Vaginal mesh left me in agonising pain. When will women’s health be taken seriously? | Kath Sansom

In the 21st century it is hard to imagine women being maimed in a surgery with risks that they are not being properly warned about.

This, however, is the reality of vaginal mesh. A net-like implant, it is used to treat incontinence or prolapse, conditions that have often, but not always, been caused by childbirth. Between 2006 and 2016, more than 92,000 women in England have been treated with a polypropylene surgical material that is either inserted as a vaginal tape or a mesh patch.

Women are told they are going for a simple, low-risk operation that takes just 20 minutes.

But there is, in fact, the potential for this operation to leave them using a wheelchair or walking with sticks, with leg pain so bad it feels like intense toothache, constant urinary infections that burn and sting, and having to self-catheterise. Some suffer intense inflammation in sensitive tissues which means they lose their sex lives, and the mesh can slice through vaginal walls, urethras or cut into their bladder.

Problems can emerge quickly, or begin years after implantation.

I set up the support page Sling the Mesh on Facebook two years ago, in June 2015, just 10 weeks after I had a mesh implant to treat incontinence from childbirth. The pain in my legs and feet was so intense, along with burning pains in my vagina – like being cut with a cheese wire – that I knew something was terribly wrong.

When I told my surgeon of the pain I was suffering I was ignored. He told me I must have a slipped disc.

I had walked into the operating theatre as one of the fittest mothers in her 40s you could wish to meet – a keen high-board diver, mountain biker and boxer – and emerged a physical wreck. When I searched online I discovered women worldwide suffering similar problems. All were being ignored, not only by their surgeons but also by the media.

Perhaps this will change now that 800 women are suing the NHS and manufacturers of the implants. These women have all suffered serious complications, however the government watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), still says the benefits of this operation outweigh the risks. We know from leaked minutes of a meeting between the MHRA and NHS England in October last year that they are keen to “avoid media attention” over the scandal. It doesn’t seem to be working. Last week, after I appeared on the Victoria Derbyshire show on the BBC to discuss the issue, 200 women joined Sling the Mesh within 24 hours.

This week I was contacted by a lawyer for advice. His client faces having her leg amputated as a result of her mesh implant migrating and causing repeated infections. On the same day three women joined Sling the Mesh; all had lost their bladder because of a simple operation to fix an embarrassing problem. Yes, you read that correctly. Women on support pages globally are losing bladders and bowels, and I estimate more than half the women on my page have lost their sex life.

The majority are told the symptoms they experience after the implant are a mystery. Without the internet we would never have realised that we were not alone.

Some surgeons deny they are putting in a mesh implant when queried by patients, instead calling it a tape or gauze. Or they deny it is plastic. “It is polypropylene” came the earnest reply from a surgeon to one woman earlier this year. (Polypropylene is, of course, plastic.)

The NHS and MHRA say the risk of complications with these operations is 1-3% but a report in the journal Nature by nine leading medics puts that risk at 15%. In the US the Food and Drug Administration recently released figures that said the trocar hooks used to implant the mesh cause injuries for up to 39% of women having a prolapse mesh and 29% of women having a mesh inserted for incontinence.

These aren’t the only problems. Mesh can be fine for years then suddenly shrink or degrade. This happens because the material is not inert – it can change inside the body. Years after implantation it can shrink, twist, harbour infection, go brittle or degrade. Unlike drugs, which have to go through a strict set of three trials, mesh has been approved for use according to a system called substantial equivalence, which means a product can be passed on the basis that there is already something else like it on the market.

Women tell me time and again about how their surgeon told them the risks were very low. Some risks, such as loss of sex life, had not even been highlighted to them, or if they had it was with a quick nod to the medical word dyspareunia (meaning difficult or painful sexual intercourse) and given no further discussion. This is in spite of a Supreme Court ruling in 2015 which stated all surgeons must give reasonable and transparent information to patients about the risks of any procedure.

It is not mandatory for surgeons to report problems to any database and there is no national register, so in truth nobody knows the true scale of this. All I can see as a patient campaigner is women experiencing chronic pain while in many cases surgeons deny the problem has anything to do with their operation. Some go back and forth for up to 10 years before their problems are properly recognised and addressed.

Given the complications, why are so many of these operations still being carried out? One answer seems obvious. Inserting a mesh implant takes 20 minutes as a day procedure under general anaesthetic compared to three hours and up to a four-night stay for traditional surgeries which include the Burch colposuspension (a hitch and stitch) or the autologous sling which uses a piece of muscle from a patient’s stomach wall to make a sling.

It is easy to see that vaginal mesh provides a cost-effective fix.

The traditional fixes have risks, as all surgery does, but the old-fashioned methods do not carry the risk of a piece of plastic shrinking inside the body, cutting into delicate tissues or causing allergic foreign body reactions.

The all-party parliamentary group into women’s health was formed this year to press for women to be treated with dignity and respect. Despite this, some women with the implant feel they are “going mad” after being told there is “nothing wrong”, despite years of painful symptoms, they say. Unlike other devices such as hip or breast implants, mesh embeds into the tissue and is designed to be a permanent implant. Removing it is like trying to get chewing gum out of matted hair.

When undergoing this surgery it is Russian roulette as to whether it will be successful or not. Is that a risk worth taking with a woman’s health?

Vaginal mesh left me in agonising pain. When will women’s health be taken seriously? | Kath Sansom

NHS and medical watchdog tried to suppress scandal over vaginal mesh implants

NHS bosses and the watchdog that oversees medical devices tried to limit public exposure of the scandal over vaginal mesh implants that have harmed hundreds of women.

Minutes of a meeting held in October 2016 show that NHS England and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency agreed to “avoid media attention” over the implants, despite the fact they were seeking to encourage patients to report any complications.

The document, obtained by the Press Association, records an agreement to “take the press element out” of the “yellow card” campaign to record adverse reactions experienced by vaginal mesh patients, suggesting that it could be folded into a wider effort, “of which mesh is one element, to avoid media attention on mesh”.

The apparent cooperation between NHS England and the MHRA to minimise media focus on the debilitating problems increasingly associated with the implants appears to breach the NHS’s duty – reiterated regularly by health secretary Jeremy Hunt – to be open and transparent over patient safety failings.

NHS England and the Department of Health both refused to comment on the minutes of the meeting.

One possible reason for the NHS to want to limit exposure of the issuecould be to reduce the number of potential lawsuits faced by the health service.

More than 800 women are suing the NHS and the manufacturers of vaginal mesh implants after suffering serious complications, it emerged this week. Some women reported that implants had cut into their vaginas, with one woman saying she was left in so much pain that she considered suicide. Others have been left unable to walk or have sex, according to the BBC.

Vaginal mesh implants are used to treat incontinence after childbirth or pelvic organ prolapse, where the womb or bladder bulge against the walls of the vagina. Between 2006 and 2016, more than 11,000 women in England were given the implants to treat prolapse or incontinence, NHS data shows.

Around 11%-12% of users have reported problems, while lawsuits in the US have already seen around $ 2bn (£1.5bn) paid to affected women.

Campaigners say that hundreds more women have come forward after learning of the group planning to sue.

Kath Sansom, who runs the campaigning website and Facebook group Sling the Mesh, says the number of women contacting her has risen from a few people a day to more than 200 in the past 24 hours.

“It’s always the same story,” she said. “There are so many women who were told it was just them, that they were a one-off. They can’t believe there are others out there. So many people are told it’s back pain, endometriosis, gall bladder pain, scar tissue. And so many of them accept it, you trust medical professionals.”

Data from the MHRA, which has been looking at the issue since 2011 following complaints from women, shows more than 1,000 adverse incidents have been reported in the past five years.

Despite the problems that have emerged the MHRA insists that the best current evidence supports the continued use of the implants to resolve health conditions that could themselves cause serious distress to patients.

A report into the issue from a working party led by NHS England admits there is a huge lack of data on complications from the devices. Published studies on mesh implants do “not tell the whole story” and there are gaps in NHS knowledge about their safety, it added.

NHS and medical watchdog tried to suppress scandal over vaginal mesh implants

What"s your experience of vaginal mesh implants?

More than 800 women are suing the NHS and the manufacturers of vaginal mesh implants after suffering serious complications.

Some women reported that the implants – used to treat incontinence after childbirth or pelvic organ prolapse, where the womb or bladder bulge against the walls of the vagina – had cut into their vaginas. One woman said she was left in so much pain that she considered suicide. Others have been left unable to walk or have sex, according to the BBC.

The medical regulator has said that the best current evidence supports the continued use of mesh implants to resolve health conditions that could themselves cause serious distress to patients.

If you’ve received vaginal mesh implants, we’d like you to share your experiences with us. You can fill in the form – anonymously, if you prefer – and we’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting.

Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will do our best to keep you anonymous.

What"s your experience of vaginal mesh implants?

Weird But Amazing Natural Remedies for Vaginal Yeast Infections

Let’s just straight to the point here: yeast infections suck. There is nothing more irritating, uncomfortable, and frankly embarrassing than being plagued by this itchy, painful, itchy, discharge producing, itchy, smelly – and did I say itchy? – malady. We need remedies, fast.

Whether it is the result of antibiotic use or weakened immunity, the symptoms related to yeast infections are persistent and unbearable. As such, effective short and long term solutions need to be implemented straight away for relief and ongoing wellness.

Yeast infections and vaginal thrush occur due to the overgrowth of the fungus Candida Albicans. It is increasingly common, and indicative of unbalanced micro-flora in the vaginal area. Conventional medical advice would tell you to use a hydrocortisone cream to battle the side effects, but this is only a short term solution, and often loses its efficacy with repeated use.

There is no need to rely on pharmaceuticals to restore a healthy vaginal environment.  Safe and effective – if unconventional, and surprising – alternative therapies can and do work, while protecting your body from harsh, destabilizing chemicals.

With sincere empathy for my fellow sufferers, I’m pleased to present my honest-to-goodness, personally tested, highly recommended, weird but amazing natural remedies for battling yeast infections and intimidating the itch.

Eliminate with Essential Oil Remedies

The quickest and easiest method of dealing with such unpleasant side effects as inflammation, pain, or itching is the application of essential oils.

The two I’ve used to greatest effect are organic lavender and tea tree oils. Both are armed with anti-fungal properties are going to fight the overgrowth of the harmful yeast pathogens, while protecting the delicate balance of flora .

While there are dozens of essential oils on the market, choose pure, organic sources, of the highest quality to ensure best results.

In acute cases, this remedy offers almost immediate relief – and when you are at your sister’s wedding, scratching yourself into oblivion isn’t a viable option, so it’s always handy to have a back-up plan.

How to apply:

You can administer this oil remedy in a variety of ways according to preference.

Here are my top three:

1. Oil application: mix 1-2 drops of either essential oil with ½ teaspoons of coconut oil. Apply to affected area. Using the oil technique has the added benefit of soothing and moisturizing the inflamed tissue.


2. Water application: same as above, only dilute the essential oil(s) with water.


3. Soaked tampon: make a mixture of 4-5 drops of essential oil to 2 tablespoons of water or melted coconut oil. Soak a tampon in the solution. Insert as per usual. Change twice daily till symptoms subside.

A word of warning: these oils are highly concentrated and extremely potent; careless or excessive use can have an adverse effect, so be sure to proceed with due caution.

Garlic Remedies

Raw garlic is an essential component to battling yeast infections. It can be used internally and externally, offering powerful anti-fungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, and is even shown to be effective against parasites.

While eating crushed raw garlic offers numerous health benefits, the following approach to dealing with yeast infections is more palatable, but does require a pioneering mindset.

Inserting whole cloves of garlic into your vagina may sound like homespun voodoo insanity – but that is exactly what I am proposing you do. I wouldn’t blame you for hitch-hiking away from this advice as soon as possible. However, I also wouldn’t suggest such an outlandish tactic if I couldn’t personally attest to the results.

After a single application, you will realize the power of this seemingly questionable, yet powerful, natural remedy. This anti-fungal treatment basically ensures that the bad bugs are going to get it in the neck, and your natural balance will quickly be restored.

How to apply:

Always use fresh, organic garlic. Start by slightly scoring the outside of the peeled clove – this will allow the release of beneficial properties, without it being too overpowering.

Then, string your clove onto a strong piece of thread with a sterile needle, leaving plenty of extra string at the bottom; this will effectively create a tampon-like device (and if you think of this whole exercise like an alternative tampon, it is not nearly so scary as you first thought).

If you are shy, start with one clove; you can work your way up to three or four as you become more confident.

Insert just as you would a tampon; gently, letting your anatomy guide you. The farther up you go, the more secure it will be. Later, when you are ready to remove it, tug the string and you’re done. See? You’re a pro already.

Change twice daily, until symptoms subside.

Worried about a stray clove getting lost in the worst possible place? Women have been terrified of tampons going amiss in their vaginal cavity for decades; the truth is, it can’t happen, and strange hippie garlic remedies are no exception.

If you do lose track of a clove, do not panic. It will naturally ease its way down and out in a day or two.

Probiotic Remedies

While you are busy killing off all the yeasty yoiks in town, it’s crucial that you strengthen your defenses with a steady stream of probiotics at the same time. This is going to ensure that you recover quickly, optimize your bacterial balance, improve immune function, and prevent re-infection.

Additionally, bug balance contributes to a top-notch brain function, hormone happiness, and a strong gut – so there’s more reason that ever to get your fair share.

How to Apply:

There are three primary ways in which you can use probiotics to your greatest advantage, which can be explored separately or in combination.

1. Eat: With delicious options such as kefir, kombucha, and fermented vegetables becomingly increasingly popular, you can buy and make healthful foods and drinks that are bursting with friendly flora.


2. Supplement: You can buy probiotic supplements online or over the counter in most health stores. Look for strains with saccharomyces boulardii, which actively eats harmful yeasts.


3. Vaginally: you have a couple of options here –

• You can apply a soothing coat of probiotic rich milk kefir or plain yogurt to the inflamed tissue, and wear a pad for continued relief.


• You can soak a tampon in milk kefir or plain yogurt and insert it for internal relief.


• You can insert a probiotic capsule vaginally – the deeper the better. Over the course of the day, the gelatin capsule will dissolve and release healing flora.

When battling an active infection, the first port of call is simply dealing with the crashing distraction of the red, raw, burning, itching, angry symptoms. Secondly, and most importantly, is supporting your body’s long term wellness.

There are two natural supplements that have seen me through the darkness of disaster many times. By turfing out the pests good and proper, taking this extra step will provide lasting harmony and vaginal health.

Capryllic Acid

This is a coconut derived fatty-acid does all the heavy lifting when it comes to ridding the raiders.

Dose up to ensure that the excessive yeast cells are not only weakened, but killed. Thoroughly eradicating these beasties using safe methods is just good biological business sense. Restoring a healthy balance of microorganisms after an infection is essential for continued harmony.

Start taking at the first sign of symptom onset, and continue taking according to the label for 3-4 days after subsidence.

Monolaurin

Monolaurin, also derived from coconut oil is marketed as an overall immune enhancer, but is essentially a bio-film disruptor: this means that the tough-to-crack exterior of the unwelcome invaders is compromised, and far easier to combat.

Tough dudes that run the yeast business will likely need a good, old fashioned talking-to, and this will be your best shot at winning the negotiations.

Non-toxic and safe for both short and long term use, it’s an essential component to keeping your vulva vital.

Combine it with the anti-fungal muscles of caprylic acid, and this dynamic-duo will knock out even the toughest villains.

These remedies are likely to challenge your medical preconceptions and biological barriers; that’s OK. It took me a while to feel comfortable using this weird and wonderful approach. But, woman to woman, I guarantee you can ditch the itch and rock on with real life in no time flat.

Go on. Feel better

Sources:

https://expertnutrition.com What is Lauradicin? A Review and How to Take Monolaurin

http://wellnessmama.com Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

Weird But Amazing Natural Remedies for Vaginal Yeast Infections

Home Remedies for Vaginal Odor – Top 10 Effective Remedies

What is Vaginal Odor?

Vaginal odor is what women cannot avoid even in normal circumstance. However, if you are completely healthy, the smell coming out of the area is just slight and barely noticed. Besides, in some cases when the smell from your vagina becomes strong and fishy, it indicates some problems that you should immediately deal with.

Causes of Vaginal Odor

Commonly, vaginal odor becomes a little bit stronger than usual during the menstruation or after intercourse. Additionally, you can notice the smell easily when there is an excessive sweating or poor hygiene in the vagina. Nevertheless, no need to worry since the smell, in this case, will quickly disappear if you keep the area clean and healthy.

The problem gets serious when it comes to vaginal diseases such as bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis. Not only do you get fishy smell from vagina but you also suffer from other conditions like burning sensation, itching, irritation and discharge.

For more natural treatments of vaginal problems, read also Home Remedies for Bacterial Vaginosis and Home Remedies for Vaginal Irritation.

Vaginal odor is seriously a huge problem to any women in the world as it can affect not only health but also their confidence. As a result, immediately getting rid of vaginal odor is necessary. So how to treat vaginal odor instantly, safely and easily?

Here are top 10 home remedies for vaginal odor that help you answer the question…

1. Garlic

Being placed in the list of home remedies for vaginal odor, garlic has shown itself as a great ingredient that contains antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Accordingly, the spice works brilliantly to suppress the development of bad bacteria as well as the infection in vaginal. Your vaginal odor will soon become slighter.

• Simply chew some raw garlic cloves every day.


• If you can bare the taste of raw garlic, add it into your daily meal for consumption.

2. Yogurt

When it comes to vaginal problems, you cannot skip yogurt, a great ingredient on the list of home remedies for vaginal odor. Basically, the food possesses a rich source of lactobacillus, “friendly” bacteria that can restore the balance in vagina. Furthermore, eating yogurt every day can enhance your immune system, a useful way to treat vaginal problems from inside.

• Consume 2-3 servings of yogurt every day.


• Dip a tampon in plain yogurt then insert it into your vagina. Leave it for a couple of hours or overnight. Finally, remove the tampon and cleanse your vagina.

3. Baking Soda

Baking soda is highly effective in re-balancing the pH level in the body, especially in vaginal area. Furthermore, it is also able to eliminate bacteria and keep the vagina clean and healthy. For that reason, baking soda cannot be missed on the list of home remedies for vaginal odor.

• Dissolve 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Consume the liquid daily until the condition improves.


• Add a cup of baking soda in your bathtub and mix well. Soak your body in there for 20-30 minutes. Finally, rinse off with water and get dry with a clean towel.

4. Vinegar

Since ancient time, vinegar has been used as a natural deodorant thanks to its ability to dispel the proteins causing odor. In case of home remedies for vaginal odor, vinegar can work more than that. Specifically, the liquid, with its antibacterial and antiseptic properties, is able to balance the pH level and inhibit the growth of bad bacteria in vagina.

• Dissolve 150 ml white vinegar (you can also use apple cider vinegar) along with 100 grams salt in your bathtub. Soak your body in there for some minutes before rinsing off with water. For better effect, you should use warm water rather than cold water.


• At the same time, mix 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water. Consume the mixture every day to quickly improve the condition.

5. Tea Tree Oil

Aside from the effect on removing odor, tea tree oil is also able to combat inflammation, infection and many other problems. This is due to the antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of the oil, which are so strong that the essential oil possibly causes burning sensation on your skin if using alone.

• Put a few drops of tea tree oil in water. Use the solution to cleanse the affected area.


• Alternatively, put a few drops of tea tree oil in your bathtub with 2 cups of apple cider vinegar. Soak yourself in the tub and relax for 30 minutes. Finally wash off with clean water.

6. Citrus Fruit

To solve any health problem, first, you must have a strong immunity. And one of the best ways to do it is consuming citrus fruit such as lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.

Basically, the fruits contain an ample source of vitamin C, which can detoxify the body and promote immune system. As a result, it enables your body to confront with bad bacteria and remove the odor itself. That’s the reason why citrus fruits deserve a place on the list of home remedies for vaginal odor.

7. Blueberry and Pineapple Juice

Having fruit juice, especially blueberry and pineapple juice is another great home remedy for vaginal odor. The fruit juices have the ability to cleanse the urinary tract, reduce bacteria in the area as well as your vagina. As a result, the unpleasant odor will quickly disappear.

All you need to do is make a glass of blueberry or pineapple juice and consume it every day.

8. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is considered as a versatile ingredient that can friendly and effectively treat many health problems in both men and women. In case of home remedies for vaginal odor, the oil excellently reduces infection as well as the strong smell from vagina.

• Use a tampon that has been soaked in coconut oil to insert in your vagina.


• Leave it for a couple of hours then cleanse off with water.

9. Comfortable and Airy Underwear

To people with problem of vaginal odor, choosing right and suitable underwear is really important. Since moist environment is an ideal condition for bacteria to grow and cause odor, you’d better opt for comfortable and airy underwear that is made of cotton and able to absorb sweat quickly. This, in turn, helps keep the environment in your vagina dry and clean.

10. Keep Vaginal Hygiene

No matter what treatments you use for vaginal odor, if you do not keep hygiene in the area, you will never completely get rid of the smell. Therefore, remember to cleanse your vagina gently everyday, especially after going to toilet. Make sure you do not make it too hard and use mild natural soap to ensure the balance of pH level in vagina.

Source:

Home Remedies for Vaginal Odor – Top 10 Effective Remedies