TVT Mesh removal, Mesh complications

Gynecare is a sub-company. Johnson and Johnson is the parent company and they branch off into Ethicon who makes Gynecare products and other mesh products. Gynecare is the brand name of the TVT. See the link

http://www.ethicon360.com/products/e...health-urology

And a particular sling isnt the problem per-say, its all polypropolene mesh. Some are just more likely to have issues than others, but I am beginning to believe that the ones you see reported more isnt really that they are worse, but maybe just more widely used. Like Ethicon is used in more patients which results in more problems per capita compared to AMS. If that makes sense

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Originally Posted by Cajunangelle I am confused. I was told I got Gynecare TVT Gold What is this? I have seen problems with prolift but I am not sure. Gynecare IS TVT, correct? I went and typed my sling Gynecare TVT and am even more confused as there are MANY. Can someone help in my research? I think I got Gynecare TVT Retropubic System The Gold Standard. What slings are the known problematic ones?

I think Prolift is to repair POP and TVT sling is to repair SUI, if you have Prolift, you will more likely have rectal and back pain and if you've had TVT, pain will be in the pelvic, behind the pubic bone/bladder area. Both are made by Gynecare-Ethicon-Johnson&Johnson Yes, all mesh are poison to our bodies. Although some women can withstand the poisoning but people like me are adversely affected, and our lives are ruined. If there are anyone here that had the TVT sling removed, if you would please share your experience I'd appreciate it. I have arranged to have it removed in mid March at UCLA.

Dear God, please let our nightmares end soon.
Soo

The TVT I had done is Gynecare, I saw the packaging. Gynecare is Ethicon which is Johnson Johnson. But as far as I know the problems are are the mesh, not the brand although some brands may have extra issues if there are soecial instruments used to insert the thing. I do know there are alot of problems with the Prolift repairs. Prolift has some kind of metal things to attach the mesh, these are hard to remove if things go wrong. I think the Apogee/Perigee system is better and it allows the surgeon to see what he is doing. But then, I am staying far away from mesh for now.....the TVT is enough.....

Back to the urologist on Thursday for a cystoscopy. The SUI is returning on bad days, and some days it is okay, it is so confusing. I do have the pain around the left incision above the pubic bone. If anything presses on there it does not feel great. But it is like I have a loss of sensation in the urethra, something is just not right.

If the TVT is removed it is major surgery right? Is there alot of scarring? I am just wondering because there is already a scar from one operation and then the hysterectomy cuff scar....

Well...I'll see what the dr says...she probably won't be able to find anything.....itbis a little dicoiraging sometimes.

Burnedout---did you get the TOT instead of the TVT? Either case, you need to have it removed. As mentioned before I am having my TVT removed in March, that was the earliest I wish it was sooner. Also I found a dr. for my hernia mesh, I am going to California Monday for consult. I hope to have both of these awful meshes out of me by June, so I can begin to get my life back. Before I have the surgeries, I am going to ask my PCP/GP to order the WBC Nuc Med to show where the cluster of infections are located. Someone said US shows the mesh for hernia but not for the bladder. There are supposed to be two machine in the US that can scan your labial area and it will show the placement of the mesh. I am to have that test the day before my surgery, so he knows where to look for the mesh. You need to find a doctor who will remove your mesh, otherwise, your kidney will be damaged from all the UTI's. The Surgeon I'm seeing supposedly has patients from all over the world coming to see him. I know you are in Netherlands and that is a expensive journey but if you can't find someone in your country, you have to consider the pros and cons, pro being saving your organs so you can live. BTW, are you an American living in Netherlands? How do you write English so well, do you speak well as you write? Since you are having so many antibiotic treatments make sure you consume probiotics, in pill form or in yogurt but not just any yogurt, look for the ones with 4 to 8 strains not just one strain that the major brand has, that's not enough. Also you can take probiotic pills you can get the at health stores or buy it from Amazon, they are cheaper. You need to replenish your good bacteria from the antibiotics killing every bacteria in your body.
Cystoscopy will only show your urinary tract , ureter, urethra, bladder, it will not show where the tape is residing per se, unless the tape is protruding into your GU tract. Keep a log when you get the UTI's, it could well be from having intercourse, which will rub the mesh and it may cause tiny puncture into your bladder, then the bacteria builds and you have another UTI, the bladder can heal the punctures over and over unless it's a huge one. So you probably feel it in a day or so of the intercourse. I noticed I had it everytime I did it with my hubby, so now until I get the mesh removed I won't do it. My last UTI was in September and that is the last my husband and I did it, so likely my assumtions are correct. I can't believe all these idiot doctors telling us who are getting infections to get the pelvic PT, what does muscle spasm have to do with getting constant infections? If I listened to everything my PCP told me to do, I'd be on 20 pills, and having trigger point therapy, yoga and in an mental hospital. What are all those going to do about the raw tugging feeling and the infections? I feel like they don't even listen to us, and they want to treat all the patient with the same MO. Yeah, like I really want to do yoga when I feel like knife is poking me from the insides, like yoga is going to stop the raw tugging feeling and stop the infection. The only thing I can come up with is to get rid of the mesh, it is harboring bacteria, then puncturing our soft tissues which causes irritations and bladder infections because the mesh is so close to the bladder, right between the urethra and the bladder. So the mesh is poking both the bladder and the urethra, which causes the uretha to spasm and let in bacteria to fester into the bladder. When I saw the diagram of the sling mesh, it totally made sense as to why I am having pain in certain areas. Also can bunch up although that is rare, but aren't we supposed to be in the "rare" category? Imagine, those without computers, those who are not literate, those who are elderly and too seek to comment on here or anywhere or to anyone for that matter. This is not a rare! I can't believe all these doctors who keep saying the mesh is not the problem. Just about all of us complaining about the pain has similar experiences. Anyways, sorry for this mess of a reply, I know I went on and on and on too long. Calgon, take it (pain) away!

Hi soosassi,

No, I am not American. I leved abroad for quite a bit when I was growing up and went to an International school till I was 14. So I speak English quite well also, with a more English than American accent. It is funny when I am in the US people can't figure out where I am from, especially if I switch to Dutch after a while.

I actually have a gyneacologist who has alot of experience removing mesh, just not the TVT mesh. He worked with a urologist who was very good but switched hospitals. I am going to ask the gyno next week about what my options are. I know from interrnet that some women have had some of the TVT removed here, but that is major surgery. I have had three surgeries for nothing last year, so I want to be sure it is the mesh and not just me being unlucky with catching a UTI which is recurring for other reasons. Women without mesh get the recurring UTI's too. Although mine did start after the TVT od course. I am just not ready to have surgery again at the moment, I am just recovering from the hysterectomy which finally did solve some of my problems.

The urologist doing the cystoscopy tomorrow is new, she is just going throigh the motions again and teh cystoscopy seems to be the first thing a urologist does for recurring UTI's. She checked my kidneys with the ultrasound last week and they were not enlarged or anything. I do still have pain on the left side so I will ask her tomorrow if the ultrasound is enough or if it is a good idea to do some bloodwork for kidney function. At the last cystoscopy there was a terrible infection, really smelly urine and he could see the TVT was too tight, he had trouble going through with the scope. That should be solved with the cutting of the TVT in December.

As far as I know though, it is impossible to know exactly where the mesh is and the drs keep saying thery are doing the cystoscopy to track the TVT. So I will ask her that too tomorrow. I am willimg to try a low dose of antibiotics fir a while to see if that helps.

I am going to track the time of UTI, that is a good idea. Of course the last one was not after sex as I
was three weeks post op from the hysterectomy. Well....I hope this dr does not start with the Pt and stuff again.

You know, when I was first diagnosed with the prolapse I had to do three months of PT. Got me totally frustrated. She kept saying, if you do this, breathe like that, sit like so...oh, everrything will be solved....and things only got worse! When I went back to the dr after 3 months they said, oh, it does not always work as it is more of a tissue issue then a muscle issue in your case. I was so mad! Of course it does not help for stage II prolapse of everything.....

It seems like they just have a sort of checklist they go through, even if some things on the list are totally ridiculous for you, you still have to go through it.

I had my cystoscopy last Thursday. Everything looked fine. The ultrasound of my kidneys was okay also. So I got a low dos of antibiotics to take eveery day to prevent the infections (had that last year and still got infections though). Now the sling has been cut the retention issues seem resolved so maybe the antibiotics will work.

Have to go for a post op tomorrow and have a list of questions prepared. I can pee now, but once I start I cannot stop. I. general that is not a problem of course, I can make it to the bathroom in plenty of time, but I am worried that may change over time. I is just like the feeling in my urethra is not there or working weird. It feels irritated alo of the time. But I have had three cystoscopies. If there was erosion they would have found it by now right? The left side starting at my pibic bone, going down to my groin is still a little swollen and I cannot sleep on my stomach. It is all not very painful but just like the feeling of a bruise. But then I am not moving around a lot at the moment. Will be discussing this with the dr.. It is making me feel depressed as well, I am so happy with the results of the hysterectomy and the anterior wall. Now the rectocele is back in all its glory and the TVT issues I just dont know how to deal with. Give it time? Or take action? Maybe the bladder just needs to calm down? I am just so fed up with all the stupid tests they do as well, and just know that if I tell the dr I still have problems they will make me have one of those stupid tests again. Like I told them I had SUI, my sypmtoms were very clear, I clearly did not have any other problems and still had to do the Urodynamics. I told them what my problems were with the rectocele, they could see it on examination and still I had to do the defecography. I dont want anybody touching me anymore, I just want a normal body and life. It has been almost two years now and still the problem is only partially solved and my bladder issues are actually worse. Sorry, just need to vent, feelin a little sorry for myself...probably hormones..I have a large pimple on my nose this morning that my husband pointed out to me. Asked my 14 year old son for advice.....

Well, just have to relax today and see what the dr says tomorrow. He has done alot of mesh removals but he is a gyno and lets the uro do the TVT stuff. But the uro moved to another hospital. I will probably have to travek a little further to see him again as my new uro for the infections will not do anything with the TVT as she lacks the experience.

Visitung a urogynaecologist here can be risky as they sometimes want touse all the new stuff on you...such as mesh. My last urogyn who did the first two surgeries and the TVT was talking about pulling up the uterus with mesh and also pulling up the colon like that.....I am so glad I went to , my new gyn. He also does not do the regular tissue removal and stitching, but other repairs which are a lot friendlier to the body. I hope he has a plan for the TVT.

hi mesh sisters,,, just wanted to let ya'll know what my progress is , not w/the dr but with my own findings, my last surgery to remove the mesh and the doc got all he could was in 4/2007 . and i would feel in there about every 4 or 5 months ( for a self exam) to see if i felt anymore mesh cause it'd usually take about 4 months to appear again, so last week i felt in there again, and surprise surprise, there is about an inch to an inch and 1/2 of mesh on the left side in the vagina. and its really sharp, kinda feels like the edge of it,thats what s been causing the bleeding after sex ( which isnt that often cause its painful) so i will have it checked out by a doc as soon as something is done , i.e. recalling the stuff , so i can go back , cause theres no money to see the doc right now, ( i'm not havin a pity party i'm just facing reality, ) cause we cant get any help from any programs cause we are honest hard working 57 yr olds w/just enuf ins to cover a catastrophic illness, and the cost to go see a doc is alot ( as u all know) i'll let u all know how it unfolds, , i am wondering something, if in 07 the doc got out as much as he could , by even peeling back layers of the vaginal wall or vagina and by doing a restructering of the rectum wall , where would this mesh be coming from,? i dont know how much and where he took it from other than what i stated above, i'm hoping its not eroded thru another tissue or organ and ended up where its at now, also that is what is causing the pain i'm having in my side and down my left leg when i am laying down, thanks ya'll for listening, love Sue

I fear I will wind up in pain management for the rest of my life. I am JUST 37...It;s a nightmare and I suggest everyone find out what mesh is in them, for their own peice of mind. I got tired of hearing, oh we don't know why this happened, your body seems to reject part of it, not all..I have never once beeen told that some of the meshes have been recalled. I've been going thru this since 2006. It would have been nice to have been told maybe there was a problem with the mesh. At this point 5 years later, they can't get it out of me and has caused MANY more problems, including paing and cramping.
All the best ..Thanks for the post.

I hope someone can help you in regards to removal of the hernia mesh. I do know that my bladder mesh couldn't be removed it's been there for 5 years and a part of my body now. I hope all goes well for you and you find out more and THEY CAN get that mesh out. That's all I want is to have it GONE, but sadly they can't

((((Ladies)))) This is a reminder that our Terms of Service do not allow names of doctors or names of hospital/medical facilities in posts.

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Originally Posted by soosassi I just found out Mesh was not FDA approved only "cleared". They stopped the clinical trial because too many woman had severe complications. How did the company get away and sell these to the Drs? My life as I knew it is ruined because of it. I had the TVT mesh implanted on 8-2009. It's been over 16 months and I've not recovered. I am in extreme pain all the time, even with painkillers. I had complications right after the surgery, including blood transfusion. I should've known then that my body was rejecting the mesh. I had all kinds of test done and they can't find anything wrong with me. I did some research about the Mesh early 2010 and I knew there was a warning but was scared to admit it could be me, since I knew the answer would be removal of the mesh. I just waited and waited to see if my body will just heal but it hasn't and my pelvic/vaginal pain is worse then ever in addition to other issues, frequent UTIs and extreme fatigue. I haven't been able to go back to work since the surgery. I have a husband and three kids, I can't be a wife or mother to my kids. Recently I searched on the internet and noticed many more websites that are suing the mesh makers and more patient complication testimonials. I finally made the decision to go to a GYN (not the uro/gyn who put the mesh in) and he said with all my problems, mesh should come out but that it is a very difficult surgery and he couldn't do it. He referred me to another Dr. Now I am to see the "removal specialist". I am soooo scared. The implantation surgery was so painful...not to go into too many details but had other abdominal surgerys. I also have incisional hernia repair mesh too and that may need to come out as well. If anyone has comments in regard to the Mesh, I'd appreciate it.

Exactly.

I knew there was a warning AFTER MY SURGERY I DID A SEARCH ON MY PAINFUL SYMPTOMS but was scared to admit it could be me,


I went into denial BEFORE every known test and GI complication was ruled out.And now a URO says it has to be the sling the guy that put it in me denied thia and said how unusual I was blah blah blah

PAIN on Valium. I am so tired of having no life and people thought I was crazy.

My current concern is if you go to GtneCAre TVT web sire they NOW state a low percentage could have erosion/ complications.

SO...are they covering their butts after the fact? I had no idea nor was I told that there could be complications of this magnitude.