I had my first surgery in 2000, followed by two more since they botched the initial appendix removal, and then two hernia repairs in 2001. Since then I've had recurring pain and still have it to this day, although the gabapentin helps. But for 10+ years I asked for help and was told there was nothing they could do except go back in and cause more scar tissue. For YEARS I asked, and finally it's being recognized as a common problem.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3546123/

OMG, I'm not insane or imagining it or anything else I've been told when I asked for help. I'm not happy that it's finally become so common that others experience this because IT FUCKING HURTS, but at least there's some recognition of it.

The hernia is also something so painful even after surgery for so many patients they've published articles on it:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5896652/

The appendix is a whole other issue and it's rarer to cause pain but I have sobbed on the NYC subway when commuting to Brooklyn with a computer backpack that I couldn't stand pulling on my abdominal scar tissue anymore and had to crouch down by the door to relieve the pain just trying to get to work (pre-gabapentin). I have tried to work through this trauma, but dammit, I'm crying again, even though I'm glad it's finally been recognized as a fairly common condition for the hernias at least. 

Maybe someday they will actually believe patients when we report pain and not assume (especially for women) that we're just being dramatic. Trust me, women deal with pain on a regular basis with our periods, and we learn to ignore it. If we say we hurt, WE HURT.