We have a dedicated team of volunteers who will try and help the best they can for any help you need.  All support is provided through our public Facebook support group at

https://www.facebook.com/groups/156709671507072

The following symptoms have been reported by many of our mesh members and are linked to their mesh implants: –

ADVERSE REACTIONS

• Punctures or lacerations of vessels, nerves, structures or organs. This includes the bladder, urethra or bowel which may require surgical repair.
• Transitory local irritation at the wound site may occur.
• As with any implant, a foreign body response may occur. This response could result in extrusion, erosion, exposure, fistula formation and/or inflammation.
• Mesh extrusion, exposure, or erosion into the vagina or other structures or organs.
• As with all surgical procedures, there is a risk of infection.
• As with all foreign bodies, PROLENE mesh may potentiate an existing infection.
• Over correction, i.e., too much tension applied to the tape may cause temporary or permanent lower urinary tract obstruction.
• Acute and/or chronic pain
• Voiding dysfunction
• Pain with intercourse which in some patients may not resolve.
• Neuromuscular problems, including acute and/or chronic pain in the groin, thigh, leg, pelvic and/or abdominal area may occur.
• Recurrence of incontinence
• Bleeding including haemorrhage, or hematoma.
• One or more revision surgeries may be necessary to treat these adverse reactions.
• PROLENE mesh is a permanent implant that integrates into the tissue. In cases which the PROLENE mesh needs to be removed in part or whole, significant dissection may be required.

OTHER ADVERSE REACTIONS

• Seroma
• Urge incontinence
• Urinary retention
• Adhesion formation
• Atypical vaginal discharge
• Exposed mesh may cause pain or discomfort to the patient’s partner during Intercourse
• Death

This list is not exhaustive, and it is known that mesh suffers can experience a multitude of these symptoms.  Many of these issues are known to affect men, women and children alike.  This list does not include conditions such as fibromyalgia, lupus, diabetes, suicidal thoughts and lifelong sepsis battles.

Due to the severity of adverse reactions to surgical mesh implants, lots of mesh sufferers have had to take many of the following medicines to try and cope with their symptoms and to try and function better: –

Our members have found the following aids and adaptions useful with managing their day-to-day life with mesh: –

A number of mesh suffers have discovered that eating organic/following a plant-based diet along with fruit, nuts and pulses, has helped relieve some of their symptoms and made them feel better and more alert.  We know that organic fruit and vegetables are more expensive than non-organic, but by reducing your meat intake (not necessarily all) but more importantly the processed foods, these costs would compensate buying organic.

Lastly, individuals have reported that cutting out some of the medicines prescribed to ‘ease’ the symptoms, has helped considerably as the side effects can often create new/exacerbate the issues you are experiencing.