Barium Enema: How To Prepare

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How To Prepare

Before a barium enema, tell your health professional if you:

• Are or might be pregnant.
• Are allergic to latex. Latex products are commonly used to administer the contrast material. If you have a latex allergy, different products will be used.
• Know that you are allergic to barium.
• Have had an upper digestive barium test (upper GI or barium swallow) recently.

The preparation for a barium enema usually involves a very thorough cleansing of the large intestine, because the colon must be completely clear of stool and gas. Even a small amount of stool can affect the accuracy of the test.

• For 1 to 3 days before the test, you will usually be on a clear liquid diet.
• On the day before the test:
  • You should drink very large amounts of noncarbonated clear liquids, unless your health professional has advised you not to.
  • You will then take a combination of laxatives (such as castor oil, magnesium citrate, or bisacodyl) to empty your intestines.
  • You may be asked to take a tap water enema to clean any remaining stool from your colon.
• On the day of the test, you may need to repeat the enema until the liquid that passes is free of any stool particles. Sometimes a rectal suppository or a commercially prepared enema, such as a Fleet enema, is used instead of a tap water enema.

Talk to your health professional about any concerns you have regarding the need for this test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will indicate. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form (What is a PDF document?).

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Last updated:	May 02, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer