Barium Xray Help Please!

[samantha_samuel]

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum. I am 17 years old and my gastroenterologist believes that I have Crohn's Disease. I have all the common symptoms as well as joint pains and mild eye problems. I am scheduled for a Barium Meal and Follow Through in 3 days and I am very scared to take the test. I have read other people's stories on this forum and I don't want to have any bad side effects like they did. Can anybody explain to me the whole process of getting these tests done from prep to end please. I would also like to know if everyone has terrible side effects with the barium or is it just some people? I would love to know about your experiences with having these tests done. It will help me to mentally prepare for the tests and to know what exactly to expect. Thanks alot in advance!

 

[lager87]

I dont know if the test your talking about is the same one I did but I had to drink 4 large containers of the barium solution over 1 hour and then have cat scans done. It really wasnt that bad. I brought a scary book with me to get my mind off of it and sucked the stuff down with a straw so I wouldt taste it. The scan itself took like 5 minutes. i left there and got some lunch... no problems hopefully this is the same thing your talking about....

 

[amyh]

It wasn't that bad. Just drinking the barium was the hardest part, but I think my "side effect" which was a headache, was becasue I didn't eat anything the whole day. It wasn't as bad as a colonoscopy, not that it's hard either, just fasting and pooping alot was a bother.

 

[Jennifer]

You drink barium. Walk around. Have some x-rays (mine were just x-rays, not a CT scan, I believe that's a CT scan with contrast not a sbft) and go home.

If you're fortunate, the hospital you're having it done at will have the newest form of barium. Its really creamy, tastes kind of citrusy and you only need a small glass of it.

If you have the old barium its chalky, tastes like yuck (the straw method helps a little) and you have to drink a lot of it (large containers 2-4 of them depending on how evil the radiology staff feels that day).

With the old barium, I had diarrhea but only lasted that day. With the new barium, I don't recall any diarrhea.

Hope you get the new barium! Welcome to the forum and keep us posted on the results.

 

[Z_Ghost]

I had one 2 months ago and it was the new barium, was a lot better then when I had one 3 years ago.
One thing I have been told to do and I find it helps is to drink lots of water after I get home.
It really helps to move the barium out of your system.
I got a little bit of diarrhea this last time but that only lasted 1 day.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Before I had mine, I was nervous because of the things I had read on here.

Afterwards, I wondered what on earth people had been fussing about, it was soooo easy!

The barium was waaaaay easier to get down than colonoscpy prep.

 

[samantha_samuel]

Thanks everyone especially Crabby, Z_Ghost and StarGirrrrl! I'm not as scared as I was before. I'll be sure to keep you all posted!

 

[crohnicaly stinky]

Just another voice to say, don't worry, it's not bad, except drinking the stuff, yuck

 

[tots]

Its not bad at all. The barium is nasty and I cant drink milk shakes so my stomach rejected it pretty fast. Funny thing was they were still able to see what they needed.

You will do fine!

But, do drink ALOT of water, otherwise its a hard trip all the way through!

Lauren

 

[samantha_samuel]

I had my test done today and all was well and normal whole evening but now I'm having extreme abdominal and chest pains. I believe it's gas pains from fasting before the test but it hurts so much and I'm so tired of having pains all the time it's starting to get to me! I'm getting the results tomorrow so I hope I get some answers or I'm going to lose it!

 

[outlier]

it's not fun but nor is it that bad. don't stress yourself out about it cause that will make it worse.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

I hated the sbft. They made me drink pop-rock things (created gas bubbles) and told me I couldn't burp. I couldn't help it-the air came up, so I had to do more. Then I had to drink super thick chalk. It hit my stomach like a ton of bricks and made me SO nauseous. Then I had to drink more, a little thinner, same taste. It really sucked (for me). But the test itself was just xrays. And by the time I left, I felt fine. I did have a little more diarrhea that day (which was white), but no pain or anything.

 

[bettyboop12]

Hi

I just had my Barium follow through today, the procedure was not bad at all really... guess it was the fear of the unknown!

I had the barium but warned them that things go through me pretty quick.. they realised I wasn't kidding when 15 minutes later I was x-rayed and it was already in my large bowel. I was x-rayed just once and sent home.

They didn't really give me much information only that it was not an obstruction/blockage but there was definatley inflamation. I have Crohn's in the terminal Ileum btw.

Had anyone had a similar experience with it being so fast? I know its prob wrong to compare but wondering what on earth this could be, a fissure may be?

I have to wait 2 weeks now for the proper results.

 

[Z_Ghost]

I had my test done today and all was well and normal whole evening but now I'm having extreme abdominal and chest pains. I believe it's gas pains from fasting before the test but it hurts so much and I'm so tired of having pains all the time it's starting to get to me! I'm getting the results tomorrow so I hope I get some answers or I'm going to lose it!

Hope the gas pains go away, I hate them and yes they can hurt a lot.
Not knowing is the hardest part, hope they find out what is wrong.

 

[rkoll327]

I haven't had it done for a long time, but I did it with the old chalky barium and even that wasn't totally terrible. Like any test preps we have to do, it obviously doesn't taste good. But, just hold your nose and chug it down! You will probably feel crampy, maybe have some gas. The strange thing was I had constipation from it, and it seems most people get diarrhea, so it could go either way. Really though, don't be nervous! It isn't too bad. Keep your mind on something happy, like crawling into your bed and watching a nice movie afterwards The more anxious you are about it the worse it will be.

 

[samantha_samuel]

Well I got back the results and everything was normal. There were no signs of inflammation or ulceration. I have to go back to my doctor tomorrow to discuss whats the next step but from what I gathered from my last visit I may have to do a colonoscopy and 2 blood tests. :shifty-t:

 

[samantha_samuel]

Hi

I just had my Barium follow through today, the procedure was not bad at all really... guess it was the fear of the unknown!

I had the barium but warned them that things go through me pretty quick.. they realised I wasn't kidding when 15 minutes later I was x-rayed and it was already in my large bowel. I was x-rayed just once and sent home.

They didn't really give me much information only that it was not an obstruction/blockage but there was definatley inflamation. I have Crohn's in the terminal Ileum btw.

Had anyone had a similar experience with it being so fast? I know its prob wrong to compare but wondering what on earth this could be, a fissure may be?

I have to wait 2 weeks now for the proper results.

I'm sorry to hear that! I'm the exact opposite to you. I had to get 6 xrays done. Mine first xray was at 11am and my last was between 2-3pm and that was after the radiologist told me to go and eat and drink a lot of food and water and come back. haha

 

[samantha_samuel]

I haven't had it done for a long time, but I did it with the old chalky barium and even that wasn't totally terrible. Like any test preps we have to do, it obviously doesn't taste good. But, just hold your nose and chug it down! You will probably feel crampy, maybe have some gas. The strange thing was I had constipation from it, and it seems most people get diarrhea, so it could go either way. Really though, don't be nervous! It isn't too bad. Keep your mind on something happy, like crawling into your bed and watching a nice movie afterwards The more anxious you are about it the worse it will be.

I got constipation from it too! I got the chalky one but it actually didn't taste bad like everyone says! I thought it tasted like extremely watered down liquid baby panadol mixed with chalk but that could have been just my taste buds playing tricks on me because of how hungry I was! haha

 

[Jennifer]

lol, ew. Reminds me of when I had to get a CT scan done after my surgical site broke open and they put a clear liquid in front of me to drink (some sort of contrast for the scan) and I was told a lot of people don't like the taste and that I had to drink two glasses of it and to do my best. I chugged it cause I was so thirsty from all the vomiting I did before I got to the ER (they gave me something in my IV for nausea) and I asked for more. lol They said no.

Chances are you're not gonna like the colonoscopy prep though. Good luck with that!

 

[samantha_samuel]

lol, ew. Reminds me of when I had to get a CT scan done after my surgical site broke open and they put a clear liquid in front of me to drink (some sort of contrast for the scan) and I was told a lot of people don't like the taste and that I had to drink two glasses of it and to do my best. I chugged it cause I was so thirsty from all the vomiting I did before I got to the ER (they gave me something in my IV for nausea) and I asked for more. lol They said no.

Chances are you're not gonna like the colonoscopy prep though. Good luck with that!

I hope I don't have to do it because I have a terrible immune system and when I get the common cold it lasts for up to 2 months so I'm worried about the prep. I'm hoping there's an alternative. *fingers crossed*

 

[Jennifer]

Worried about the prep? I'm not aware of it making people sick other than tasting like yuck and bringing on tons of diarrhea.