Bad reaction to barium test

JMArnold · Post by **JMArnold** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 9:24 am

I was diagnosed w/ MC (CC type) in March 2013.
I did the EnteroLab test later that year, and it didn't show any food sensitivities (I've been GF since 2001).

In 2014, I went the route of addressing SIBO. I've tested positive for methane and have done well with a very low carb diet (combining SCD & FODMAP diets), and with 2 antimicrobials (Allimed and Neem Plus). So I was able to achieve Norman--but if I strayed by eating starch, or if my antimicrobials ran out, the D would return.

Then I was diagnosed 2 months ago w/ Ehler-Danlos Syndrome (Hypermobility Type / Type III), a dysfunction of collagen formation.
My SIBO specialist figured this out (EDS can be a root cause of SIBO).

My SIBO specialist then asked me to have a Barium small bowel series. I've had D ever since (over 2 weeks ago). I'm down to eating mostly meat & carrots). I can sense that the D originates in the small bowel, that's where the gurgly-liquidy sounds/feelings are. I'm not passing any mucous. My appetite is almost normal. I tried some antihistamines to see if they help, but they made no diff.

The barium formula was sweet, so there was either sugar or sugar alcohol--both can feed the SIBO.
But the testers also used a propellant so the test would go faster. That could have irritated my tract.
There were a number of still X-rays (6) in addition to the real-time fluoroscopy. They messed up 2 x-rays, which had to be repeated.
I was completely exhausted the next day, and wondered if I also got a fair dose of radiation.
The barium scan was normal - no strictures, no adhesions, no pockets.

My theory is that I either have a very bad gut infection flare, or an inflammation flare, or both.
Can it take a while for the inflammation to quiet down (esp if I am under a lot of stress in my life to begin with)?
Any other thoughts?

Thank you very much,

Genie

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:50 am

Hi Genie,

I'm sorry to hear that you're having persistent diarrhea after that procedure. Normally, constipation is the more likely motility problem following a barium series, and constipation was a problem for me for at least 3 or 4 days following that procedure. So I'm wondering what that "propellant" might have been, or if there was another additive to the barium solution. Do you by any chance have a copy of the report documenting the procedure?

Was the solution you swallowed chalky? Drinking a barium solution is sort of like drinking liquid chalk. And following the exam, your stool should have been very chalky-looking for a day or so. The reason I ask is because in some cases an alternative to barium is used. Or I suppose it's possible that it could even be added to barium, if desired. Do you recall the report (or anyone administering the test) mentioning any products such as gastrografin, gastrovist, gastrovision, or MD-gastroview, for example? Usually, these are not used unless a patient is known to be allergic to barium, but perhaps they had another reason.

Many patients who have had the alternative contrast media, rather than barium, have complained of persistent diarrhea long after the procedure.

The first step toward figuring out what is going on would probably be to find out if any additives were used with the barium (or instead of barium), and exactly what was in that "propellant".

You're very welcome,
Tex

JMArnold · Post by **JMArnold** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:56 pm

Hi Tex,

Yes, it was white & chalky. And I what I passed afterwards was whitish for a couple days.

I am pretty sure I got the normal formula. In advance, I had read on Celiac.com's message board, someone saying that the normal formula had gluten in it, and that you had to ask for the GF one. So I requested GF a day in advance, but when getting the test, the techs knew nothing of my request, and insisted the normal formula was GF.

So, I don't know what to think of the whole possibility of gluten.

I will look into what else might have been added. That info should also list what the sweetener was and any possible gluten ingredients.

Thanks,
Jean

JMArnold · Post by **JMArnold** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:28 pm

I called the Imaging Dept. They said it was just the standard stuff & to Google it. So I found the material data sheet online.
Now I don't think there was a propellant.

The culprits seem to be sorbitol and poligeenan. Both are SCD-illegal. Both can feed the bugs in SIBO.

Additionally, poligeenan is a degraded form of carrageenan, and Chris Kesser says poligeenan causes even more inflammation than carreegan.
http://chriskresser.com/harmful-or-harmless-carrageenan
I'm finding that carrageenan is used to induce intestinal inflammation in lab animals.

I've done some searching here & haven't found that others have had such a D reaction to the barium formula (at least in the posts I've read). But, different people react to different things.

It could be that it triggered a combination of gut infection & inflammation that have continued to reinforce each other.

Thanks,
Genie

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 5:16 pm

A significant amount of sorbitol will cause me to have D, but it usually doesn't last for longer than about half a day or so, because it's simply a matter of not being able to digest it. I'm more than a little surprised that they would use poligeenan in such a product, though. That suggests that whoever formulates the stuff is either ignorant, or doesn't give a hoot.

Sometimes when we're in a vulnerable condition (such as under a lot of stress), it doesn't take much to keep a reaction going. And of course the reaction itself can cause plenty of stress, which may be enough to perpetuate the reaction in some cases.

I hope that the reaction will fade away soon.

Tex

JMArnold · Post by **JMArnold** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:43 pm

Thank you, Tex.

Yes, pretty much my same conclusions about whomever formulated it.

And about stress.

The other component is that I am weaning off Cortef, and I am down to just 3-4 mg per day. But my adrenals are still having to adjust. So that could maybe contribute to the inflammation.

I'll get more rest, take it more easy for a while.

Jean

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 7:22 pm

Jean wrote:The other component is that I am weaning off Cortef, and I am down to just 3-4 mg per day. But my adrenals are still having to adjust. So that could maybe contribute to the inflammation.

I have a hunch that you are right on target about that. Hopefully everything will soon stabilize.

Tex

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:54 am

JM Arnold,

I had a terrible reaction to Barium sulfate two years ago. I thought I was going to die. My whole body swelled with red rash that itched terribly. I was already having D, which got worse. It took almost one month before my body calmed down, but the rashes persisted for several months.

My poo was white for three days. I called the x-ray institute, and they had never heard of this kind of reaction. The liquid tasted sweet, it was thick and chalky, and hard to swallow.

I don't know if it was the sugar or some nasty chemical stuff in the barium sulfate, but it was awful. Wild horses couldn't make me drink this liquid again.

Lilia

JMArnold · Post by **JMArnold** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:39 am

Thanks for letting me know, Lilia. Fortunately, I don't have a rash. Maybe your reaction points to an allergy, and maybe also a similar reaction as mine.

Now I just investigated another key ingredient: methylcellulose. It's a fiber, and is sold in Citrucel. Some people find it helpful. However, I just found a very interesting study which suggests that for SIBO & inflammation, it may be bad. Now, the study used carboxymethylcellulose--but both are surfactants and emulsifiers, so methylcellulose might have similar effects. At any rate, this study describes a "perfect storm" when both inflammation and bacterial overgrowth are triggered at the same time. The bacteria then become lodged deeper in the mucosa!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18844217

I'm taking certain measures & am starting to feel better.

Thanks!

Genie

Post by **tex** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:35 am

Jean,

Thank you for that link. CMC is also known as cellulose gum, and it's used as an ingredient in many types of food. Its widespread use in so many different types of food could be a major factor in the increasing incidence of IBD.

Tex

T · Post by T » Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:46 am

I had the same test in Nov.the Barium went from point A to point B within the first 15 min x ray the Radiologist came out all shook up
and asked me A lot of questions and took A ton of x rays himself.
I was leaving the hospital and couldn't make it to the front door I ran to the bathroom had explosive WD I pooped the entire amount of Barium
out of my gut I was exhausted the rest of the day.

Terry

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 1:58 am

I read that bad reactions to x-ray contrast fluids are connected to mastocytosis. The article is in Norwegian, but you should be able to find out something in English about the fact.

Lilia