Didn't know whether to post this here or in the ranting and raving section.

Because of a seroma right on the spot (rim) between my stoma (k-pouch) and regular skin, I'm facing a ct-scan after I return from a vacation in the islands. Sounds simple enough, but drinking that darn barium is my "bridge too far." I'm OK with: major operations, TPN line with pumps, etc., renal failures, scopes, a NG tube and all the other pokes and hassles. But drinking that odious stuff makes me gag, retch, vomit and be MISERABLE for the all-too-long time I take to get it down. And then I'm embarrassed about the mess and my making a big deal of it all. So that's my rant. Does anyone have any trick, mental or otherwise, to get through it all? I'm afraid that I'll think of nothing else during my week in the islands.

I know more about seromas after reading Jan Dollar's wise posts. That person seems to know more than my specialists--or at least she explains it better--and I'm grateful for the info.

After a hernia repair in the area last Oct. everything was swollen and I know I actually (YIKES) intubated the seroma a few times and was surprised by a gush of blood before the catheter wouldn't proceed normally. Makes me wince to think about it. Then a wad, grape-sized, of some sort of tissue, seemed to be fat and blood vessels, hung there and then fell out of the hole that was later deemed to be a seroma. I freaked out and called my surgeon who said to think of it as a scab. Ha! The ET nurse measured a 4 1/2 inch seroma and she, my GI and a local colo-rectal surgeon told me to pack it (actually my husband does it because I can't see the correct angle) twice a day.

The darn thing still hasn't healed now 5 months post-op (and the bulge above my stoma is just as big or maybe a bit bigger) and I suppose the scan might tell whether I have a new hernia or pocket of gunk or something. UGH!

The thing was painless until a few weeks ago since when I've felt occasional short little stabbing pains, especially when I move. Maybe it's a little abcess (had an incisional abcess after one surgery, but that was much more painful than this one).

I know relative to others' problems, mine are small, but it has felt good to rant! I'm very glad for this site.



Carol

Carol,

I'm surprised you had to suffer through drinking that stuff as is before. I had 6 CT scans last year at both the hospital and an outpatient imaging center and was giving flavor options each time. They told me I could have lemonade, raspberry, or barium flavored stuff. They apparently can flavor it with Crystal Light (the lemonade and raspberry flavorings) without affecting the CT scan.

See if you can convince them to mix it for you. See if you can find an imaging center or hospital that does this if they won't. Or even better, bring your own Crystal Light and sneak it in the cup ;-)

I found the colder the better. And the raspberry was really no problem at all. It had a flavor I didn't really mind at all. The lemonade... kind of nasty, but better if really cold.

I plug my nose and gulp it down. It seems when you plug your nose it is easier because you can't smell it and you don't taste it. Smell must have something to do with taste, I guess. I find the faster you get it down the better, and think milkshake.

Call me weird, but I actually like the taste - kind of like a chaulky McDonalds milkshake - it reminds me also of Kaopecktate (sp) from my childhood. The CT tech looks at me with a raised eyebrow when I ask for more;-) Like I said I am weird, but I would agree with getting the flavored stuff to help!

Get the flavored stuff if it's the white kind. Use a straw and hold your nose.

If it's the gastrograffin, I have them pour it in a cup, then I put an equal amount of lime juice in, 8 splenda packets, and then add the amount of water they want me to mix in. Then I pour it over a cup of ice and drink it with a straw holding my nose. Sometimes I get brain freeze! The stuff dissapears a lot quicker with a straw.

Good luck. I hope your CT reveals something helpful. I'm dealing with healing issues too. I had midline incision abscess and re-open after 6 months (a week after my stoma closure). I had a wound vac on it for a month, then a fistula developed that connected to my small bowel. Now I have this (enterocutaneous fistula) little opening on my midline scar that looks like a little stoma. It even passes more gas than my stoma used to. I have to cover it with gauze and change it once or twice a day. They don't know what to do with it.

I hope yours is something simple.
Post when you find out and good luck with the "stuff" you have to drink. I'm a BIG BABY when it comes to drinking or eating something with flavor or texture I can't stand.

Hang in there....Lori

Unfortunately, they do not want you to gulp it down, but sip it, so you have a gradual pass of the contrast.

One thing I can offer is to make sure to tell them that you do not have a colon and should require half or less of the usual amount. Once it is in your pouch, you don't need to drink any more.

Jan

Yeah, I always end up having to wait, and then it starts coming out the other end! It's nice to know I can ask to drink half! Woo Hoo!! Have you ever heard of them mixing it with food so a stricture or blockage could be seen? My pain that is down stream from my entercutaneous fistula only hurts when I eat, and I'm convinced that's part of what's keeping the fistula open, but they never "see" anything on film, and I suppose they wouldn't if it's only liquid going through. The darn things makes more noise than my stoma did! Sorry to hijack the thread.

Lori