[Mesh]

Post surgery thoughts

Would pain be the only reason to fix a hernia?
I mean if the if the odds of serious complications like strangulation are so rare like .5%
why fix it at all? Why take the 20-30 percent chance of having chronic issues with mesh?

Good post btw….most of it.

[Mesh]

Suffocation after Removal

Thank you for your reply Dr. Towfigh
I don’t know if the neurectomy
is the cause of it.
Wondering if you knew or heard of that? My pulse barely gets above 45 and before removal I could feel my heart race and now everything barely
pumps and flows. I would think a panic attack I would feel a racing heart and excitable, now it’s just the opposite.

[Mesh]

Central Pain after Neurectomy

Joy,
I had a triple neurectomy following inguinal mesh removal. It is the cruelest thing a dr can do to someone in my opinion. I have all the same issues you’re describing. The Dr who performed mine made it seem like it was routine. 2 years later, I’m partially crippled from it and in a lot more discomfort and disfigured. I have a tens unit I search for answers all the time. It is a frustrating position to be in.
I haven’t spoken to many people who have had success with them. I think surgeons should never recommend them to anyone at anytime. I continue to hope as you should too.
I feel for your situation. I feel like I’m in danger everyday. It’s scary.

[Mesh]

Mesh After Removal

Do surgeons sell the mesh?
Does the pathologist buy it or any other institutions for research?

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

Thank you Dr Towfigh for your response.

What type of mesh would you use? Would this solve the prolapse or collapse of the region?
Everything collapsed but I don’t see a bulge, just heavy weight and burning pain on both sides now. Pushing down on top of base of penis and testicles. Spermatic cords get a little puffy at times.

I wasn’t properly informed of these risks.

Is there someone you reccomend in the Pacific Northwest?
Portland/Seattle

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

“Chuck”
To say “at the expense of their own time” ?
Patients usually are paying for that time.
I paid out of pocket and they also billed the insurance
company for “their time”.
My surgeon was compensated just fine for his time at the expense of many patients pocket books and quality of life.
In my case they got the better end of the deal.
I think judging if they really can help a patient should be considered part or the art vs just doing surgery to keep the doors open.
Who’s really a candidate for mesh removal?
What’s protocol for determining the patients need to remove mesh?
Is it worth the risk of making someone worse off?

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

Dr. Towfigh
I will give it another attempt thanks.
I have a hypothetical question.

I feel after removal my stomach collapsed in my groin
pushing everything down. I also feel the beginnings
of a hernia on both sides.
I had open insertion and open removal on the right side.
How would I be able to repair this? How would you
address this problem and what type of mesh would you insert laparoscopically? Exactly how would you do it?
I’m scared to stand up as its hard to hold my stomach properly. Heavy sinking.
Please help.
Thank you,
Anthony

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

“Mesh Removal Patient”
I am drastically worse.
Feels like I have a prolapse.
Both spermatic cords burn.
Both legs burn down inner thigh
to my knees. I can’t walk comfortably anymore.
I feel disabled partially. Can’t have sex properly.
I’m depressed, I should have never trusted this.
Stomach is so off and tight Im suffocated sometimes.
Torture.

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

Hi “Chuckles”,
I think he states “little improvement with the pain” meaning little improvement of fixing the pain.

This topic really is tailored around informing a patient to what a procedure entails vs selling surgery and also the discretion of advising removal to someone who is considering it. Basically ethics.
Because you may have some discomfort with mesh, being told by removing it it will solve all your problems with sometimes “instant relief” is hard to digest and not always the case. Not sitting down with a patient and discussing the details of a neurectomy and what it may do to your body is a big deal and should be explained in detail. I think some surgeons avoid that so they can get a sale. Like Dr Towfigh has mentioned many times it’s a drastic procedure especially done openly.

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

Thank you for you response Dr Towfigh-
I filled out the contact information on your site. BTW it’s a very nice site.

Sorry to be graphic but after going to the bathroom #2 it feels like my stomach bloats even more and I can’t breathe like I’m suffocating.
Everything feels dry also. Did my stomach shrink? Pulling down on my esophagus? Neurectomy?
I’m small 5’8 150 lbs.

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

That depends on who you ask.
As part of my point is that there’s some
surgeons who solicit this procedure
out there who determine that any discomfort is soley from the mesh and are eagerly wanting to remove it at any cost to the patient. It’s apparent removal may only benefit the surgeon, not the patient. It’s a question of discretion and ethics. It’s easy to scare a patient and tell them they need to get their mesh out. It’s not a perfect world out there unfortunately. I know people who are being consulted by phone 1000 miles away being told their mesh needs to be removed without seeing any imaging or physically examining the patient.

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

Thanks Dr Towfigh,

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.
I guess I will contact you via email?

[Mesh]

To Remove or Not to Remove?

I’m not sure if I’m allowed to disclose that here.
I can tell you he is one of major advertisers out there for mesh removal.
He performs very invasive open procedures. Severely traumatic.

A surgeon who has done this operation before many times I believe should show some compassion and prepare the patient or educate them on what to expect after such trauma. Not just expect the patient to have all the questions. This felt like a trick, like a sale or a case study more than a service. More like you were being experimented on. I knew it but I failed to leave at the last minute.
There’s always that thought about hey the mesh is going to come out and that will be a good thing but
the price you pay for that is un imagineably torturous. The trade off is no comparison to your physical self before removal. It’s not conducive if you had any sort of a physical lifestyle prior to removal. It basically disables you severely. I can see removal for a balled up piece or an infection or someone who is limping in pain with mesh in but not for someone with discomfort and the mesh is in perfectly. You’re taking mesh out, cutting nerves and altering the anatomy with a very tense repair..how can that ever be better?
Risky Business.