Anonymous

I had a VCUG performed when I was 9. I remember hearing another child scream in the room next to me before my procedure began. I was not numbed for catheter insertion and I was forcibly held down. When I was instructed to urinate on the table in front of all of the staff, I was so mortified and fear-stricken that I froze. My hands were placed in warm water, but the staff gave up after a bit and had me urinate in the toilet privately. It was not captured on imaging, and to this day, I have no idea what the diagnostic value of the test was or if any diagnosis was made at all. This is not a painless procedure. I had an extreme burning sensation while urinating after the catheter bruised me for the next 24 hours. I carried these memories with me, and my first time at the gynecologist 11 years later left me in tears. I had no idea why I was so upset until I realized what VCUG trauma can do to a person. Physicians need to understand that VCUGs are painful to children.