Hi Jen - first of all - stop panicking (if you can!) I had a barium enema back in September - and as I'm from the UK too I assume it's the same procedure.
I had to eat a low residue diet (they gave me a sheet of allowed and forbidden foods) the day before. All I had as a laxative was a couple of senna tablets. I am IBS-C, and I wasn't looking forward to the senna as it had always given me cramps as a teenager (when I last took the stuff). But in the event, it wasn't that painful and it did the trick. I had to fast from the night before, too - but was allowed water up to a couple of hours before my appointment.
The procedure was done by a doctor trained in radiography. He inserted a nasal-gastric tube which went down into my stomach and then I lay on the table under the X-ray machine and, over the course of about an hour, he pumped three litres of barium through the tube. As it went through my
small bowel, he observed it (and so did I - I had quite a good view from the table!) and took lots of X-ray photos.
After the procedure, I was allowed to go home. I had to stay quite close to the bathroom during the rest of the day as the barium went out of my system, but this wasn't painful. I was able to eat and drink as normal, too.
I had already been newly diagnosed with IBS ( although I have had it for over 30 years!)but I also have post-operative adhesions and the barium enema was an attempt to see the effects of these on my bowel. But the results were entirely normal. I am now being investigated for endometriosis.
Have you been formally diagnosed with IBS, or is the barium enema part of the testing process?
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Re: barium enema ??? anyone ??
