# Tips for drinking barium contrast?



## deedee

*tips for drinking barium contrast?*

I had a CT in June and I had to drink this barium contrast, called Volumen. It was AWFUL. It tasted horrible, and I was soooo nauseous afterwards. I was on Flagyl at the time, so I'm sure that worsened the nausea.

But tomorrow I have to get an MRI and they are making me drink the same stuff. I don't know if I can do it! The nasty taste is still fresh in my mind, and the memory of the nausea...ugh! Plus how am I gonna lie on the MRI table for an hour after drinking all that and not pee my pants?

:-( :-(

Any tips on drinking that nasty stuff are much appreciated!


----------



## psn

I work in MRI, what are they going to image? I have had the barium and it was flavored, they gave me the choice of chocolate or strawberry, maybe they can flavor it for you..good luck


----------



## deedee

psn said:


> I work in MRI, what are they going to image? I have had the barium and it was flavored, they gave me the choice of chocolate or strawberry, maybe they can flavor it for you..good luck


Small bowel, to look for inflammation (I don't think there is any though, fingers crossed!!)

The stuff I drank before was definitely flavored...badly. lol! I think it was an attempt at a grape flavor, but it could've been strawberry. I'll try asking for the chocolate this time if I can, maybe it's better. Thanks!


----------



## Babs1957

I just had a small bowel series and the barium was supposedly flavored strawberry. It  tasted just like the same old crap with a strawberry aroma! 

I find chugging it works best - sipping or through a straw just prolongs it IMHO!!!


----------



## rottengut91

I recently had a small bowel series also, I had a rough time getting the stuff down.  This was my second one since dx, albeit last one was 20 yrs ago.  I still remembered it being horrible.  I tried both straw and just chugging.  I had to go with the straw.  It seemed like I was taking this big gulps, but the cup wasn't getting any emptier.  Luckily, I've had three resections, so not much small bowel left.  I ended up only drinking about 3/4 of the cup they gave me.  Worst part though, I ended up developing a terrible migraine and suffered with that and vomiting for the rest of the day.  It was also my daughter's 5th birthday.  If I don't ever have to do that test again, I will be very, very happy.  I had the contrast for the CT scan not too long ago too, it was not as bad.  Neither are something I'd drink for kicks that's for sure.  Good Luck.  I really don't think there is anything you can do to make it any better, unfortunately.  Hope the test nets positive findings.


----------



## Squadinho

My barium was incredibly badly flavoured with banana, and I hate bananas. The first cup I downed straight away and was fine, the last two cups was a struggle though.

I found the best way to down them is to pinch your nose and do them bits at a time, that avoids alot of the nasty flavours for me.



> Plus how am I gonna lie on the MRI table for an hour after drinking all that and not pee my pants?


I find it comes out of the other passage, and very white too!


----------



## HeatherMN

I had that exact stuff for an MRI earlier this year. Mine was allegedly fruit flavored, but it wasn't any sort of fruit I have ever had! They gave me mine cold, which did help a little bit. 
Hopefully there will be a bathroom close by for you, it doesn't run through to your bladder that fast, but it gave me some serious D.
Good luck!


----------



## deedee

Thanks for the tips and encouragement! Mind over matter, right?


----------



## archie

awful stuff mine tasted of zambuca, what was worse was it spilt on my trousers and i couldn't get it out even after washing them, it was like cement!! i've no tips though for making it easier sorry


----------



## Christy

deedee : call them and tell them to stick that crud in the refridgerator right now!  It is EVER so much easier to get down when it's chilled and the colder the better!!


----------



## Mountaingem

I agree;chilled is way better. Also, it may sound weird but I drink mine through a straw. My lab never has them, you have to bring your own, just nab one from a fast food place. After I finish it I suck on a sour lemon candy, that curbs the vomit reflex for me.


----------



## deedee

Unfortunately they're closed now so I can't call them about chilling it, but maybe I can ask for ice or something tomorrow. 

Mountaingem - that's genius, I'm definitely gonna bring a hard candy, maybe that'll help with the nausea. I have to go to school afterwards so I really need to not be nauseous!


----------



## Mountaingem

I try to drink large amounts of water as soon as the test is over, that seems to help,too. 

Best wishes for a nausea-free test, and here's to good news on your results!
:cheerss:


----------



## LtHuff

I chugged mine, a "mixed berry flavor" bluh gross it was.  What was disheartening is you drink a cup and then they come in and refill it 3 or 4 more times.  By the last one I wanted to make the damn tech drink it!  But I must say seeing my bowels on the screen was pretty cool, until he started squishing them with that big ole paddle.


----------



## scifi-enthusiast

I've found that the unflavored barium tastes pretty decent going down (now the aftertaste, that was pretty bad). But then I also like the taste of Pepto Bismol as well.


----------



## Cat-a-Tonic

I didn't have to drink barium for my MRI, but I did have to drink it prior to a CT scan, and I have to say that it wasn't bad.  They mixed it with lemonade, and mostly tasted like lemonade.  They did give me a straw and it was chilled, so apparently the hospital I go to does things right!  But honestly, it was actually fairly pleasant - I had been experiencing an episode of low blood pressure prior to drinking the barium, so I was feeling pretty poorly.  Then I drank the barium, and something in the drink (sodium? sugar?) made my blood pressure rise back up into the normal range, so I felt much better after drinking it.

The only bad part of my barium experience was that it did cause me to have a lot of watery d about an hour after I drank it, so make sure you stay near a restroom afterwards!


----------



## xoxava

When I had mine I got to choose my flavor and it was lemonade which made it much easier to get it down! My last one I was very nausous and had to drink, keep it down and wait for the test. Literally as soon as it was over I ran straight for the trash can and it all came out!! Good luck to you and hope its not too awful!!


----------



## Zalanicht

You can't eat or drink before it so you're thirsty as hell so I thought it was easy. I slammed my two tall glasses fast even though it tasted like chalk.


----------



## Mountaingem

Yes, and make it sure it all comes out later...I usually take a mild laxative the next day, just to make sure. I got an infection once when the barium caused a blockage.


----------



## winemaker

I was flaring severely when I drank barium. No matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't stay down. I walked out of the doctor's looking like I'd been in a fight with a chalkboard. 
The consistency was so viscous, I'd probably struggle to keep it down at the best of times.
I agree with some of the other's try to hold your nose (also think that it is all over soon)

Good luck


----------



## Jennifer

Back in the day all they had to flavor it at my hospital was Tang. BLECH!!!!!!!! It tastes like blech no matter what though. I'm doing one soon and I'll be bringing my own straw just in case they don't have any. I'll try straw and no straw, whatever it takes to get it down. I've tried the nose plugging thing but when I swallow it plugs and hurts my ears when I do that. Maybe this time I'll pretend it some nasty booze that'll get me drunk real quick.


----------



## deedee

Well it's over! I survived, but it was pretty awful. The first bottle wasn't chilled but she chilled the second one for me, which did make it a little better, thanks for the tip! I was only able to get down 2 of the 3 bottles, which ended up not being a problem since apparently the contrast was all stuck in my stomach and not much of it went down into my small intestine. So they started the MRI, then had to stop and told me to walk around a little. 

Unfortunately it didn't really help but the nurse said the radiologist said it looked ok. Ugh! All that for crappy pics!! :-(

I ended up getting some Valium which took the edge off a bit. I did get really nauseous though, still am. And it didn't help that they gave me glucagon too during the MRI (to temporarily freeze up the movements), which also made me super nauseous. 

And now I'm still nauseous and have D! Oh and I also had to get out of the MRI once to pee since it took so long with them starting over and everything. 

Not a fun morning. But at least I'm done! Thanks for the advice and support, you guys rock!


----------



## winemaker

Glad that it's all over! 

I had an MRI 2 days ago, but it was entirely different. I had a tube stuck down my throat into my small bowel, where an electrolyte fluid was pumped and with a contrasting agent injected through a canular. No barium was involved.

I wonder why the methods used are so different.


----------



## Jennifer

I believe that's a different test winemaker. I've done that as well but no tube down the throat, had to drink it. They have to be testing for something different or one gives a better look, I dunno, but I know that I did both of those tests around the same time.


----------



## vonfunk

lie back and think of England


----------



## Mountaingem

Closing my eyes helps sometimes, I don't know why. Maybe if I don't have to look at what I'm drinking it's easier lol.


----------



## Shannon

Glad to hear you were a trooper and got through it! 
A tip for everyone, my own personal technique: I bring someone with me and have them count to say, 20, while I drink as much as I can within that time period - it gives me motivation and something to look forward to: being able to stop at 20 seconds! This can go quickly and although it still tastes bad, hearing someone count really adds to the will power.


----------



## Mountaingem

:ylol2:LMAO! The Crohnnie's version of a drinking game! Great idea, I'll give it try!


----------



## LilMiss

I tried to have a CTE scan a couple days ago. I drank 3 450ml bottles of the liquid barium (VoLumen) and it was gross (tasted like lipgloss and looked like something even grosser). But once I finished I noticed my ears burning and looked in the mirror and my face and ears and neck were turning red. They ended up not wanting to give me the iodine shot and didn't do the scan, so all that for nothing! It ended up going away within a half hour or so, and then I spent the entire night on the toilet . What was that? An allergic reaction? They said there's nothing in the stuff that could cause that... has anyone experienced anything similar? Any advice or insight would be appreciated.


----------



## cmack

Welcome LilMiss,

Sorry to hear of the trouble. Your body probably just didn't like it, same as if you eat a food that triggers gut trouble. Just my reasoning, it made me have to go too. Sometimes stress can cause issues as well and I think what happened to you was stressful at least. If you have it done again, mention it caused trouble the first time to be on the safe side.


Best wishes,

Chris


----------



## Jabee

Oral contrast always cleans me out. When things have been really bad and I need an urgent CTE I actually haven’t been able to drink the contrast but they did the scan with just the iodine. Did they give you benedryl? It sounds like it was some sort of allergic reaction. Sorry you went through that! One thing I really hate is the thick contrast they use for upper GI series. The last one I had blocked me up for weeks.


----------

