The human life "in pieces" after a mesh operation for hernia left him in an "indescribable pain"

A whistleblower says that his "life is in pieces" after an operation to heal his hernia left him in an "indescribable pain".

Damian Murtagh, of County Down, Northern Ireland, says that mesh surgery has not prevented his hernia from developing.

The 44-year-old said he was now suffering from excruciating pain due to the exposed nerves and that he wanted doctors to stop using mesh surgery to combat hernias. .

Damien told Belfast Live: "I had a pelvic hernia and it was getting so bad that I could not ride a bike anymore because it was very obvious and looked terrible. It was not painful at this point but it was embarrassing.

"I was scared of surgery and I guess I left it later than some people, but when I went to see the surgeon, he explained that everything could be repaired with a simple mesh insert who would close the place where the hernia was. in law.

"I did not know anything about medicine and I had confidence in resolving my situation. I took a deep breath and participated in the operation.

"At first, it was great, the hernia was gone, I started to heal and I found my life again. Working in the soils, I had to be fit and healthy and I got back to work pretty quickly. "

But Damian's hopes for a life without hernia were lost when he realized that the operation had actually worsened his problems.

And today, instead of living a fulfilling, happy and busy life, Damian says that he is the shadow of his old self.

He explained: "The mesh is hardened and instead of maintaining a hernia in place, parts of my interior have grown around and through the mesh, leaving the nerves damaged and exposed. The pain is indescribable. I can not concentrate, I can not work a full day, I can not even have a full relationship – my life is in pieces and there is really nothing anyone can do without trying to 39 go in and out the stitches.

"But I was told it would be like trying to pull the hair out of a tuft of chewing gum without breaking or damaging it.

"It was not possible that I had surgery if I thought it might happen. I have joined social media support groups to try to cope with the situation and although most of the people who suffer are women with vaginal mesh, many of them are men.

"The problem is that people are embarrassed to talk about it, but as patients, many of us have been left dying, with no hope that it will change and many people are suffering from repeated infections. , skin problems, autoimmune problems, emotional problems. distress and depression resulting from the whole problem.

"Still, there are surgeons who are still opting for the use of trellis in surgery with the promise of a quick cure for the problem – though for people like me, this has created an even bigger problem which is difficult to remedy.

"I would be very afraid of having more surgeries and I was worried that the situation would worsen, although to be honest, I think I'm at the edge of the pain that I can continue to take. "

Damian said that he looked like an old man – and felt like a wreck – as a result of the operation.

He added, "This whole situation has ruined my life. I would have liked to settle in and find someone to get married and maybe have two kids and teach them how to fish.

"But it's no longer a dream for me now, because I can not function properly physically or emotionally and my energy is terrible.

"Sleep is also a problem because there is no position in which I can put that which relieves pain.

"The scandal of using mesh is that it's still being used and that more and more people are risking their lives to hell like mine." This must stop.

"I urge anyone, man or woman, to think very seriously about the idea of ​​accepting mesh surgery as the only way to solve their problem.

"It could work, but there is no guarantee and if the risk is to live like I have to live, I can tell you that it is not worth it".