HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

CT Scan/Barium?????

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/11/2007 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
I've never had this but exactly what should I expect?  I remember my daughter having this and hating the barium.  Couldn't drink it even flavored with chocolate.  Has in gotten any better in the last 14 years?  I'm scheduled to have it next Thursday.
Posted 10/11/2007 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
The new banana flavor is supposed to be good. I just saw someone waiting for a CT scan and drinking the barium while my FIL was having a procedure done, and the guy said it didn't taste bad at all. Just don't forget the MOM afterwards. You want to get that stuff out of there, lol.
Posted 10/11/2007 6:29 PM (GMT 0)
I couldn't handle the barium. The other option they gave me was some gatorade style barium drink. More liquidy rather than chalky. Still nauseating.
Posted 10/11/2007 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
I had a SBFT on Tuesday-my first. The chocolate flavored barium was not half as bad as the colonoscopy prep I had in May. But I did feel pretty awful later that day and into the next-headache and C.
Posted 10/11/2007 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
I think I would refuse another barium test. I had to drink 2 huge containers of the stuff quickly for a SBFT, chalky, heavy, disgusting. No C either, the stuff was exiting about an hour after the procedure started. CT Contrast isn't too bad. I had to put a vial of liquid into a certain volume of any flavored juice (except for apple for some reason) I wanted and I got to drink it at home and then come in for the procedure.
Posted 10/11/2007 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
The CT "barium" is not anywhere as thick and as gravely as the SBFT barium. It is much thinner and waterier. Mine have been in a pineapple flavor that wasn't all that bad considering. Nor was it anywhere near as "binding".
Posted 10/11/2007 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't familiar with barium for CT Scans. I've only heard of contrast. Is it just preference or is one better than the other for certain things?
Posted 10/11/2007 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
i agree with crohnietoo. the ct barium is thick but not as bad as the gritty sbft barium. and mine came in a berry smoothie flavor. it was tolerable, certainly wasn't a real smoothie but ...tolerable ;)

it did wreck massive havoc on my insides though. the gas cramps were terrible, for like 6 hours! and what comes out of your body after ...yeeesh!

good luck, it's not too bad :)
Posted 10/11/2007 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
In the past few that I have had as outpatient we use the traditional white stuff the berry and vanilla smoothie arent too bad of those 2 I would pick berry. While inpatient at 1 hospital they had a powder they mix with apple juice or water and at the other hospital as inpatient they mix a liquid with juice I had cran apple. But as for the traditional CT drinks most of us drink I find the plug and chug method good no matter the flavor. Get a straw pinch your nose shut take a few swigs and then take short breaks inbetween.
Posted 10/11/2007 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
when I have had the CT Scan I had to drink WAY more than the sbft. I have problems with C, so I hate barium (aka cement!).
Posted 10/12/2007 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
I just had to drink that stuff two weeks ago for a CT scan.  I chose banana for my first bottle and berry for my second bottle.  It wasn't as bad as I was expecting.  It didn't taste too bad and the consistency was kind of like a shake.  As far as barium goes, it was okay.  I'm a little nervous though now about the barium for the sbft because I have one scheduled next month. 
Posted 10/12/2007 6:27 AM (GMT 0)
jsg - the sbft barium is kind of chalky and gritty but you don't have to drink as much. and i got through the whole test in just under 2 hours. hope that helps calm your nerves!
Posted 10/12/2007 10:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I find it easy to drink barium when its cold and have not eaten anything or drank anything.
Posted 10/12/2007 2:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,I just had a CT Scan?Barium and it was'nt bad at all they gave me the Banana flavor.I picked mine up the day before that CT and I put it in the fridge to get it cold (the colder the better it is to get it down)any way my test was at 1;00pm and I started drinking it at 11'00am and to be finshed with all of it but a half of bottle that I had to take with me 11;40.It only tokk about twenty minutes to do the test.I would like to say that the barry barium tast the best.Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Posted 10/12/2007 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
I'm going in for a CT scan and it was just scheduled for 9:00 in the morning on the same day that I'm suppose to go have dental work done in the afternoon. Does the stuff you have to drink really bother your stomach after? I'm thinking of cancelling the dentist... wouldn't want to be having problems while in the dentist chair! Advice?
Posted 10/12/2007 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
I always make sure I take M.O.M. afterwards because if you have narrowing, barium can harden and cause partial obstructions. It will eventually go through, but it's painful. I think I would reschedule the dentist appointment. You could end up needing to use the facilities too often to get any work done.

This is just my opinion, I've always had trouble with barium, even with the CT scan, but not everyone does.
Posted 10/12/2007 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Judy. I'm going to take your advice!
Posted 10/12/2007 4:50 PM (GMT 0)

I've had four cat scans in the past 3 months..and let me tell you..i HATE Barium..but, lucky for you, this is your first time...i promise, it won't be that bad!

Drink it cold...the warmer the harder to get down.

The Dr. tells you to drink one bottle two hours before and the other and hour before..I move it up a half hour so that if the appt. is at 2pm I start chugging at 12:30, finish one bottle, then at about 1:15 or so I would chug the second bottle..dragging it out for two hours is not fun.

And I would cancel the Dentist appt. because you will def. have to go #2 many times after the cat scan..and its really not pretty.

But my best advice is to chug it without even thinking about the taste or texture..its not exactly a five star meal!

good luck..

Posted 10/12/2007 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
I prefer the chalky barium as opposed to the simethicone-like clear barium the give you in the hospital. The chalky barium might bind you up a bit, but the clear stuff gives me horrible diarrhea for days. :(

Good luck!
Posted 10/12/2007 5:29 PM (GMT 0)

darcyleee said..

But my best advice is to chug it without even thinking about the taste or texture..its not exactly a five star meal!

I would ask the doctor or radiologist before changing times or chugging.  I believe the times are for a reason, and you're supposed to dring slowly over a period of time for the the best images. 
Posted 10/15/2007 4:14 PM (GMT 0)
Ugh. I took your advice and cancelled the ol' dentist appt. Another day of taking time off of work....but guess it's better than asking the Dentist to stop drilling so I can run to the Lu.. Ha.
Posted 10/15/2007 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor just gave me a referal for a ct scan with rectal and iv contrast.  He said its given in an enema vs the drinking barium which gets too diluted (as he put it)  Ever heard of this or know how this could work out? 
Posted 10/15/2007 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, it's a lower GI series, a barium enema. That's what they always used to do before the colonoscopy. Same advice as above, make sure you take MOM or something afterward especially if they suspect a narrowing. This test can be uncomfortable. Did he say why he's doing this instead of a colonoscopy?
Posted 10/15/2007 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Ive had a colonoscopy.  This i thought was better for showing fistulas and abscesses.  Is it not?
Posted 10/15/2007 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, duh, I just saw that this is going to be a CT SCAN barium enema. I hadn't heard of this, but I'm sure it's similar to the old fashioned x-ray series. I would think a contrast would make it easier to see abscesses and fistulas.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12