Barium swallow

[Cazza83]

I had a barium swallow test today, if anyone is due to have one, here is my experience 😁

My appointment was at 14:20 and my letter stated not to eat or drink anything after 8am. This of course made me want to eat at work so bad today ha ha!

When I was called in I was asked to remove clothing other than pants and pop a gown on, and sign and fill in afew details due to nature of test. You also need to have had your period within the last 10 days so that they know that you aren't pregnant. I then went into the xray room and was greeted by a radiologist and two nurses. They were all so lovely and put me at ease.

I was asked to stand on a step in front of the xray screen and given a white chalk like liquid (that actually tasted okay and was quite heavy to hold). She said she would be asking me to hold the liquid in my mouth then tell me when to swallow so that they could get good images. This was done afew times and in different positions. I was also rotated so that I was laying down to produce images of the stomach to check acid reflux. After she finished, the radiologist told me that the enlarged thyroid is definitely affecting my swallowing and that I also have acid reflux but would write up a full report.

Beforehand she did ask as to why I was having it done and I said about the retrosternal extension, she asked if I was having it removed and I told her the consultant didnt seem concerned about it at the moment and the camera in throat didnt show issues.

I'm just wondering, as it is effecting my swallowing if i should have it removed? I can feel it whenever I swallow but the consultant didnt seem concerned at my initial appointment so I'm abit confused now.....any experiences from others are greatly appreciated

Hope this also helps if anyone is due to have one of these tests!

[silverfox7]

I think it's best to see your doctor again once he's read the report. He may now feel differently about what to do next but I think you need to see him as ask what the report suggests and what his view are now and you also need to tell him what you are thinking and any other worries/concerns you may have so at the moment you have two choices that may be presented, leave as is or operate. Map be prepared and think beforehand what you would want to do for both options and also tabulate some questions for each result as well so you are partway to knowing what you think you would want to do so at least you can participate and question.

[Cazza83 in reply to silverfox7]

Yeah definitely, I had a biopsy last week as well as the goitre is indeterminate so I think now I should have an appointment in the next couple of weeks once those results come back as well. The consultant wasnt concerned at all by the goitre but yeah they might feel differently now especially if the biopsy comes back inconclusive. At the moment I feel as though I would rather the left side come out as it's pretty big behind my breast bone, I just dont really understand how the consultant could look at it with the camera and say it isnt obstructing but the barium shows its impacting my swallow. Strange!

[silverfox7 in reply to Cazza83]

I think they all want to be boss in their own little world! I'd rather they got together and thrashed it out! A few years ago now I was admitted with a PE and whist I was in I picked up the Norovirus and it's in my notes I contracted it there and eventually I found out that the clot was down to the new hip so got a private room as was contagious, on crutches and not fun negotiating the bathroom quickly because of that but after a week I could go home and report back daily to have my warfarin dose checked but about 3 months later I had a check up, in the mean time thing I'd had every relevant task they could do! But a got a strange reception when I arrived! All the nurses in awe and I had a double consultant appointment, think it was respiratory and heart as the clot moved through my heart, worst pain ever but thankfully it did or it would have stopped it. Bit like Pinky and Perky if you are old enough to remember them but it was a double act as they seemed to take it in turn to talk then I noticed something moving in the screen so asked if that was me! So one was like a kid with a new toy! Have to say it was fascinating though till I saw the clot- looked so big and lots of little ones had broken off into both lungs-no wonder it hurt to move! But at least the two of them were on the same side and was told to stop the Warfarin and was discharged.

So hope things go well for you whatever they decide. Keep asking questions!

[Cazza83 in reply to silverfox7]

Sounds like you have been through it! Hope you are all sorted now?

Thanks, I will do! I might get a different consultant that has a different opinion lol!

[Greekchick in reply to Cazza83]

I agree with silverfox7 - wait to see the doctor and the actual report - what they tell you is not always the same. I had 2 scans for my goiter before my TT - I was having trouble breathing, swallowing and talking. I hate to be categorical, but I am not too confident about radiologists. Two of them told me - no way is your goiter affecting your windpipe! Well it was.

After my TT , the surgeon told me that the goiter was actually crushing the vocal cords and windpipe. So .... there really is nothing else to say after that, sadly. I will need a follow up ultrasound in a few months post TT - and my thyroid surgeon has agreed to do it himself because he also does the guided FNAs himself. I will feel more confident about the results if he does it.

[Cazza83 in reply to Greekchick]

That's shocking isn't it that you put your faith in these people and they can seem so confident in their diagnosis and then get it wrong. I dont blame you, it shouldnt have to be like that but unfortunately you're not always going to get the same level of expertise or care from everyone! Hope you are getting on okay

Thanks, I'll bear it in mind when I go for my follow up, I might see if I can see someone else as the consultant that I saw didnt specialise in the thyroid either

[Greekchick in reply to Cazza83]

Hi Cazza,

Thankfully, prior to surgery my thyroid surgeon said he didn't need the scan to see the position of the goiter because he could feel where it was (God bless him). When it was removed, it was the size of a grapefruit on one side and an orange on the left and it was fixed onto the front of the windpipe and of course, the vocal cords. I consider myself a very lucky lady that I had such a talented surgeon who specializes in thyroid and who left me with vocal cords and parathyroids intact. One thing I learned from this experience - thyroid is so specialized, and those who do not understand it can really mess you up. My endo is also a thyroid guy - but of course, he is not the one who goes in and does the surgery. They rely on the scans and radiologists to tell them what is going on. I wish you all the best and keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks for your good wishes - I am doing much better and once my meds are better adjusted, I will hopefully be off and running! I hope for that for you too.

[Cazza83 in reply to Greekchick]

Wow that's alot to go through! Very lucky to have such an experienced surgeon! Glad to hear you are on the mend and I hope that your meds are spot on for you soon!

Yes Ill definitely keep updating with any progress, I'm going to give the hospital a call tomorrow and check if any results are in. I'm not sure how much control I have really over who I see as I'm on the nhs, im pretty sure the consultant I've seen already isnt a thyroid specialist as the hospital I was referred to does general ent and not thyroid so I think I'll request a different hospital! Hopefully if I do need any surgery I can get some info on their expertise!

Thanks so much for all your advice, its much appreciated 👍👍

[Greekchick in reply to Cazza83]

Just an aside - you can have an ENT surgeon who does a lot of thyroid operations - my guy is an ENT who specializes in thyroid. But a high volume ENT surgeon doing lots of thyroids would probably be OK too - but definitely check out other hospital to see if you can do better. Good wishes today!

[Greekchick in reply to Cazza83]

By the way, Cazza - if you ever need surgery, choose one who specializes in thyroid and does at least 5 surgeries per week - and ask them their "error rate" - my surgeon had an audited error rate of 0.3% on 3,000 thyroid surgeries. It doesn't mean that there can't be complications - but your chances are much better of coming through without significant damage to vocal cords or parathyroids. The research suggests that high volume thyroid surgeons have significantly better results because of the techniques they have developed to protect patients from serious damage. Hope this is helpful.

[Cazza83]

Hi all!

Just an update, I received my results over the phone as I'm having to have fna again so I'm not seeing consultant till after that..

Barium swallow shows there is deviation of esophagus to the right where goiter is, so at the min I'm not sure what will be next, whether it can be left or not!