Question about Gall Bladder pain and HIDA scan

I am five months out, and have started to have minor pain/discomfort on my lower right side below my ribcage -- hmm, sound familiar?  I saw my surgeon today, and he said if the pain got worse or didn't go away to get a HIDA, the diagnostic test for gallbladder problems. 

Am I being an alarmist by wanted to get the test now, or should I wait longer to see if the pain increases?  Since I had no pain post op (really, just discomfort) and was hospitalized a couple of years ago with septicemia because a UTI had turned into a bladder infection which had turned into a kidney infection, which had gone septic -- all with no pain.  The docs then said I should have been in extreme pain.  So now, I'm not trusting my body's pain responses!  
 

Everything I read and hear from others tells me that a gallbladder attack is hugely painful, and that if I'm having one, I'll know.  On the other hand, I don't want to ignore potential symptoms and suddenly need emergency surgery.

I'm thinking that since this discomfort started about two weeks ago and show no signs of going away (but no real signs of getting worse), that I should go ahead and get the HIDA now -- then at least I'll know.  My surgeon gave me the referral for the HIDA today, so I wouldn't need to call for it, and wants to see me again in three weeks. 

Basically, if I was better in three weeks, I could just cancel the appointment, or if the pain got worse, have the HIDA and keep the appointment.

Since I'm sitting here feeling the discomfort now, I'm leaning toward just calling tomorrow to schedule the HIDA. 

Can any of you advise me on the beginning and progression of gallbladder trouble?  Does it build gradually (so I should get the move on this and keep ahead of it) or does it just hit like a bolt of lightning (and I should just wait to see?).

Obsessing and over-analyzing are two of my special talents!  Any help or insights are greatly appreciated!

Your story rang a bell with me. I have similar issues with pain tolerance.

My first gallbladder attacks were so mild I thought they were gas. And because I did not react the way most people do to gallbladder pain I went undiagnosed with chronic gallbladder disease for 9 years. I was diagnosed with what the docs thought was acute gastritis, party because I was fat and secondly because my pain was deflected to the left side (which can be common in men). Nope it was gallbladder disease. Fast forward nine years, I went in one night to emergency because I was having discomfort,but this time near my chest and I thought, "Better safe than sorry!". Once they ruled out heart attack and gastritis they gave me an ultra sound and referred me for an immediate full scale ultra sound at 8:00 am. The ER docs were amazed that I had not had regular excruciating pain from the condition my gallbladder was in. They wanted to schedule my gallbladder surgery for that day. I talked them out of it because the next day I had an important field trip with my class and it was the last week of school. I had it done the next week and was sorry I waited.

Moral of my story: go get it checked!

I had a gall stone the size of a golf ball and never did have horrid pain just lots of discomfort. If I were you I'd go ahead and get it checked out, I've also read that the HIDA scan doesn't always show anything even when there is a problem. I had an ultra sound and she showed me the stone, it was very easily seen so if the HIDA doesn't show anything you might ask for a ultra sound. No sense being miserable get on it.

Like you I had a stone the size of a golfball and had minor to no pain for years. 

my gall bladder was remove back in 1996, now this past Dic i was in the hospital with the pain, to make it short  i had a  stone blocking my bilar liquid and the liquid was going to my liver, i almost had hepatitis, well the put an stensor or something like that in  the duct so any other stone go pass with out blocking, now, they said that after the surgery because we are loosing  weigth fast we create stone , so be in the lookout of that,  do a search for that gall bladder stone  and you will see what is all about,

I went through a year of what I thought were indigestion attacks. At first, pretty mild, but got increasingly severe over time. Gallbladder problems present themselves in all sorts of ways. And, no, you don't want to wait until the attacks are severe. It's painful. Very, very painful. 

I too am 5 months out, and have been uncomfortable with gallbladder issues for months already. Long story short....I had mine removed a week ago today. Although I would be in a lot of pain a times, I could "handle" it at other times. An ultra sound showed sludge, but removal showed that I had stones, sludge and a blockage so I'm glad I didn't try to tough it out any longer.  Just because we can tolerate the pain doesn't mean we should. I look forward to getting this recovery behind me and finally feeling good. I wish you luck, all this medical stuff is so frustrating.