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How long can a foreign object stay in your stomach?

It can take from four to six days for an object that was swallowed to pass through the gastrointestinal system. However, your healthcare provider might wait 3-4 weeks to see if an object will pass from the stomach before removing it. You’ll be asked to check your stools to look for the object, and x-rays may be repeated to see if the object has moved. 

Exceptions that would require an object to be removed sooner include:

  • Large objects. Larger than one inch in diameter
  • Sharp objects that could cause a perforation
  • Batteries that have been swallowed for more than 48 hours
  • Magnets that can be reached with an endoscope
  • Signs of intestinal obstruction
  • Symptoms of drug overdose - swallowing something containing drugs

What does a foreign object in your stomach mean?

Can an ultrasound detect a foreign object in your abdomen?

How is a foreign object removed from the abdomen?

Can you poop out a foreign object in your abdomen?

Can something get stuck in your intestines?

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

The site is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice and does not serve as a recommendation for a particular provider or type of medical or healthcare.