A group of women in Canada say they are living in pain after having surgery to fix pelvic prolapse.
The women all had vaginal mesh inserted to fix the problem and say the treatment is worse than the original problem.
They say they are now in constant pain and that the answer to alleviating that pain is surgery in the U.S.
Annie Simon says the mesh has left her in agony and she has only been able to get part of it removed in Calgary.
“I'm going to have to remortgage my house and I have to have it done. I need my life back,” said Simon.
She's now planning to go the United States for removal surgery but the province won't pay for it.
Simon is one of a vocal group of women in Canada who say the mesh has caused terrible health problems.
Specialists in western Canada recently met to discuss the issue once again and have concluded that women can get the help they need here.
“The consensus, across the country in our sub-specialty, is that women can be confident that they can get good care in Canada and in the odd case, where this possibly could not happen, we would tell them that. But certainly, they have no need to go pay large amounts of money and fly around the world, go and see the right people in your local communities,” said Dr. Magnus Murphy.
"There's a huge community of women who are trying to get help, slowly, slowly, slowly but we're not being heard, we're not being taken seriously,” said Simon.
Health Canada and the America FDA have issued warnings about the use of the mesh and say that is does have the potential to cause harm.
There is currently a massive North American lawsuit underway representing women who have been hurt by the mesh.
(With files from Karen Owen)
