TVT sling mesh eroded into urethra!

I went to the urogyn today for my pre-op appointment and the doc said the sling has eroded into the urethra. He also said he has NEVER seen this happen before. He even took pictures of it. I will have the sling removed, the urethra repaired, anterior and postier repairs, and an abdominal sacrocolpopexy done on the 19, next Tuesday. I posted on another board, I must be a freak of nature. Anyone ever heard of the sling eroding into the urethra? The recovery is 12 weeks, no lifting more than 8 pounds, no heavy house cleaning, and NO SEX! We have never been more than 6 weeks with no sex. Makes me worry about my husband. I have been having anxiety attacks. This year has not been a good year for us. And not to mention all of the money this is costing us. I will actually be able to claim medical on my taxes this year. YIKES! Hope all is well with everyone else, Tracy

Tracy,
This has been one yucky year for you, for sure. I have done much reading on mesh erosion and I have read of it eroding into the urethra. It sounds terribly painful The restrictions your doctor has set are truly for the best healing for you. However, have you asked him if the restrictions are for no 'stimulation' or for nothing vaginal or EXACTLY what it is that is forbidden? It might be that after 6 weeks, orgasm is allowed but still no penetration or something like that. You can be very creative with your DH and still follow 'the rules' as long as you know exactly what they are. There are many of us who have been dealing long-term with mesh erosion and have had to deal also with this very issue. Find out from your doctor and you will feel much better about the whole thing. I don't know if you have help around your home but if you arrange for that, it will also help you for those 12 weeks when you are forbidden from all the lifting involved with the daily and weekly chores. I 'hired' my own children to do the regular laundry--that I am ultra picky about, by the way--and then stood over them to make sure they did it right. It did help. I drew up a plan ahead of time and posted it on the refrigerator and made announcements well in advance of what was going to happen. A plan like that helped me to feel in control. It didn't always go perfectly but it helped tremendously. If you don't have kids at home, there may be teenagers or even pre-teens in your neighborhood who are more than willing to be hired to do some of the chores you shouldn't do.

Wishing you the very best of the Best for your surgery one week from today......

Orahdeb, yes I have 4 kids. 17, 14, 10, and 8. The 17 year old is in a residential treatment center right now, so he will not be here. And that is a blessing for us all. He has mild brain damage and has a horrible temper. And, I think he is the way that he is because he weighed 9lbs 2 oz. at birth, he was my 1st kid, and I couldn't get him out. It was a birth from h_ll...forceps and the vacuum. HMMMM, wonder why I have pelvic prolapse. As far as the mesh eroding into the urethra, I googled it and didn't get any hits. How did you word it...or do you still have the link...because I post in this room and pelvicfloor.com and nobody has EVER said that they had that too, only erosion into the vagina. I may try again. And as far as pain, OMG, it has been awful. Sometimes it is so painful, I get really cranky and short tempered. I am so very happy the urogyn can actually SEE the mesh, even I can see it. I told my husband, see, I am not crazy.
As far as my kids helping me, hmmmm, hoping they do better than they did last year. They are really great kids, but messy as all get out. Well, thanks for posting back. Not many people post to me..maybe because what I post nobody has ever heard of. LOL Thanks, Tracy

Tracy, I sent you a private message with several links. I hope they help. I also have kids close to those ages. Some of them are more helpful than others. My 20 year old DD can be helpful for getting things for me but as for cleaning--forget about it! She also weighed 9lb2oz at birth and was difficult to birth. She is mentally handicapped and has a few issues. I think I can relate a teensy bit to the tantrums--we have done a few of those. My 16 year old and 13 year old daughters will do nearly anything I ask them they are truly darling angels: to them..... My 9 year old son is a sweetie but is almost oblivous to things around him. I have an older college son who is not home and calls once in a blue moon. So, I DO understand. Kids can be iffy on helping out sometimes. Make your list--it will help, I bet. If they have it in writing, it seems to help better.

S,
OrahDeb

Tracy, I'm so sorry you are having so much trouble. I too have mesh erosion but mine is at the posterior repair and I am afraid mine is eroding through the rectum. Like you I can't find any information about it. When I talked to my Uro/Gyn he says it is possible but unlikely and he has never had it happen to one of his patients. The rectal pain is horrendous and with every BM it feels like I am pushing out ground glass! Even the Dr on pelvicfloor.com says it's unlikely but then why am I having so much rectal pain?
I am having mesh excision in 3 weeks and the Uro/Gyn will be performing a thorough rectal exam while I am under anesthesia to make sure the mesh has not eroded throught the rectum. I don't think I have ever been so anxious to have this surgery. i just really want to know what's going on.
I hope that your Dr is able to repair everything and your recovery goes smoothly. Please let me know how you are doing. I'm concerned about you.
Michelle

Hi Tracy
I hope your surgery goessmoothly. I had a tvt and anterior repair 1 year ago yesterday. So far, so good. I have had no problems.My uro/gyn didn't use any mesh as far as I know in repairing the cystocele. I had a rectocele/enterocele done using pelvicol in Jan 05. With pelvicol there is no chance of erosion. I once again have a enterocele and rectocele. There is no tear in the vaginal wall, but Ihave the bulge and lower abdominal aching, pulling pain. These prolapses showed up on defecogram. My sacral colopopexy is on the 25th. I was told I couldn't do anything much and no sex for 6 weeks. My dr said after that I would have no restrictions. This is my 3rd pelvic reconstruction surgery. I would think I would have some lifetime restrictions, but I don't.
I guess you have 12 week restrictions due to your erosion issue? I wish you luck and hope you get out of pain soon.
Peggy