Esophagram Tomorrow and nervous

[NYer]

Hi!
I'm having an esophagram tomorrow morning. Can anyone tell me what the experience will be like (I'm nervous)? Are you laying down when they do it or standing up? Do they flip you over to see if stuff comes back up? (OK, that may be a moronic question, but it occurred to me that would be an interesting way to see if stuff comes up.) Afterward, how long does it take for the Barium to get out of your system? Has anyone here had problems with constipation afterwards? Did you feel OK later in the day or did the Barium make you feel icky?
Thank you so much for any info. The more info I have, the less scared I am of these stupid procedures. Actually, I'm still scared but I'm more knowledgeable.

[LSAT]

An esophagram is just like an upper GI. I have had 2..both standing. I drank very little barium...just enough to see it go through my wrap. It's problibly the easiest test you will ever take.

[NYer]

Thank you, LSAT. Any after-effects from the barium?
Hey, by the way, does the barium make you radioactive for a while?

[LSAT]

Quote.."Hey, by the way, does the barium make you radioactive for a while? "

Yes...You'll glow in the dark for a day or two!

[thelmalou]

Nyer,

Hi...yes its a very simple test...the barium taste very nasty to me...but it is bearable...and it passes through rather quickly...good luck...

[NYer]

Thank you, Ms. ThelmaLou!

[Thistle]

thelmalou's post says it all -- very easy but not tasty. They make it sound like you're lucky because they are going to give you a "milkshake." Wrong! (Patronizing your patients is such a wrong direction, but that's a whole other post.)

I seem to recall that they had me lie down for part of it, and drink via a bendy straw, but my memory could be playing tricks on me. This is one of the tests that in my case I look back on and shake my head at what clueless doctors I had at that point. My problem was that I had no LES. I guess they can't see that in the pictures, or they didn't bother to LOOK. at what happened each time I swallowed.

Good luck tomorrow. You'll do fine!

[NYer]

Thank you, Thistle. Wow, no LES and they didn't notice that? How did you eventually find out the correct diagnosis? And what was done to help you?

[Thistle]

How did you eventually find out the correct diagnosis? And what was done to help you?

Absence of LES (and UES) was discovered by endoscopy. Solution was lap Nissen, because fundoplication is how you create a functioning LES. No solution for missing UES, of course, but I don't seem to have too many problems with it -- I was very prone to having stuff get into my lungs, but I didn't realize this wasn't normal and thus didn't connect the dots until the endoscopy. I didn't have a hiatal hernia, though the doctors debated this prior to my operation, when the surgeon was able to see the intact diaphragm.

Life is good now.

[Thistle]

Hey, by the way, does the barium make you radioactive for a while? "

This is why they tell you to drink a lot of water afterward (and have lots of fiber) -- so that it passes through you as quickly as possible.

[NYer]

Well, I had it done today. It was not a big deal at all. You're all correct about Barium being rather disgusting. And it's a good thing there was a mirror outside of the room so I could see all the white barium all over my lips.
They had me drink some bubbly stuff and I wasn't allowed to burp (but really needed to) and then some barium, some more barium, barium mixed with crackers, barium mixed with apple sauce, and then more barium with big swallows...then I had to lay down and drink more barium with a straw.
When I finally left at 1 pm today, even though I hadn't eaten since 5PM yesterday, I was so bloated from the barium and bubbly stuff that I couldn't eat anything. I've been drinking lots of water. They warned me that I could get constipated so that I should take a laxative tonight...I'll just say (without being gross) I have th opposite of constipation and it already kicked in...and it was white, so it was the barium. So I will not be taking a laxative tonight!
The good news is that the radiologist said everything looked fine, all he saw was reflux. Of course that means I still don't know what is actually causing the reflux yet, but one thing at a time.
Thank you all for helping me to be slightly less nervous this morning!

[NYer]

Thistle, after having the Nissen, do you get reflux/heartburn, etc. anymore?

[sillylilly]

NYer, glad you survived the first hurdle to discovering what's going on with you. The worst test is the manometry I think, but thats a little down the road for you. Somehow, we all survive it.

Thistle: Yes, I would like to know how you are doing? If my memory serves me correct, you started having reflux again after 7 years with your Nissen. What's happening now as far as reflux goes. Do you have it everyday or occasional and are you on daily PPI again? Do you think you will ever have a redo?
Sillylily

[Thistle]

Glad everything went OK! I never was given anything but barium. Not fair that you got crackers and applesauce too!

Thistle, after having the Nissen, do you get reflux/heartburn, etc. anymore?

In general, no. Only if I have too much of a trigger food. I've mostly figured out how to avoid these problems, of course -- the trouble happens when I don't realize that what I'm about to eat contains something that I shouldn't eat.. Also I had h. pylori once (I think about four years ago) and had to be on meds for that.

[NYer]

Thistle, I can think of few more disgusting combinations than barium and applesauce or barium and crackers, LOL. It LOOKED like a cup of yogurt. But it tasted like cement.