Jeff Silverman: Suffering in Silence Over Hernia Mesh Pain
Nov 12th, 2011 | By Jane Akre | Category: Patient Profiles
Jeff Silverman
Silverman is one of many men who finds himself disregarded. Not only do medical doctors not believe his pain following a mesh implant to treat a hernia, but the FDA has omitted men from its two warnings about the serious adverse events that can result from the synthetic implant. He has taken his frustration to Facebook opening a group “Victims of Hernia/Vaginal Mesh Surgery” (here) .
Here’s what he says:
“I have started this group because of an ongoing medical situation in this country that is causing many people a lot of harm, pain, grief, and a deterioration of the quality of our lives and no one seems to care except a handful of doctors. I’m talking about the damage that is being caused by the mesh products that are being used to “repair” hernias for both men and women, as well as the vaginal mesh and “bladder slings” being used on women. These horrible products are taking otherwise healthy people and, for the lack of a better term, screwing up our lives for the long haul.”
“In October of 2009 I had surgery to repair an inguinal hernia on my right side and I’ve been in constant testicular and leg pain ever since with limited mobility. In fact, I’m in more pain now than before the operation and the doctors involved with my case as well as the hospital are taking no responsibility. I have found thousands of online posts by people from all over the country who are going through the same thing, and getting the same attitude from their own doctors.”
Silverman’s Story
Jeff Silverman, 51, lives in Las Vegas and is currently disabled and unemployed. For 15 years he was a blackjack dealer. He believes that the years he spent, slightly leaning over a table to deal cards and take the money, caused his hernia. He had lived with hernia pain for awhile and called it “an annoyance” but then in June 2009 the pain got worse and so did the hernia. With no insurance benefits through his work, he signed up with the country to receive medical benefits and went to the public hospital, University Medical Center (UMC), to see whichever doctor happened to be on call.
He ended up with an oncologist who performed his hernia surgery on October 12, 2009.
Silverman was told the operation was safe and routine and he’d be up and out in a month or so,
no problem.
“I’ve had surgery four or five times and I heal quickly with no infections so I knew what to
expect. As soon as I opened my eyes I knew there was more post-op pain than I had ever felt. I
knew something was wrong,” he said.
“It felt like a brick was left inside my gut.”
Silverman says he waited in recovery until he opened his eyes and in 20 minutes he was
escorted out of the clinic.
A week and a half after the surgery, Silverman says he was still in a lot of pain and returned to
the surgical center. Another doctor was on the rotation that day. He told the doctor it felt like
the ends of a rubber band when the center is being pulled.
“Nobody got it because none was a hernia specialist,” says Silverman, though he asked to see such a specialist, he says he was denied.
Silverman later found he had received the PerFix Plug by C.R. Bard. Though he was healing on
the outside the pain never went away. “It wasn’t just the pain, it’s knowing the feeling of having a foreign object in the body, in the whole midsection,” he says, “with an intense pain on the right side radiating pain into my groin down the right thigh into the abdomen.
All points of pain are leading toward the incision,” he says.
A return to the UMC and yet another doctor injected lidocaine to see if there was any nerve
damage. The doctor never came back into the room. Instead the nurse came in with a
prescription for nerve medication.
Furious with the lack of specialist care and a general lack of follow through, Silverman wrote
a letter of complaint to the CEO of UMC. In response he received a letter from the public relations department that the doctors overseeing his care were not directly employed by UMC.
Never mind that in 2010, the Las Vegas Sun did a series of investigative reports (here) reports on UMC’s substandard care, including turning away a woman in labor who gave birth to a baby who died soon after being born.
It was now February 2010 and Silverman was sickened, not just with pain, but by the treatment he received. By this time he had seen four doctors in the surgical center and two in the emergency room on two different occasions. There was no follow up by any of them. No news outlet was interested in his story, the hospital did not want to forward his case to a specialist.
The final insult added to his injury – he could not receive narcotics for the pain.
“They refused to admit there is a problem, it’s a huge Catch 22. Everybody was trying to make
me think I’m crazy, Silverman says. “The nurse actually said to me ‘you can’t be in that much
pain’ when she refused to let me see a hernia specialist.”
For its part, Bard says its PerFix Plug has been used in four million procedures and has a chronic pain complication rate of less than 0.5% (here).
Silverman says to MDND, “Something I want to make absolutely clear because it’s something
you brought up several times and has become such a huge issue lately, the subject of narcotic
painkillers would not have been anything to even think twice about 20 years ago or even 5
years ago, but because so many people are abusing them now, the rest of us have to pay the
price. Most doctors have taken the low road and refuse to prescribe and many people, like me
who truly need them are now paying the price for the actions of others.”
Silverman will be 52 next month. He says he can’t go back to dealing cards. He lives with his
mother, who is almost blind and his father, a cancer survivor. A sister lives in Florida.
“The pain is there all the time, it never goes away. It’s there with every step I take every
movement. I can drive but it hurts. I’m not on disability and there is no workers’ compensation. I would take pain pills if I had them but I take over-the-counter stuff for pain, Tylenol and aspirin.”
He researched a medical malpractice lawsuit, but has been advised that the doctors followed a
‘standard of care’, maybe not a good standard, but one nonetheless. The FDA’s notification about the complications associated with surgical mesh, made from the same polypropylene as his Perfix Plug, only identify problems in women treated with mesh, not men.
A year ago March he went online and found hernia specialist and surgeon, Dr. Kevin Petersen,
whose clinic, No Insurance Surgery, is in Las Vegas. Dr. Petersen has a particular interest in non-mesh hernia repair and treatment of hernia mesh complications and although he has removed mesh and plugs in many hernia patients, he says some removals are impossible. Dr. Petersen told Silverman he might be able to get the mesh out but there could be too many complications. In the worst case scenario, he could lose a testicle even if the surgery is performed perfectly.
Silverman says, “The Perfix Plug has been linked to nerve entanglement, and is under scrutiny
because of reports of many post-operative complications including shrinkage, detachment, and its migration to other parts of the body where it can cause damage to other organs and nerves.
“Needless to say I’m scared to death, and I can’t get the doctors involved to take me seriously.”
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So tragic, how so many surgeons accepted the prostlytizing of industry reps as “gospel” before accepting the sales rep’s product as “ultimate truths.” Thanks for sharing your story Jeff.
Surgeons are scientists operating under an educated hypothesis isn’t it their duty to remain skeptical, questioning any device before permanently implanting it in an unsuspecting patient?
Jeff
I am very sorry for what you have been going thru. Also I am very sorry to read about your brother in law. I also did an interview with Jane, she does an exceptional job in giving us a voice. If you could contact me, although our cases are slightly different I may have some tips that may help you.
Jim
I also had a hernia surgery 2009, and MY Doctor did a great job. However upon going into his office for the follow-up, He stated ” we have to go back in, ( Just above the Umbilical – belly button ), because I had Three hernias and Not one”. Then he said ” The mesh WAS DEFECTIVE “. I had gradual pain After about one year. NOW I HAVE SEVERE PAIN and every piece of food I eat, It makes the rumbling sound like if I had not eaten ANYTHING ALL day . Yes the pain is continual now and has been for about 2 – 3 months AT LEAST. I am a veteran with many other complications with other injuries. However MY last doctors visit at the VA clinic , I was in so much pain,and before they did lab, ( blood & urine samples taken ), my doctor suggested I go to the hospital. She wanted me to go to the emergency room. I had so many personal business situations I HAVE TO be present to tend to I did not go. I got the serial number off of the label of the mesh from my civilian doctor’s office and I called Johnson & Johnson who manufactured the product. They claim to have researched their files and they told me the implant I had used was NOT defected.
Current research indicates there is a percentage of patients who have chronic inflammatory response leading to a contraction of the mesh with potential recurrence, chronic pain, erosion injuries, adhesions, migration of the mesh and more.
Bruce Rosenburg of The National Meshoma Foundation says your situation requires further examination by a mesh complication specialist. There are few in the U.S.
Please be mindful there is a statute of limitations regarding product liability and medical malpractice.
Please contact The National Meshoma Foundation for more information at 954-701-5094.
Whatever happened to Jeff Silverman; did he get the mesh out? Is he doing better?
I am very sympathetic of your condition. Since my surgery in July 2011, and constant complaining about it not feeling right and way too tight; with the constant dismissal of you are progressing fine and healing is good. My right testicle never descended and less than a year later this past June I lost it due to atrophy. And the other surgeon i was seeing wants to repair my left side using mesh again. I refused and am seeking another doctor for their help and opinion. One thing for sure I won’t use mesh and trying to get the mesh I do have out…..!!!!! Before any more damage and complications occur. How are you doing now? I pray and wish you the best…
Hey Jeff my name is Bob Foster and i also had this surgery double hernia and they put two bard mesh for repair i am also in more pain then before the surgery my entire life has been ruined i cant lift anything cant stand in one place for more then a couple of minutes. Is ther anything we can do im desperate for help please contact me back maybe we can work together on this
Bob Jamest here I had double Hermia opp in2002 have patch on left and plug in rgt and the doctors are all the same.ignoring me and saying I’m crazy and tried to put me on anti depressants but not taking because I’m not crazy.talk to lawyers in other States to see what’s I can do.in pain since 2009 been on antibiotics for infections.don’t make sense went to surgen that did it and he said I had backing problems. Hes no back doctor how does he know.oh also they put me on prostate mess and prostate is fine been to5 doctors3of 5said I was good with prostate. What else can they come up with next. I guess I will just die. Because I’m tired of fighting with doctors over this. I could care less if I ever see another doctor in my life. Only 48here and cant liftoff standand have major pressure in legs and swollen testicoles.what can we do.
For all there is a Hernia mesh patient advocate by the name of Bruce Rosenberg who may be able to help… he is at 954-701-5094. He will probably ask you if you have all of your records. There are some hernia mesh removal docs working around the country, so don’t give up. ja
Hi James
My name is Lisa, and my husband had the mesh surgery and if you ever need to talk with someone feel free to call. 870-329-3204
I am two weeks post surgery for hernia treated with mesh. Initial pain in gonads and side treated with narcotic pain meds. Weaned off pain meds after 1 week. Still some pain if I move wrong. Able to walk treadmill now without pain until later in day indicating may have over done exercise. I am also diabetic and outside slice is still healing from my observation but no bleeding or infection apparent. My follow up examination by the surgeon was satisfactory in his opinion and he advised one more week of laying low and then could resume normal activity. He also told me there were no reported instances of mesh failure in the type he used. I only know what he said that there was an under layer stiched to an upper layer to reinforce the rupture. These testimonials on this site are very unnerving to say the least and i can certainly symphathize with the patients and their inablilty to get straight answers and action from their medical care facilities. I am thinking if this happens to me I will go to a lawyer and let him speak for me.
i no how you all feel i had a umbilical hernia repair with the mesh ..in 2008. im in pain 24/7 cant stand very long or set.cant lift or bend over for all of the pain cant breather eighter.have not been back cents april of this year . and i dont think i will ever be able to …my life that i once had is gone god help us all……
im sorry i cant seem to spell right.. i ment i have not been back to work…
I had umbilical hernia repair with mesh two months ago…I then caught a cold with terrible coughing fits.
I have either torn the mesh free, or am having some reaction.
Localized and radiating pain near site, and where it was tacked into the muscle. The pain is worse than before!
I have an order for a cat-scan. I can only hope they dont have to go back in, that would make surgery #5 in the last year for me!
Jeff, I’ve had the same surgery twice 3 months apart. I’m in so much pain I can’t sleep at night. I still work but its a struggle . No one will listen . I’ve seen about 12 Drs. now. drink beer and pop pills is the only way I can get thought each day.
I am self medicating in the same way, not fun!
I feel your pain!
3 surgeries in the last year! This mesh isnt agreeing with me AT ALL!
I am really at a loss,Its been 4 years since my surgery,and everyday is a struggle,i always feel full,dont want to eat,let alone drink,but I do,(water)I always feel weak,nausea,fever,bloating,cramps,It is really disrupting my everyday life,I have seen way too many doctors,and im tired of going to the emergency room,We all know our body,and ever since my last surgery 2009,I live with pain&bloating everyday,people think im pregnant,which no im not,I just want this night mare to end so I can enjoy the rest of my life,I have two children at home with me 10yr’s old,and they see im in pain,cant function half the time,so tired all the time,I have had so many xrays,cat scans,blood work,urine,And they come back with the same answer,everything is fine,Oh my god really??Mean while my stomach is huge,I just don’t know what to do.
Tracey– sounds like you need a plan… Please contact patient advocate Bruce
Rosenberg brosenberg1@bellsouth.net to explore some options. It appears the medical community is not being responsive and people must advocate for themselves. Please stay in touch..jane akre
Have any of you been diagnosed with any auto-immune diseases after having the Mesh implant. I was healthy and now have Lupus. Lupus does not run in my family and I never had any symptoms prior to having the mesh implant surgery. I got sick two to three weeks after the surgery and was diagnosed with full blown lupus within one year of the impant surgery. It seems no one will consider the mesh or any of it’s elements as a source of my illness, which I understand to be incurrable. i got the mwsh out and eagerly await my remission.
Hope you got your mesh out Jeff. Myself I would have gladly urinated into a bag for the rest of my life if it meant I would feel better, and from everything I have read things only seem to go down hill the longer people with issues leave this stuff in. If you are sick or in pain get the mesh out as soon as humanly possible as I am positive if I hadn’t I be dead by now.
Hi Hope, sorry to hear that!
I do have swelling in and or around both of my sides, possibly the pancreas and liver?
I did have hep-c and was cleared thru treatment 4 years ago, this surgery, and or the mesh itself has created new swelling in both sides, and Ill have to go for a cat-scan to see whats going on
What happens after the mesh removal? What holds the intestines in? I dont think I can get it out, and living in this pain doesnt seem like the quality of life I want either! Im stuck between a rock and a hard place!
I was told to wait for the class-action lawsuit involving the type of mesh Ive got, then hop on the bandwagon…. YAY!
I hope we’ll feel better someday!
NOR-CAL Jenni
Hope, I have been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease, MS. I had a hernia mesh implant surgery in 1995. About 6 months ago, the left side of my face went completely numb. I have also had urinary problems for a while….prostate cancer runs in the family, I figured I had an enlarged prostate and never had it looked at, I know, Not smart on my part at all. About 2 months ago, out of nowhere, I started feeling pressure in the hernia area, now it has gotten painful. The MS medications made me absolutely miserable, and out of the numerous symptoms of MS, I only have the 2 I mentioned. After reading the horror stories on here, I now wonder if the mesh has caused my problems? I am seeing a Dr. tomorrow, hopefully I can get some answers…..I will let you know what I find out…..I have read other posts from people who have Lupus, believed to be caused by the mesh……I will ask my Dr. if he knows anything about mesh causing auto-immune diseases….I’ll let you know what I find out
Jeff:
Did you ever seek out an attorney?
Is anyone aware of a law firm that handles Male Mesh Sling implants for incontenence?
Hang in there Jeff.
I HAD A FEMEROL HERNIA REPAIR IN 1996 AND I BEEN DISABLED EVER SINCE WITH ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME PAIN PROBLEMS OF JEFF DOCTORS WILL NOT EXCEPT THERE IS A PROBLEM I GET THE SAME THING SO I BEEN IN BED FOR OVER 10 YRS NOW IT RUINED MY LIFE I’M 52 NOW
I have the same exact story. Same plug. Same pain. Why won’t they recall it?!?!
I think Bard and FDA are lying about the instance of complications.
This man has loads of info., and is trying to get a class-action started,( I believe).
He also has been injured by mesh.
Hes head of The National Meshoma Foundation….
E-Mail him at, brosenberg1@bellsouth.net.
Please folks, lets get this stuff of the market, and make them pay for our pain and suffering!
Hi, my name is JoAnn and my husband went in for hernia repair in 2008, he had 3 which they didn’t know till they went in for the surgery, they only seen 2. He was okay for a little while and he is so skinny you could see the screws poking through his stomach, felt weird, looked weird but you actually couldn’t see the metal of them just the bulge of where they were at. He began hurting really badly in 2010 and we noticed the screw that stuck out the most was missing, so we went to the ER, well they said there wasn’t nothing wrong with it he was fine, and then sent us home, and we went home, and then we went to another ER they did more X Rays, and MRI’s and a CT scan, well needless to say the mesh came loose, wrapped around his intestines, caused a blockage and was going into his scrotum. So they had to go in and do surgery again, he still has lots of pain was in the hospital for about 15 days and still has problems, he is 37 and now he has no sex drive, doesn’t even really get a erection, and still hurts in the area he had his hernia’s removed, and the crazy part is when they were in there the last time they took his appendix out (just cause they were in there, there was nothing wrong with it the Dr. said but it would save from problems ever with it.) The Dr. said there was another hernia but it was to small to mess with and we can’t find a lawyer that does anything with the Male Mesh Implants. Does anyone know of one?? Thanks JoAnn my email is angelwhorns333@aol.com
I had an inguinal bilateral hernia surgery with mesh, and I have had pain ever since, my pain consist of like sore ness to sharp pain, when I lay down pains goes away, once I stand up for a short while pain starts. I was looking to get them removed. Has any one seen Dr. Petersen in Las Vegas? Email me to talk
Raidernation07es@yahoo.com
Hi…I’m about to have surgery,this third the 11 of April ’13…it’s a bariatric surgeon who knows my case.my first hernia surgery was stitched shut because of appendices.I’m still in EXTREME pain at the site 5 mos.later.been on pretty heavy narcotics but it’s not touching it( morphine n percs )neither which even touch the pain now.they think it’s scar tissue n r planning on doing exploratory n me w mesh to reinforce the stitched original hernia surgery.ready all from u guys I’m scared.I also have blown discs in my back degenerative disc n scoliosis.I’m 33 have 2. Little girls..I can’t get worse.if there’s any advise or suggestions pls let me know..
Sandra- Bruce Rosenberg at Meshoma foundation may have some direction for you. He is hernia mesh injured and has been there. brosenberg1@bellsouth.net
I had bi-lateral hernia mesh repair a couple years ago. Before surgery no visable sign of hernia, but felt like a dagger was stuck into my pelvis. Was recently fit and swam 1 mile 5x week. Got where I couldn’t walk pain from dagger. Feels like they lined my entire abdomen & pelvis from just below my belly button to down my legs with mesh. I can really feel it in there but it’s tollerabe compared to dagger pain. Recovery was at least nine months on the couch with pain pills. Temporarily improved for a couple months after 3 months constant bed rest. Dagger sticking in pelvis remains today. Very upsetting that can’t get an erection after proceedure….not even significant morning erections.
At least now I can walk, but only in and out of the grocery store, and unable to swim. No hiking or walking for exercise. Every day is a struggle and painfull at any task….it hurts to put socks on.
I don’t have any hope or plans to try hernia repair again as it could be worse. Thinking about a penis implant so I could at least have sex maybe again one day?
I can certainly relate to Jeff. I had an inguinal hernia surgery in Oct 2009 with the Ethicon Prolene mesh instead. I have had constant pain ever since and suffered emotional breakdowns and lost my job. I have sought help with the Mayo Clinic here in Arizona and they have given me a nerve block once with little success. I am going to try it again as they advised it can take several treatments to see if relief can happen. But I too have had a feeling of something like a brick or large foreign object inside of me everyday. I have a variety of pain in the surgical area as well as referred pain into my testicles that is the equivalent of being kicked in the groin many times every week. I am determined to fight this and add my name to the growing list of surgical mesh patients with complications. I was not given a choice in surgery types and was not aware of the mesh problems being reported already at that time. I assumed my doctor had my best interest at heart, however, I now realized that had I options. And no matter what, people need to be aware of potential complications before having mesh surgery. My doctor said it was ” virtually 100% fail safe” when I inquired about how the success rate of the mesh procedure. Now I know better…