Went to a new Dr today to get some intestinal troubles checked out. Things have been a little not normal since the trip to Lake Powell. Since it hasn't just gone away by itself, it's time to investigate further. This involves blood work, three days' worth of samples and a pelvic/abdominal scan tomorrow morning.
Which is why I'm still awake and blogging at 12:13 am. I'm putting off drinking the 16 ounces of berry-flavored barium (berry-um?) I have to consume before bed. And another 16 ounces one hour before my appointment tomorrow morning. Dreading it!
I would not have known the berry-um was necessary had I not popped by the imaging center after my Dr appointment and asked what I needed to do. The desk clerk took my info and came back with two bottles of barium for me. The Dr's nurse just said to make sure I was fasting and to take the paperwork over tomorrow morning. Good thing I went and asked myself. Sheesh, people.
Anyway, the investigating has begun. I hope it's not anything icky/serious, but if I have to go to the trouble of crapping in a cup for three days [this is not easy to do, BTW], I kinda don't want to hear "Everything came back normal" or its companion, "It must all be in your head."
I guess I can't put off the barium any longer. Grrr.
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OK, the barium wasn't quite as vile as I expected. The trick is to chug it and NOT STOP. I got mostly through the bottle when I decided to take a breather. That last third was hard to get down.
The berry part? All cloying scent, not flavor. Except for the afterburps; I can taste those. Yech! Bottle #2 is now in my system. It feels leaden once ingested.
Boy, they better run on time for this appointment.
Good Luck! Keep us posted.....
They made me drink MORE barium when I got there. Banana flavored.
Then it took 3 tries to get the IV in. The more times they have to stick me, the greater the chance I'll faint. I like to mention this so I'm not the only one who knows.
The scanner guy said I could go about my regular day, but I'm feeling icky and tired and gurgly from the barium and woozy from not eating (love those fasting tests). So I called in to work and said I won't be in. I'm just gonna crawl back into bed.
My call to stay home today: inspired. Because barium gives you diarrhea. Which was my original problem, so ingesting barium has, of course, made it exponentially worse.
Way to go, doctor.
Bummer (so to speak). I had intestinal issues of my own over the last two years, so I can really sympathize. What I learned? Fiber supplements are a good thing. And if you have to have a colonoscopy, do it without sedation. But I'm one of those folks who doesn't particularly like being high, so YMMV.
Be sure to let us know what they find out.
Ooh, can I play? Giardia! It's giardia! Utah's unofficial state parasite. Godspeed, my friend.
Fiber supplements before I'm 40? Add that to tooth sensitivity, neck wrinkles, bowel changes and permanent sun damage--the things that make me feel old before my time.
I sprinkle flax seed meal on my breakfast yogurt. Do I have to do more?
As for the current problems, I'd say giardia from Lake Powell is probably the best guess. Gah.
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