Upper GI

Well, it worked out and I had my Upper GI today.  You may want to skip this entry if you get woozy easily.

No one properly prepared me for this experience, so I thought someone else may want to know.

I arrived at the hospital at 7:30 and was promptly processed.  They asked me if my husband was my emergency contact and I told them yes.  I'm not sure if that was right since Jeff was on a flight to Boston at the time, but it all worked out anyway.

They took me back to get me into a gown.  The lady took out an extra large gown, looked at me and then put it away.  She came back with a gown that if I was to guess a size, I would say it was a 5x.  You could have fit two of me in it.  Trying to look on the bright side, I thought, "at least it'll cover me."

When I was getting ready to change into my gown, they asked me if my pants had any buttons or zippers.  I guess if I had been wearing pajama bottoms, I wouldn't have had to take my pants off.  No one told me that. I would have loved to wear pants for this ordeal. 

As far as the procedure itself, I don't know how to explain it, besides saying it was like a medical version of a Survivor (TV show) food challenge.  This is what I read online:

"The patient is asked to drink the barium liquid and to swallow baking soda crystals. It is important not to belch, as the gas assists the radiologist in evaluation."

Let's talk about what that really means.

First, you drink baking soda crystals.  You can swallow it in one big chug.  It's a little grainy at the bottom and it's fizzing the whole time.  I finished it and thought it wasn't so bad.  Those are famous last words for a reason.

Next, they give you a Styrofoam cup FULL of this thick, chalky, white liquid.  You are to drink the whole cup relatively quickly and don't burp (which is all you want to do).  I was doing good drinking this, until about I was about 3/4ths done.  Then I had that, "I'm going to throw up" feeling.  I convulsed over and put my hand over my mouth.  The technician's assistant told me not to throw it up, so I tilted my head back and swallowed what made it's way back up.  The tech's assistant told me "good."  I couldn't think of anything good at this point.

I managed to finish the cup and she said "HOPEFULLY, that's all I'll have to drink."  I repeated back, "hopefully?"  The tech's assistant looked at me reassuringly, which is all I could really ask for.

She went to get the technician.  While she was out of the room, I burped.  As soon as I did it, I remembered what I read and knew I shouldn't have.  It was a burp like a bubble had popped.  Bizarre, but no harm, no foul?  Maybe if I didn't do it again, I'd be okay. 

The ex-ray technician came in.  He was older, but had a sense of humor, which I deeply appreciated.  I was placed on my stomach on a table and as the machine was placed over me, I could see my stomach.  It was really cool to watch.  Then I was told to turn on my back.  Then my front again.  The tech. said something, which I couldn't make out and instantly there was another Styrofoam cup with that horrible white liquid and a straw.  I was told to take four big swallows.  After my fourth, he told me to take one more.  I was flipped a few more times. 

The tech. now told me that he was involved in a clinical study and they wanted to see if patients liked the white liquid or water better.  I laughed so hard I almost burped again!  The assistant gave me some water to drink and it was shortly over.  The tech. asked me which I like better and I told him not to talk to me.  (laughs)  I guess it's good he was making light of that horrible stuff, but I just wanted to throw up.

The tech. explained to me that everything looked normal (no tumors or odd things), except that I have a bit of reflux.   I was a bit worried so I called my mother in-law.  She's an xray tech herself.  She told me it was no big deal and it would probably go away when I lost weight.  I went home and read  up on it and thought to myself, "Yeah.  I have that.  I thought everyone did."

I came home, promptly went and got sick, and then took a 2 hour nap.  I had to be at work by noon and needed to pick up lunch for my friend on the way.  I feel fine now.  I ate lunch and dinner without issue.  I'm glad that experience is over.