3 Steps To Take If Your Hernia Mesh Is Causing Problems

Like any surgery, hernia repair surgeries can result in a variety of symptoms — some temporary, some longer-lasting. But if you’ve recently had hernia repair surgery, how long is too long to wait to take action? And what should you do?

Three steps you should take

If you feel that your symptoms go beyond normal post-surgery effects, here are three things to do:

1. Keep track of your symptoms.

Document them all to share with your doctor(s). It doesn’t matter whether you prefer to take notes on a pad of paper, or the “Notes” function on your smartphone, or some other method. Write down the time and date of each symptom and describe it as best you can.

Try to do so for at least a week or two; then you can determine if there are any patterns that might help point your treating physicians to an answer.

2. Go see your doctor.

Make an appointment as soon as possible; many physicians’ offices are very busy, but if you explain that you’re a recent surgery patient, the scheduler should make every effort to get you an appointment sooner rather than later.

When you go to the office, make sure to bring your list of symptoms. You might also want to document what your doctor says and does. Also, it never hurts to bring along a family member or friend as a second set of eyes and ears. They may come up with a question that can help you get some answers.

If you’re dissatisfied with your treatment, you might consider getting a second opinion from another physician.

3. Explore your legal options.

If you suspect that the hernia mesh device is the cause of your issues, then legal steps might be warranted. Before filing a lawsuit against the device manufacturer that you believe is causing you harm, keep these things in mind:

1. 1. A list of your medical providers = Gather their contact information. It’s likely you’re your lawyers will need to order medical records from your healthcare providers.
   2. Your list of symptoms = This will be very important evidence for your case as it can help establish a timeline for your potential claim.
   3. Your medical bills and other expenses = More than medical bills, keep track of any financial losses (or “damages”) you’ve suffered, including wages lost due to time you’ve missed from work.
   4. The manufacturer = If you know the manufacturer of your mesh device, you’ll need to let your attorney know, but it’s not necessary that you know this information prior to contacting a lawyer.  Your attorney, through ordering medical records, can find out which company made the one used in your procedure.