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Mesh Complication Patient Testimonial
I am writing this story to help other women that have suffered with vaginal mesh complications. For those of you that might not know where to go, who to see, or who to trust. Please read my story and take my advice. I have been where you are right now.
I had suffered for three years with symptoms such as pain in my lower abdomen, yellow/green discharge (sometimes bloody), pain during and after intercourse (dyspareunia), muscular and nerve damage, groin pain, buttock pain, lower back pain, constant vaginal infections, 2 mesh erosions, the inability to sit for long periods, continual vaginal infections.
My story began in mid 2009 at age 49. I was healthy, in good physical shape and full of life. My monthly periods were getting extremely heavy, I had lower back pain and abdominal, with or without my period. When I didn't have my period I was spotting all month long. After about three months of this I decided to see my gynecologist who I had seen for fifteen years. After a battery of tests the conclusion was that I had fibroids in my uterus, one fibroid being the size of a pack of cigarettes and growing. Also for about the previous ten years I had suffered with bladder, bowel and uterine prolapse. Between having children and a lot of heavy lifting at work the prolapsed organs seemed to have been inevitable.
The discussions began between my doctor, my husband, and myself. We all concluded that I needed a complete hysterectomy, and we discussed implanting mesh because of my prolapse. Because of all my heavy lifting at work we decided to do an abdomen incision while implanting the mesh to my lower tailbone down to my groin for better support. At this point I was so happy. There would be no more periods, no more wetting myself, no more lower back or abdominal pain and no more vaginal examinations. This would be a new chapter in my life and I would be a better "50.” My doctor assured my husband and I that I would be fine. My husband, who was in construction, asked a lot of questions. The doctor and my husband seemed to have a lot in common; my husband reconstructed houses and my doctor reconstructed the body. I felt very comfortable doing this and I trusted her with my life. I guess this was my first mistake. Surgery was set for April 19, 2010.
Surgery went well, within about three weeks I was walking upright again. The doctor said I was healing so well I could go back to work in six weeks instead of three months. At my four-week check up the doctor said I had vaginal infection and the mesh had broken through the vaginal wall. She said I would need repair surgery. Against another surgery so soon, I asked if we could try anything else. We tried estrace (a vaginal hormone cream) everyday for about one month. This did not work. So surgery was set for July 19, 2010.
I remember asking what would happen if this happened again. Her answer to me was we would have to take the mesh out. For the next eighteen months I just started feel worse and worse, one vaginal infection after another. My abdomen was so sore my shirt rubbing against it hurt. My right leg and buttocks were so sore after work I couldn't even pick my leg up to get in bed at night. I was eating very little therefore my weight had drop from about one hundred twenty-five pounds to one hundred and two pounds. After, working an eight-hour day all I did was eat supper and go to bed. On the weekends all I did was rest, my whole body just hurt. I did this routine for about eighteen months. Also by this time I was using more pads than I did when I had my period, I had a yellow discharge all the time. When I would tell my doctor she would just ignore my symptoms and put her head in the sand.
One evening in November 2011, I was lying in bed and all of a sudden I felt this real sharp pain through my vagina (like something ripping through the wall.) This pain was almost indescribable lasting only about thirty seconds, but feeling like it would never stop. I didn't remember childbirth being that painful in my vagina. The next day I called my gynecologist for an appointment. At this appointment she told me my mesh had eroded through the top of the vagina. I was thinking “oh no, that means mesh removal.” But she didn't say that. What she said was that having a little mesh erosion was normal and gave me another vaginal cream. All that I kept thinking was that she had told me if it happened again I'd have to have the mesh removed. Being a smoker she blamed that and said I wasn't healing because my oxygen levels were low. I'm not saying that might not be true. But approximately one year prior to these surgeries I'd had eighteen teeth pulled and never suffered a dry socket or anything, healed perfectly from that, up and around after three days, things weren't adding up. She kept blaming me for everything that was going wrong, saying I wasn’t following her orders, smoking, and that this had never happened to anyone else in thirteen years doing this surgery. I had followed her orders to the letter, and was sick and tired physically and mentally.
After mulling this over in my head, I decided to do my own research. I spent hours on the Internet. Boy, were my eyes opened up. I came across Mesh lawsuit FDA warnings, other women having the same problems as me. My next step was to find a well-educated surgeon. I started looking through my list of Cigna doctors and no one would see me. Finally, at my wit’s end, I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. I couldn't find help! I had all but given up, but something kept pushing me. Since I am a Christian woman the only thing I can tell you is that Jesus Christ himself was pushing me, helping me. Jesus led me to Dr. Moore's website and this is when the story started turning positive.
Upon calling Dr. Moore's office I talked to this wonderful, kind, caring women. Her name was us Crews, she assured me that it was nothing I did, and we made an appointment to see Dr. Moore on February 13, 2012. So unsure about seeing him (Dr. Moore), I talked to us several times, each time she answered my questions and reassured me I was doing the right thing. Without us being so patient and kind to me I probably would have cancelled the appointment.
I arrived in Atlanta, GA on February 12, 2012. I was so nervous I wanted to turn around and go home, and was arguing with my mother and sister the whole way. Finally, appointment time came 1 p.m. Monday February 13, 2012. I met with Nina, Dr. Moore's nurse. Another kind and caring woman, she prepped me for my physical exam with Dr. Moore. Dr. Moore's thirty-page resume kind of intimidated me. I thought he would talk way above my level of comprehension, I thought he might be arrogant and self-centered. I was wrong on all counts! He performed the most thorough gynecologic exam I've ever received. Yes, it hurt at times, but he had to find out what was going on with me. I got dressed and met Dr. Moore in his office. We talked about my case for approximately two hours. He answered every question I had and even questions I didn't ask. I could tell Dr. Moore knew what was happening to me before surgery even took place. Dr. Moore knew his stuff; he was the expert I'd been looking for. Surgery was set for the next day February 14, 2012 (Valentine's day).
Upon waking from surgery (mesh removal), I could feel my abdomen didn't hurt, burn, or sting like it had for approximately three years. I immediately felt better, no joke. Today I am four months out of surgery and feeling better every day. At every turn of my recovery Dr. Moore has been right, and he hasn't pushed me to get better quickly. He and his office staff have been wonderful to me. Dr. Moore gave me the best Valentine's present I could ever have received, a renewed outlook on life with out pain. My husband thanks Dr. Moore as well and our sex life is back too! Dr. Moore said, "Get back to life as usual." I am taking his advice.
Thanks to Dr. Moore, my knight in white scrubs. God Bless you always.