Barium prep for CT (sdvice sought)

Northwoodsgirl

Ladies, Tomorrow morning I need to drink some barium prep prior to CT. I have never drank barium before. I have vomited while drinking CT prep in apple juice which had some medicine in it to protect my kidneys-I think it was Mucomist which is actually a pulmonary drug used "off label".

I am concerned about the effects on my bowels.
Question: Tonight should I take Senna S ( stool softner and laxitive)?
I am currently only drinking senna tea. I don't take any laxitives.
Finished my last taxol/carboplatin session #6 on Dec. 30, 2009.
Radiation finished in late October. One of the chemo nurses told me I should take Miralax the night before----I have never taken that.
Wish me luck!

mdad85

drinking Barium,
mix it with BLUE Gatorade, picked up this trick at the wifes nursing home.

california_artist

Drinking stuff prior to CT
I have never had that. Is it routine? or are they looking for something due to some sypmtoms. The doctors here aren't so swift and quite frankly don't know everything I should. I just show up the day of, after not being active prior to the PET/CT and drink something and then get injected with the radioactive whatever it is and sit perfectly still in the dark for around 45 minutes to an hour and off I go.

Help.

claudia

daisy366

california_artist said:

Drinking stuff prior to CT
I have never had that. Is it routine? or are they looking for something due to some sypmtoms. The doctors here aren't so swift and quite frankly don't know everything I should. I just show up the day of, after not being active prior to the PET/CT and drink something and then get injected with the radioactive whatever it is and sit perfectly still in the dark for around 45 minutes to an hour and off I go.

Help.

claudia

PREP
CT prep differs from CT/PET. The barium drinks - I think I had 2 - are typical for the CT.

Ro10

I can understand throwing up the drink with Mucomist
Mucomist smells like rotten eggs. I can understand why it made you sick. It is given to protect the kidneys. Sometimes there is something in the barium to help you get rid of it. Before you take any laxative, I would ask the person in x-ray if there is something in the barium to help you get rid of it. I took Miralax as prep for a colonoscopy. But I took a whole bottle which you would not need to take that much. Wishing you good results from your CAT scan. In peace and caring.

Northwoodsgirl

Ro10 said:

I can understand throwing up the drink with Mucomist
Mucomist smells like rotten eggs. I can understand why it made you sick. It is given to protect the kidneys. Sometimes there is something in the barium to help you get rid of it. Before you take any laxative, I would ask the person in x-ray if there is something in the barium to help you get rid of it. I took Miralax as prep for a colonoscopy. But I took a whole bottle which you would not need to take that much. Wishing you good results from your CAT scan. In peace and caring.

CT Prep
Thank you all for your perspectives and advice and quick response. The solution I need to start drinking at 6am tomorrow is called "CheeTah" manufactured by Mallinckrodt. It says its a CT Contrast/GI exams. Oh those product managers with the funky names. It is suppose to be butterscotch cream flavored. I drink half of the 450ml at 6 am and the remaining half at 7 am. I am suppose to have my creatinin (sp?) drawn at 7am and the CT scan at 8am.

I will ask for more information from the tech tomorrow. I am getting nervous but will take the attitude of - I can get through this as proven by my getting through chemo and radiation and surgery. I will find out the results on Friday when I see my oncologist/surgeon. Prost or Cheers!:) THanks again everyone for answering my posting.
All my best,
Lori

Northwoodsgirl

Barium Prep for CT
My barium CT went well today. Drinking the barium solution through a straw and having the barium prep cold from the fridge helped me tolerate drinking it. My creatinine (sp?) was a little low so they wanted me to take Mucomyst to protect my kidneys again and I refused. Reminded them that I drank Mucomyst once prior to my first CT and ended up in the emergency room with severe vomiting and severe headache.
Guess what....they said OK, then just drink 3 large glasses of water in the next 45 minutes.
I did and yes it was a bit much after drinking the barium but the great news is that I have had no side effects and had a great day. I am suppose to drink 14 glasses of water today to flush contrast out of my system. So now I know what to expect and will have less anxiety next time. I will find out if I am NED on Friday for the first time. I am anxious about the appointment but am hopeful.

Ro10

Northwoodsgirl said:

Barium Prep for CT
My barium CT went well today. Drinking the barium solution through a straw and having the barium prep cold from the fridge helped me tolerate drinking it. My creatinine (sp?) was a little low so they wanted me to take Mucomyst to protect my kidneys again and I refused. Reminded them that I drank Mucomyst once prior to my first CT and ended up in the emergency room with severe vomiting and severe headache.
Guess what....they said OK, then just drink 3 large glasses of water in the next 45 minutes.
I did and yes it was a bit much after drinking the barium but the great news is that I have had no side effects and had a great day. I am suppose to drink 14 glasses of water today to flush contrast out of my system. So now I know what to expect and will have less anxiety next time. I will find out if I am NED on Friday for the first time. I am anxious about the appointment but am hopeful.

Glad you made it through the CAT scan without problems
I bet you feel like you are ready to float away by now. I think I would rather drink 14 glasses of water too rather than drink the Mucomyst. I hope you get good results on Friday. May you be ready to dance with NED. In peace and caring.