What is mesh? It’s a plastic medical device used as a quick fix implant in operations to fix prolapse, incontinence, hernia, some mastectomies. But it can cause irreversible life changing pain & complications - impacting the patient, their partner & families
#slingthemesh
It has been a pleasure and a privilege to represent the mesh injured community for 5 years. It is now time to step back to spend more time with my family. Many grateful thanks to everyone who has supported me along the way.
I’m getting so many messages from people saying the
#PostOffice
scandal is just like the
#mesh
scandal. They told us there was nobody else suffering & we were mystery patients until we linked up on Facebook. Theres now more than 10,000 members of
#slingthemesh
We are at Parliament to hear the official unveiling of the Patient Safety Commissioners report into financial redress for women harmed by Pelvic Mesh
#mesh
Women were guinea pigs in the
#mesh
implant scandal. Sadly, they’re also guinea pigs for mesh removal. There’s no formal training or joined up thinking across the 7 NHS Mesh Specialist Centres & some women, who’re told they’re getting full mesh removals are only given partials
Shine Lawyers welcome today’s High Court decision which means thousands of Australian women affected by defective pelvic mesh implants will finally see justice after their many years of pain and suffering. Read the full release here:
We've written to
#BBC
to support
@VictoriaLIVE
which tackles a wide range of social & political issues. Their multiple investgiations into the mesh scandal implant has so far had 5.4 million views - this would not have been possible without the TV programme
Eileen, 75, dies from multiple organ failure, sepsis, rectal perforation from a prolapse mesh The type surgeons say is safe She was clearly suffering & ignored. Thank you
@KevanChristie
for such a powerfully written article
@OwenSmith_MP
@EmmaHardyMP
We are pleased to officially announce that
@ElneilSuzy
is back doing
#mesh
removals at UCLH This welcome news is the most liked & commented on post in the
#SlingTheMesh
Facebook support group since 2015 with more than 560 likes and 152 comments of support
Sling The Mesh would like to pay tribute to Canadian surgeon
#RobertBendavid
a staunch supporter of the
#mesh
community Robert dedicated his life to further our knowledge mesh implant risk. His unwavering integrity to speaking the truth & his friendship will be deeply missed
BREAKING NEWS The FDA admit that implant materials can cause
#autoimmune
reactions like fatigue, rash, joint & muscle pain or weakness & say regulation of medical devices need modernising
@OwenSmith_MP
@carlheneghan
@sbowers00
“I don’t want anyone else – daughters, nieces, family, friends – to go through this.” Women protest new
#NICE
#mesh
guidelines & demand a surgeon's service, removing mesh for 14yrs, is brought back after it was stopped without warning
#MeshLivesMatter
The much-awaited independent review into mesh implants will report on July 8. It has taken 2 years. We hope it is robust enough to protect the mums of tomorrow
@EmmaHardyMP
@carlheneghan
@SharonHodgsonMP
UK's leading surgeon says the
#mesh
scandal & metal hips disaster are result of poor clinical trials & no long term data. Surgery is a have a go battlefield without evidence to back up safety claims
@OwenSmith_MP
@EmmaHardyMP
@carlheneghan
Honoured to be in a list 20 female ground breakers of 2017 in The Independent The right thing to do, is the right thing - and in this case it's exposing the biggest womens health disaster since thalidomide.
#SlingTheMesh
#mesh
implants
Thanks
@mariacaulfield
for meeting with
#mesh
campaigners today to discuss how to improve specialist mesh centres & tackling financial redress to improve the lives of women whose health has been irreversibly harmed
@EmmaHardyMP
Huge respect and thanks go to
@ElneilSuzy
who fought to do the right thing in the face of such adversity
#Mesh
implants for
#incontinence
are suspended after a Govt safety review say the risks are appalling
BREAKING NEWS Mesh removal centres announced
Newcastle
Sheffield
Manchester
Cambridge
UCL
Leicester
Nottingham
No bids from SE & SW, however following discussions some providers now come forward. NHS England hope to announce soon
@EmmaHardyMP
@SharonHodgsonMP
What's the vaginal
#mesh
implant disaster? Its an op for women that was quicker & cheaper than traditional
#surgery
made huge $$££ for industry & also surgeons in private practice. Its about women ignored for 20yrs when they said it ruined their life
Hands up who wants the medical community to treat
#mesh
injured women with respect. Our trust is shattered. That trust needs rebuilding
#firstdonoharm
#slingthemesh
Women harmed by pelvic mesh trusted they were having a gold standard surgery, with no warning of risks. Many were gaslit for years & just like the Post Office scandal, told they were the only ones with complications, forcing them to suffer in silence.
Lessons from
#mesh
Listen to your patients instead of telling them they’re the only mystery person suffering or it’s all in their head. When things go wrong don’t create a culture of institutional denial
#patientsafety
Exclusive: Mum killed herself after vaginal
#mesh
made her life unbearable How can
#NICE
#NHS
and the Goverment allow this operation to continue? via
@MetroUK
#Mesh
use should stop in
#Scotland
says report "One of most important things to come from this report was the extent to which women were not believed when they highlighted concerns to medics ultimately resulting in being no record of their concerns."
Proud to represent 7150 members at the Baroness Cumberlege Review. Mesh implants were approved on flimsy evidence with no database to log complications and patients weren't warned of risks It's time to
#SlingTheMesh
At 1 min past midnight we can reveal the outcome of the
@IMMDSReview
into 3 womens health treatments that have left catastrophic injuries
#Mesh
#Valproate
#Primodos
A huge thank you to every single person who has helped & supported us to get this far
#SlingTheMesh
Why did the
#mesh
implant disaster go on for 20 yrs before anyone took it seriously? Because it involved the V word & thats a bit "icky" for media, MPs & women to openly discuss Thank God its now OK & we have a suspension Thanks
@OwenSmith_MP
@EmmaHardyMP
🇺🇸 BREAKING NEWS FROM USA: Johnson and Johnson has agreed to a $117 million multistate settlement over allegations it deceptively marketed its pelvic
#mesh
products.
Today is International Mesh Awareness Day. Sending our support to campaigners globally in this scandal of profits before
#patientsafety
made possible by flawed & or industry funded scientific evidence, weak regulation, no databases capturing complications & institutional denial
If America recognises vaginal prolapse mesh is too risky to use & bans it, why did
@NICEcomms
say in their guidelines 2 weeks ago it was fine? Anyone smell a rat?
#NICE
#mesh
guidelines not fit for purpose
@stematthews94
“I would like to congratulate Sohier Elneil - NHS consultant and dedicated champion for her patients who won Health Hero of the Year. Sohier and all of the nominees epitomise the very best of our NHS.” - PM
@Theresa_May
at Daily Mail Health Heroes awards
Baroness Cumberlege calls for financial redress for women & families harmed by
#mesh
#primodos
#sodiumvalproate
“The NHS caused these problems, it’s up to the NHS that these people have a better life through redress”
NICE backtrack on vaginal prolapse
#mesh
Dec 2017 it is banned
April 2019 it is unbanned
June 2019 It is banned again but only AFTER PRESSURE FROM
#SLINGTHEMESH
#MESHTOO
"Women in my clinic can present up to 15yrs later with problems, not in their head, real physical problems. I cant reverse them. Also I cant tell who will suffer & who wont, its why I stopped using
#mesh
"
@waelagur
Baroness Cumberlege - We are deeply disappointed the government has rejected calls for an independent redress agency or any redress for families whose lives have been devastated by medicines or medical devices. For those families justice has not been done today
#mesh
A doctor with J&J Ethicon says a 20% erosion rate is OK. That equates to 1 in 5 women suffering plastic
#mesh
slicing into their internal tissues or through vaginal walls. Not much about that sounds OK to me.
@OwenSmith_MP
@EmmaHardyMP
@carlheneghan
#GoodFriday
is not good for
#SlingTheMesh
This week we hear surgeon
@ElneilSuzy
has had her
#mesh
removal service stopped. Women are devastated, some now suicidal, & expected to go to other surgeons with barely any experience Lesson? Never be an
#NHS
whistleblower
@OwenSmith_MP
Huge thanks to
@EmmaHardyMP
&
@SharonHodgsonMP
who've secured a back bench debate for
#slingthemesh
So many things to cover: rectopexy mesh removal in the specialist centres, urgent need for hernia mesh public consultation as per Scotland, financial redress, conflicts of interest
Today
#SlingTheMesh
gave the second round of oral evidence to the 🇬🇧 UK safety review into
#mesh
@IMMDSReview
Huge amounts of work has gone on in the background to prepare. A big thanks to the team who have spent hours getting ready for today
#MeshLivesMatter
I think what needs to be understood by anyone stepping in to the mesh arena is here are healthy women, with embarrassing health problems, whose lives have been ruined, Is it any wonder we are angry?
@roofus
@waelagur
@ElneilSuzy
Two years ago Chrissy died of sepsis from TVT
#mesh
leaving 2 young sons On Nov 21 judgment will be given in🇦🇺Australian landmark class action against J&J on vaginal mesh & it’s debilitating effects on women who've lost husbands, houses, jobs, self esteem & live in crippling pain
For anyone who thinks only a small minority of people suffer mesh complications
6,130 active members of
#SlingTheMesh
in the last 7 days
This is just 1 support group from many globally
Not everyone suffering is on social media
Pain often blamed on other health issues
Women have been irreversibly harmed from vaginal
#mesh
since 1997 yet still new research says more studies are needed into risks. For 22yrs nobody's properly logged long term complications
#SlingTheMesh
An emotional debate in House of Commons tells of the "wild west" of medical device regulation Devices are rushed to market for profits The result is patients pay the price Thank you for your support
@EmmaHardyMP
@OwenSmith_MP
@carlheneghan
@SharonHodgsonMP
The First Do No Harm APPG is currently in progress. There's no redress agency but can you confirm
@NadineDorries
if women will be given financial redress? Women's lives have been shattered beyond measure physically, emotionally, financially
#mesh
Remembering Chrissy who died 3yrs ago after battling sepsis caused by a TVT
#mesh
implant Chrissy was a young Canadian mum, active with a successful interior design business. She suffered mild incontinence after the birth of her sons This her final Facebook post RIP Chrissy x
Remembering mum of two Chrissy who died 4 yrs ago from
#sepsis
after suffering ogoing
#uti
infections from a
#TVT
#mesh
implant for
#sui
She died 2 days after posting this to Facebook. She was just 42
Good luck to everyone presenting to the MHRA today about what needs to happen to improve
#patientsafety
.
Unfortunately, this session is not open to the public (pre arranged ticket holders only) & it’s not being recorded either
@EmmaHardyMP
@AlecShelbrooke
Lord Brennan says its outrageous patients must go to court to seek compensation for financial loss from a healthcare treatment. He calls for a Compensation System funded through a levy on the Medical giants
@OwenSmith_MP
Thank you so much
@EmmaHardyMP
for raising awareness of the urgent need for redress for
#mesh
injured women. The reply from
#BorisJohnson
totally swept us under the carpet.
Imagine sitting on razor blades, a sensation of glass shards inside your vagina, a lighter burning your vagina, barbed wire wrapped round your pelvis. Just some of the ways women describe the pain of surgical
#mesh
Many ignored & made to feel a nuisance
Dear Government
1 Theres 5,700 members
#Slingthemesh
2 Your Chief Medical Officer didnt know
#mesh
implants can cause probs months or yrs later
3 Risk stats lower than reality: surgeons only follow up for 3mths
4 Studies average 1-2yrs
5 Long term future unknown
@EmmaHardyMP
Sling The Mesh has been successful in getting a clause into Health & Social Care Bill for 🇬🇧Sunshine Payment Act forcing industry to declare money given to Drs, teaching hospitals & research institutions. Such money was a key reason for
#mesh
#primodos
#sodiumvalproate
scandals
This is a TVT
#mesh
sling, suspended in the UK in 2018 but still used globally to treat female incontinence, mostly caused by childbirth - yet 8 in 10 women could’ve been helped with pelvic floor
#physiotherapy
. Lives ruined from a surgery most women didn’t even need
@sharrond62
A
#mesh
counselling service has been set up for the duration of the Safety Review so people can talk to a trained professional for support.
The line is open 8-6pm Mon to Fri by calling 0121 314 7075.
@OwenSmith_MP
@EmmaHardyMP
Johnson & Johnson are reprimanded by Washington Attorney General and told they must disclose all pelvic
#mesh
risks after misrepresenting their products for years
In his latest blog
@carlheneghan
says long-term consequences of lax approval & the failure to heed the early warnings led to hundreds of thousands of women being irreversibly harmed
@EmmaHardyMP
Johnson & Johnson withdraws pelvic
#mesh
implants from Australian market Where does this leave the UK? Where's safety for British women? Parliament mesh think tank meets Jan 30 and question in House of Lords Feb 6
Looking forward to meeting with
@JuliaCumberlege
today to talk about the impact of
#mesh
implants & how this is a much bigger disaster than NHS Govt & surgeon societies realise owing to catalogue of audit fails
@OwenSmith_MP
@EmmaHardyMP
5yrs ago Karen was not warned of mesh risks before her op in 2007. In 2013 the medical director of NHS England wrote to all hospitals saying surgeons must warn women of the dangers & give proper help if things go wrong. This never happened
@EmmaHardyMP
Johnson and Johnson has been ordered to pay millions for deceptively marketing its vaginal
#mesh
products. Judge ruled J&J knew the dangers but put profits ahead of health of millions of women The biggest profit-making mesh 🌏 is this
#TVT
kit
Cost of treating
#mesh
injured women 🇬🇧
1) 127,500 women had incontinence mesh
2) In following 9 yrs they required 1.35 million outpatient appointments
3) Cost £245 million
This doesnt include primary care costs Thanks
@carlheneghan
for calculation
Mesh injured woman “Disappointed with financial redress offer. How can £20K be anywhere near what we deserve especially when like myself had to pay £13K for this poison to be removed . This has ruined my quality of life. I don’t normally rant but I’m so angry and upset”
There needs to be a National Recall of all pelvic
#mesh
patients as its the only way to find out the true number suffering, says Dr Vincent Argent. He tried to warn regulators about TVT risks in the late 90s but he was ignored
@carlheneghan
#HouseOfCommons
Chamber debate Pelvic/vaginal
#mesh
Thurs April 19 led by
@EmmaHardyMP
Plastic implants can shrink, go brittle, twist, fragments fall off, curl twist, slicing into nerves, tissues, lacerate bladders & bowels None of us were ill. We are now
#JeremyHunt
says he wont re-visit the science of
#mesh
because Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies says it's a "lifeline" for appropriately selected" women Here's our research that proves risk is HIGH and plastic shrinks, twists, degrades
@OwenSmith_MP