# barium swallow?



## MeaganC (Jan 9, 2004)

Hey I was just wondering if anyone out there has had any experience with a test called a barium swallow? I'm going to have one on tuesday and was wondering what to expect and if it made anyone sick? I'm taking it in the morning (not a good time for me!!) and I won't be able to take my meds because they said not to eat after 8 or drink after midnight!!!! Mornings plus no meds........ not going to be fun!!!


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## iambalthazar (Mar 14, 2003)

Did you know they have a Curious George book where he swallows a puzzle piece or something, and he goes and does a Barium Swallow? Yeah, I saw it at the hospital when I was doing mine...haha. Um, I remember the barium stuff just being really thick and heavy kind of like you're drinking melted lead or something, really it is heavy and chalky. It might make you feel a little weird right off but just try to drink it all at once. I kept stopping and that just made it gross. Try not to think about it.


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## 12345461 (Jul 30, 2003)

It's not bad, the worst part is barium canbe hard to swallow because it is so thick.


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## betagirl (Oct 12, 2002)

HiI've had 2 of these things, they're not too bad. The barium is sort of gross. If they flavor it, get any flavor but banana. Ew.Basically it's this......You get 2 sports bottle sized things of barium to drink. Ask for a straw, it makes it easier. You're supposed to drink 1 when you get there after you change into a lovely gown. Then you have to sit for I think 45 minutes, then drink 3/4's of the 2nd one. After you finish that, they take the first x-ray to see how fast you're filling up. If you're not ready, then you have to wait. Walking helps move the barium down through your small bowel. So I'd always do laps around the radiology dept. They keep calling you every 15 mins or so to check your bowels until the barium has gone through. Then you go to the room where they take all the lovely pictures. You finish your barium, then have to lay on this table. There's usually a monitor in the room that you can see your guts on. The radiologist will position you in a variety of ways and take x-rays. You'll have to flip over onto your stomach, lay sort of on your side, etc. They also use this paddle thing on the machine to push on your abdomen to move things around. For me it was painful when they pushed on my right side because that's where my crohn's is. So if you have a tender spot anywhere, it might bother you. But it wasn't jump off the table painful. After they take all the pics, you're done. You're supposed to drink LOTS of water because barium can bind you up. I never had that problem, it went right through me







The 2nd one also caused me a lot of cramps.Oh and your poo will be white for at least a day. That's just the barium getting out. Ghost poo, if you will







You should get results in a couple of days from your GI. It's really not bad at all.Good luck!


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## erin5983 (Mar 25, 2003)

Definitely bring a straw, and if you can, take it chilled. It's not so bad chilled, but if it's warm...ew. All in all, not too bad. MUCH better than a colonoscopy!


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## MeaganC (Jan 9, 2004)

I survived the barium swallow!!! It didn't even taste that bad, kinda fruity..... The only bad thing was those darn gowns they make you wear!!! When I was turning over on the bed I flashed my bare bum to EVERYONE in the room (which was a doctor,a nurse and two students!!)!!! Oh well!!! I find out in a few days if everything was okay. Thanks you guys for all your replys, they definetly made the experience a lot less scary! My IBS has been okay the past two or three days but I'm nervous cause I start college for the first time on friday. Hopefully everything thing will go well and my IBS won't act up!


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## xxfakeasmile (Jan 23, 2004)

the barium swallow was like the coolest test! lol! i got it done this summer and it was the EASIEST thing ever... the barium i drank was flavoured with CHOCOLATE!!! i actually got to choose between different flavours but of course chocolate is the best! mmmm... it tasted exactly like a milkshake, you couldn't tell the difference! the x-rays were so easy... and the paddle part too.. i was worried and scared for no reason! NO PAIN AT ALL. from 1-10, the pain would be like 1 just because i worried.


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