CT Scan with Barium

[slevan]

I just had my second colonoscopy today and was told that I have a stricture midway through my transverse colon. I will be going on Monday for a CT scan of my bowels after drinking what appears to be a jug of latex paint. Any advice/suggestions/comfort regarding this procedure? Also, I am assuming (and was somewhat told by my GI) that I will need to have surgery to correct the stricture. In doing research, I came across a procedure known as strictureplasty but it appears they only prefer to use this method on small bowel strictures. Anyone have any experience with this in large bowel, as well?
:sign0085:

 

[Grumbletum]

Hey Slevan. Re: the CT, drinking the contrast is probably the most uncomfortable bit. Not had a colonoscopy but it seems the Prep for that is much worse. I had contrast to drink an hour before scan and another jugfull just before, with 30 mins to get it down.
You then have another contrast injected via IV. That feels a bit weird: like a big hot flush passing down the body. Scan itself only took about 20 mins.
Hope it goes OK.

 

[toml99]

No experience for the large bowel, but I had this for a scan of my small intestine. Grumbletum's description is right on. The drink is the worst part of the procedure, but another patient and I joked about this as we were drinking and it helped to put it in perspective. Of all of the tests and procedures I have had, this was one of the easiest. If I was told I had to have another one next week, I wouldn't have any concerns.

The best part of this is the scan itself is highly accurate and advanced, and it will be invaluable to your doctor. Not everyone has access to these, or can have them due to insurance issues, so you're one of the lucky ones.

Good luck - hang in there and hope everything turns out OK with your subsequent treatment.

 

[MCPayne]

Hi slevan. The barium you have to drink for the Upper GI series with a Small Bowel Follow Through (at least I think that's the proper name for the test) to me isn't too bad. At least to me it's not as bad as a colonoscopy prep. After the test, if I remember right, you have to try and drink lots of water to flush the barium out of your system.

I was a little confused by your subject title, as this is an x-ray scan, as opposed to a CT Scan.

Talk about a double whammy, I have to have a Small Bowel Series (the barium test) and a colonoscopy in the same week next month, as I am due for both of them. I'm already thinking about after the Small Bowel Series test, getting a fast food meal for lunch, as that test is scheduled for 10:30 am, and the radiology lab told me it can take up to 4 hours.

 

[mike316atl]

I had the small bowel follow through about 5 years ago. I agree that the prep is the worst part. They will take pics every 20 mins or so. Mine at the time showed narrowing in the ileum.
Very accurate test.

 

[Jefferson]

Just to clarify, are you talking about a CT Enterography or an upper GI with small bowel follow through? They are different although both use a contrast dye. The upper GI uses that thick wretched barium that you have to choke down while a CT Enterography uses a thin dye which is easier to drink but equally as wretched. The Upper GI uses a fluoroscope and with the CT you pass though a donut after you drink the dye. Both are pretty accurate but the CT Enterography shows strictures and/or inflammation with great clarity.

 

[Grumbletum]

Wretched: exactly the word I was looking for. Also describes the disease itself!

 

[Matt645]

Barium follow through is a walk in the park, the hardest part is getting the white barium poop to flush as it's so heavy it just sits in the pan!!

 

[Carrie630]

The barium drink is the worst part I think. I had to take huge gulps then wash my mouth out with water (since I wasn't allowed to swallow the water). yuck. I got an iv dye too, the weirdest thing about that is that it feels hot going into your body and then the hot spreads and sometimes you feel like you have to pee.

editted to add: Mine was also a CT scan which I gather isn't the normal way they do things, but I was very definitely in a ct machine for it.