Barium enema after effects? - Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Message Board

sunnyworthing · 12-17-2008, 02:18 PM

Has anyone who has undergone a barium enema found their bowels very agitated afterwards? Had my procedure 2 weeks ago, all clear, but the gas pains after for a couple of hours were agony. After this though I have found my IBS to be playing merry havoc, something it wasnt doing before the investigation. Whether this a a result of the clean out prep, the barium, the pain caused by the air, the stress of the whole sorry thing or a combination of all I can't say, just wish I hadn't agreed to it now as its made my IBS so much worse. Anyone else have any similar experience?

Chantal231 · 12-20-2008, 11:20 AM

Hi,

It's been years since my barium scan but I do remember it took awhile to get regular again and all of the barium out.

Why did you have the barium as opposed to a colonoscopy?

Chantal

sunnyworthing · 12-20-2008, 12:30 PM

I had a colonoscopy 4 or so years ago, which was basically clear. The reason for the barium was to investigate some diverticulae and the consultant thought it would be more soothing and less problematical than a colonoscopy, something I now would strongly disagree with.

Well two weeks on and tummy now all over the place still, very very noisy at the moment again something it wasn't before I agreed to the x-ray.

My concern was the gas pain after the enema was so great for me. But I guess that basically shows I have IBS and a low threshold for pain on distension, I assume if anything untoward would have happened from the air Id have been in hospital with a perforation by now. I cannot stop thinking though that the air pain has some how kicked off all my bowel sensitivities again.