This has been life changing; I now have to walk with a crutch, my driving license was taken off me and am on powerful medication and morphine for life. I lost my business, lost so much money and lost the life I had. Not to mention the mental side. I can’t get over the fact that this didn’t need to happen. The operation I had was paused in 2018 after 20 years of use. It should have stopped much earlier. And I feel all the NHS appointments should be paid for by the pharmaceutical companies that caused this damage.

1997 had a surgery using my own tissues for bladder leak and it worked fine for 15 years; but then started leaking again. 

2012 went to Burnley Lancashire hospital for repair using a TVT sling tape no mesh was mentioned, no polypropylene plastic mentioned or risk of splintering, rotting, twisting, cannot be removed ,not told it’s permanent. Consent was only completed just before surgery. 

After the TVT sling was inserted I experienced stabbing pain which I reported on ward the next day. But was sent home regardless with powerful medication. 

Went back again one week later as I was suffering sharp stabbing pain – was given more medication, told it had to work into my organs. One month later went back to hospital and told them of the awful pain so they examined me, reported pain in discharge notes, then discharged back to my doctor. 

2013 reported stabbing pain when bending and walking uphill. At this stage I had been a mobile hairdresser for 25 years and the pain was affecting my work. 

2015 doctors again I had something sticking out of my tummy catching on my underwear. I told my doctor who didn’t examine me but showed me a picture of a tvt sling on his computer and said that cannot possibly stick in you. I came out crying and asked to go back to hospital. 

2015 Burnley hospital were shown my tummy and I reported the pain inside. If you put fingers inside you could feel sharp like toothbrush bristles. Was told I had a stitch sticking out my tummy. Told I would be sent an appointment.

January 2016 I got a letter sent by recorded delivery for a cystoscope. My surgeon was off with me then we went to theatre. He put me to sleep which I wasn’t even put to sleep for insertion. When I woke up I was told there were no mesh erosions at all. Wrote on discharge note that he removed a superficial cyst. I was so annoyed no one was listening to me. It was so hard trying to keep my business going. 

2016 requested second opinion, and went back to the same department but a different consultant. She discovered a mesh erosion straight away and referred me to UCLH London. 

2017. Surgeon saw history which I supplied and paid £50 for my notes and examined me with my husband there. And straight away was asked how are you walking; it’s eroded and stuck in other organs, with plastic mesh sticking out my stomach. My husband cried when the surgeon said I’m doing this surgery straight away.

2017 Within three months I had my first removal – the mesh was rotten which had activated an autoimmune response – a mesh test showed giant cell reaction. The removal left me totally incontinent. 

2019 Had my second removal and a coloposupension open surgery, then home on the train with 22 staples, and a catheter on my leg – back to Lancashire. 

2019 My autoimmune was triggered and my body started attacking my genitalia and anus so had 4 byopsies; got lichen sclerosis atrophy. Also nerve pain in pudendal area. 

2020 rushed to A&E in Blackburn with urinary retention. I was in for 11 days then they sent me London 

2020 rushed by ambulance to my local hospital as had got urosepsis

2021 Video urodynamics in London discovered I cannot pass urine. 

2022 I had a reversal colposupension surgery but released on one side. 

2022 I had terrible nerve pain and was given a pain injection guided by xray deep inside near urethra and pudendal nerve 

2024 Got a burnt electric pulse to nerve 

2025 I was on the theatre table again for a neuromoduler stimulation probe which helps with incontinence … but half way through the radiographer asked why my wrist band was red – I said that I am allergic to nickel – so they couldn’t carry on with the operation as the device has nickel in it.  

2026 I was due video urodynamics but when I got to London it was cancelled twice on that day

2026 I was told I’d need lifetime opiates for damage, nerve pain and also a lifetime of catherisation as I cannot pass urine.