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CT scans are one of the best tools for your doctor to pinpoint what is wrong with your insides in a plethora of situations. CT scans, also known as computerized tomography or CAT scans, are quite routine today, but that doesn't mean they are pleasant. The biggest drawback when undergoing
a CT scan is that you have to drink an oral contrasting agent, which allows the resulting picture to be more detailed. I have recently undergone a pair of CT scans, and in this article I will explain what that entailed, with help from the Mayo Clinic website.
I had unknowingly developed a severe case of diverticulitis, which was diagnosed using the first CT scan. I had stomach cramps and pain, with the added symptom of alternating constipation and diarrhea. When I went to my doctor, she ordered a CT scan for later in the day to try to determine what was wrong. I arrived at the hospital X-ray department and was given two small plastic 12 ounce bottles of a drink called Readi-Cat, a diluted barium based mixture. I had to drink one 4 hours before my CT scan, and ingest the other 40 minutes prior to the test.
Although Readi-Cat comes in different flavors, I am here to tell you that every one of them is awful. There is no good way to drink this liquid, which can best be described as chalk-like in nature. Some people say to hold your nose and gulp it down, but that didn't work for me. The instructions say to drink it all at once; that is what I did. I downed it as fast as I could, trying not to think about what I was doing. The worst part was after drinking the first one, I knew I had to drink another in about 3 and ½ hours! However, I managed to do it, despite the horrible taste. Also, I was told not to eat or drink anything else except the Readi-Cat for 4 hours before the CT scan. |
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