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Quick Question Re: SBFT

Hello my friends...

'Tis not often I come to you with a question but I have one now!!

I had the air contrast barium enema last week...it went okay, but, no results in yet.
(They are suspecting a bowel to bladder fistula, that's why the tests)

Anyway, on this past Tuesday I had the small bowel follow through, which they assured me, and it also said on the paper they gave me with the cleansing instructions etc., that it would take from 2-3 hours...

When I arrived I asked again how they did the test, due to the parking meter that my hubby had to keep feeding.

They said I would drink the barium, or whatever that yucky gunk is and wait 20 minutes and they would take an x-ray.....wait another 20 minutes and take another x-ray...then another 20 minutes..then a half hour and another x-ray and so on and so on....until said gunk had gone through over 20 feet of small bowel.

So I figure I'm in for the entire morning...the test started at 8 am.

I drank their yummy concoction and waited 20 minutes, and they took the first x-ray...10 minutes later the technician came in and said they wanted one final x-ray because the drink had gone through over 20 feet of small bowel in 20 minutes!!!

How on earth can that be I asked astonished!! :eek2:

They said they couldn't figure it out either. Especially since I have never had bowel surgery, which would make it move through faster than normal.

Sooooo...has anyone had the same experience or have an idea on why this happened?

I'm appreciate hearing from you!

Hugs~Nancy
 
Hey Nancy!

Mine I had to drink one barium "smoothie" (psh yeah... smoothie, okay) in a span of 15 minutes... and then chug another one in another 15 minutes. Then I waited maybe 20 after I was done and they took me to get the xray. After that I was done... so mine was kinda like yours... although mine was more of an "emergency" SBFT... because it was before I was diagnosed and it was what alerted the hospital that I needed an "emergency" colonoscopy.
 
Hi
That happened to me also.
At that time they told me it was because I drank it kinda
like in a hurry.Held my breath and chugged it back.

TAMMY
 
I just had one a matter of days ago myself and it was similar to yours.

First they gave me the crystals to swollow, then i downed the barium, followed by two more cups of barrium at later times.

They took X-rays every twenty minutes, I think it was 3 or 4 total. They used a little paddle thing to push on my intestens, had me cough, and beardown a few times, and then I was done. I think all told it was about an hour and a half total.
 
They usually tell me when I go in that it'll take 45 minutes to an hour and I always tell them that it''l probably only take a half hour. 9 times out of ten I'm right. Dunno why. My bowels just seem to run fast.
 
I really appreciate all your responses to my question.

I think it might be a Crohn's thang! :ylol2:

Seems everything shoots straight through.

Thanks everyone! :)
 

tonya_n_ky

Senior Member
First of all, HUGZZZZ!! I too have this happen. It doesn't usually take long at all. I think it in some way has to do with crohns as well. When we eat it usually doesn't take long for some food to make it's way through us so I guess barium can be the same as food. I guess that's one good thing about having crohn's...the procedure time is less..lol. Hope you're feeling better and doing well. I think of you often. God Bless...Tonya
 
K

kpratte

Guest
Are you guys running laps or something while waiting? :eek2:

The first time I had it, I was there for something like 4 hours. Of course, feeling like absolute crap and curling up in a ball in the waiting room might have had something to do with it. My more recent ones have been 1.5 - 2 hours with me walking up and down the halls to help move things along.

- Ken
 
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