on Tamoxifen as preventive (very strong family history, mulitple biopsies, ALH, etc).  Thank you.  

After trying AI's after chemo and not being able to take them, we tried tamoxifin.  It only took a couple months for me to start spotting after 10 years of no periods.  OB had ultrasound done and then and endomentrial biopsy.  Fortunately just thickened lining and polyps.  They could just have done a D&C but I opted for a laprascopic hysterectomy with ovaries removed too.  They did this in Oct and it went great.  I was back to work in 2 weeks and fully healed at 6 weeks.  I seemed the be a great choice for me, no more possibility of ovarian, uterine or cervical cancer and I really did not need those parts any more.  I think anyone  who is taking tamoxifin should probably be having an ultrasound yearly along with their mamogram.  Annette

I had one in 2009 and 2010 August. I also had a kidney small stone that I eliminated natural in August 2010. In Jan 2011 my doc wanted to make sure my kidney is ok and surprise I had 2 cysts in my right overy. I have been postmeno chemo induced since 2008 . To make it short Feb 9 surgery confirmed ovarian cancer stage 3B. This devil is fast! I will start chemo soon. Also, I will get tested for BRCA as I have a daughter and need to make sure we do everything we can to keep her safe.

Please check yourself at least 2x a year.

Transvaginal ultrasounds are not recommended for people taking tamoxifen, in the absence of symptoms.   I have had several because I have fibroid tumors and they are not an experience I want to repeat unless there is a clear reason.  Taking tamoxifen raises your chance of getting endrometrial cancer by !%.   Combine that with the fact that endrometrial cancer is easy to catch, in that is causes symptoms (bleeding etc) early on, I will not get another unltrasound without a good explanation from my doctor on why I need it.  

No wenweb, biopsy is the only way to differentiate between fibroids and cancer.

 So sorry for your friend.