I am typing this from the waiting room of one of the hospital’s outpatient centers, where I was sent for a CT scan and a HIDA scan. I got here a few minutes late, thanks to a car accident that everyone was rubbernecking at, and then I waited fifteen minutes or so until they called my name. “Great!”, I thought, “Now I can get this over with and go on with my day.”
No such luck.
The tech that called my name handed me a large styrofoam cup filled with lemony-flavored contrast dye, as well as a small pitcher that must have a good 20 oz. of the stuff in it. Stomach capacity for this stuff? I do not has. Taste for it? Barely. It’s tolerable, but I’m not going to lie — every little bit it threatens to trip my gag reflex.
Oh well. I suppose there’s worse procedures to have to prep for, so I guess drinking as much of this stuff as I can in a one hour period isn’t too bad. (Although a thought just occurred to me — is this stuff low in sugar? I better ask before I drink any more… with the sheer quantity of liquid I’m expected to drink, subsequent dumping off of its sugar contents would be very bad indeed!)
Edit: I just asked. It’s sugar-free. Whew!
what the hell is a hida scan?
@Ranee: I have no idea. I’ll let you know once I’ve had it, lol.
I was wondering what a HIDA scan is myself. Sorry about the contrast dye – but trust me, you’d rather have to drink it. When they inject it, it’s usually a radioactive dye and frankly – you have to drink and pee as much as possible to flush the excess from your system. Not fun.
(Good grief, is it just me or do I resemble a walking medical dictionary sometimes?)
Good luck with the tests!
Ranee & Charity: The HIDA scan is a scan that looks to see how well a gallbladder works. It typically is done when a person has no signs of gallstones, but there is evidence of a malfunction with the gallbladder.
Jenn: Why couldn’t they use the injection? It seems like it would’ve been a better way to get the contrast dye in. I’ve never heard of swallowing contrast stuff, except when you do barium swallows.
what was the scan for? OMG ARE YOU DYING!? NUUUUUUU
Kidding… but seriously what was it for?
According to Mayo Clinic: “HIDA scan is an imaging procedure that helps your doctor track the production and flow of bile from your liver to your small intestine.”
I had my Gallbladder out when I was 17, girl I feel you. That stuff is no fun. Hang in there!