# Barium Enima Fear...



## cornflake girl

hey fellow/a IBS-ers..I'm new to the site, and ever so happy such a thing exists! A place where descriptions of bowel movements are widely discussed is WONDERFUL..i swear these days I only speak 'bowel-ese.'Anyhoo I've struggled with IBS on and off for about 4 years now, but over the two years the 'attacks' re happening every 3 months. The 'attacks' put me on the couch for about 2/3 days. The most recent one, last week, sent me to the ER where I had a super fun rectal exam (by a cute doctor I must admit). Anyways, I'm more motivated now than ever to really take charge of this monster. I've restarted my food journal, going to yoga and practicing those stress mgmt techniques, and gulp, need to get ontop (ooh bad pun) of getting the much recommended by various doctors: barium enima.Problem? I'm a big wuss and I just don't like the idea of a camera going in the back door, ya know?Hoping to have some feedback on your experiences on the big BE. I know it needs to happen if i truly want to seek answers and get a handle on my wee little intestinal tract (i've already had an ultrasound, but now i think its about time to take it to the next level).Thx so much for reading and your thoughts and sharings.happy bowels to allcheerscornflake girl!


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## SpAsMaN*

Nothing to worry about the B.Enema.Actually,it was the most fun and interesting exam i ever had.You will see your colon anatomy in 2 dimension on multiples x-rays.Be sure to NOT lose the photos.It would be hard to lose,the photos are SO big lolJust make sure nobody hurt your rectum while inserting the nozzle.Once the nozzle is inside,they can start the filing with Barium.You will feel a calming effect on your colon while the liquid Barium fill your colon.If you are on the constipated side of IBS,i would take 2 Dulcolax to evacuate the Barium afterward.Barium is extremly constipating for IBS-C.


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## cornflake girl

> Just make sure nobody hurt your rectum


ohhh done! Are there some secret IBS karate chop moves that I should know about to fend off the offending rectal 'specialist' - please teach me your ways.Glad to hear you were able to turn your experience into a learning experience, an opportunity for some analysis to the inner workings of your colon. Hope I can muster up the strength to do so as well.P.S. I dig your profile name - made me giggle.K any other barium enima graduates? please feel free to share - I'll ears, er eyes.cheerscfg


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## Patrick70

Well I have had both a single contrast barium enema (SCBE) done and a double contrast (DCBE).Overall the SCBE was painfree - after they fill the bowel with barium - you have to roll onto either side and back and front while they view and take xrays.The DCBE was more uncomfortable. They pump air into the bowel to get a contrast between the air and barium. At first it just felt weird when they pumped the air in. After a bit though it got painful as I started to cramp. Not the worst pain - but uncomfortable.It is kinda need seeing the pics on the monitor.As with other GI tests - the prep is the worst part.


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## SpAsMaN*

Patrick,i've just remember there is 2 types of B.E.I had no air inflation with mine.


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## IBSisANightmare

I'm not posting this to terrify anybody but it may help someone who is scheduled for a barium enema.I have been diagnosed with IBS. It was completely disabling for me. I couldn't hardly leave the house and waiting in the hospital for my enema to begin was absolute torture!I have counted how many bowel movements I have in a day. It's more than 50. Mostly mucous and bile after the first few.Anyway, my point is that the Barium Enema isn't easy for all IBS sufferers. I was okay until they blew air up my butt and then I nearly passed out from the pain. I begged them to stop and said I couldn't finish the treatment. That was about all the words I could utter before I became completely limp from pain. They stopped and gave me an injection of some sort of bowel relaxer. It did the trick to get me through the procedure but by then I was really really in bad shape. I could barely walk when they finally stood me upright and I was dismayed by the doctor and nurse who didn't bother to help me dress myself and told me to go to the bathroom to pass the air. When my husband picked me up, he couldn't believe what he saw. I was sheet white and emotionless, exhausted, completely out of it. When I reached the car, I sobbed so hard I could barely breathe.So -- if you are really suffering from the worst type of IBS, ask in advance for the bowel relaxer BEFORE they touch you. It would have made all the difference to me. Now I'm afraid of the procedure and it will be a long time before I let them do that to me again.NOTE: Please be aware though that the colonoscopy was easy. No pain that I am aware of. They put me out for that. Some sort of brain chemical drug that lets you be aware for them to give you instruction to turn around but you don't remember a thing.


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## barbradecker

Hello, Im having a barium enima tom, I was hopping to speak to someone who has already had this precdure done, Is it ok to eat any food at all and if yes what? is Fish sticks ok as long as I take off the bread?


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## barbradecker

Hello, Im having a barium enima tom, I was hopping to speak to someone who has already had this precdure done, Is it ok to eat any food at all and if yes what? is Fish sticks ok as long as I take off the bread?


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## Nibs91

I've had a barium enema. Honestly one of the worst experiences in my life. It wasn't going through the back end that was the issue. I thought the worst part would be the barium entering my bowel, but it wasn't. It was certainly uncomfortable, but nothing compared to when they blew up the balloon thing and all the air came in. Felt like they took my insides and stretched the organ every which way almost to the point that it was going to explode; no kidding it really felt like it my stomach was just going to go boom. All I was thinking is "well at least I'm in a hospital so when it does eventually explode they can rush me to the ER in no time". I wish they would have given me some xanax or valium, anyone having this done should ask for some type of sedative.

Excruciating pain is an understatement. And then the results came back and they found nothing wrong. All that pain for nothing......I went home and just wanted to cry, and I'm a 23 y/o male lol. I had a sigmoidoscopy after that and was put to sleep; much better experience.


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## Mary S

I'm scheduled for a Barium Enema because they couldn't complete the Colonoscopy that I had done yesterday because when they went in they found that I have a twisted Colon.....Oh God, now I am really scared. I hope they give me something.


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## Mary S

Well, I had the double contrast barium enema....very bad experience. They put air into the colon and blew me up like a balloon. Very uncomfortable and then the barium went in and the exercising began. Turn to your left side, now lay on your back, over to your right, lay on your stomach.....this went on for quite a while and then they told me the table was going to stand up so I had to slide all the way down and then I had to do the twisting and turning all over again a number of times. Then they layed the table back down (very uncomfortable steel table with no sheets, but I did have a pillow) and I had to crawl back up the table and then twist and turn some more every which way and then they said they needed 5 more pictures.....total torture. Then they tell you to go to the bathroom to get some of the barium and air out and I was leaking white stuff all the way to the bathroom. The first 3 days after that I felt like I was passing big white rocks that took a few flushes to go down the toilet.....and the pain in my abdomen was terrible. Now I have diarreah. I will get the results in a few days


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## BQ

Yup it isn't a very pleasant test. Here is hoping it leads to some real help for you! Keep us posted.


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## Mary S

Thank you BQ, I have an appointment with the surgeon on Tues. May 27. I will keep you posted on what he says


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## annie7

good luck with your appointment, Mary. hopefully the surgeon will have a treatment plan for you that will bring you relief.


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## Mary S

Well I had the appointment with the surgeon for the results of the barium enema. He said he went all the way back to my first colonoscopy 12 years ago and apparently I've had this twisted colon all the way back then and God only knows how long before that. No one ever told me I had a twisted colon. And he said that because I am getting older it has gotten worse. But there is not much he can do about it. He suggested all the things I am already doing.....eat slowly, small meals, listen to your body, blah blah blah blah blah....Great, so the other doctor has been doing my colonoscopies even though I have a twisted colon....are they trying to kill me? So now I am back to square one....are they going to wait until I am rushed to the ER and close to death before they help me? Why is it that doctor's just don't seem to care about all the pain, discomfort and embarresment that we go through? Maybe they should live our lives for a while.....


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## annie7

so sorry your appointment was so disappointing.

have you tried any of the medications available for constipation--- amitiza, constella (linaclotide) and resolor--i think resolor is called restoran in canada (prucalopride) . these meds have helped many people with constipation problems. you can ask your gastro doc about them.

hope you can find something that helps. take care.


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