Gastrografin

[Jer's Girl]

gastrografin

Has anyone done a gastrografin test? Are you put out for it? I have never had one before, although i have had lots of colonoscopys. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Ok I googled it and see it can be a drink for an xray which tastes foul or given before a test.... I would think you wouldn't be put out, sorry but I had a special type of new barium test for CT scan but never heard of the gastrografin. Says it doesnt stick to the linging and is used to check for leakage??? Anyone else can help here? Sorry, not much help.

 

[porter89xxx]

Hiya yes ive had a grastrografin test and i had to eat a slice of toast and it had some dye sprayed on it that contained the gastro graffin on it and its like a dye that shows up in the body. hope this helps

 

[Trysha]

gastrografin

Has anyone done a gastrografin test? Are you put out for it? I have never had one before, although i have had lots of colonoscopys. Any info would be appreciated.

I had a double contrast CAT scan of the abdomen.
I had to drink two large cups of what tasted like swamp water and also had the dye through IV line.
I was quite comfortable throughout the procedure.
The IV was set up and the injection took place by remote control from the next room.
Nothing to it really, apart from having to drink the swamp water.
Certainly would not require anesthetics.
annsplash

 

[dreamintwilight]

Well, I had to drink 3 huge glasses of Gastrograffin any time I had CT scan. It basically just lights up your insides to see what's going on inside. That's how they saw my fistulas and stricture. They didn't have to put me out for it. If this is the same kind of scan they will also probably inject some extra dye through an IV that makes you feel like you're peeing your pants even though you are not. How are you taking the gastrograffin? Drinking or eating? I've never heard of eating something with Gastrograffin on it before. If it's the scan, it takes about 10 minutes for the actual scan to take place. Nothing at all to be worried about. Hopefully that helps.

 

[Emkat8]

Gastrograffin is a type of x-ray dye. It is used for many tests though, so it could be a number of things you might be having done. Gastrograffin can be used for a enema and then watched on x-ray, it could be drank and watched on x-ray (like an Upper GI series), or drank for a CT scan. I've never heard of it being on a piece of food, but that certainly doesn't mean it doesn't exsist. Not sure if you've ever had barium tests, but it would be much like that in the sense that it shows up on x-rays. Barium is more thick and chalky though, it looks white when you drink it. Gastrograffin is a clear liquid, but I've heard it tastes worse than barium (never had gastrgraffin personally though so I can't say). Gastrograffin is used instead of barium in instances where there is a risk of perforation or leaks within your system. Barium can be very harmful, even deadly if it leaks out into you abdominal cavity because it gets very hard like concrete once it sets up. Gastrograffin would just be absored so its much less risky if it were to leak. Gastrograffin also tends to act like a laxative, while barium is constipating. Hope that helps a little

 

[Jer's Girl]

Thanks everyone. I think mine is a gastrograffin enema. Sounds pretty unpleasant.

 

[dreamintwilight]

Ok, if this is what I had (mine was called a lower GI scan/series) then it was pretty uncomfortable (not to scare you). It wasn't so much painful as just really uncomfortable. Pretty sure they used Gastrograffin for mine as well (though I've heard barium is often used). There was no prep for mine (just no eating or drinking for like 8-12 hours or something). Just go in and the technician preps you. You lay on your left side and they insert the enema. The doc came in and explained to me that it would be uncomfortable, but he would stop whenever I asked him to if I could no longer tolerate it. It was kind of neat because I could watch the x-ray as he was filling up my bowel. It got more uncomfortable near the end when I felt super bloated, so I started to cramp really bad. They sometimes have to rotate you around on the x-ray table to get the liquid to go through the bowels, so at one point it was almost like I was standing up, ha! Afterwards I could no long hold the liquid in and I ended up releasing it all over the table, which was extremely embarassing, but I'm sure that happens pretty frequently. They then allow you to go to the bathroom to get rid of all the extra stuff and the exam is done. I think it probably took 30 minutes total to complete the exam. I felt extremely light-headed and almost fainted afterwards. I think it was because I hadn't eaten anything and I was probably dehydrated too. In my opinion this was the "worst" exam I had to go through, but nothing I couldn't handle. On the other hand, I pretty much have no shame after enduring that one, haha. Good luck to you!

 

[Grumbletum]

Surfing the forum for info on this as I have CT scan on Tues and just received the Gastrografin in the post. Restricted diet for two days prior, solution to be diluted in water or fruit juice and drunk 10 pm the night before and 1 hour before the scan.
This isn't the one that makes you think you've peed your pants?