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Bairum Swallow
Anonymous
Wednesday, September 03, 2008 at 07:53 AMre: Bairum Swallow
Karen Sherlock
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 02:07 PMI went and had a barium swallow today. I've had lots of medical stuff done, i.e eye operations, colonoscopies etc. A barium swallow is nothing at all to worry about. You drink some fizzy stuff, some milkshake (well that's what I'd compare it too) a McDonalds one. Though it does not taste of much, (or at least mine didn't because it wasn't flavoured), it's not at all unpleasant. Then you stand on a little platform on an upright table. The radiologist takes some x-rays while you're standing, then it just tilts back so you are lying like you would be in bed. Then you have to move about a bit, hold your breath a bit, and the table moves about gently while more x-rays are taken. The table then returns to an upright position, you drink a bit more stuff and you might have a little injection in your arm to relax your muscles in your intestine while on the table, and hey-presto, you're done. It's a bit like a day at the funfair!!!! Make it a nice thing, not nasty because you don't need to.
Good luck, hope it all goes well
Karen xx
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Hi
I have had the barium swallow and had fears about going for it.
however, it was the most painless thing ever (and your talking to a hypochondriac !).
Very simply, you STAND in front of an x ray machine, and drink a white liquid.
The liquid looks like and taste like a milkshake. It is not majorly thick at all, it is simply a like drinking milk. And the good thing is, you actually drin it through a straw, just a small amount (a few sips!).
You then take a few sips of a clear liquid , that is very thin- it takes like medication
and lastly oyu drink a fix drink (like water with fizzy tablets in them).
and thats it. the procedure takes 20 mins cause all the doctor will say is 'have a few sips' and swallow, just so he can watch the xray of the liquid entering your body .
and thats it.
i assure you it is painless and non intrusive, nor dangerous.