How bad does Barium taste??? Truly????

Hi All! 

Well, I've been doing research online about what they do when you have an Upper GI & I know that you have to drink Barium. I am in a real state over this because so many sites talk about how horrible it tastes and some people say that it was so bad that they threw up!!!!!! Is this really true? Is it really that awful tasting? I thought that they could put some kind of flavouring in it to make it easier on you to swallow.

Please, if you've had one of these tests recently, can you just tell me how bad it was? Even if it truly IS vile and nasty, I want to know that, so that I can be prepared for it when I go in there. It's not for a couple of weeks but I'm getting myself totally stressed out already about it. I just need to know so that I can prepare myself mentally.

Thanks in advance,
Deb

Hi Deb,

Don't get too freaked out about it.  I had one done just before Christmas.  I wasn't allowed to have the flavoured stuff because I am allergic to strawberries and that is the flavour that they have and there is strawberry extract in it.  Basically because of this I got the "nasty" stuff.  It was not wonderful - thick and not easy to swallow.  Having nothing to drink beforehand meant I had a dry mouth which really didn't help.  I was ok when they had me drink it standing up.  They have  you glug glug glug drink it so you don't really get to stop much. Then after turning me this way and that when I was laying down, they rolled me on my tummy/side and had me drink another whole cup of it through a straw.  That one was pretty tough to swallow.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep it down, but I did.  I have a SUPER weak stomach.  If I can do it with the nasty flavoured stuff... you'll be able to do it!  It was over in about 10 - 15 minutes and while it was not my most fun experience, it wasn't that bad... honest!

Good luck  :)

Laura

Oh Laura  thanks for telling me that! I know that it will be yucky but if you didn't throw up with the unflavoured stuff, I should be able to handle it. I'll just tell myself that it will be over soon! Why on earth can't they develop "friendlier" tests????  I also have a very weak stomach, so if you can do it, I'd better get through it! Thanks for elaborating on it for me, Laura!

Deb

I have had it done in the past and I had a "minty" flavor, The hardesy past is drinling it quickly. Don't worry about it it will be over quickly, Just one more thing to get past. You can do it!

Hi there! Thanks for responding and you're right! I'll just have to suck it up and get through it, right? Minty, huh? Maybe I should practice by eating my toothpaste - just kidding! I remember having to drink Gaviscon for an upset stomach & it was minty-tasting & I thought it was really nasty, but I'll try to get it down quickly & keep it down!

By the way, I don't know if that's your dog in the avatar but he/she is one beautiful animal !!! What a gorgeous face!  I'm a huge dog lover and lost my 14 year old Golden Retriever to cancer and I miss her terribly. I desperately want another dog but my husband thinks that we should wait ubntil after my surgery. I want a dog "yesterday"!!!!!

Deb

It tastes a hell of a lot better than the vanilla Optifast! lol

Ah Shawn, don't go telling me stuff like that  - not when I'm looking at having to do 3 weeks on Optifast - LOL! Besides, at least we can add cold coffee or flavourings to the Optifast. I'm thinking that they won't be too agreeable at the hospital if I show up for my test with a bottle of Caramel or Hazelnut syrup and ask them to pour it into the barium goop! Thanks for the laugh - it helped! 

Deb

Im on day 3 of Optifast. At this point id rather 300 ml's of barium lol

Seriously though...barium really isnt that bad. Its just chalky really. Imagine popping a few Rolaids into your mouth and chewing them up. Its not much different from that. The Optifast isnt that bad either. Im just not too jazzed about having to drink it for three weeks.

I miss ketchup :(

Had it done last week and they give you a bunch of crystals and wa**** down with the barium. It was a breeze. I was out in 15 min.

Hi Sharon!  I didn't know that you have to drink something else first, before the barium - uh! I guess I just have to keep my eye on the prize! Thanks for your input!

Deb