Hernia Update: CT Scan and Oral Contrast Concerns

I am getting a CT scan with oral contrast. Then I am to make a follow-up appointment with the surgeon. She said usually with these they just monitor them so long as I don't have pain or pouching issues. What is oral contrast like? I haven't ever had that before. Does it taste nasty? Is there a lot of it to take? How long before the CT do you have to take the oral contrast? I am a little afraid to get the CT because of what it might show. I know, suck it up, buttercup. I am just so tired of hernias. I already have 3 for sure. And she can't wait to slice into me and put mesh in there and sew up the holes and cause me all sorts of pain. Now this? A 4th hernia. And I can't have a reversal to fix it. My ostomy is permanent. So... monitor it. Is that really all she is going to do to me this time? I hate this more than any of you can know. I am so tired of it all. Sometimes I wonder if life is worth it.

As soon as I think I have it bad and want to die over my near flush stoma, somebody has a worse problem.

But you know what?

You just got to keep going. 😊

By the way the oral contrast is a couple of (radioactive?) flavored - apx. 20 oz bottle sized shakes you drink a few hours or so before being imaged. I only recall drinking it for a PET scan, not a CRT scan.

Does it taste nasty? I had the flavored kind, banana I think it was, sort of thick like a shake and not exactly sweet, but not exactly nasty. I didn't puke it up. 

I do recall I had to fast a certain amount of hours beforehand as well. 

I do recall having to keep my arms above my head for a considerably longer time with the PET scan than the CRT scan. That was the rough part as I have two dislocated shoulders and one was in pain.

Any CTS that I've had, you take the oral about an hour before. As far as taste, the ones I've had taste pretty good. I even went up to the window after finishing it and, kidding around, asked if I could have another one.

Well now she has changed it to without contrast. I wish she would make up her mind. I have the scan on Dec. 6 and see her on Dec. 16, weather permitting. If there is a lot of snow and ice, I am not going. But now I have an appointment with a doctor on Wednesday, a breast exam on Thursday to re-check and make sure I don't have cancer, a CT on Friday, plus therapy on Thursday. I am under a lot of stress. Sure, I think others are under more stress and have more going on. I am sure they do. I just feel stressed out.

Now it's without contrast. I wish she'd make up her mind.

How to Manage Emotions with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

I've drunk so much contrast I feel like an expert. After my first cancer surgery, 20 or so years ago, I had follow up CT 2x a year for 9 years. Then more contrast scans, both PET and CT with this most recent diagnosis. Though it is no longer routine to drink with CTs, I drank it when they were looking for the fistula. 

It's very chalky and I have always found it difficult to drink. I was very nauseous the last few times so maybe that played a role. I generally took a big gulp every few minutes until it was gone. Much in the same way I get colonoscopy prep down. 

The CT itself is no big deal. It goes pretty quickly. If they are also giving you IV contrast, it will make you feel like you've peed yourself. The sensation is so strong that you will have trouble believing you are still dry. Outside of the anxiety from thinking you had an accident, the sensation itself is rather pleasant. 

Oops, I didn't read down far enough. Lol

Your stress is your stress. I try not to fall into the trap of thinking mine is better or worse than someone else's. 

I've had that experience with the IV contrast it drove me crazy! I was like what the...

I know I try not to compare my troubles with others but it was pointed out to me above that someone always has it worse. So it put me into that mind frame. I guess I just am easily influenced. 

You got this! You are Victorious Warrior!

I don't feel like a victorious warrior today. I feel somewhat defeated. Between all my appointments the rest of the week, I am going to be very busy and not too happy. Being poked and prodded around. Squished and squeezed. Told to pee in a cup. And where to put my arms and how to do this or that. I just don't feel victorious. But thanks for the encouraging words.

Hey there, did she say why she wants it without now? Are you allergic to the IV contrast? And with a hernia, yup, it is. Just keep an eye on it and your stoma. If it starts affecting how your stoma's output is, then they will, but other than that, their motto is if the stoma works fine, don't touch it. If it makes you feel any better, I have a hernia as well, but it's not your normal hernia. It's pretty much my entire abdomen the way it sits, and it's like that because of my Ehlers-Danlos.

You are welcome...

What is Ehlers-Danlos? I have three hernias already, right down the initial incision where they took out my large intestines. So, I already have three and now I'm going for my fourth. I'm a mess. It's not the kind of record I want to set. But I think I have had a parastomal hernia for a long time now. Because when they found the initial three, that wasn't where the pain when I bent over was coming from; it was always right above my stoma. So, I think I have had it for a while. So long as it doesn't affect my output or my pouching, I say let it be, and I think she was saying that too. I don't know why she decided to do it without contrast. I think that is weird, but I guess she wanted to go with the least invasive thing. I am not sure. I guess if she wants contrast, she can order another one. Nope, not allergic to the contrast that I know of. I've had it before in the IV, never orally though.

G-Day Infinity, Just do it.

It's a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue, which affects everything in your body. There are different types; I just got the one that affects everything. I can get into detail, but it is long and complex. And that's the doctor's rule of thumb they go by: if the stoma is being affected and if the hernia isn't causing problems, they don't like to touch it until they have to. If you can do IV contrast, you should; that's going to give your doctor the best picture. Without contrast, it isn't going to show what it should. I say this from personal experience; I am deathly allergic to the IV contrast, so I can't have it. But it would have made my life a lot easier if I could. And they would have been able to find out this mystery bump I have. The best advice is just to have your tests done and then go from there. I read your other post about the mammogram. I have been in that spot, and I have to go every six months to have a mammogram and an ultrasound because they wanted to keep an eye on some lumps. Breast cancer runs in my family. Try not to get overwhelmed and take one thing at a time. It's better to know than not to know.

That sounds terrible. I am sorry you have that condition. Is it very hard to manage? I am hoping they don't have to touch my hernia, which I am almost 100 percent sure is what I have, and it's my 4th one. I have three incisional ones and now this. I tried to tell my therapist today, and she blew me off. She was like, "You are worrying about something you have no control over. Why don't you stop doing that and just let things happen?" I was like, "Wouldn't you worry too?" And she was like, "All human people worry." And I was like, "So... validate me already." And she said I was catastrophizing, and I said, "No, I'm being realistic." And we went round and round until she said, "Okay, now we are going to talk about what I want to talk about." So that was of no help. So much for therapy. I can't imagine being deathly allergic to the IV contrast. I don't even want to know how you found that out. But does it cause you a lot of problems with getting imaging done, or do you use the oral contrast? What kind of mystery bump do you have? Did they ever figure out what it was? I don't want to have another mammogram; they are not comfortable, and the ultrasound isn't either. They didn't find any lumps last time, just a "shadow" that they want to follow up on. I don't know what illnesses run in my family; I was adopted. And my birth family are all jerks and didn't provide any info on health conditions. So I always have to answer that question on doctor surveys, "I don't know." I'm sorry it runs in your family. That must be really hard. I am trying to take one thing at a time, but it is hard. I have the CT tomorrow, and I hope it goes well enough, without incident, even though I know what it is going to show. I just hope I can get there, get it done, and be over with it till I see the surgeon on the 16th. I will know the results before then through MyChart because they always put them in there. It's part of my OSF Health Care website. So I will know before I see the surgeon, but she will have a more detailed reading of it, with the pictures.

Hey I am going to message you to finish this conversation 

Please keep us updated.  Let us know what your scan results are.  My thoughts are with you. 

Sounds like you might need to look for a different therapist.  The way she talked to you is something that might always be in the back of your mind.  Maybe starting fresh with a different therapist would be helpful.  Good luck.