swallow test today

I just got back form my swallow test. Needless to say this has to be my worst experience yet. The barium they made me drink caem very close to making me sick. By the time I was done drinking I was miserable, my stomach was queesy, I was hot and sweaty.All I could think about was getting that awful taste out of my mouth. By the time I got home I was in big trouble. I had the worst episode of diarrea. Sorry for the blunt details. Could this have been my first episode of dumping? I feel much better other than I am purely exhausted now. At times I realy wonder if they did anything to me in surgery because I feel so good, aside from the horrible pain I have from my g-tube. Is it normal for it to hurt so much? Plus drinking my broth and jello and water, I seem to never really feel full or satisfied. Maybe all the food commercials on TV aren't helping. I also can't seem to get my 64 oz of water in at all. Any suggestions? But the road has been good, As of today I have lost a total of 23 pounds 10 of that I gained in surgery. So truly I look at it as 13 pounds.

So Lisa..what does the swallow test mean? Were you okay? Sounds like it was a part of dumping, but you'll have to wait til the experts chirp up. Congrats on the loss!! It's coming YEAHHHH...(qui****ching tv..get online and email me instead of watching tv. Then you wont see the food commercials!)hehehehe janine

I'm still pre op. I had the same thing with my upper GI. I had to swallow barium and then they whirled me around on the table taking pictures. By the time I was done, I was hot, sweaty and nauseous. When I got home, I had severe diarrea, I was grateful because you have to get rid of the barium as quickly as possible. But then I had more BM's about 6 that day, all white stuff until the last one. To cap off the experience, I had some strawberry Slim Fast, thought I would just have that for dinner as my stomach and bottom was tired. Poured it into a styrofoam cup............you guessed it. Tasted just like the dang barium. Started heaving. So it might not have been a dumping episode. Just the horrible effects of barium solution on sensitive GI tracts.

Lisa, Sounds like a typical side effect to barium. I am a nurse and hear pts everyday say they had the same things you experienced. Not sure it is really dumping. So you say you have a "G-tube", to me that is a feeding tube.. or are you taking about a JP(Jackson Pratt) drain tube that we hear about after surgery most often? I was just curious if you really had to have a g-tube placed.. not heard of that before. Congrats on your weight loss! Melissa

Thanks gfor the info Melissa, yes I have a JP and a G tube, very common for my surgical group to use with sleep apnea patients. Lets any swallowed air form the CPAP machine out instead of bloating the new pouch. Also thenin the event that I can't get my liquids or food in I will not need an IV I can get that from the tube. Its really moe a pain than anything. But I fit the category that has to have it.

Hi Lisa, Wow, I have not heard of this before. How common is this? Do you have to keep the tube until your Sleep Apnea resolves? This is interesting and it makes sense. Melissa

It's pretty common at least where I go, not sure wbout everywhere else. I only have to keep the tube in until they are sure my opening is open enough to get food thru etc. So I hope with the results of today's test that I can get it out soon, but I am still loking at probably another 2 weeks before they take it out.

Lisa, I hope that you get good results from the swallow test (does not sound very nice). Keep us posted on how you are doing. Deanne

I believe that everyone has the swallow test fairly soon after surgery. I have said from that day since that the pain that the barium caused me was 7683 times worse than the surgery and all of the pain associated with it afterwards. I would not even want my worst enemy to have to drink that crap! I was so pissed at th doc that was doing mine becuse hello I have these freakin tubes hanging out of my body and they are expecting me to move all around this flat metal surface on my own! I was so pissed that I let myself puke the stuff back up so they had to watch me. That made a little better knowing that their stomach probably hurt a little after that! There are no words that can describe that time. And nothing you can do to prepare for it. Also, the side effects are normal and happen to everyone, so that was not dumping.

It's very common to have a G tube after gastric bypass. The docs want to be sure you have no leaks, no obstructions, no air swallowing. I had mine in for 3 weeks but he usually leaves it in 4 but I had an infection around it so out it came and I was glad.