# UpperGI Series and terrified



## ANDREA37 (Jul 21, 2002)

Can anyone tell me if drinking the Barium causes D? I have an ultrasound and an upper GI scheduled for next week and I am nervous. The last thing I want is to have D at the hospital. I have heard that the test can take three hours, I also heard it may only take 40 minutes. Which one is right? How bad is the Barium to get down? Will fasting before hand help decrease the chances of D? Do you think taking Immodium the night before would be okay or would it alter the results? I would really appreciate it if someone could give me some advise.Thanks, Andrea


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/pub...agtest/upgi.htm The length of time depends on what parts of the upper GI they need to visualize. If it is just your stomach that is less time. If they also want to look at your small intestine that is a longer test. It takes time for the barium to get through the small intestine, so to look at that it takes longer.Barium is usually constipating. However if you have an exagerated gastrocolic reflex the filling up of the stomach may make you have a bowel movement, but it would be like anytime you eat a meal. If you have an urgent BM either during or within an hour after every meal or every meal over a certain size then this could set it off, but I would avoid taking Imodium to prevent that because the barium tends to be constipating and you don't want to set yourself up for more constipation than you would have otherwise.K.


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## ANDREA37 (Jul 21, 2002)

Thanks so much for responding. I really hope that it has a constipating effect on me too. What are they looking for when they do this procedure(upper GI)? Can they tell if you have IBS by taking the X-rays?


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## AlittleFaithHelps (May 22, 2002)

Actually when i had a upper gi done, the barium caused me to have C! i wastn surprised htough, th docs told me it would cause c, and to drink plenty of water. it was so nice, i wanted to go back for more


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## phyllisfin (Jan 27, 1999)

I'm having an upper gi this week and have had one in the past. It's no big deal but it could cause some constipation afterwards, so drink water afterwrds. I wouldn't take immodium since that might mess up the test. Good luck and don't worry -- it will all be fi ne. Phyllis


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## Guest (Nov 11, 2002)

I had this done last week. It left me with a case of C which is a rare thing for me! I was told on arrival that the test would take 2-3 hours depending on the speed of passage through the small intestine...however, the barium zipped through me in record time and I was back outside waiting for a taxi within 45 minutes of my arrival at the hospital! (That's not normal though). As to the taste of the barium...well, no question--it's not great, but it's really not horrible either...I think there's quite a range of reactions to the taste, judging from the folks who were drinking it beside me!


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## rcb118 (Mar 11, 2002)

I had this done a while ago and the worst part about it was getting the barium down, I had to plug my nose and take in big gulps at a time and it still took a while, just because of the taste and the chalkiness of it. I was at the hospital for about 3 hours which is about the average amount of time I guess (or maybe slightly longer). I also fasted the day before, (just had jello and water) because I didn't want to end up with D at the hospital. It's really not bad so don't worry.


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## ThisBearBites (Aug 28, 2002)

I fasted the day before. Slammed the 32 oz. of barium in a few minutes time, then my gut took it's own sweet time sending it through. A couple of days after that I was painfully constipated, gave up and took a laxative. A few hours later I literally dropped a white barium rock that just about destroyed me (I was crying it hurt so bad).


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