Barium xray procedure

I have a barium xray tomorrow. How bad is this test? How are the side effects afterwards?

You want the truth from mouth to end?? The barium is thick chalky stuff, some are flavour and some are not. Just try and get it down and walk around it moves quicker and get the xray over and done. After you will have white poop... so drink either hot tea or cold water, to flush it out! If you dont it can constipate you. I never have that problem but some people do, it really isnt all that bad, plug your nose when you drink, works for me.. good luck and let us know what the results are.

Definitely walk around to make it move faster! Mine took me about 3 hours!! The one time I wanted something to go through me fast it took what seemed like FOREVER
It's really not bad at all. The white poop is crazy!! Good luck, Hope it goes well!

Agreed with the walking. It really does help. Also, I was able to make a "game" of it of forcing myself to take 5 or 10 gulps at a time. Just count to whatever number works at stick to it. It will get tough towards the end of it, but stick with it!

After you might have some bloating... but really drinking the stuff is the worst part.

Good luck!

Yep mine took 4 hours!! But the doc said some people it goes thru within half hour and others can take all day.

Depends what mixture you get some on here have said theirs was flavoured mine wasn't and it tasted like crap... white chalky crap. But if I can do it anyone can.. I have the weakest stomach in the world... I found it was easier to swollen when chilled they had ice cubes in it compared to when it heated up seemed to be more thick or something.. also keep saying to myself ice-cream yum yum! he..he.. I think I only drank a small cup full not even half the amount they say is required but it was enough for them to do the xray on me.. thank god! Good luck buddy Im sure you will do fine.

The first barium xray i had they pumped the barium into me through a nasal gastric tube, so I didnt have to drink it, but it filled me up very quickly and I felt soooo full and bloated.
For my second Barium xray I had a really bad stricture/ narrowing, so mine took all day! By 4pm the radiologist sent me home and asked me to come back at 9pm and maybe by then the barium would have reached my large intestine (fortunately it did, and that's how they found the narrowing). But! Other than that, and a really really full feeling, i just felt like I did every other day living with Crohns. Oh, and really hungry because I wasnt allowed to eat

Mine took maybe two hours. Chug it down if you can. Walking around is a must! Don't wear crazy underwear. I didn't realize I would be walking the halls in an open backed hospital gown. There I was with bright colorful and embarrassing underwear on for everyone to see. White poop is something that I will never forget. It looks alien.

teeny5 said:

Mine took maybe two hours. Chug it down if you can. Walking around is a must! Don't wear crazy underwear. I didn't realize I would be walking the halls in an open backed hospital gown. There I was with bright colorful and embarrassing underwear on for everyone to see. White poop is something that I will never forget. It looks alien.

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:lol: I actually had a guy hitting on me while walking the halls in my crazy underwear-they could've warned me to break out the granny panties!
The procedures' length depends I think on your transit time, so to speak. The quicker everything moves through, the faster you get done. My docter also recommends a very mild laxative the following day (like Milk of Magnesia or Correctol) just to make sure you get everything out, hope this helps.

"Casper the Friendly Poop" will be visiting you - lol but the worst part is getting the horrible tasting stuff down - I too plug my nose and chug it down as fast as I can and then walk around a lot so you aren't waiting forever - also the nurse said if you lay on your right side it empties the stomach faster...good luck and it is one of the better tests as far as pain or discomfort ...just long and boring if it doesn't go through fast enough...

CrohnieCarolyn said:

"Casper the Friendly Poop" will be visiting you - lol but the worst part is getting the horrible tasting stuff down - I too plug my nose and chug it down as fast as I can and then walk around a lot so you aren't waiting forever - also the nurse said if you lay on your right side it empties the stomach faster...good luck and it is one of the better tests as far as pain or discomfort ...just long and boring if it doesn't go through fast enough...

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LOL Casper! Also, for me, chasing the barium with a sour lemon candy-let dissolve just a little, then spit out ('cause you can't eat before the test) -will cut my gag reflex.

The barium went through me like an express train, so I didn't have to wait long. The biggest problem was that it clogged up my toilet when it came out... best to keep a long stick handy to stir it round a bit when you flush... helps it go away.