scrubbedexpat094

I am looking for recommendations for the above. I'm in considerable pain and having other side effects due to this awful stuff.

I am on a few FB support groups for people who have been damaged by mesh but I've only had one recommendation for a surgeon. This bod still uses mesh in hernia repair and that's a huge red flag for me. Why would you continue to use a product that is causing thousands of people significant injury?!

I have seen a couple of names mentioned but these are obs/gyn bods and not suitable for me.
So far I have names of some good surgeons in Australia, USA and UK but not here. I have launched an ACC complaint through my GP but I'm not expecting to be successful, though I shall fight it. If I go abroad for treatment then ACC wouldn't cover it anyway.

I'm looking for a bloody great surgeon who can remove ALL the mesh, not just a partial removal.
I'm not interested in getting into the wrongs and rights argument of mesh use, I'm too tired and stressed for that.

Thanks.

scrubbedexpat094

I seem to be coming up blank everywhere

Pom_Chch

Sorry to hear what you're going through Stix Two of my post-natal clients are suffering in a big way due to the destruction caused by mesh so you have my sympathies.

I can't help with a surgeon recommendation but I really hope you get it sorted. Could it be worth phoning up doctors surgeries in the main cities to see if they have any recommendations? Bit of a long shot I know!

A Rush And A Push

A friend of a friend had hers removed by a female surgeon in Wellington - don’t have thr name - but hers was gynaecological so I’m assuming it’s probably one of then names you’ve already heard. She (the friend of the friend) had a terrible experience with the mesh - she’s been very involved in the pressure group for action on it. Sympathies, it sounds horrendous.

scrubbedexpat094

Thanks Pom. It's dreadful stuff and I'm sorry to hear about your clients. For gynae/obs mesh their does seem to be a female surgeon in Auckland who is doing mesh removal and one in Welly too but I'm hearing very mixed reports.

My research has so far thrown up that most NZ doctors are of the view that hernia mesh is safe. And the majority are still in favour of using it. I can't find anyone in NZ that I trust to do this removal given that there could be femoral vein involvement. I have two recommendations for a surgeon in Sydney, Australia and I have already been in touch with him.
Now we have to find the dosh to fund this.

I'm angry, I'm scared and having panic attacks daily. Thankfully my OH is a and helping me through despite being terrified himself.

scrubbedexpat094

Thanks ARAAP. I think I know the surgeon you mean. Have heard mixed reviews but that is often the case with medics. I probably 'know' the friend of a friend's name from MeshDownUnder or SlingtheMesh.

MrsFychan

can the surgeon in Aus not recommend someone over here??

Ex Bristol

Dear Vitalstatistix,
This is my 3rd post so that I may send you a PM i will do it when I am able
Barb

jdpathome

The best Surgeon in NZ is Mr Rob Robertson here in Christchurch who removed my Hernia mesh and about 5x others on my recommendation.

spouse of scouse

Quite apart from the fact that this is a very spammy type of first post, and that it's been months since this thread was active - why is the surgeon you're recommending for hernia mesh removal still using mesh to repair hernias??? Hernia Centre Christchurch » Hernia Centre

scot47

I do not know about NZ but in the jurisdictions I know doctors are discouraged from advertising like this.

jdpathome

God... My 1st. Post and just trying to help someone... who is wanting their mesh removed because of the pain and suffering..& get this !!!He works for a bunch of Surgeons many still use mesh he is taking the damn stuff out...Its the same in Ausie too...I'm not a Doctor if you can read what I said you must be a damn moaner just looking to make trouble..

Dorothy

Gee aren't you a treat?!

scrubbedexpat094

Thanks for the info but thankfully I had the mesh removed and the hernia repaired back in April. And other than the fact that I will always have some pain due to the damage the mesh caused and that the area has been operated on 3 times, I have my life back.
I headed to Dr John Garvey in Sydney, Australia and I'm incredibly grateful that I did. He took an holistic approach to my femoral hernia, not only looking to remove the mesh but looking for the reasons that I may have had a recurrent femoral hernia in the first place. He did lots of scans: USs; X-rays; CT and an MRI which helped him to diagnose that my pelvis is misaligned by a significant amount. I've gone 53 years without knowing this and explains lots of issues that I have with joint pain.
So he removed the mesh, repaired the hernia that the surgeon in Auckland couldn't even find, thanked me for having all the scans done in the first place and then post-op arranged a physio appointment and podiatrist appointment. I doubt very much that I would have got that level of care in New Zealand.
As a midwife myself I recognise a great health professional when I meet one.

Dr Garvey hasn't used mesh in over 20 years because he saw early on the damage that it causes. This speaks to his integrity for me. It's the reason why I wouldn't trust any surgeon in NZ to do removals currently. They all seem to be using mesh as the "Gold Standard" for hernia repair still. I know of someone who had mesh removal done down in Chch not too long ago now who did not get great care and ended up with a large haematoma because his drain was removed too soon. The reason being that his surgeon was going away so he couldn't stay in hospital for longer than 24 hours!!!!! That's ludicrous to me but that sort of thing happens in obstetrics here too. I had to stay in hospital for 2 nights due to needing to keep my drain in for longer, I dread to think what could've happened here.

In terms of recuperation post-op it was actually easier for me to go to Sydney, as I have a midwife friend who lives in Wollongong, so I could stay with her afterwards. I would have been on my own in ChCh as I know no-one down there. So I did the very best for me as I deserve it and it was head to Australia, USA or the UK to get the best surgeon that I could.

Spouse of Scouse is absolutely not a moaner, she and others on here have been extremely supportive of me through this journey. When you've been on here as long as some of us have, first posts like yours do have an element of "Spam" about them. So that's why we are wary, so don't take offense at it. Had you taken the time to look under my name on the post then you would've seen that it tells you that I'm now free of mesh
Really pleased that you have had your mesh removed and found a surgeon that suited you .

Pom_Chch

Hello Stix

Glad you've got things sorted now. The way NZ operates with certain health and medical treatment is appalling. A friend of mine had breast cancer, had a double mastectomy and implants put in. She started feeling unwell and it turns out one if the implants was leaking. Even worse was that these implants were toxic, sent from America and not tested before being put inside people! They were shipped over and handed out with health professionals not knowing what's in them, where they have been or even if they are safe. The real kicker here is the chemicals leaking were proven to cause cancer. Anyway it was a bit shit for her to put it mildly and I found the implant situation disgraceful. Mesh sounds awful and I'm not even sure why it's still being used 🤨