Questions about Lab tests...

[mle_ii]

I saw a GI Dr today and I'm curious about some lab tests I'm getting done.

One is for Lactose Intollerance and it's a blood test. What does this entail and how does it work in comparison to the breath test?

How do they test for Bacterial Overgrowth?

Has anyone done an upper GI x-ray where you drink barium? What was this like?

Finally I'm getting a Dexa scan as well, what's this like?

I have a bunch of other tests, though I know about them.

Oh and it still seems like the GI Drs don't know much. :( Still seem to grasp at straws. Talked about high fiber, pepto bismol and endocort (sp). The usual. Didn't seem very impressed with the stool testing other than the gene test, nor did they seem to care much about the IgG test. Talk about heads in the sand. :(

Mike

[tex]

Man, you're gettin' a buncha tests. The LI test you refer to involves fasting, and then ingesting lactose, with a preliminary blood test, followed by additional blood samples at timed intervals, to look for increased glucose levels, (which indicate that the lactose is being broken down).

I've had a barium lower, but not an upper. It wasn't much fun, but probably wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been sick and nauseated the day of the test.

I've never been tested for bacterial overgrowth, and I've never had a Dexa scan.

It sounds as though your GI doc is still living in the stone age, as far as MC is concerned.

Tex

[mle_ii]

Man, you're gettin' a buncha tests. The LI test you refer to involves fasting, and then ingesting lactose, with a preliminary blood test, followed by additional blood samples at timed intervals, to look for increased glucose levels, (which indicate that the lactose is being broken down).

I've had a barium lower, but not an upper. It wasn't much fun, but probably wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been sick and nauseated the day of the test.

I've never been tested for bacterial overgrowth, and I've never had a Dexa scan.

It sounds as though your GI doc is still living in the stone age, as far as MC is concerned.

Tex

LOL Yep, going gangbusters here as I want to make sure there's nothing else going on. My wife thinks that there is and that I'm not getting better. I don't think either, but then she won't believe me. :(

For the LI, did you feel sick afterwards? Or did it even come back positive. Just worked that I'm going to get ill. :(

I heard that the barium might give me D. :( As if I need any help there. LOL

Yeah, stone ages, and this a Dr who seems pretty young. I might just have to go to the University of Washington Hospital. Doesn't any Dr do any research to keep up on their practice. I swear I still know more than they do, I bet I do now. At least he agreed to the testing I brought up so that it's covered by insurance.

Mike

[barbaranoela]

Hi Mike---

I did a 3 hour lactose test---drank lactose---waited an hour and had blood drawn--repeated the same for the following 2 hours----
During the process---I sat and read--
I had NO dashes to the throne --so the nurse said, *U arent running then U dont have a lactose problem* THEN---the next morning I was stuck to the bowl----as usual my inners took the *local* cus there after anything I DID ingest I ran---so it was whey, casein, lactose free---etc ---
My first Xperience @ a health store looking for stuff---


Dont know about bacteria overgrowth???WAIT---I do---stools tested (3 different passings on 3 different dayz) NO bacteria!!! Forgot about that--

Also had an UPPER BARIUM---I fasted---I drank a nice VANILLA flavored big glass full barium--while lying semi-reclined on a large table--and an X=ray machine was set up so as the GI and yourself can watch how fast the barium travels---that was interesting to see---
Then I went a sat outside for an hour--came back in and had another glass full--and watched the travels---it sorta stopped almost toward the end so I(and this is true) had to go outside and jump up and down to make it run all the way---which it didnt----
And it was satisfactory!!!!

BUT----drinking the BARIUM will PLUG U up---cus GI said *make sure when U go home U take 2 tablespoonfuls of MOM* and I said *are U crazy I dont need MOM--Im running enuf*He looked @ me and said drinking Barium will bind U up---do as I say*
Well he IS right---I took the M.O.M---but a WEEK later I passed a hard ball of barium which I thought was gonn rip my bottom out!!!
So I brought it in to him and I said ,*so how come this happened*?
NO answer----but as I tell everyone here--my things with me work like *wrong way corrigan*

Dexa scan is a bone scan for osteo. its a nothing thing---U lie on a table---wedge under ya knees(I believe and the machine scans your hips and spinal area----no prep. for that one---

So good luck with them all----and do keep the M.O.M. in mine--even ask the GI about the Barium being a BINDING THING.

Thankfully I never had a LOWER Barium!!!!!

luve Barbara

[mle_ii]

Found this info on the Upper Barium:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/1368/sbft.html

Here's the bit of interest at the end:

After you leave the facility at which you have had your study, it is highly recommended that you drink plenty of water that day and the next. This will help the barium pass smoothly through your body. Your stools for the next day or so may be a whitish gray in color however. This is nothing to worry about, and once the barium has been completely passed, your stools will return to their normal coloring and consistency.

[barbaranoela]

Mike----thats right also-----drinking plenty of water----but do me a favor and ask your GI about the M.O.M. issue---I am curious!!!
The only difference in me--was that my stools didnt change color--?

Maybe things have changed since I had this done--years back~~~~

Barbara

[tex]

Mike,

Barbara's right. I had baaaaaaaad D when I was scheduled to have the barium scan done, and the barium stopped it for several days. In fact, after several days, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get rid of all of it. It turned the D into C the next day. I don't remember the doc advising me to take milk of magnesia, (though he might have, and it just didn't register, because I was sick as a dog at the time), but he definitely told me to drink plenty of water, aferwards.

I never had a lactose intolerance test. I just happened to know how it's done, because I was considering taking the test at one time. I decided it was a moot point, though, because dairy products always made me sick, anyway.

Tex

[Lucy]

Hi Mike,

The only way I can think of in which you might have a little bit of runniness or diarrhea after the barium would be if you are so clogged up with it that the liquid runs around it on it's way out. Anything solid wouldn't be able to get around the clogged up spot.
This is sometimes seen with other causes of compaction.

You've gotten some excellent instruction, so listen to Barb and Tex, ok.

Hopefully, your bones will be fine, but if not, that should generate even more tests, but we'll get to that later. Have a feeling that you won't have any problems cause you're a guy, but let us know about all of them, ok.

Yours, Luce

[artteacher]

HEY,
About the barium thing. Drink the stuff, and then look at magazines with food ads in them: anything to get your stomach to open up and let it pass into the intestine. You don't want barium to solidfy in your stomach.

Secondly: just wait until you start pooping barium. It's like passing golf balls of granite. They will hit the porcelain and clink. It's hilarious. Almost worth taking the test.

Love, Marsja

[barbaranoela]

*lol* @ Marsha------dont I know the feeling of struggleing to pass the GOLF SIZE piece of Barium---
I was going to save it(in a jar) but Lou thought NOT!!!!
luve Barbara

[cludwig]

Hi Mike,
I had a bacterial overgrowth test but was through a naturopath and only had to give a stool test for it. I had an upper GI x-ray...but that was 15 years ago....way before MC....I remember it as being painless. Good luck in trying to find answers.

I have a question about your blood food allergy test. You indicated that it showed an allergy to gluten...I wondered if you purposely consumed some for the test. Do you think the test gave you valuable info about your diet? Did foods that you're intolerent of actually show an allergic reaction? Just thinking about doing this test myself and wondered if you though it was valuable.

Love,
Cristi

[mle_ii]

Hi Mike,
I had a bacterial overgrowth test but was through a naturopath and only had to give a stool test for it. I had an upper GI x-ray...but that was 15 years ago....way before MC....I remember it as being painless. Good luck in trying to find answers.

I have a question about your blood food allergy test. You indicated that it showed an allergy to gluten...I wondered if you purposely consumed some for the test. Do you think the test gave you valuable info about your diet? Did foods that you're intolerent of actually show an allergic reaction? Just thinking about doing this test myself and wondered if you though it was valuable.

Love,
Cristi

Hi Cristi,

Thanks for the info, the passing golf balls has me concerned though. LOL

As for the test I did not consume any gluten for it. As far as the value, it's hard to say. It didn't add anything to the list of foods to watch other than perhaps almond and whey, but it did remove some foods that I might have to try again for when I'm better (oats, and eggs for example). So it does have some value there. As far as not showing intolerances it didn't (and won't) show sugar (fructose/lactose) malabsorption. It also won't show any reactions to the other known things like say sulfites, histamines, or other chemicals.

The links I provided in my results tell you what they test for, there was quite a few things that I didn't react to, which is good. :)

HTH,
Mike

[mle_ii]

Well, had the Dexa that was a piece of cake, gluten free of course! :)

The upper GI + barium. Well, wasn't too bad. The stuff moved through me pretty quick so I wasn't there too long. And well... I haven't got constipation (at least not yet), but I got D. Man that stuff went through me in record time, about 3 hours or less. Drinking lots of water as mentioned here and by them.

Seems the DEXA has me at normal, at least preliminary results. And the upper GI was fine as well, at least on first site according to the dr who ran the test. About the only thing he saw was some reflux when he had me do some odd things. I only rarely notice reflux.

It was pretty darn cool to see, hear and feel the fluid going through me all at the same time. Amazing, I want one. ;)

Thanks,
Mike