DANGER! BEWARE OF BARIUM-ENEMA!

I want everyone to know the truth and danger of Barium X-Rays.  Many Doctors deny or won't willingly give away this information, as not to scare their patients.  I finally had one doctor inform me of this danger and then cofirmed it with my family doctor after asking first.

Barium X-Rays are 70 times the amount of radiation as a normal chest x-ray.  There is growing concern and evidence that radiation in this amount can help contribute to cancer.  AND, if you really don't have IBS and it's really IBD (inflamation), your chances of colin cancer are almost certain after 10 years or more of living with inflamation.

There are many other ways to diagnos your intestines without Barium X-Rays.  Colonoscopy is the best way, so are MRI's and CAT scans. 

You all deserve to have this information so you can make your own choices.  For those who are younger, just remeber you have to live with that radiaion the rest of your life.  why do you think the dentist covers your chest area when he/she takes an x-ray of your teeth? - Because unnessesary radiation is bad for you!

I have a barium enema appointment for friday.This thing sound terrible.

I also have called a Magnetic Resonnance clinic to know if i can replace my bowel x-rays with that and he said NO.

For the CAT scan,i don't know but i just called a "C.T." scan specialist and he said also NO.

It can't replace a barium enema.And C.T. scan does radiation.

I don't know if C.T. scan is the same has CAT scan because we talk in french here.

More details please,i'm worried.

IBS Spastic

A C.T. scan is a CAT scan. :)

Oh, and sorry to say, a barium enema test can detect things that a colonoscopy can't, so depending upon what they are looking for, they might not be able to replace it with those other scans/tests.

Please don't scare people away from this procedure. I have had one and while unpleasant, it is sometimes necessary for detecting certain things. Remember, even the simple Aspirin can have fatal complications.

Barium is more comprehensive because it can see the entire makeup of the intestine (as in, all through the layers of the organ), not just the inner wall that a camera (colonoscopy) can see. Barium goes further down the intestines than a scope can physically go if it's done correctly (but now they have new weird cameras... I forget what they're called). The most important thing I would guess is if something (god forbid) is actually found where they need to do surgery, the barium test will actually pinpoint its exactly location much better than a scope does.

And to all who really want to be scared... their is only risk of preforation with a scope... that is to say, a scope can tear a small hole in your gut and cause numerous complications. There are many sites and doctors who compare the risks and say repeated that barium is less of a risk with its radiation than a scope is.

A scope is MUCh prefered for things like cancer, and polyps, but not always for things like intestinal disorders and diseases.
For instance, my fiance has Crohn's and needed to have a barium enema done to check out the swelling and possible substances trapped in the actual walls of his intestine. They needed to know how bad it was to know if they could treat him with meds or if it was a must for surgery. A scope would NEVER show that. When they chose surgery, they didn't have to take more tests to know where to go to drain it.

Hi everyone,
Im jumping over from the UC board and read this initial post and would like to clear something up. IBD is not a sentence for colon cancer. After 8-10 years IBDers need yearly colonoscopies to screen for cancer, yes, but the highest figure i have seen is a figure of 15-20% cancer for those of us with pancolitis, involving the whole colon.

And i spent 10 years diagnosed by an incompetent doctor with IBS, and had that darn barium enema and would never go back. I was finally diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2003, at 22, and by november of 04 was finally at the surgeon's office, and have had a colectomy and am waiting reconnection for my j-pouch surgery. When i went to the surgeon, he said he couldnt believe i had had that test, that no one does that anymore to diagnose. However in CD (Crohns) it is used more often as was stated above. So i would question question question every test you have, but some things are necessary. And colonoscopies arent that bad...heres a tip for those who are worried about the prep...just take visicol...its the prep for the colonoscopy but in pill form...nothing nasty to drink. its made it alot easier...my first was at age 20, and i had 3 in 3 years. ugh, but why drink it if you can get around that? So anyway, sorry i rambled, but i wanted to clarify, so you all arent panicked if you end up with a diagnosis of some form of IBD...its NOT a death sentence in the least!
~Eileen

I was told by 2 different GI specialists that colonoscopies can aggrivate/bring on or worsen IBD flares, but we have no choice in the matter, it's the most common form to check out the large bowel and rectom....maybe the pill camera will completely wipe out the colonoscopy someday, but who knows....point is you take risks by not having some of these tests done too.

Just remember, many people have had their lives saved because of these tests.

:)

my husband got very sick last summer. ended up having to get a partial colectomy. the biggest prolem was the testing. he had 2 bariun enemas in a 15 hr period followed by a colonoscopy the next day. he had another 2 months later. he had an ileostomy so I argued with the dr. about going through the stoma for the fourth barium enema because he actually looked like he was in shock after the third one. the dr said he preferred it be done rectally and we either had to do it his way or find another surgeon. we chose to have it done outside of the hospital and it was much less painful and comfortable. they even questioned the reason for doing it rectally. He said he will not do it again. there are other options. I think this test is just faster and easier on the dr. I am not saying it is never necessary, but a lot of times there are other options!