My story started after the birth of my 3rd child in 1987, I suffered incontinence ,it was relentless. I was told to make some lifestyle changes like drink less fluid, lose weight, stop caffeine, no alcohol.

I was prescribed oxybutynin, then after years of urine infections and visits to my GP I was finally referred to the gynaecologist, for Ultrasound, Urodynamic testing, Cystoscopy. It was decided I would need surgical intervention and was offered the colposuspension.

I was informed about how the procedure would be performed. but not about any side effects or how long this would last. Three months later the operation failed. It all started again with the diagnostics and in 2007 I was told the only option now available was the TVT sling, and the surgeon informed me how he was going to perform it. I was age 52.

I was told nothing. I was not even told it was mesh, they referred to it as tape. All seemed ok until 2013 when I started with continuous urine infections, bad infections where I needed urgent medical care in hospital.

In 2014 I made an appointment with my GP, I was examined internally, my GP said she was making an urgent referral to the gynaecologist because she could feel a lump and a hole in my bladder. My urgent appointment was finally in November 2016!

More of the same testing, it was the colonoscopy that showed very clearly, I had a foreign body protruding through the bladder wall. I was given a date for a laparoscopy to see what it was. When I came round I overheard the nurses in the recovery room saying they couldn’t remove the foreign body, when I asked what they were discussing she asked me if I had left a tampon inside by mistake, I replied no I had an hysterectomy in 1987!

The surgeon came to see me and told me that mesh had eroded into my bladder wall, and they couldn’t remove it, they needed a case review with other surgeons and specialist, I was then discharged with no treatment.

I now constantly suffer with bladder infections, bowel and nerve trauma, pelvic back and leg pains, lack of sleep, restless leg syndrome, lichen sclerosis, lichen planus, dystonia, osteoporosis, and so much more.

We moved away from Yorkshire and went to live in Lancashire. In my new medical centre they wanted to know my history which I informed them of, however, they never linked the mesh with my health issues, it was a nurse that had told me about the Sling The Mesh site on Facebook.

I was referred to Lancashire Royal for more diagnostics, the mesh had eroded, but they weren’t equipped to perform any surgical intervention and I was being referred to a hospital that was a 3 hour drive – I couldn’t believe that I had to travel so far.

I was admitted in early 2018 for another laparoscopy, I was told nothing more could be done. I was upset, angry and insisted this mesh was removed from my body after some discussion it was agreed to remove it and I would be put on the waiting list.

In 2018 I was admitted for the removal, after a 4-hour operation I was told only part of the mesh was removed, because it too badly eroded and would be to much for my body to take, it would need many operations, I was admitted for another laparoscopy at Manchester where the surgeon told me that the previous hospital had done as much as they could, and he agreed with their medical advice. They offered the bulking agent to stop my incontinence and offered pain management, I was put on the waiting list in 2019 and finally had the bulking agent put in early 2024.