# tests coming- anal mannometry and decography



## amj (Dec 26, 2001)

I am sceduled to have an anal mannometry (inflated balloon test) and a decograpy (a form of x-ray) in two weeks. The point is to determine if I have a partial obstruction in the very bottom (anus) of the degestive tract that may contribute to non-stop constipation. Anyone ever had these? How does it go?


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## honeybee (Sep 12, 1999)

Hi Amj, I have had both tests, the anal manometry is not bad, they put balloon in rectum and fill with water and you tell them when you feel it, they try it in several different locations, also they have you bear down and check pressure measurements. I was tested for hirshsprungs disease with this test. For me they found that my anus didn't relax when bearing down and would tighten instead.The defacography is another story, you should be cleaned out for this test, I did it three times and had to clean out each time. It is not actually painful (some parts hurt me due to hemmoroids) but somewhat embarrassing. You will be sitting on a toilet in front of an xray machine and they will take pictures as you push out the paste that they have packed into your rectum. They used a 5/8 dia tube to put in your rectum with a caulk gun attached and pushed large amounts of this paste into the rectal cavity, you might feel like you will burst. Also I had to drink barium and they did a vaginal contrast so that all the parts would show up on the xrays. They will have you do several things like squeeze your buttocks and then push and then stop pushing and hold, all the while taking the xrays. This is the test that showed my docs what was going on with me (found four different things wrong with me that all needed surgical repair, previous to this test was always 'Oh you just have IBS'), an excellent test!!! Be glad that you are getting it. Also a little hint for you, when they go to put the tube in your rectum, bear down, it is much easier to take the tube that way. I had this test done in Toledo and also at the Cleveland clinic twice, same size of tube both places, so I assume yours may be that big too. Good luck to you, I hope they figure out your problem. Any questions please feel free to contact me


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## Shmigelz (May 31, 2002)

Honeybee: what was the prep for the defacography. I am going for one in 3 weeks. I think my rectum is partially torn.


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