Small bowel series question???? - Digestive Disorders Message Board

Jill1004 · 02-06-2008, 11:01 AM

Hi all. I have just returned home from having a small bowel follow through. My test lasted a little less than 3 hours, which is far less than the 5+ hours they warned me it might possibly take.

After I drank (chugged) the barium I underwent all the films done standing while drinking and then in every position imaginable while laying down. I then had the abdominal x-rays (laying on my stomach) twice at 30 minute intervals. At this point the tech told me that I should be done, as the barium had gone through my small intestine. SHe did have me continue to wait for the MD to take one last look at the films.

They then called me back into the original room (with the table that goes from an upright position to horizontal). He said he wanted more pictures and that he would be pressing this ball like thing on the end of a stick into my stomach and that I would feel pressure. He took a series of pictures with me on my back, on each side, on my back, and then back on my stomach again. As he pressed this into my abdomen I felt uncomfortable, crampy and the normal abdominal pain/crampy feeling was of course intensified with this pressure.

If you've had a small bowel series, did you have that final part with the ball-like thing pressed into your abdomen for multiple pictures? It was almost like he followed a "path" from my gallbladder down the right side of my abdomen. What is in that area that he might have been looking at?

I wasn't too concerned about my somewhat vague abdominal symptoms until my physician decided that we definitely needed to get to the bottom of them. My gallbladder ultrasound and gallbladder scan (45%) were both negative. If today's test is negative, then my GP wants me to undergo an EGD.

Any thoughts would be great. Thank you!!

ZoeGirl · 02-06-2008, 02:21 PM

Yup, they did that last bit with mine also. He was following your small bowels, they told me he could get a better picture with it that way and it was more precise. Mine took a couple extra photos where I was having the pain.

Mine came back normal with a slow down on the left side. Fun stuff, huh? Hope I don't have to do that again.

monkey5 · 02-06-2008, 06:22 PM

Hey there, i came across your posts and am gonna be getting back into see the GI Dr. possible small bowel problem, but i am wondering of ithier of you experience or have whats like major stomach spasms in the upper abdomen like all day no matter what you do or don't eat? I'm not even for sure if this is whats happening but it a realy pain. I also injured my back about two years ago and am waiting for an MRI report right now and before the weird sensations started i started having bowel problems with lots of constipation and not going for like a week had an upper and lower colonoscopy done checked out fine. I have also had an abdominal ultrasound and hidiscan as well and was fine . But in all this because the GI and everyone asumed it was GI related i just waited to tell the Neurologist about having a bowel movement and my genitals going numb along with my whole leg. So i am not really sure if this is back related or other! My regular dr. did mention it could be small obstruction due to that i have went to the bathroom but still feel full ect. So i am putting a call backl into the GI and seeing my GP again and waiting for pelvic MRI results. I just wanted to let you know how frusturating i know this can be and maybe we can help eachother! I also wish i could find some answers as i am at the point i could deal with my back issue now that i'm seeing better drs. but the stomach issue is freaking me out. It's almost like theres a baby in there and and or spasms and my son could even feel it and thinks there a demon in my stomach or something ugh. I know i have posted many times on here but it really helps to be able to relate with others and i am not trying to find something wrong, i posted once once on here that sometimes i feel llike just ripping the guts out so it will go away(i know terrible thing) but it freaking me out! One last thing, i have tried Bently, Reglan, and Miralax Nexium, and Prilosec and now trying Pepcid without any results!
Thanks for listening!
Love, Monkey