Upper G I barium test

binky · 09-27-2008, 12:57 PM

Has anyone had one of these? I need to get one on Friday because of some pain and vomiting. What should I expect as far as after-affects?

Trilby · 09-27-2008, 02:08 PM

Nothing, really. You drink the barium (kinda thick and chalky), they take pictures...you might belch a bit afterwards. It's a (relatively) easy diagnostic test. Are you prepping with laxatives? That's probably the worst part.

binky · 09-27-2008, 02:13 PM

No. Thanks Bri, they didn't tell me that.

Trilby · 09-27-2008, 03:07 PM

Did they tell you anything? I've found it very typical of them to "forget" to tell you of certain nasty effects. There were so many things the medico's didn't tell me about chemo and side effects...truly amazingly important stuff they didn't tell me.

lumberjim · 09-27-2008, 04:21 PM

i had a barium enema when i was an infant. i dont remember it at all, but I've always been a hard ass

Undertoad · 09-27-2008, 04:59 PM

barium: what you do when the patient dies

lumberjim · 09-27-2008, 05:20 PM

laf

binky · 09-27-2008, 05:25 PM

thanks for the support guys. Actually Bri, all they told me was to fast after midnight the night before

SteveDallas · 09-27-2008, 06:43 PM

If it's upper, I'm not sure they need to do the laxative thing. (Disclaimer: not only am I not a doctor, I don't play one on the internet.)

Trilby · 09-27-2008, 07:34 PM

I had an upper years and years ago---as a teen. They made me take dulcolax at twice the regular dosage the night before----probably found they didn't need to do that!

Griff · 09-27-2008, 08:34 PM

No biggie binky. You'll glide through this one.

binky · 09-27-2008, 11:19 PM

Thanks guys for all the advice and support. I just hate anything to do with doctors.

ZenGum · 09-28-2008, 06:35 AM

I think I had one of those when I was in Japan. IIRC:
Fasting, thick chalky drink, roll over three times, photos, laxatives, and funny things happening in your bowels afterwards.

Don't gulp the drink down too quickly - one of my cow orkers said this can cause a bubble which will look like a problem leading to an unnecessary follow-up gastroscopy (camera tube down mouth).

Expect a bleachy white turd (or several) which sits in the bottom of the bowl and won't flush.

No major drama. Just be mindful of where the nearest toilet is, and if you don't get moving soonish, take another laxative. You'll be right.

richlevy · 09-28-2008, 01:43 PM

I had a barium test a while back. I mostly remember them putting me on some kind of rotating table. I remember feeling bloated and gassy for a few hours afterwards, but no serious aftereffects.

Yznhymr · 09-28-2008, 04:31 PM

I just had this test last week. What everyone has said about the experience matches mine. No prep other than no food or drink after midnight. After test, I had some Milk-of-Magnesia to flush the Barium. Barium tends to make you constipated. Weird experience having white poop. My test was very extensive (at the VA) and several tests had to be redone, including a small colon test, which requires a lot thicker, more concentrated form of the Barium.

I've had worse tests, that's for sure. Nothing to worry about. Hope all goes well for your test.

09-27-2008, 12:57 PM	#1
binky all hollowed out Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 982	Upper G I barium test Has anyone had one of these? I need to get one on Friday because of some pain and vomiting. What should I expect as far as after-affects? __________________ The meanest Mom EVER!!!!

09-27-2008, 02:08 PM	#2
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Nothing, really. You drink the barium (kinda thick and chalky), they take pictures...you might belch a bit afterwards. It's a (relatively) easy diagnostic test. Are you prepping with laxatives? That's probably the worst part. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

09-27-2008, 02:13 PM	#3
binky all hollowed out Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 982	No. Thanks Bri, they didn't tell me that. __________________ The meanest Mom EVER!!!!

09-27-2008, 03:07 PM	#4
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Did they tell you anything? I've found it very typical of them to "forget" to tell you of certain nasty effects. There were so many things the medico's didn't tell me about chemo and side effects...truly amazingly important stuff they didn't tell me. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

09-27-2008, 04:21 PM	#5
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	i had a barium enema when i was an infant. i dont remember it at all, but I've always been a hard ass __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

09-27-2008, 04:59 PM	#6
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	barium: what you do when the patient dies

09-27-2008, 05:20 PM	#7
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	laf __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

09-27-2008, 05:25 PM	#8
binky all hollowed out Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 982	thanks for the support guys. Actually Bri, all they told me was to fast after midnight the night before __________________ The meanest Mom EVER!!!!

09-27-2008, 06:43 PM	#9
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	If it's upper, I'm not sure they need to do the laxative thing. (Disclaimer: not only am I not a doctor, I don't play one on the internet.)

09-27-2008, 07:34 PM	#10
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	I had an upper years and years ago---as a teen. They made me take dulcolax at twice the regular dosage the night before----probably found they didn't need to do that! __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

09-27-2008, 08:34 PM	#11
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	No biggie binky. You'll glide through this one. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

09-27-2008, 11:19 PM	#12
binky all hollowed out Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 982	Thanks guys for all the advice and support. I just hate anything to do with doctors. __________________ The meanest Mom EVER!!!!

09-28-2008, 06:35 AM	#13
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	I think I had one of those when I was in Japan. IIRC: Fasting, thick chalky drink, roll over three times, photos, laxatives, and funny things happening in your bowels afterwards. Don't gulp the drink down too quickly - one of my cow orkers said this can cause a bubble which will look like a problem leading to an unnecessary follow-up gastroscopy (camera tube down mouth). Expect a bleachy white turd (or several) which sits in the bottom of the bowl and won't flush. No major drama. Just be mindful of where the nearest toilet is, and if you don't get moving soonish, take another laxative. You'll be right. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

09-28-2008, 01:43 PM	#14
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	I had a barium test a while back. I mostly remember them putting me on some kind of rotating table. I remember feeling bloated and gassy for a few hours afterwards, but no serious aftereffects. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama

09-28-2008, 04:31 PM	#15
Yznhymr the crowd goes wild! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA Posts: 663	I just had this test last week. What everyone has said about the experience matches mine. No prep other than no food or drink after midnight. After test, I had some Milk-of-Magnesia to flush the Barium. Barium tends to make you constipated. Weird experience having white poop. My test was very extensive (at the VA) and several tests had to be redone, including a small colon test, which requires a lot thicker, more concentrated form of the Barium. I've had worse tests, that's for sure. Nothing to worry about. Hope all goes well for your test. __________________ "The pride system tends to intensify the self-hate against which it is supposed to be a defense, since any failure to live up to one's tyrannical shoulds or of the world to honor one's claims leads to feelings of worthlessness." Bernard J. Paris, Ph.D.

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