CT scan with something to drink?

Hi all. I just wondering what exactly the doctor ordered for me. I kinda talked him outa doing a small bowel follow thru with the barium and all. I told him thats the worst test for me personally. so he said i could do a ct scan instead, but I'd still have to drink something...but it would be a lesser quantity. So i agreed. Not sure if i ever had a CT scan like this before? Anyone know what im gunna be drinking? maybe i got myself in a worse predicament than the barium xray test lol. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I had about 4 different CT's done last year. I had to drink a contrast mixed with juice. Did not taste bad at all. Nothing like the yucky barium. I had to drink about two of the hospital water pitchers worth of the stuff and actually threw up about 1/2 of it (not becuz the stuff tasted bad, but becuz I was already nauseous) and they were still able to do the test. Very easy test, at least to me it was. Hope that helps.

Actually for the CT Enterograpy you can just drink water. I threw up most of the contrast for my CT Enterography so the tech asked I thought I could get more down. I told her no so she asked about water. She said that it is the same consistency or volume or something as the contrast. I drank water and they did the test.

Not sure if it is the same stuff or not, but I did a "contrast" CT scan a few years back and they had me drink some orange juice that had the contrast liquid in it. It didn't taste that bad, but the contrast liquid gave me a nice all over warm feeling. It's normal, and they'll usually tell you about it ahead of time. Don't be alarmed, it's normal.

There is IV contrast too, I think they do that to see the blood flow on the scan. It gives you the same all over warm feeling.

The drinkable contrast lets them get a better view of the digestive track.

The chalky small bowel follow through "shake" isn't fun, but I've found if it is chilled, it tastes, or at least seems to go down, a bit better. While I know it is hard to take, I found that if I just grin and bear it, swallow it all down as fast as I can, it is a bit better. The trouble that I see most people having is they take dainty little sips of it, and it takes forever to get it down that way. Sometimes just getting it over quickly is best, kind of like ripping off a band-aid. I know, not a popular way to do it, but it works for me.

I had a upper GI done once at an army hospital. Rather than letting me drink the barium, they inserted an ng tube and flowed it in that way. Trouble was I was on my back, and the tech left the room with the barium still flowing. I guess he forgot about me and eventually my gut filled up. I threw most of it up, along with the ng tube. Luckily ;) I got some of it on the tech. I doubt he forgot that one.

I understand about the after effects, that's got to be the worst part.