Julie
Julie underwent a TVT procedure following incontinence issue after the birth of her daughter. She experienced urinary retention and infection issues but struggled to have her concerns taken seriously. A later operation showed that the mesh had eroded.
Julie enjoys spending time with her adult daughter and two cats. She is currently not in paid employment due to her health concerns. She describes her ethnicity as White British.
Conditions/symptoms: urinary incontinence, urinary retention, UTI, mesh complications
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Julie began having issues with urinary incontinence after the birth of her daughter. While she knew incontinence was common after pregnancy, she felt that hers was more severe than usual. Julie’s labour had been complex, so she was “expecting something, but not like this”. Julie found herself having accidents at work and dreading going out for daily activities like shopping. Although she tried pelvic floor exercises and medications, they were unsuccessful. She found incontinence pads uncomfortable, visible under clothing, and “embarrassing”.
A few months after her incontinence began, Julie saw the doctor out of concern that “I was gonna get the sack if I didn’t do something”. At the advice of her boss, Julie chose to go private through her company’s insurance. Julie met with a consultant she thought was “great” and “well respected”. In the consultation, the consultant pushed a tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure. While the TVT surgery was still new, it was “billed as this amazing procedure”. Julie chose the TVT because it was less invasive and had a quicker healing time.
Julie said it was “clear” that the procedure wasn’t working soon after the surgery. She developed a urinary tract infection (UTI) and found that she was retaining urine. When she went to the doctor, how she was treated made Julie feel that “it’s all in your head”. Julie feels that her diagnosis of post-natal depression may have influenced how physicians dismissed her concerns; this made her “a bit distrustful of the doctors after that”. Julie felt that receiving the necessary help was a “nightmare”. At several points, she went into A&E because of the pain. On one occasion, tests at the hospital showed that she had blood poisoning from an untreated UTI.
When Julie returned to her original consultant and had the tape checked, she was told that there was “no problem”. After calling attention to her urinary problems, the consultant admitted that retention could be a potential side effect of the procedure. She was “a bit annoyed” as this had never been mentioned during her prior visits. Julie self-managed the condition for several years, “putting up with it because I don’t know, I felt like no-one believed me”.
After years of frustration, Julie went back to the doctor and received a referral to a new NHS gynaecologist. This time, the consultant listened “straight away” and believed that the tape could be the source of Julie’s problems. An operation found that the tape had eroded and was causing bleeding. Her surgeon removed some of the mesh. When she awoke from surgery, Julie felt relief that “someone was listening to me” and “it wasn’t all in my head”. Julie had to undergo additional surgery afterwards to remove more of the eroded mesh. She thinks “there might be still a bit in there”.
Sometime after the TVT procedure, Julie had a hysterectomy to remove uterine fibroids (non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus). The surgeon chose to keep her cervix as she was a “young woman” but did not warn her about the potential for prolapse. Julie later needed surgery to have her cervix removed, it was sinking into her vagina and causing urinary troubles. The surgeon she saw about her cervix removal described her state as one of the previous consultant’s “cock-ups”, leaving Julie “gobsmacked”. She also felt “a bit more of relief” as it meant that she “hadn’t been imagining it”.
Looking back on her experience, Julie feels that “emotionally it’s been really tough”. Julie was sad to have missed spending time with her daughter. Her medical problems led to marital and financial strain, which resulted in a divorce and needing to sell her home. At this point, she feels that “I’ve accepted that I’m probably always gonna have it like this” but has found that her condition has somewhat improved. Julie advises women to seek out a second opinion and hopes that consultants will receive more training and be less dismissive in the future.
Since her divorce, Julie has felt it’s “easier to stay single” than explain about her mesh surgery and other health conditions.
Since her divorce, Julie has felt it’s “easier to stay single” than explain about her mesh surgery and other health conditions.
I’ve had a couple of relationships since you know, the divorce and that. But they only lasted a couple of years. I think I’ve got too set in my own ways and because of the problems I’ve got it doesn’t make me such a catch, you see what I’m, a lot of health problems and trying to explain that to someone, it’s like, it’s sort of like, no, it it’s easier to stay single. It would be nice. But it’s easier to stay single.
Julie, who is mesh injured, has had difficulty providing a home for herself and her daughter as a result of being unable to work and separating from her husband.
Julie, who is mesh injured, has had difficulty providing a home for herself and her daughter as a result of being unable to work and separating from her husband.
So, we had to sell, I was gonna be homeless with my daughter. So, we went into private rented. And I was there for five years then the landlord was selling up. Gonna be homeless again. And I was on the council waiting list and then I got the place where I am now. So, it has been quite tough, notwithstanding I’ve got my daughter as well, obviously and her my mum and dad split up and then she loses the only home she knows. So, yeah, it has been tough.