Mum in bid to ban plastic mesh

SIX years ago Carolyn Churchill was an active woman who worked as a chef and spent hours each week walking her dogs.

But that all changed when a plastic mesh was implanted into her in a bid to combat her stress incontinence, a condition which affects as many as 10% of women.

The 57-year-old said the implant left her in agonising pain, stopped her walking properly and ruined a 14-year relationship with her partner.

She is one of potentially hundreds of women across the UK who have suffered at the hands of the plastic mesh.

Mum-of-three Carolyn, who finally had the mesh removed last year after six years of “torture”, said she is calling on the NHS to ban them.

“I feel absolutely traumatised by it all,” she said.

“I was left in horrendous pain. I was unable to walk properly, I couldn’t lie on my side for five years and I couldn’t bend as all the movement from my waist down was restricted.

“I’ve given birth to three children naturally and I would rather go through that 10 times over than go through the pain of the mesh again.”

After seeing her GP about her stress incontinence she was referred to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant to see a specialist. The Nantgarw resident was then given some physiotherapy and told a transvaginal mesh (TVT) implant would solve the problem.

“I was told that if it did fail it would be no problem to sort it out,” she added. “But they didn’t tell me anything about the possible complications.

“The operation took just 20 minutes. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.”

As the epidural wore off after the surgery, she immediately felt something was wrong.

“I was in absolute agony. I felt like I was being ripped to pieces,” she added. “But they wouldn’t listen to me and made me feel like some sort of baby, and that it was normal. If I could have walked to A&E that night, I would’ve begged them to take it out.”

Carolyn, who also has three grandchildren, said, despite her concerns, she was discharged by the hospital.

Three months after the initial surgery, she was forced to leave her job as chef at the Farmer’s Arms in Church Village because the pain was too unbearable.

She said she then spent the next five years trying, and failing, to get the doctors to take out the mesh.

“Within eight weeks the mesh had eroded through the wall of the vagina,” she added.

“It effectively ended my relationship. I couldn’t deal with all the pain and worry of the mesh and be with someone. I just needed to be on my own.

“It changed my life and left me depressed.”

As a last resort she went to her MP Owen Smith about the delays in getting the mesh taken out.

And in May 2016 she finally had it removed through a major surgical procedure which involved a lengthy recovery period.

“I felt instant relief,” she added. “Instead they carried out surgery which used my own tissue, which is what they suggested in the first place.

“I want them banned and I want someone to take responsibility. They just wanted to save time and money.”

Carolyn, who still has not made a full recovery, said she still struggles walking long distances.

Dozens of “mesh victims” travelled to Parliament in July for a special meeting organised by Mr Smith.

As a consequence, an all-party mesh group will be set up to investigate further. But at present the devices are still being used.

In response, Rachel Fielding, head of midwifery, gynaecology and sexual health for Cwm Taf University Health Board, said: “We encourage any woman who has concerns to contact their local health professional.”