A woman who is waiting to find out whether she will receive surgery in the US to have mesh implants removed has shared her frustration at how long it has taken to reach this point.
Marion Taylor, from Greenock, had the surgery in 2011 and has lived in agonising pain ever since.
She was initially told she did not need a full mesh removal, however, after a pre-operation assessment last week, she is being put forward for consideration for the procedure in the US.
Marion had previously been offered an operation in Scotland but refused, asking for the surgery in America.
She told STV News: “I should be elated about it but I’m really, really scared because it’s a big, big operation and the mesh has been there so long and the amount of pain that I go through.
“I don’t know what it’s doing inside me and it’s a big journey to take and then sent home a week later after major surgery.
“It’s not the best situation but unfortunately I’ve got no faith in it being done here.”
In 2021 the Scottish Government announced mesh patients will be able to have corrective surgery for free from specialists in England and America.
Marion does not know how long she will have to wait to find out whether she will get the operation but if it does go ahead she hopes it will change her life.
She said: “I want to be able to do the things I can’t do, I want to be able to walk miles.
“I want to be able to shop and push a trolley without being in pain.
“I want to be able to carry my shopping up the stairs to the house without being in agony, I want to cut the grass and do dishes without being crippled after two or three minutes.
“I want to be able to sleep without wakening up in pain.”
Nancy Honeyball, from Dunoon, is also waiting to find out what the next steps will be in her treatment.
She had her mesh operation in 2010 and is waiting to find out whether she will be put forward for surgery in the US for a full removal.
Nancy feels the issue is not a “priority” for the Scottish Government and believes she and other mesh survivors have been “lied” to.
She said: “It’s a bit like a grieving process really when I think about it because my kids, who are coming up 23 and 28, have not really had a mum there and I feel like I’ve failed them in a way.
“My daughter was ten when I had this inserted and it’s taken its toll.
“A lot of me has died. I feel the only way I can describe it is like a grieving process – besides the pain, the fatigue, the rest of the symptoms that go with it.
“I’ve missed out on a lot and I feel old before my time.”
Women’s health minister Jenni Minto said: “We are determined to do everything in our power to help those impacted by mesh complications and to ensure those affected get the treatment they need. If a patient states a preference to go to one of the independent providers, every effort will be made to ensure this happens as quickly as possible.
“However, each individual patient’s case is different and is dependent on a number of factors, and the exact timing of surgery will depend on the completion of necessary arrangements between NSS and the patient’s health board, the surgeon’s availability and the arrangement of travel and accommodation.
“The Scottish Government will continue to work with colleagues within the NHS to ensure that women can access the care that they need, are fully supported by their GP and other clinicians, have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their care, and to ensure that the good rates of satisfaction reported by patients visiting the NHS specialist service in Glasgow – where waiting times are falling – continue to grow.”
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