# Barium Sucks. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 25, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126 "2004-06-25T02:10:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/21 "2004-06-25T15:01:11Z")
Actually barium _sticks_ rather than sucks. Worst case of constipation I ever had… Anyway, **Green Bean** , the upper GI itself is easy. Endoscopies aren’t so bad either. I’ve had two and I don’t remember anything - though the doc did say I kicked the hell out him on the last one. My grandmother recently had the new kind of scope where you swallow a capsule that send images to the box strapped around your waist. She said it was painless but boring. She had to sit around the wating room for eight hours until the capsule finished its business. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/22 "2004-06-25T15:11:11Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > When I shat out my barium meal, it looked and sounded like stones hitting the bottom of the toilet bowl. They were snow white. After a while, it turned to white-colored turds, then tan turds, then finally the normal turd-colored turds. Took about three days. I don’t know what to say, I’m still laughing 5 minutes later. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/23 "2004-06-25T15:12:16Z")
Barium sucks? no, Barium swallows. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/24 "2004-06-25T23:02:51Z")
I give my props to Barium. It helps find out what’s wrong with people and it helps keep the Chameleon family well fed. And I have not doubt in 5-10 years it’ll be a lot easier to deal with ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/25 "2004-06-26T01:44:42Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > I give my props to Barium. It helps find out what’s wrong with people and it helps keep the Chameleon family well fed. And I have not doubt in 5-10 years it’ll be a lot easier to deal with Well, thanks for raining on my rant, you barium-pushing freak! 😛 The CAT scan was a piece o’cake. They put an IV in me with some stuff called “contrast.” They said I might feel a “warm” feeling, which I did, but only in my ears and labia! What a strange feeling. The barium has not yet begun to make its exit, so to speak. And with regard to the barium enemas: I didn’t know you had to hold it in!! :eek: Zoinks. I’ll concede that’s probably worse than drinking it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/26 "2004-06-26T01:51:25Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > When I shat out my barium meal, it looked and sounded like stones hitting the bottom of the toilet bowl. They were snow white. After a while, it turned to white-colored turds, then tan turds, then finally the normal turd-colored turds. Took about three days. Not a good idea for a siggy. I repeat. NOT a good idea for a siggy. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/27 "2004-06-26T07:30:11Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > Well, thanks for raining on my rant, you barium-pushing freak! 😛 > > The CAT scan was a piece o’cake. They put an IV in me with some stuff called “contrast.” They said I might feel a “warm” feeling, which I did, but only in my ears and labia! What a strange feeling. > > The barium has not yet begun to make its exit, so to speak. > > And with regard to the barium enemas: I didn’t know you had to hold it in!! :eek: Zoinks. I’ll concede that’s probably worse than drinking it. When the doctor wanted to have a good looksee around in my innards, I was given barium to drink AND a barium enema. The techs kept the enema nozzle inside me while I was on the table, getting pictures taken. Not fun, not fun. My body quickly recognized that barium is a POISON and tried to expel it however possible. I hope to never have a barium test again. From either end. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2004, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126/28 "2004-06-26T10:31:59Z")
Well, barium sounds like a pretty nasty thing to have to ingest, however, it makes a killer glaze ingredient. Also, they put it in my favorite clay (Aardvark’s red earthenware) to prevent a white scum forming on the clay, (this scum prevents the glaze from adhering to the pot). So, in my book, barium is pretty awesome. But that’s because I have never swallowed it! 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barium-sucks/252126.md?page=1)