I can’t count how many surgeries I’ve had by now but I surely know that I’ve had more than my fair share. To put it this way, if surgeries were smoothies and I had a discount punch card, then I’d be due for several free smoothies by now and maybe even a bonus dessert or two. Surgery is always the last choice for me but when I’m in debilitating amounts of pain, I tell the surgeon to get their scalpel ready.

First of all, let me just share that I have a HIGH pain tolerance. This means that I don’t generally even take a Tylenol because, by the time I recognize pain, it’s far too high to be dealt with using over-the-counter medications. This doesn’t mean I reach for an opioid either. This simply means, I just deal with it or as I call it, the “suck it up princess” method, which is not necessarily a healthy way to deal with it. In fact, ignoring pain can lead to much bigger problems down the line.

Pain is our body’s way of saying, “Hey you. Yeah, you with the pigtails that are far out of date and shorts that ride just a little too high. Something is wrong here. You might want to tend to it or check it out pretty soon.” After I go and change my short shorts so I can be a little more representable in public, I realize that I may have a problem that needs to get examined. If you live with chronic illnesses like me, especially ones that cause pretty persistent pain like fibromyalgia, then this ISN’T always a red flag! That’s the problem!

With chronic pain sufferers, dealing with aches and pains becomes a daily part of our lives. It’s hard to differentiate when we need additional treatment or if the pain we are experiencing needs further evaluation. For fibromyalgia, a flare-up can affect the entire body for an extended period. For endometriosis, our abdomen can swell, and pain can emanate from either side with almost unbearable dull aching discomfort.

If I ever woke up without pain in my body, I’d honestly think I had died in my sleep, unfortunately, so I know the pain journey all too well. Sadly many painful journeys have led me down the path to endless bloodwork, countless MRIs, innumerable cat scans, and my fair share of ultrasounds. Even more unfortunately, some of those have ended with a part removed, adhesions sliced, and even other parts burned with a laser to prevent any further pain. This has left me with quite a few scars, but each one reminds me I made the right choice to feel better than I did the day before.

So how do you know when you are a person living with chronic illness when it’s time to take a deeper look or if the pain is not just an average chronic pain? Here are a few tips and signs to call your physician:

1. When the pain is in a new spot. New locations or body parts hurting that don’t normally give you discomfort could merit a doctor’s visit.
2. When the pain is different. For example, if you normally experience aches and now the pain has become a burning or stabbing sensation.
3. When the pain level is steadily increasing. If you are normally hurting as a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 and suddenly you are at an 8.
4. When you develop new symptoms. If you’ve developed a fever, night sweats, sudden headaches, or any symptoms that aren’t something that normally presents itself, then get it checked.
5. When your instincts tell you something isn’t right. Trust your gut. Even if you feel it could be nothing at all, our gut instincts can lead us to catch things in their earliest stages leading to the best results for recovery.

If you are ever questioning a health issue or have a concern, always consult a medical professional. For me, I’m a long-time sufferer and a regular attendee to a surgical table. Endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine adenomyosis, hysterectomy, polyps, hernias, and the list goes on and on. Surgery can be absolutely terrifying because so much could go wrong, but the way I see it so much can go right too. That’s’ why it’s always the last option but I keep that door option to be an option when everything else has failed.

If you are ever in that boat too or have to make a decision involving surgery, just know that you are not alone. Be sure to weigh your options and make sure that this decision is never taken lightly. Also make sure that you have adequate care after your procedure, whether it’s a friend, a coworker, or someone you can count on. The second most important part of the surgery is RECOVERY! A poor recovery plan can land you back at square one or worse, with complications. As of today I’m awaiting yet another surgery May 11th, with doctors as always baffled but rest assured, I will bounce back once more and in less pain than before.