ozzieeagle

Thanks for the advice.

Best of luck and hope the treatment goes well for you.

scrubbedexpat094

Many thanks Ozzieeagle. My GP is doing the referral today and is being very supportive. She's been reading up on mesh and complications and I think is very concerned about it. It's great to have her support because I have become somewhat distrustful of the medical profession.

I hope you remain in good health, I hate to read of others suffering with this.

Jerseygirl

All the very best VS for your surgery. I agree with Dorothy...you will probably be glad of the 10 day rest/recovery period before you fly back to NZ.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on.

scrubbedexpat094

Many thanks JG. I'm counting down the days now until I get this stuff removed. I'm trying not to set my expectations too high for feeling 100% better post-op because I don't know how much internal damage has been caused. I shall be grateful for the recuperation period but I'll be missing the OH.

I shall keep you posted

Kooky.

Thought this might be of interest https://www.theguardian.com/society/...lth-groups-say

scrubbedexpat094

Yes indeed, we were waiting for that to be reported on. I do wish that they would look at other uses of mesh as well. This is an issue for men and women and mesh is mesh. It's plastic and it shouldn't be put in the human body.

Kooky.

I noticed it was very focussed on women.

Dorothy

Of course it was focused on females. If it's a "woman's problem" then it's just a bunch of hysterical females and not to be taken seriously.

scrubbedexpat094

Quite

Kooky.

No, really?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...ullying-bosses

(I had endo in my 30s; thankfully nobody told me it was a psych issue. It was the Hashimotos a doctor in Sydney tried to give me anti-depressants for.)

scrubbedexpat094

So I arrived in Sydney on Wednesday evening, saw the consultant on Thursday afternoon and he did a thorough assessment of me. Then I was sent for a pelvic xray, ultrasound scan and a CT scan. This morning I had an MRI done and went back to the consultant this evening. He confirmed that I still have a femoral hernia, that the mesh can be seen, thankfully it has been sutured in and not stapled in. The latter makes the situation even worse apparently. He also noted a lump in my groin which could be due to the mesh. The xray showed that I have an unstable pelvis, with the left side being 1cm lower than the right. So he's recommended that I see a podiatrist too.

So I'm booked in for surgery on Monday. I'm so relieved that he's taking this mesh out. I'm knackered but happy. I did get upset this morning because I'm here on my own and desperately missing my OH. I'm meeting up with one of the people who told me about this Doctor tomorrow and I'm going to a Reptile Park so that will be good.
Sunday I'm heading down to Wollongong to see my friends.

As for Sydney, well I like it though I haven't seen very much so far. It's good a good vibe to it. Haven't decided whether I prefer it to Melbourne as yet. Certainly love around the Circular quay area. I shall return with the OH when I'm fully recovered for a proper look around.

Thank you Dorothy for your recommendation. This guy is the bees knees.

moneypenny20

This is such good news. I hope before you head home you're able to see a bit more of Sydney but your health and recovery is obviously paramount. Can they do anything about the hernia? Keeping fingers crossed that it's a very straightforward op and that you recover well and quickly.

scrubbedexpat094

He's going to repair the hernia too, sans mesh . He doesn't use mesh and hasn't for over 20 years. The really sad thing is that he's not a spring chicken and should be training other surgeons up but they aren't interested. They're all on the mesh gravy train. It's a worry for the future.

I doubt I will see too much more of Sydney this time around sadly but really I'd like to experience it with the OH more. I get tired very quickly these days.
I'm really hoping that this makes a significant difference to my health. I'm a bit worried about expecting too much and maybe too much damage has been done to return me to full fitness. It's hard to manage my expectations.
Thanks for your good wishes MP, I shall update post-op.

Dorothy

It sounds like he's got it all in hand. Good luck for Monday

spouse of scouse

Your surgeon sounds great VS. Hang in there love, you'll soon be rid of that horrible mesh and you'll be back with your DH so he can spoil you. He'd better spoil you! I'll be thinking of you on Monday xx