Many Irish women are familiar with a device known as Transvaginal Mesh, used to treat organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.
In many cases, this device was implanted as a measure to treat the above issues which are extremely common after childbirth but for many women, this impacted severely on their quality of life.
Following protests, Minister for Health, Simon Harris ordered and suspended the device in July 2018 before commissioning a report into the safety of the mesh.
Despite the device being suspended or banned from various countries such as Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the HSE wants the suspension lifted.
Lesley Anne Stephens is calling for the ban to remain in place. In 2014, mum of two, Lesley Anne began suffering from stress urinary incontinence and went to see a specialist.
“My consultant said that he had my fix and that this device was going to change my life for the better. I wasn’t told any risks or problems that could possibly occur and because he was so positive I was looking forward to not wetting anymore.”
“I remember looking at my husband and smiling at each other, both of us just knew my life would be so much better after this.”
When Lesley Anne woke from surgery in June 2016, she said she was in “horrendous pain”.
She assumed that the pain was a result of the operation and was sent home but things did not improve.
“As I walked I could feel something cutting my insides and I had constant bleeding, infections and stabbing pain in my groin and nerve pain in my legs.”
Not only was walking difficult, but the side effects and pain caused by the implant meant sex was unbearably painful for Lesley Anne.
When Lesley Anne was seen at the hospital she was told that the mesh had pierced through her vaginal wall and would need to come out urgently.
She endured a seven-month wait for the operation and things did not improve afterwards.
“I went back to the hospital and told them I was in a lot of pain and discomfort and that I still couldn’t lift our girls or spend any time with my husband.”
“After another examination, he could feel again more mesh inside me.”
Lesley Anne was told she needed another urgent operation. After watching his wife in agony for seven months while waiting for the second operation, Lesley Anne’s husband booked her in for surgery in the UK. The damage to her vaginal wall from the waiting time meant she had to have extra surgeries which have left her dependent on a walking stick.
“Since May, I continue to suffer horrendous nerve pain in my groin and legs, I bleed a lot, I have constant infections, and I take very heavy medication to try and tackle this.”
Prior to the first surgery, Lesley Anne’s husband heard about a report on the news about the dangers of the mesh.
“This led us to investigate this further. We were completely shocked and devastated that we hadn’t known anything about it, because if I had of known the risks I would never have allowed them to ruin my life.”
“That is why I have made it my business to fight to get this mesh banned in this country. I would genuinely hate to see another family lose their quality of life due to the lack of care in this country for women.”
After Lesley Anne spoke on Prime Time about her experience, she was inundated with people contacting her to share their own stories of being affected by the mesh implant.
Lesley Anne is now part of Mesh Survivors Ireland, an organisation that has been campaigning to keep the suspension on mesh implants in place.
Solicitor Melanie Power, a spokesperson for Mesh Survivors Ireland, says:
“Those suffering from mesh complications suffer horrendous injuries when the saw-like teeth of the device cut through the pelvic area, breaking through the bladder, bowel or through the vagina.”
“Many women explain that for years they had tests and investigations and were eventually told that the problem was in their head, as the device cannot be seen on usual x-rays or scans. Once their partner’s genitals were injured during intercourse by the “cheese- grater effect” of the device, it was only then these women were believed.”
Many women travel to the UK for their surgery, at significant cost to themselves. In the US, the transvaginal mesh implant has been re-classified as a high-risk device and approximately 100,000 women there have filed lawsuits. Several Irish women have also initiated legal action.
Lesley Anne says the implant has caused her irreversible damage.
“It’s terribly unfair that what has happened me, it impacts on our whole family.”
