I have to have an upper GI tomorrow and have never had one before....can anyone describe it to me and tell me what I can expect? Thank you.

It's just xray pictures they take before during and after you drink down some barium. This is usually fruit flavored thick liquid which helps them by providing contrast in the xrays. Some pictures may be taken standing up and some lying down. If this is a scope then you will be given a sedative such as Versed which causes amnesia, positioned on your right side and they will insert a lighted scope down the esophagus and visualize the stomach. There is no pain and because of the Versed you don't remember a thing. You are not put to sleep so no anesthesia aftereffects. Rather nice! I've had it done a few times myself!

Edited June 27, 201016 yr by shelley1057
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What does this Barium stuff taste like and feel like....how much of it do you have to drink? I'm sorry for all the questions. I have a bad problem with anxiety and not knowing exactly what to expect makes it worse!

The barium I was given didn't really have a flavor. It was just thick, white, chalky stuff - I thought tasted horrible. I was a given a full 8oz cup but didn't need to drink all of it - maybe only half. You just need to drink enough to for the radiologist to get the xrays.

I had to drink the barium standing up while they took xrays. Then I had to lay down and turn right to left, then they had me on my stomach drinking the barium while they took xrays. The whole thing lasted maybe 10 minutes.

The first thing they had me do was drink a mouthfull of something like alka-seltzer and told me not to burp the gas. then while standing take a sip of the thick barium hold it in your mouth then swallow when I tell you. did this a few times then while standing on the small platform and my side to the table they reclined the table. once in a laying positon I had to trun over and over to coat the baruim in my esophogus and stomach. now while laying down on my stomach they gave me more barium to swallow this was a bit thinner took more pics. then the table moves again to an upright position more picts.

Then I go to work I lasted 1/2 hour I was back and forth to the bathroom 3 times last time I did not quite make it (i know TMI) I went home and stuffed myself with the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, apples and toast) to bind my self up.

Wish someone warned me!! It seems to go one way or the other. The barium binds some...I was not that lucky!