Gastro Graffen Enema test for Ielostomy reversal

When I was researching this test I could not find too much information on it, so since I had it today, thought I would give some feedback on it.

I had no prep the night before or the morning of. I could eat & drink right up till the test time. You will change into a gown and then meet with the tech and a radiologist. You will be asked to lay on a table with the x-ray machine overhead. They will then insert a tube into your rectum, and fill it with fluid. This is done all very gently and slowly.

You will then be asked to turn in different directions, while they take pictures. A little fluid may leak out, and it feels like you have to have a bowel movement, but that is just the pressure from the fluid. All of this picture taking takes about 45 minute or so.

When they have taken all the pictures they need, you can then go to the bathroom and are dismissed. They will tell you that you will continue to have fluid come out, and maybe a little bit a bloody mucus too as that area has had no action in awhile. No fluid came out my stoma either.

Not a bad test, little messy, and I did not like the feeling of having to go to the bathroom and you couldn't. Since I have been home, just like they said.... have gone to the bathroom many times to have fluid come out.

My personal opinion of this test... nothing to be scared of, just messy.

Thanks for the information, Wiskers

Thanks for your post. Sounds like I have a lot to look forward to with that procedure looming in the future. I feel like a lot of these weird tests creep up on you when you go through this. I was shocked by MRE I had beforehand, that was an awful test. I had no idea what I was in for.

It's basically a MRI of the small intestines. No one told me it takes well over an hour to do the imaging, plus you have to drink LOADS of barium and it makes you have to go to the toilet. So they make you drink a lot of stuff that makes you have to go, then they stick you in an MRI tube. I was flaring too. I don't know how I was able to make it through without messing the tube. What a nightmare. I was really worried. Diarrhea juice + stuck in a tube + flare up. Then when you get out, they tell you to go eat. I was seriously not going to eat, I had to get home, last thing I wanted was to make a mess in my car. Worst day ever.

Ladygolfer1119-

I saw that you had your takedown surgery 1/15. Can you please tell me about how that all went, as I will be having mine in a few weeks.

I am very nervous about the wound drain tube you go home with, the endless bouts of diarrhea I have read about,and pain. Any experience you had I would appreciate hearing about.

My ileostomy will be 10 weeks old at that point. I ended up with one, as when they went to reattached after removing a foot of my sigmoid colon it leaked. I had gone in for a colon resection due to diverticulitis.

Many thanks!

I had the same test done to check for leaks before my takedown with one exception: They went thru my stoma not my butt. Quick, easy and painless. I don't understand why they go thru the butt when they can do it thru the stoma and not make the patient uncomfortable. It's so interesting all the different ways dr.s do the same test.

Anyway, good luck Wiskers with your takedown!