"Miracle cure" NHS operation to fix incontinence can cause chronic pelvic pain

[KathSlingTheMesb]

Helloall. I run a campaign and support group for women who are suffering chronic pain after hhving what's called a TVT or TVTO mesh bladder sling inserted to fix incontinence

It works by supporting weakened pelvic floor muscles but for some women it can cause lifelong terrible pain in the pelvis , legs, groin.lower back along with allergic reactions to the plastic material which the mesh is made from.

I would like to ask the pelvic specialists why a material that is not inert (ie it can erode and leach toxins) is implanted into a clean contaminated field?

Also any advice for women suffering chronic pelvic pain?

I would also like to reach out to any other women on here and urge you to do your research on pelvic slings for prolapse or incontinence before agreeing to such a procedure as I do not believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

You can find my campaign Sling The Mesb on Facebook or Twiiter . Thanks x

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I had a posterior vaginal repair without mesh and that caused my pudendal nerve damage. I don't think your average gynaecologist is trained well enough about the complex nerves in the pelvis.

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For some women incontinence is embarrassing, demeaning and unacceptable condition and they will accept a degree of chronic pain for return of their dignity. There is no other treatment as natural tissue repair inevitably falls apart and does not help. TVT should be available with a warning attached to it.

[Alaine1 Administrator in reply to Hidden]

I agree the conditions the TVT is used for is embarrassing but a treatment given must never leave a patient worse off than the condition it is trying to 'cure'. The only exception to this would be life threatening conditions. I'm also left wondering how many women actually were allowed to have a reasonable attempt at pelvic physiotherapy or turned it down thinking the TVT was a simpler and better treatment? I think the degree of pain many women are experiencing from this type of surgery is more of the chronic and severe type which doesn't gradually fade into the background. Chronic pain whether it's pelvic pain or back pain is a lot more complex and frustrating to treat both for the patient and also the medical community which are often asked to see these patients when their original team has perhaps abandoned them.

The chronic pain from these patients maybe from several problems with the surgery - accompanying nerve damage, a tendency for the body to simply generate pain more easily etc. TVT surgery could perhaps be a suitable solution for many women who are carefully screened for perhaps pre existing pain and/or pelvic pain and the material used be made from an inert material