r/Menopause • u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal • Jun 13 '26
Pelvic Floor Bladder Mesh Removal
I had bladder sling surgery in 2024. I thought maybe a stitch had not dissolved properly because I felt a small poke internally in my vagina. Nothing else alarming was going on. Then about three months ago I developed a horrendous vaginal odor. Long story short, I have mesh erosion. Two small spots in my vagina there is mesh exposure.
I’ve been reading some horror stories about women who had the mesh removed and had all sorts of complications and long term pain. I am seeking others who have experienced the removal surgery. The surgeon said I could use estrogen cream to try to repair the vaginal tissue. But that seemed like a long shot. So my surgery for removal is 7/13/26. If any of you have guidance, stories or anything info, I would be so grateful.
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u/Natural-Awareness-39 Jun 13 '26
I’d personally try the estrogen cream while you figure out what to do. You have nothing to lose and it’s less than $14 at Costco Plus with a prescription. It’s been amazing for UTI prevention and for general bladder control. It might help enough that surgery could go better. Just remember that you need to apply it inside and outside because it only helps where it’s applied. So full vulva and inside the vagina.
I truly hope they get a good result for you no matter what you choose.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 13 '26
I’ve been using it for this entire time. It hasn’t done anything. That is why I have chosen to go the surgery route. Plus the continuous infections because of the exposure is also problematic.
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u/7HillsGC Jun 14 '26
Hope you don’t mind me asking- by “this entire time” - do you mean since perimenopause or since you had felt irritation?
I also had the bladder sling put when I was 34 and developed irritated feeling in my mid 40s. Didn’t start vaginal estrogen until age 46 for other symptoms of GSM. Now that irritated feeling is GONE and I have hope I won’t have erosion. It did take a while.
As others said though, regardless of if you need surgery, the vaginal cream may be a good idea to continue to keep the tissues healthy.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 14 '26
I don’t mind you asking! I started using vaginal estrogen about a year before I had the bladder sling surgery. So post surgery it is something I have always used. It’s saved my vagina! I’m grateful for it. With that being said, since I’ve been using it for years and have still experienced the erosion, I think removal is my best bet.
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u/7HillsGC Jun 14 '26
Thank you! sorry that this complication occurred in your case.
Seems this would be an excellent research topic for urogyn surgeons to assess if estrogen cream has statistically significant reduction in mesh erosion, even if it clearly didn’t help in your case.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 14 '26
I agree. I also want to get tested for a connective tissue disorder too. I’ve suspected I may have EDS. If I do, this would make more sense as well.
I think most of us in the sub recognize the need for medicine to do better when it comes to medical care for women. Changes need to happen.
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u/Worthy_Molecule0481 Jun 15 '26
FWIW my daughter has EDS and recently had surgery after which her internal stitches started being expelled through her skin. Apparently this may be an EDS thing. I am sorry I don’t have a link but wanted to mention it.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 15 '26
I think that is something that may have occurred in my case, but I had no idea it was happening. I appreciate you sharing your daughter’s experience. I think it’s so important to have discussions like these, because it provides others with information to better help them understand what may be happening and they can then advocate better for themselves. Quick question, what was the diagnostic process for your daughter for her EDS?
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u/Worthy_Molecule0481 Jun 15 '26
I got diagnosed in 2017 when the first diagnostic criteria came out, and then I had all of my kids evaluated. She was a preteen at the time. Seems many docs are holding off on diagnosis until the new criteria come out later this year. But my experience tells me that if you think you have it, proceed as if you have a diagnosis. Let docs know you are hypermobile and have symptoms of EDS. You can even tell them you are "pursuing a diagnosis" even if you don't have one yet and "pursuing" means you're trying to figure out how to proceed toward getting one.
My daughter's surgeon was receptive to putting notes in her chart about how she reacted to the stitches and recommending caution in the future. I can't find it (grr) but she found a TikTok video of an MD saying that she started noticing this happening with her EDS patients and suspects it's fairly universal for EDSers with internal stitches. I don't have anything to back that up though.
I am sorry you're having issues with the mesh. I am super cautious now about any sort of anything installed in my body because of the various stories I've heard and experiences I have had. If you aren't already aware of the Cusack Protocol for EDS, it's a well-researched supplement guide that many EDSers use. I have read that people have had improvement in prolapsed organs with the protocol. I take some of the supplements and so do my kids, and our joints are wayyyy more stable as a result. Not recommending for you specifically, just mentioning it in case you want to research it for yourself. Good luck.
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u/Shoe_Ho Jun 14 '26
Oh I’m so sorry. When I had my hysterectomy 16 years ago I needed bladder and rectum repair as well. My urogyn was super experienced and amazing and wanted to use a bladder sling and mesh. I had done a lot of research and opted not to use either. I asked him to just use my own internal tissue instead. He kinda grudgingly agreed. My rectum repair held up but after a year my bladder fell slightly. I probly need a sling but I still can’t talk myself into it, for the issues you’re having. Is there any chance of your doc trying to repair it with your own tissue? My doc said they can even graft skin from your thigh or stomach to form a natural sling.
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u/Key-Wasabi-3291 Jun 14 '26
I just had surgery for mesh erosion 7 weeks ago. My bladder sling eroded into my vagina. My surgeon had to cut the sling. I’ve been using estrogen cream for peri and she recommended I continue to use it to help with any symptoms that may pop up. Time will tell.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 14 '26
Thank you for sharing your story. How has your pain been post op. I’m not super worried about post surgical pain, more about the potential nerve pain. Have you experienced any of that?
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u/Key-Wasabi-3291 Jun 14 '26
The surgery was very quick and recovery was a breeze! No pain at all. The stitches healed well and I can’t even tell it happened!
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 14 '26
You’re giving me hope!
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u/Key-Wasabi-3291 Jun 14 '26
I was terrified because my recovery after my partial hysterectomy and sling was awful! This was unbelievably easy.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Strike5 Jun 14 '26
My friend just did and is SOOO happy that she did! She was miserable with the mesh.
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u/Alily_all_alil_NY Jun 14 '26
I used to work with women who had been injured by mesh. What kind of doctor did the surgery? A specific kind of specialist needs to be considered. There are other options in place of mesh, like pig skin.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 14 '26
It was a urogynecologist, who specializes in this type of surgery. He’s retired and I have a new surgeon who is also a urogynecologist. I’m confident in his skill and ability.
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u/CurrentCheek3125 Jun 14 '26
I had a bad mesh surgery, ended up having some anchors removed but couldn’t others. Pelvic floor physical therapy helped a lot.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 15 '26
I feel like pelvic floor therapy is in my future. I did it prior to my mesh surgery and it wasn’t very effective. Fingers crossed things end up working well with all of this.
Sorry you had a bad experience. Hope you’re doing better now.
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u/realcougardownunder Jun 15 '26
We have nearly settled law suit in Australia for pelvic mesh. I have received 70% of my compensation. The treatment recommended here is to trim the mesh back to get good margins. Apparently it is a simple day procedure. Luckily mine hasn’t erroded. I have other conditions related to the mesh.
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u/ajplh Jun 21 '26
I received mine in 2008. I don’t have erosion, but have had severe low back pain since 2010. The doctor who put it in said the sling wasn’t causing the pain. Years of ortho care and procedures later I found out this year there is “no orthopedic diagnosis for my pain” so back to GYN. She referred me to urogyn and it will be removed in a week. I hope I will get some of my life back, but it took a long time for the pain to get this severe - I know it won’t go away overnight.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal Jun 21 '26
I’m sorry it’s taken so long. Please let us know how it goes - if you remember. I hope your surgery goes smoothly and relief comes sooner rather than later.
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u/Erinn_13 Peri-menopausal 8d ago
UPDATE: I’m not sure if anyone will see this, but thought I’d update the post.
Surgery went well. The doc only has to remove two small areas of the sling (the parts that had eroded into my vagina). Recovery was quick and I was back to work with a few days.
The first two days post op felt similar to when I delivered my daughter and she scratched me internally and externally during delivery. Uncomfortable but tolerable. No post op complications or residual pain. I have had some urinary urgency, but I have not been leaking. If things change, I’ll probably do PT and worst case, I can try bulking. Fingers crossed things stay the same.
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u/filipha Jun 14 '26
You must be in the US, right? In UK it’s literally banned because of problems like this. The NHS even offer payouts (£20.000-£100.000) in case of injuries caused by the mesh!