Quote Originally Posted by velogirl View Post
I had a test pre-surgery that was just terrible (it wasn't the HIDA scan). You have to swallow a fiberoptic video camera, and you need to be awake to do it. They give you a drug (sodium pentathol?) so you don't remember the procedure, but I do have vague memories of screaming. Glad you won't have that test. Maybe they don't do it anymore.
Sounds like an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy). It wouldn't be routine for working up the gallbladder, but if it took them three years to diagnose you then they were ruling out a bunch of other GI diseases, such as acid reflux causing erosions of the esophagus or pre-cancerous changes, cancer, peptic ulcer disease, etc. etc. etc. If they went as far as the duodenum, they could see the common bile duct where it empties into your small intestine, too.

They do still do it, but like I say, it's not routine for gall bladder disease. And it's no fun, but I don't remember anyone screaming (I assisted with some when I was a surgical intern).

Rebeccah