Let’s set the stage: Your doctor has just explained that surgery is an option to treat your condition. This surgery may make your life better. Your doctor feels that surgery is basically the only option you have and has explained all the risks to you. The other option is to live as you have been living.

Now what?

How do you decide if surgery is the right thing for you? Once you have all the information you need, it is time for soul searching. Start by asking yourself these eight questions.

1. How will this surgery affect my life if all goes well?
2. How will this surgery affect my life if there is a complication?
3. Can I live the way things are currently?
4. If everything goes well, when do I expect to be back to “normal”?
5. It things do not go well, can I live with the new “normal,” whatever that is?
6. Am I so unhappy with my current situation that it is worth the risk of a complication to proceed?
7. If I decide to have the surgery, how can I prepare my body so that it recovers as quickly as possible?
8. How can I prepare my mind to go through surgery?

When deciding to have surgery, or any treatment for that matter, it is important to know all the risks, benefits and options. Many patients do not want to hear “bad” things about the treatment they’re considering. I have been accused of being too negative when discussing surgery.

My intent is not to be negative, but there can be unpleasant effects of surgery that you must live with. Bleeding and infection, at the least, are risk factors for any procedure you consider. These effects and countless others can occur even if the surgery goes perfectly. All of our bodies are different. We have a general idea of how bodies react to certain insults (yes, surgery is an insult to your body), but your body may not react as expected.

A known complication could occur even with the most experienced surgeon. Too many people go into surgery believing that complications are not likely to happen.

I am often asked about the percentage of times complications happen. In general, most complications are infrequent, however, when a complication happens with your surgery, the percent is 100 in your life. It really does not matter that it did not happen in the last 100 surgeries I performed.

I believe that many patients do not listen to the complications. Or, they believe that we doctors are just trying to scare them. Or they think that complications cannot happen to them.

I tell my patients that I want them to walk into any surgery with their eyes wide open. Your reason for having surgery must be worth the risk of the complications. Complications happen. They happen even when mistakes are not made. They just happen.

Keep your eyes wide open. Decide for yourself if you can live with the side effects and complications of your surgery. Only you can decide.

Remember, your health is your responsibility.