Chamber and committees

Debbie Millar submission of 7 July 2021

PE1865/MM - Suspend all surgical mesh and fixation devices

In 2012, at 28 years old, I had a Tension-free Vaginal Tape-Obturator (TVTO) surgical mesh inserted due to incontinence caused from a traumatic birth with my child 5 years earlier. I was assured my embarrassing problems would be gone and I would be able to lead a normal life again i.e. not having to wear incontinence pads before 30 years old!

After 8 months I started becoming incontinent again, sadly the device had failed and I was back to square one.  However now I had a myriad of symptoms that seemed to be developing.  Pain in my groin, trouble passing urine, pain in my coccyx area to the point I cannot sit on my bottom and always having to sit on my hips, to name a few.

I have now had to be referred back to gynaecology as "something" is protruding from my vaginal wall.

I know my symptoms are mild compared to a lot of women (and men) who have had mesh put into their bodies.  I am still young, I have a young family and my future scares me.  What is going to happen to my body? Are my symptoms going to keep getting worse?  My GP is very empathetic but she has never had a patient go through this so her help is limited.  A urologist I saw to have a camera look into my bladder dismissed my pain as nothing showed on cystoscopy.  The support we as humans are receiving is not great. I feel let down by the NHS, like we are treated as an inconvenience most of the time when we are just needing support and help.

I feel that the more people know about what mesh can do the more people can be protected in the future.  I wish I had never gotten the surgery and I know I am not alone.