What exactly is the leak test?

Hi everybody! Can someone that's been through it tell me what happens during a leak test? I have seen it mentioned but not described. Am I awake? Sheryl

make sure the parts they rearranged are not leaking into your body....you could die from a leak. Sandy

hELLO SHERYL Yep you are awake during a leak test. It usually happens the morning after surgery. They give you some nasty barium to swallow of course it is small swallows. The x-ray tech usually tells you when to swallow. They do this to make sure you have no leaks in the new pouch or in your intestines. If you do not you are taken to your room and finally able to drink and eat your liquid diet. I imagine if you have a leak they take you back to surgery to fix it. it is not to bad unless they run over your pee bag like they did mine. I also felt like i was going to ralph. But it is a necessary thing. It is not scary and does not hurt. I hope this helps. Brenda

Hi Sheryl, I heard some doctors do the leak test at surgery time? Others make you drink some really nasty tasting stuff after surgery while they take a looksee!

Thanks for the responses about the leak test. I had been wondering about it. SHeryl

It's an UPPER GI. Same thing you do during the pre-op test - they do post-op. Basically they make sure what you swallow goes where it needs to go and doesn't leak out. You stand up to like a chest x-ray machine - your back is against this panel and they have you drink this drink - just a few sips is all they need - and you swallow and they take pictures as you swallow. Then you sit back down. The tech also shows you your new pouch on the TV screen. Kinda proved to me - ahhhh! I really had this surgery! LOL It doesn't hurt at all. It's just like an UPPER GI test. You just swallow and stand there. The surgeon also does a leak test DURING the surgery - not sure how - but he does it before he closes me up. Then the next morning you get one done. After that - you are OFF IV meds and on to oral meds. YAY! Hugs, Trisha