I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: alrightstill on March 06, 2008, 08:33:10 PM

Title: Diaylsis and Catscans
Post by: alrightstill on March 06, 2008, 08:33:10 PM

I'm getting an abdominal catscan tomorrow and am totally dreading the drinking of the barium.  (yuck!)  I've had catscans a few years ago while on dialysis and was able to sucker out of drinking ALLL of the barium by saying "but, I'm a dialysis patient on a fluid restriction... AND I don't urinate!!" , which of course is true.

But this time, my neph specifically wrote "with contrast" on the script .. so I think I'm screwed.   :rant;

Sorry for venting.. but i know you guys can relate.   :cuddle;

Title: Re: Diaylsis and Catscans
Post by: Sluff on March 07, 2008, 03:34:10 AM

try to hang in there. The dreaded drink.  :grouphug;

Title: Re: Diaylsis and Catscans
Post by: KT0930 on March 07, 2008, 04:21:45 AM

Ugggh, I hate that stuff! Stick it out, and it'll be over soon.

Title: Re: Diaylsis and Catscans
Post by: stauffenberg on March 07, 2008, 09:26:05 AM

The barium is what shows up white on the catscan imagery and thus provides a map of whatever aspect of the body that is being studied, so there is no way out of drinking it, just as most internal imaging of the body makes no sense unless a contrast dye is first injected.  However, although barium has a thick, chalky taste, it is not revolting but just flat-tasting, like drinking an excessively thick milkshake with no flavor.

Title: Re: Diaylsis and Catscans
Post by: alrightstill on March 07, 2008, 09:38:16 AM

Thanks for all the replies!  I must think forward - after this is all done and over with - my mom promised to take me out to my favorite restaraunt!   :beer1;  :yahoo;

But, I'm short, and it's just my abdomen they say they need pictures of.  How much barium do I REALLY need?

Anyway, they gave me 450mls to drink now (3 hrs ahead of the test).  I drank about 250 so far but about 150 of that came back up.. :(  I'm sure they'll make me drink more when I get there.  I wish they could just give it to me IV or something.   :-\

Title: Re: Diaylsis and Catscans
Post by: KT0930 on March 07, 2008, 11:49:54 AM

Don't count on it, alright. I drank all the stuff they told me to ahead of time, and they STILL made me drink more when I got there!

Title: Re: Diaylsis and Catscans
Post by: willieandwinnie on March 07, 2008, 12:00:37 PM

alrightstill, hope your test went well. I didn't want to post beforehand because our experience wasn't that great with the barium. My husband starts puking when they come in the room with that stuff. The had to put a NG tube in and then could only give him about 6 ounces of the stuff before he started getting sick. Please make sure that you drink plenty of water and you should probably take a couple of stool softeners (barium turns to concrete :o).Wish you all the luck in the world and let us know what the tests show.