Anyone had to do a barium swallow test?

[WDW Poly Princess]

I have to go to the hospital on Tuesday for a barium swallow evaluation- I've had a kind of acid reflux for over two years, and still can't eat much of anything, so they're hoping to figure out how to fix me.

Anyway, has anyone done this test that can tell me about it? Everything I've read says that you drink a thick milkshake-like drink with the barium in it, but I can't drink milkshakes- cant swallow things of that consistancy at all. (It seems so silly- if I could, I wouldnt be having this test!) I can't figure out how they will do the test if I can't get the drink down!

Any info?

 

[DNSDisney]

Yes I have had this test. It isn't all that bad compared to other test you could have. The solution taste terrible but as soon as the test is over (as I recall about 15 mins) you can drink something. I think they gave me gatoraid. If you have problems with it they may place a tube iin your throat. don't know how discomforting that might be. Hope you get better soon and find out what is causing your problems.
Better than having a lower GI work up... ugh

 

[KimRaye]

Yuck! Chalk tasting milk shake, imo but, that was ages ago! Maybe they've flavored those things better! I can only hope, for your sake!

Hey, when it comes to your health, you're gonna DO what they say, right? Drink the awful stuff, wait (and sometimes watch) the screen and, be thankful it isn't a lower GI! Eww, eww!

{{HUGS}} for healing and, diagnosis!

 

[JESW]

I had this test last year and it wasn't too bad. (I was also diagnosed with reflux) The drink is a lot better than it was when I had it years ago! It is thick and it is chalky. Better to drink the drink than have the tube! Good luck!

Jill

 

[JohnTBap]

It tastes bad and I almost puked, but I was more scared of the mean XRay tech, so I held it together. PLUS, if you puke, you gotta start all over on another day.........

 

[rbuzzotta]

My 7 year old just had this test. They asked her if she preferred chocolate or strawberry. She chose chocolate. They flavored it with Herseheys syrup. She had difficulty getting it down and she cried but she did it!!!

She has GERD and is now on Prevacid daily. It is working and we are hoping she does not need to go in for a scope to see if there is any erosion in her esophagis............we find out this afternoon!!

 

[chris1gill]

Just a curious question since everyone already answered your question about the test... What happens when you try to drink liquids? Do they not go down at all? Or you just reflux them up after you've gotten them down? If you can't get them to go down at all.... maybe you'd be better having a manometry test... That's a much more sensitive test that actually measures your swallowing... I've had them all done though

 

[Piglet]

My now 6 1/2 yo DD had one done about 3 years ago. She didn't mind the stuff you drink at all, she did very well with it. It was flavored with some kind of fruit flavor. They said that if she didn't or couldn't drink it they would put a tube down her nose into her stomach and put it through that way. She just drank it through a straw.

It didn't show any reflux, so we had to have the endoscopy done and it showed she had severe esophogitis, so she was having reflux, just not at the time she had the Barium Swallow done.

Her symptoms were horrible stomach pain a couple times a week and constant vomiting. She is still taking Prilosec, but has improved so much. We are working on reducing the med amounts and hope to eventually be able to take her completely off of them.

Melinda

 

[Towncrier]

I insisted on having an upper GI test (aka barium swallow) when I was in my 20's. I used to have severe heartburn all the time and was hoping to find the source.

The only thing that I remember about this test is that the straw that you drink the "shake" through has holes in it so that you swallow a lot of air along with the barium.

It wasn't a totally unpleasant experience. I got to watch the fluoroscope and see myself swallowing.

I'm sure you'll do fine.