CT scan of the abdomen

I have to have a CT scan. the hospital gave me 2 bottles of stuff to drink. I told them I had WLS and that looked like alot to hold and she said well we need it ALL in to do the test correctly!! Have any of you had this test and what was YOUR experience?? thanks, Pam

I have never had a CT scan but I do work in the Radiology department of our hospital and I am one of those people that hand out that wonderful stuff to drink. I know every hospital has there own protocol depending on the wishes of their Radiologist but what we have done in the past with bypass patients is to give them half the regular amount to drink following the same instructions for drinking. The purpose of that stuff is to coat the GI tract so it is easier to see on CT, it makes it easier to tell if it is bowel or something else they are seeing. Maybe you will have to start drinking it sooner than they told you so you have time to get it all in if that is what they need you to do. It will probably go thru you quickly or so that is what our WLS patients have told me. I hope that helps some. Prudy

Yep, been there done that. Many medical staff (ie., nurses, and aids) do NOT understand we cannot hold the normal amount. I don't drink it. I will take in what I can and if I can't hold anymore, I simply throw it up on their nice clean floors. If they say anything, I simply say, LOOK, MY STOMACH IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF AN EGG, WHERE THE ^^%$#@ DO YOU EXPECT ME TO PUT THIS CRAP? I will do the best I can and that's all there is to that! Contact my WLS if you want proof! Don't let them BOSS you around. Don't let them make you drink stuff you cannot hold in. That is WRONG, and furthermore, I would contact someone at the hospital in customer service and report your concerns. The Hospital here HAS NO CLUE HOW TO TREAT BARIATRIC PATIENTS AND THEY ARE PRESENTLY TRYING TO BECOME A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE AND I JUST LAUGH LAUGH AND LAUGH. Don't let anyone tell you how much you have to ingest. You know your limits. No matter the case, they should know you can't hold all that in. Stacey W

Pam~ I recently had a CT scan myself. I was given two large bottles of contrast fluid to drink. I asked about the sugar content and found that it was OK to drink and wouldn't make me dump. I was asked to drink one full bottle (about 40 ounces) at 10 pm the night before and then the other full bottle between 8 am and 10 am. My appointment was at 10:30 am. I was able to drink less than half of the first bottle and then I sipped at the second bottle throughout the next morning. I did not get it all in and my test went well. I recommend that you drink slowly and only whatever amount you can tolerate. It's not tasty - at least mine wasn't. I hope this helps and I hope they don't find anything seriously wrong on your test. Sandra

i just did the best i could--------as i got to the end of the glass they told me i could quit...........(with a bit of a threat that i thought i might throw up) grin

Hi Pam, When I had my CT I told them there was no way I could drink that and they did an IV contrast and it worked fine for me. I hope this helps. Have a Merry Christmas----Toni