I had hernia mesh implanted in me and have suffered with chronic pain. I am convinced the synthetic mesh is the cause of my chronic pain, and I have had this verified by doctors and neurologists. I suggest you contact Dr. Bruce Ramshaw at the University of Missouri. He is doing the largest study on mesh in the U.S. today, and he is an expert on the problems that mesh can cause in the human body. If you do a "google" search, you should be able to find his phone number listed with the University of Missouri. His office is very nice in setting up a phone consultation with those suffering from mesh pain. I understand he is also an expert at removing problematic mesh from the abdomen. You should be very careful and selective about choosing the most skilled surgeon to remove the mesh. I hope Dr. Ramshaw might be able to help you, or direct you to a doctor who has enough skills to do more good than harm in removing the toxic mesh. Synthetic mesh has no place in the human body. The FDA has now issued a warning that synthetic mesh can cause serious complications in the body. It can cause tissue breakdown, inflammation, infection, and even migrate through tissues and organs. I hope you can talk to Dr. Ramshaw and find some help and resolution for your mesh pain. Good luck.

I had my fermrol hernia repaired with mesh in June 2008. Since then I have developed two peritonel abccesses and experienced continuous infections. I have been on antibiotics since Oct 2008.For the past four weeks I have been on IV antibiotics 24/7. My surgeon is still reluctant to remove the mesh.
What do others think?

hi there
i had a double hernia op 5 years ago and still have pain and discomfort now on painkillers throughout the day just to allow me to do things.mINIMAL ACTIVITY makes it feel as though a rope is being pulledtighter in my groin.I have seen two very good surgeons who have advised me not take the mesh out as it could make things worse.I have seen another surgeon probably the best in Britain who is willing to take it out and is confident i will improve over a period of 12 months.i am so unsure what to do anybody else out there had mesh removals with success?Please help.

Ches, could you tell me the name of the surgeon, please? Same as you. Double hernia op (two years ago) and in constant pain since. Some surgeons say the mesh needs to come out, others disagree. Thanks.

hi gg17

Hi gg17
the name of the surgeon is Professor O,Dwyer in Glasgow,Scotland.I,m so unsure what to do when you get different opinions what to do.Hope this helps i just wish i could talk to someone who has this procedure done.

Hi Ches. Thanks very much. I don't know anyone who has had it done, but I've spoken to several surgeons. Most don't want to do it. The incision is bigger, the mesh has to be cut from the tissue (the tissue actually grows through it), and there is a real risk of damaging the cord. Opening the area twice also makes it weak and if you just have stitches instead of a mesh, it won't hold as well. Because of the risk to the cord and testicles, they never do the two sides at the same time. The last surgeon I saw said my pain is probably coming from the mesh. He said he would take them out. However, he added that the pain could be the same or worse. A second operation creates more scar tissue which can trap nerves. I'm in exactly the same situation. I don't know what to do. I've attended 3 pain treatment clinics since the operation and I've been working with a physio for 7 months. Nothing has worked. I read some messages on another American site and the results weren't clear. It worked for some, but others still had the same pain or a different pain. Maybe you could ask the surgeon if he can put you in touch with other people who have had it done. I'm guessing he's experienced at this operation. Hope you get relief whatever you decide. Good luck. Keep in touch. All the best, gg

Hi gg
It,s very difficult to speak to somebody that,s had it done as confidentiality of patients is important to hospitals which i can understand.If i have mine done it will be by keyhole and he didn,t give me a figure but said that the ones he had done 50 percent were much improved and none any worse.that sounds good but on another website someone wh,s had mesh removed is much worse.I Have had 3 ops first for double hernia in 2004{had pain since}and two more exploratories to try and ease things.I,ve done all pain clinic stuff made little difference.I HAVE PAIN JUST IN LEFT SIDE IT,S SO SORE TO TOUCH THE SCAR JUST FEELS SO TIGHT.Activity makes it tighter and burning sensation.What sort of symptons have you got,would be grateful if you could let me know.Regards Ches

Hi Ches. Sorry, just got your message.

The pain I have on the right is different from the left. The last MRI showed something coming out a little on the right but underneath the abdominal wall. They are not sure if it is a tiny hernia being held in by the mesh or just a small muscle weakness. They say the tendon is fine, but my leg seems to click into place several times a day and when it does that it feels a little better. There is a constant feeling of pressure in the area. One surgeon thinks it�s the mesh because I get pain when I sit. Bending adds pressure to the area and he thinks it is the mesh pushing down. For me, there is a definite link between the bowel and the pain here. Pressure makes the pain worse.

The left side sounds just like yours. Extremely tight, especially with any bowel or bladder pressure. And burning. It feels like I have an infection sometimes. There are moments during the day when the left side doesn�t feel too bad, but if I sit too long or walk too far it�s very painful. It feels like something is pulling the flesh all the time. The left side was initially okay after the operation but a couple of months later, I felt something move or tear inside (it was the strangest sensation I�ve ever had) and I have been in pain since.

Yes, the area feels very tight. Sometimes when I touch the scar it is fine, but at other times, it�s very painful. There definitely appears to be some nerve damage or a problem with the mesh. They can�t really see the mesh very well with MRI and ultrasound but they think it has stayed in place. I�m not so sure.

Did you have your mesh put in through open surgery? I�ve never heard of a keyhole operation to remove mesh put in by open surgery. If they can do that, it sounds great. I�m told there is not the same risk to the cord, the pain is reduced and the healing time much improved. Make sure you get all the details. I didn�t ask enough questions. No one told me about the possible pain from the mesh and the risk of getting it removed. It�s extremely important when it�s both sides.

I hope that whatever you decide to do works out for you. I was told that another operation can cause more scar tissue and nerve damage, but if it�s keyhole, you should be okay. Keep in touch and let me know how things go. I had more nerve block injections last week but no success.

Best wishes,
gg

My husband had a mesh put in in 2002 JUNE
and is to scared to go to the doctor. We have both
felt the mesh screen and it is no longer in the place it is supposed to be. Does anyone know what we should do?
Has this happened to anyone else? My husband is always in pain from it. Recently we moved and he doubled over in pain and could not stand up right for almost a week
and is in constant pain we moved in April and it is August and I am worried this mesh screen has lodged itself somewhere else causing all this pain for him.
Does anyone of you have any ideas? The doctor is refusing as well to take it out even though it is much much higher and over fom where it was after the operation.
taykare

Hi. I'm not a surgeon and I can only speak from my own experience.

If you think you can feel the mesh, I�m guessing it was open surgery. I�m told it�s difficult for it to move because the tissue grows through it. However, I think it�s possible.

The mesh is very hard to see. It can appear as a black line on MRI scans. If it�s wrinkled, something is wrong. Ultrasound is supposed to be one of the best ways of seeing it, but you need a very experienced radiologist. Many radiologists can�t see it.

They didn�t think mine had moved and didn�t want to operate because of that. I�m not so sure. It could also be nerve damage. Does your husband have a burning sensation?

I would advise you to try to get a good radiologist to do ultrasound and MRI of the area. Ask around and make sure you get one who is used to looking for the mesh.

If the mesh has moved, then I would imagine, it needs to be corrected or come out. If that's the case, then I�m sorry, can�t help. I�m in the same situation and don�t know what to do.

If I�m wrong and the mesh was put in by keyhole, then you really should see someone now. The TEP techinique keeps it away from organs, I think, but if it was the older technique, I believe the mesh can work its way into the bowel.

As I said, I am not a surgeon. I�m just telling you some things from my own experience. Your husband needs to see a specialist. Good luck and let me know how you and your husband get on.
Best wishes,
gg

Hi Ches. I was reading a message you had on another site. Do you know that the person who started the post (mcb2) appears to be talking about the same surgeon? He seems to have had more problems after the removal.
All the best,
gg

HI GG
Yes thanks for that,i did see that article a few months ago and that i am so hesitant about this operation but haven,t discounted it.As you,ve seen though that is quite worrying the post from MCB2.iM SOrry to hear your nerve block injections didn,t work.Hope things improve with you,i will stay in touch
Regards Ches

My name is Tina Harden and I have had a series of hernia repairs and multiple pcs. of Marlex mesh installed in my abdomen from 1995 to 2001. I have had nothing but trouble with the mesh, as I am very thin and the mesh edges protrude up almost poking through my skin in many areas. I have had surgeons go in and trim existing mesh edges down and trim sutures that also were poking up, with no lasting relief. The discomfort is not limited to what I have mentioned, but also pokes inwards, causing debilitating pain at times. I also have had many instances where food and gas cannot pass through my intestines, and I have to lay down on my side or take a warm bath to try to get some relief. In some instances I have had to pull over while driving, recline my seat and loosen my pants, even though I was 5 minutes from home, because I could not tolerate the pain while sitting with my pants zipped.

Another setback occured last summer, with the mesh shifting once again. Since that time, I am unable to push while going to the bathroom, I have trouble with sexual relations and experience pain when sneezing or coughing.

Last summer, I saw 5 physicians in a row, all refering me to the next, all concluding that I am "not a candidate for surgery at this time". What they really mean is that they don't want to get involved in cleaning up someone else's mess.

I have never researched these mesh complications, because I was told by the doctor that did the first surgery (installing 3 pcs. - Right Ing., Left Ing., and Umbilical), that the reason I had these issues was because I was so thin and lacked a sufficient fatty layer between my abdominal muscle and my skin. But as I was searching for a doctor to help me, I began to read of other people complications and was surprised.

I am concerned that the mesh edges which cause so much discomfort will eventually perforate my bowels, organs or blood vessels and I will require emergency surgery with whoever is on duty. I am actively seeking a surgeon who will remove all mesh and try to reconstruct my abdominal wall.

Thanks, Ches. Yeah, I still don't know what to do. Some people seem to have had relief but others are worse or have a different pain.

I'm tired of hearing different things from different doctors. The approach of some of them to it is ridiculous. I'm told they'll only do one side at a time because of the risk to the testes but that it's okay because I have two, like it's no big deal.

We're just guinea pigs. I think some of the forms of mesh have been banned because they were shrinking inside. One of the surgeons I spoke to said that could have happened to me.

Anyway, thanks very much. I hope things improve with you, too.

And I hope you get some relief, Tina. A lot of my pain is certainly linked to the intestine. As far as I know, it is impossible for the mesh in open inguinal hernia repairs to reach the organs. I think it's only possible with the old TAPP keyhole operation. However, nothing would surprise me.

I was also told that if I put on some weight, it could help. There would be fatty tissue acting as protection. Then another surgeon said I would need to put on a lot of weight before that happened. See five surgeons, get five different opinions.

They don't like doing the mesh removal because it's difficult and has risks, especially for a man. It also weakens the area by opening it up again and creates more scar tissue.

Anyway, you're not the only one. There are many days when I have to loosen trousers, lie down... to get relief. I hope everything works out for you.

All the best,
gg

I had an umbilical herina repair two weeks ago. I had a mesh inserted. Most things are fine but before the surgery I had a navel that went inward. I'm super sensitive in that area. Now after the surgery the navel sticks out about 1/2 or more inches and I can't wear a shirt or have anything touch it. I have a large bandage over it that allows me to work. I went in for post operative care and they smiled and said "there was nothing they could do about it". I feel that I'm kind of disfigured as it's pretty unsightly. The surgical scar is fine, it's just terrible to see me looking like this now. I told the surgeon looking at the scar that if I'd known that this could have happened that I wouldn't have had the surgery right now as it was elective anyway. I'm at a loss of what to do. I feel like I'll never be normal again.

I am sorry for everyones pain--please go to truthinmedicine.com and warn everyone you know not to get mesh implanted for any reason in your system

I have had pain from hernia mesh for 6 years been to pain clinics had mri scans. Now told to consider mesh removal. Have seen two surgeons who dont want to or cant do it seeing another one 23 Sept. I have been told it can cause my left testicle to shrink and could make paine worse. I take 600mg Lyrica ( Pregabalin) per day to ease pain. It is worse when bladder is full so I am rushing to toilet a lot. Hope all you others can get sorted out I am not sure what is best

Hi All
i didn,t realise there where so many people affected like this after hernia surgery and like GG SAYS YOU SEE different doctors and surgeons and they all give you different opinions.Pain clinic and physios say don,t have more surgery as you could be worse which may be true but when all other treatments don,t help you become desparate.I am going to talk to the surgeon again this month to ask more questions about mesh removal.I see bearstead your on pregablin which is strong medication you must be in a lot of pain and you also Tina.If i don,t do very little and take painkillers i,m not too bad but minimal exercise gives me pain and soreness.Dancing really aggravates it.Please let me know how you go with surgeon please bearstead.
Regards Ches