Anyone Have A Barium Xray Was It Helpful

[nate78]

I am considering a small bowel series of xrays. Any comments on the procedure. How long does it take. Is it a good idea.

[num1habsfan]

I am considering a small bowel series of xrays. Any comments on the procedure. How long does it take. Is it a good idea.

I've had 2 barium x-rays for 2 different situations and i didnt get any results out of them, but warning you the stuff tastes like chalk. Its only taken me a couple hours both times, it depends how quickly the stuff gets through your system.

~ lisa ~

[Jestgar]

I don't know that it would help with Celiac, but if you're suspecting other issues...

I was with someone that had one. He had to drink some nasty chalky stuff and then roll back and forth on a table while they took xrays. Took maybe 1/2 hour

[ravenwoodglass]

I am considering a small bowel series of xrays. Any comments on the procedure. How long does it take. Is it a good idea.

Just a quick word of warning, some of the barium solutions have gluten. Be sure to ask for one that doesn't. It will not do anything toward a celiac diagnosis. If I had it to do over again knowing what I do now about celiac I would have just tried the diet first and saved my family years of expensive testing and pain. I was one of the unfortunates who don't show up in blood work and no doctor thought to suggest the diet or an endo.

[Phyllis28]

Although it was many years ago (about 29) my upper GI barium X-ray, along with my textbook symptoms, was what led the doctor to diagnose Celiac. The test showed the barium moving very slowing through my upper intestine. I was very lucky to have a doctor who connected the slow moving barium with Celiac. This is the only medical test I had. Confirmation was a positive response to a gluten free diet.

I agree, the barium liquid I had to drink was awful.

[Generic]

Had 2 done 20 years ago, when they were trying to figure out what was wrong with me. It showed absolutely nothing wrong. So I had to drink the nastiest chalky stuff ever for nothing. I was later diagnosed with celiac.

[debmidge]

Although it was many years ago (about 29) my upper GI barium X-ray, along with my textbook symptoms, was what led the doctor to diagnose Celiac. The test showed the barium moving very slowing through my upper intestine. I was very lucky to have a doctor who connected the slow moving barium with Celiac. This is the only medical test I had. Confirmation was a positive response to a gluten free diet.

I agree, the barium liquid I had to drink was awful.

You have a good doctor there. Those many years ago my husband had more than one Barium GI series and it did not lead to a celiac disease diagnosis like yours did. Your experience, to us, is the exception for back then. Wow! What a good doctor!

The Barium GI is useful in diagnosing other diseases I guess......

[cmom]

My GI does a small bowel series with follow-through every 3 years to check for intestinal lymphoma or any malignancies. I think I am due for one again, but I am thinking of turning it down this time. The last time I had diarrhea and vomiting afterwards and was very sick. Don't know if the barium contained gluten or I already had a bug going in. I'm not sure how necessary this really is other than knowing there isn't any cancer present.

[Laurad-]

For me, the small bowel series was pretty much a waste of time and money, as the results came back inconclusive. And no one's kidding about the barium; it took me forever to get it down because it kept triggering my gag reflex. But, on the upside, at least it told me that I didn't have any of the scary ailments that my doctors were looking for when the ordered the procedure. It was very useful in that sense.