Gastrografin iodine contrast for CT scans

[Suzy55]

Hi there has anyone ever taken gastrografin before a CT scan and if so how quickly do the errr ‘upset tummy’ effects kick in?! Also how long after the CT scan will this linger? Thanks in advance

Sorry OP, no idea but bumping for .. not sure if there’s a medical section somewhere?

Is that the contrast you have to drink for a bowel study?

If so there’s a good chance they will give you buscopan to slow bowel movements so they can get a good image.

Upset stomach will start as soon as buscopan wears off- for me that’s about an hour later. Then the upset stomach lasts for rest of the day but I’ve been fine the next day (both times I’ve had it, it’s been a morning appointment, not sure if it was later whether I would still have side effects he next day)

Hi, I had this in injection form twice. It is very warm and I could feel it travelling around my body! It tasted a bit nasty in the back of my throat, and I felt nauseous for about an hour afterwards. Nothing too bad really! I was told I might feel like I was peeing myself, but didn't experience that. HTH xxx

I have and I had no upset with it, hope i wasn't just lucky and you're the same

I don't remember tummy trouble but I got very warm and felt like I needed a wee.

I've had this four times, apart from the warm/wee thing as it goes in, I've never had any other effects - and I've got Crohn's!

Thanks all. I had it first thing yesterday. Didn’t feel took bad. So went to football match in the cold last night. Think have overdone things as today I feel so cold and nauseous. Oh well it’s my own fault!

Have now had 2 doses of this for a scan tomorrow...and so far nothing! If you don’t mind me asking, how long does it take for it to take effect?? The information provided suggests keeping close to home soon after you’ve had the first dose

DNAP Sorry only just got email about your message. I had two doses on Friday. The first one affected me by the time i started taking the second, although I had also had to take four tablets of laxative - cant remember the name will look up - the night before at 7pm...

DNAP Dulcolax was the laxative i also had to take.

Also, good luck with your scan. If you ever had a full colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, well it's much better than either of those :-)

Thank you Suzy. I’ve only been given the Gastro, one to take last night, and one today. Nothing else was given. The prep notes state a clear out is essential for a good quality scan, but at this rate that won’t be happening! Perhaps it will all take effect over night many thanks for your reply, hope your outcome was all good.

I have to say I am totally taken aback by what’s happened with this. I had a conventional colonoscopy about 7 years ago, and other than the inconvenience of the prep procedure, had no problems whatsoever. However yesterday as soon as the gas was inserted, the pain was simply excruciating. I started writhing and shaking and begged them to stop, but they were two young radiographers who looked at me as if I was mad! It’s just a bit of gas they said, it will pass in a few minutes. Well it didn’t pass, and I couldn’t move for the pain and had to have my husband called to collect me. I was shaking uncontrollably and couldn’t even stand up. Having had two children and a root canal without pain relief, I know this wasn’t mild discomfort. I went home and have been passing profuse uncontrollable rust coloured water since, had to change the bed..can’t feel it, it just comes. My stomach is still cramping and in severe pain, and to cap it all, I have been vomiting! And I haven’t vomited in over 40 years... I just feel so weak and wiped out, and nothing in the take home leaflets mentions anything other than ‘a bit of mild wind pain that will pass within an hour or so’ and back to normal activity immediately. Has anyone experienced anything remotely like this?? Sorry to be so graphic, I am just so shocked at this experience :(

OMG you poor poor thing. How are you feeling now? I felt really ill the day after but I thought that’s cos I overdid things on the day of the procedure. The guy doing mine was so lovely and caring though. I had mild pain/discomfort at start and he was horrified by that and adjusted things and put the gas in slower, and then it was totally pain free. Have you been told you have diverticula? I have and that can cause more pain. My sigmoidoscopy was bad and the colonoscopy I had some years back was absolute agony they had to stop after a short while. But this was a breeze tbh in comparison. I hope you are feeling better soon xx

Nb I also felt I was going to vomit but I didn’t (I am someone who doesn’t ever though) but I felt so ill the day after I was in tears so I really feel for you. I did feel a lot better after sleeping and eating I think you feel so weak after the clear out - and I had two in six days. Don’t push yourself be very kind to yourself this week.

Nb I had a routine colonoscopy which was pain free many years ago but when I had one several years ago, as I said, it was agony - the reason being the diverticula was now present. I suspect that is what may be the problem in your case? Big virtual hug

Thanks Suzy, that’s helpful to know. The two radiographers were both quite young, and it was upsetting to see the looks of amused impatience being exchanged between them as I was clutching the bed in agony. Err..this isn’t supposed to hurt they said. It’s just a bit of wind pain, it will pass in a second..while they carried on pumping me up. And then I literally started yelling out uncontrollably in agony! ‘I’m sorry I don’t know why you’re finding this painful, but we need to get this scan done, there are other people waiting’...it was just awful. And then when the scan was done, being asked to grab my stuff and leave, but I couldn’t even move on the bed. It was at that point I broke down and started to cry. A 50+ year old woman crying like that, prompted even more amusing looks. So humiliating, they probably had a good laugh afterwards. Our pets get better treatment at the vet!
I don’t know if having a painful procedure has any bearing on what they might or might not find, but I do think if there is any chance that a procedure is that painful for anyone, they need to acknowledge it, and staff need to be more understanding.
There is a huge spectrum of difference between pain and discomfort, yet all the information given, seems oblivious to this.
I also had the Buscopan IV, which is strangely supposed to help.. And the IV contrast which is presumably what I can still taste very strongly, and might explain the nausea. I have to give a talk at a school this afternoon, and don’t know how I’m going to manage. Am still in pain and passing profuse amounts of liquid stool...and have no control over it whatsoever. If I had been warned there would be any risk of after effects like this, I would have rearranged...it’s just beyond inconvenient. Fingers crossed I last the hour

Poor you I really feel for you :-( That is absolutely disgraceful what happened and maybe when you feel stronger you should communicate what happened to the hospital. It’s barbaric really. I would see if you could postpone the talk if at all possible -schools in my experience are usually kind and understanding.... if you don’t postpone well I’m sure it will settle down soon. Don’t take anything to settle it, I was told but maybe you should ring the ward or your Gp and ask them?

Thank you Suzy, I managed to muddle through it thankfully. Things are a little less ‘profuse’ today, but still nauseous and annoyingly I have no sense of taste, other than metallic. Been waking up every hour feeling very dehydrated and needing water. And to cap it off the arm where the contrast was injected, is becoming more and more painful and is starting to swell! I feel like I’m jinxed with this one. Am going to call the gp today, as none of it seems right. Probably needs nothing but a bit of time, but I think these unexpected after-effects do need pointing out, if only so staff can be more aware. Thank you so much for all your replies, really appreciate it

You are more than welcome. I know how horrible it can be, and I agree, there is not enough information on what to expect from the procedures. I think they completely underplay the pain and the side effects, both on the NHS websites and all the medical websites I've visited. Hope you start to feel much better soon. I feel pretty tired still. Digestive system still not back to what goes as 'normal' for me. By the way when I finally took the plaster off yesterday, the site where the contrast was injected was pretty swollen and lumpy but now looks to be down. So maybe this is common. But a good idea to check with GP as it should not be painful.