Barium Smoothies

How many of you enjoy a nice big barium smoothie before bed? Man you just can't beat that berry smoothie. Gagging all the way down.lol

You saying you have to drink that every night for some reason, or what??

I can't imagine. Only had to ingest that horrid stuff once in my life and that was enough to last me.

Had to drink one last night before bed and then I have to drink another bottle in about an hour, having a contrast ct scan this morning. Also had to take 8 methylpredisolone last night and 8 in a few minutes just in case of allergies. Although I've plenty of contrast dye ct scans and everything went fine the mri center has decided because I had a reaction to levaquin 15 years ago I had to take the pills or no ct scan.

Not a lot pisses me off except I prep for a ctscan more than need be, get there, get the port put in for IV and then being told they cannot get their machine to work and I could wait around for 3 or 4 hours if the tech came and fixed it or come back next week. Going back next week. I guess for $86 for 2 bottles of barium and contrast IV I would wait, that's pretty cheap. I would imagine what the insurance companies knock this down to is the reason they can't keep their machines working.

It is enough to scream. Been there and done that. I hate em, and I always get a young kid who has never put in a port with a supervisor looking over her shoulder......poked, prodded, ignored, and irrelevant.....with time you simply become numb. I have never been happier in my life, and I am very appreciative of the smallest things, but the cancer grind wears you down.

the woman who put my port in did a good job no complaints. She took a blood test to test kidney function and said it would take a couple of minutes. Well when she didn't come back in a few I thought to myself "this is just going to be luck that the machine went down" By god she came in and said the machine won't work.

I have arrived after signing in and they tell me the Cat scan may not be covered by insurance......three hour drive and downtown Chicago traffic.......I just said F it .......do the scan......fortunately the insurance was approved after the fact.....I have had 25 scans in the last eight years........I am so sick of looking at the fricking beautiful posters on the ceiling and everybody trying to make the whole thing pleasant......it just is a price you pay to stay alive, and really......in the end of am very thankful for the inconvenience.

It has to be your providers dropping the ball on the pre auths. Mine was approved in one day and then I had to change places because the one would not do it because of my allergy to levequin 15 years ago. So the surgeon had to get the venue changed. It was approved in 3 hours and had both my approval letters in 2 days.

Am an admirer of you both and wince reading the things you endure . . . on the positive side, it does help me keep things in perspective so please hang in there.

knothead wrote:Am an admirer of you both and wince reading the things you endure . . . on the positive side, it does help me keep things in perspective so please hang in there.

What knot said, guys, as to the way you've handled your illnesses, both of you. Awesome.

ppaca wrote:Had to drink one last night before bed and then I have to drink another bottle in about an hour, having a contrast ct scan this morning. Also had to take 8 methylpredisolone last night and 8 in a few minutes just in case of allergies. Although I've plenty of contrast dye ct scans and everything went fine the mri center has decided because I had a reaction to levaquin 15 years ago I had to take the pills or no ct scan.

The Berry drink from GB Apothecary was gross. The first sip was ok but it got really hard to keep drinking. I am allergic to Levoquin/Cipro and did not have to take the steroids.

Try the mocha next time. I had berry the night before and it was pretty gross and mocha the morning off, the mocha much more tolerable.

Well when it was apparent their machine was not going to work and I had to go back I talked to the guy in charge and explained why they wanted me on the steroids and when I had a reaction to levaquin, around 15 years ago. I explained what happened and told him I did not want to take them before the next appt and he said it was up to me. I said I would not and I'd take the chance. Never had a reaction from the dye before. BTW that night had the worst acid reflux I can remember from those damn steroids. I called yesterday to reschedule for next Thursday and asked if it was working yet and they said no they had to order a part.