My experience with Upper GI - Radiologist: no clue what a VSG is

trish4 · June 22, 2010

Today (recommendation of my surgeon) I had an upper GI (just routine - 3 months after surgery). This was pretty yucky! They had me place some dry granules in my mouth and then drink some liquid and this made the dry granules "active" causing my stomach to expand but they told me NOT to burp - then I had to start drinking the thick chaulky stuff - I almost threw up.

Anyway: I took my x-ray to show the radiologist the size of the stomach he was dealing with and he wanted to know what I had done and why. I said a "VSG" - he had NO CLUE what a VSG was - so I explained and he wanted to know why I had it done in Mexico - he said: "did you go there because it was cheaper? WHen I said "no" going to Mexico had nothing to do with the price, I went to Mexico because the surgeon there had much more experience than the surgeons here - he sort of just stared at me. WHen he was done with the testing, I asked him how things looked and he said: "well I have to get on the internet and look at what a VSG is before I can write my report.

Tiffykins · June 22, 2010

Oh that is icky. I refused to do the upper gi test when I was having gallbladder problems. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that mess. I have resorted to telling people that I've had a gastrectomy, and essentially I've lost 80% of my stomach. If they have specific questions, I answer them, but hearing that I have a little tummy usually pacifies their curiosities.

Maybe you could get a copy of the films, and send them to your surgeon?