abdominal CT scan

Tomorrow, amoung other tests, I'm scheduled to get an abdominal CT scan, and am gonna have to drink Barium.  For anyone who has done this, how awful is it?  Is it possible to do the scan without it?  

My stomach capacity right now is about 8 oz every 3 hrs.  However, at this moment in time, I have bronchitis, and can't manage more than three bites/sips of anything without gagging.  You can see how it would be a challenge to drink a large amount of anything.

I have work after the testing tomorrow, and I can't miss any more work right now as I already missed a day for bronchitis.  I'm really wondering what to expect since the all the nurse at the doctors office would say was "You'll have to discuss it when you get there."

Thanks.

[etphonehome]

Are you sure you are drinking barium?  When I had my ct scan for abdomen they gave me a clear dye to drink.  I had to drink 3 ozs. every 15 minutes for an hour and 45 mins. before the ct scan.  After that they were going to insert dye by iv. into my arm but decided to read the ct. scan first to see if it was clear enough. So I didn't need the iv injection.  It didn't have much taste to it, I thought it was water when they had it sitting on the tray.  You are allowed to void before the scan.  As far as going back to work after, if you are close to a bathroom maybe you'll be o.k.  I had diarrhea for aboout 6 hours after and had to run every few minutes.  I didn't go to work. Good luck tomorrow.

[Nanny]

If dye is needed for contrast, the patient usually has to drink 16 oz. of this clear dye about two hours before the scan.  It doesn't have that unpleasant a taste. You will be given ample time to use the restroom prior to going into the scanning room.  Once there, they'll ask you to drink about 6 oz. more, and then,  as etphonehome said, they inject the remainder of the contrast via an IV if further contrast is needed.

[rabdi]

I'm really not sure.  That's what the nurse said...  but when i asked her more question she said she really wasn't sure and that I'd have to talk to the people tomorrow.  She also said it wouldn't take too long.  It's scheduled for 12:30 and she knows I had to be to work at 2 and she said I'd be there in plenty of time??  I really don't know, but I'm going to be in a decent amount of trouble if i miss work again.  I work in a place where i'm ALLOWED to go to the bathroom as much as I like, but it's an animal hospital, and a lot of the time I'll work a 10 hour shift without having a minute to take a bathroom break.  I guess I'll find out tomorrow.  If I can't do it before work, I'm going to have to reschedule the test for another day.  I have an ultrasound and bloodwork before hand, so it wouldn't be a total waste...

[rabdi]

it was barium... i would have to drink 64 oz.  i didn't do it because i know it would take me about a week and they didn't want to waste their time unless i could actually drink it, and they didn't want me to go through the radiation twice if i couldn't drink it  because then they'd just have to redo it anyway.  fun.

[Anna_Anna]

A related discussion, No CT Scans with barium anymore! was started.

[ruth446]

A related discussion, barim drink - catscan was started.