Upper GI OH MY!

[KabinKitty 10]

Thursday (2 days ago) I had an Upper G I. The barium was awlful! They didn't even put flavoring in it. The arrogant radiologist then took some pics with me standing. Next he laid the table flat and told me make one complete turn on the table. Good thing I opted for the exrta, extra large gown!!

He started to take additional pictures, then I had to turn on my stomach. While there I had to drink this other liquid through a straw that tasted a little like strawberry.

More and more turning. By this time my tummy was queazy! While I was on my back it was time to drink a cup of Water through a straw...try that laying on your back with a queasy stomach!

After he left, the tech and the student had to take some xrays with me on my right side. It took extra long because the student was just learning and the tech let her do it on her own, with coaching when needed.

Now two days later I haven't had a BM (I always go a few times a day so this is bad). I've stopped eating except for yogurt and I'm drinking alot of juices. I've been googling and it seems that with my diverticulites and having a part of my colon removed due to narrowing, I should of never been given that barium.

Some people end up in the hospital with impaction. They say the barium can harden like cement. :blushing:

I called the pharmacy and they told me the safest thing for me to take would be Miralax as it contains no stimulants.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[pcindy 8]

Sounds like a typical upper GI to me. They should have told you that the barium can constipate you. Don't worry, you don't have cement in your colon! You just need to drink a TON of fluids, and get yourself some Colace (it's what we give just about every in-patient in every hospital, everywhere). It is a stool-softener and you can get it OTC. You must DRINK, though. Try the Miralax too. If you're allowed to with your gastric issues, drink some prune juice. We give that in the hospital as well. Tastes like motor oil, works like a bomb. You'll poop soon, no worries.

[KabinKitty 10]

Thursday the tech told me that the barium can cause Constipation. She said, "if there is anything you can eat today that you know helps your bowels to move, eat it today".

So, I went home and for lunch I opened a can of turkey chili Soup that ALWAYS gets the job done. I had gas pains so bad I thought I would die, but no BM! That's when I decided to stop eating. I have learned to do this with my diverticulites. If I get too backed up I'm nauseated and in alot of pain!!

I bought some Miralax and I'm eating YO-plus, drinking juice and eating a few potato chips to help make me thirsty enough to drink.

I just hope anyone else who has issues with their colon to ask your doctor to have the radiologist to use something else besides the barium.

I will get some Colace also. I know it's a stimulant and didn't want to go that route, but I may need to.

Did anyone else have to do an upper G I as their pre-op testing?

[KabinKitty 10]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I did drink a nice size glass of prune juice on Friday, the next morning no luck (

[pcindy 8]

I will get some Colace also. I know it's a stimulant and didn't want to go that route

Colace is NOT a stimulant! It is not a laxative. It is a stool softener.

[dbernier01 0]

I had an upper GI last yr (dec 08) and I did not poop for almost a month. I did everything - I mean everything (my doc even called me in the power with liq (go-lightly) that you take before a colonoscopy and I did not even poop from that, where it would clean out everyone else!!!) -- but all of the "softeners or lax." work on the lower intestines not the upper (small) which is where the barium was stuck like cement - I had to get an x-ray - and yep had small bowel impaction. It took weeks for it to come outm little by little -- and now I have to get another upper GI next week and I am worried to go thru this again. This time I will drink a ton of Water and prune juice to help get the barium moving!

[nurse_ally 0]

Okay, I'm an RN and I have a fabulous trick that's worked for my SUPER constipated cancer patients. Drink 8 oz of very warm prune juice followed by 8oz of hot coffee black. I know it sounds disgusting to some (I happen to love prune juice), but it will get the job done. I had a poor guy the other night who hadn't pooped in a week, I gave him my little cocktail and by morning he'd had a HUGE BM. If you can't do the 8oz, just get down as much as you can, any amount will help.

[pcindy 8]

You could also try a Dulcolax suppository, and if that doesn't work, a Fleets enema. Sometimes you have to start moving things from below.

[Donna4545 13]

Wow-I had an upper GI a couple of weeks ago and had no problems at all--you all are making me feel very lucky! I do know one sure fire stool softener--drink mineral oil--yep, plain mineral oil. It will make anything slide out of you.

[KabinKitty 10]

I sure appreciate all the helpful input! Last night I finally started having some success getting things moving! Yesterday I took exlax laxative tab (1), exlax stool softener (2), Miralax (2 doses), Shaklee HerbLax (3). This morning it was "going" SO well, I had some scrambled eggs and some yo-plus.

This is a post I found on another site that might help someone else.

Worried, Constipation after a Barium Small Bowel Test

Hi everyone out there. I'm having a Barium Small Bowel study Monday, August, 31 and I'm worried about the barium and constipation. I don't have a colon. I have a j-pouch and a sluggish small bowel. I can't eat or drink after midnight and my test is at 9:00 AM. I've had a blockage twice and that's what's bothering me. I was planning on taking two Dulcolax laxative tablets after the test. I'm not sure if that will be strong enough to keep me from getting constipated. Does anyone have that problem after drinking Barium or should I try a different laxative? Any suggestions?

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• By Char
  
• Posted August 28, 2009 at 5:40 am
  
• Report post
  

It has been a long time since I have had an upper gi where I have had to drink the contrast. For the last several years it has always been put into my tubes. My surgeon won't let them use barium on me any more, because my constipation issues are so bad and when they would use barium it would just get worse and stay in me for weeks. He has them use "gastrograph" now. It's thinner, and while can still add to constipation issues, it doesn't set up like concret in my intestines like barium does. Like I said though, I've never drank it, but I would think since it works just as well as barium through my tubes that it would work just as well if you drink it. I think the order to use it instead of barium would need to come from your doctor. It couldn't hurt to ask the people in radiology about it, or to maybe put a call in to your doctor before you go to see.

With that or barium either one I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to be even more proactive about laxatives after, and maybe your doctor could recomend something for you.

Hope all goes well, and you can get some answers from the test,

Char

If I had to go the barium route again, I would eat Yoplus (I love the vanilla) for a week before to prepare my colon. You can't eat for 12 hours before the test, so I would make sure I took a stool softener like Colace the night before. When I got home the first thing I would do is mix some Miralax with some juice like "Splash" that has carrot juice etc. Then I would eat nothing solid the rest of the day. I would eat lots of Yoplus, drink lots of Water and juices and very, very soft foods or creamed Soups.

I would continue this till I had results.

I will ask the question again, did anyone else have to do an Upper G I for their pre-op testing? Thanks!

[BandMomsRock 0]

I had an upper GI, and I agree, the barium was terrible and the test was uncomfortable. I did not, however, have any problem with Constipation. I'm sorry you've been having problems. I hope all will be well soon.