Suffering from Mesh Complications in Upstate NY? (Rochester? Buffalo? Syracuse? Albany?)

By DebCNY • 2014/05/14

Are you from upstate NY and suffering from mesh complications?  Me too!  Who knew, right?  Originally, when I was having problems after my mesh implant – I felt very alone, and like I was the only one in the world having such problems.  This feeling was largely perpetuated by what doctors were telling me at the time, as I bounced around between specialists – each one sending me to a different specialist.  As time went by, and I researched things on my own, and eventually made the right connections (thank you WWW!), and met the right doctors – I realized that I was/am far from alone.

Initially, I only found women (and doctors) in far away places that seemed to relate.  Some, having similar, but very different experiences… and some almost identical to my own.    When I went to UCLA for mesh removal, I met several other women there from all over the country who had also traveled to see Dr. Raz.  It was like a hot spot for people dealing with mesh complications.   A few of us talked for hours in the hotel lobby, and for some of us it was the first time we really felt truly understood.

As more time went on, I realized that not only are there thousands and thousands of women all over the world suffering a variety of severe complications from mesh, but that there are women right in my area of upstate NY.  A couple of these local women found me through this blog,  and/or Facebook, and I have been fortunate to meet or at least talk to them on the phone or through online media.    I’ve come to the conclusion that there are MANY MANY more in this area, that I simply have not met.  Either way, it prompted me to want to write this post.

I would like to find more women in the NY area, especially Upstate NY (Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, Finger Lakes, etc.) that are dealing with complications after mesh implants.   While I always feel terrible to learn of another women suffering, I know it is also helpful and validating to talk to other women who can relate.  When I talked to the women from my own area, not only could we relate to the issues and experiences, but we also knew some of the same doctors/hospitals/resources.   Sadly, I don’t feel like I had a lot of good resources to share with them, as I personally had my mesh removed across the country in CA.   Maybe, between us, we could find more good help in this area.  Maybe, we can even find some local doctors and people we won’t have to travel all the way to UCLA for mesh removal, like I did?

Don’t get me wrong.  I LOVE Dr. Raz – and I am SOOOO glad I went to him… even if it did mean flying across the country.  I would do it again in a heart-beat because I really feel like that was my best option.  I have yet to find a doctor that I believe is more competent, or that I’ve heard as many positive reviews from the women who have been to him. It wasn’t easy…  but, I know that I am very fortunate to have had the insurance and means to go to Dr. Raz, and am so thankful to have my mesh OUT.   I know that for many, MANY, women – this is so simply NOT the case.

I have heard of a few other doctors doing full mesh removals, and some are getting very good reviews from others. I have heard a lot of good things recently about of a Dr Veronikis in St. Louis, but I never met/saw him myself.   There is a one local doctor I recently heard about – but, I have not actually talked to anyone who actually had surgery with them as of yet.  I know in some of forums  they have started lists of doctors recommended by others (See: Links on Mesh), which I think is great.  I believe we should be sharing resources and am thankful for the groups and websites that do.   Ultimately, there’s a lot of opinions and no one cookie-cutter correct response, surgery, doctor, or treatment.  I’m all for everyone making their own educated decisions and advocating for what they feel is best, and promoting what worked for them.  In my blog here, I feel that I can only truly advocate for what I personally believe, have experienced and found helpful…. and for MESH REMOVAL – as far as I’m concerned, Dr. Raz is right up there at the top.  (For information on Dr. Raz, and my surgery at UCLA, please click here.)

However, I’m not talking just about mesh removal in this post.  I’m talking about finding good resources for those suffering from mesh complications, and sharing what has been helpful, in general.   I’m especially interested in finding resources in MY area – Upstate NY – more specifically, Rochester, NY.    I do think getting the mesh OUT is usually the most important thing to do – but, until it’s out (and that can be a longtime)… and unfortunately, even AFTER it’s out, there are usually issues to deal with.

So, with that in mind…  I would like to give a shout out to  a couple local, Rochester NY,  practices…. You know, just in case anyone from Rochester stumbles across this.   No, I don’t work there… and I’m not being paid anything.  I’m just a patient and these are specialists who I feel not only really know their stuff and helped (or are helping) me, but also people that seemed to really HEAR my concerns and complaints.  The two I’d like to mention are:

Specialty Physical Therapy
 Wendy M. Featherstone, Physical Therapist/Owner
Jennifer Morin, Physical Therapist
2233 South Clinton Ave, Rochester, NY 14618
p: 585.473.1290
f: 585.473.1293
e: wendymfpt@hotmail.com
website: www.specialtyphystherapy.com
“Specialty Physical Therapy is a private clinic located in Rochester NY. The practice specializes in expert physical therapy assessment and treatment of women’s and men’s health issues, pelvic pain, incontinence, musculoskeletal pain, and pregnancy-related pain and dysfunction.”

The Pain Relief Center
Walt Fritz
980 Westfall Rd, Building 100, Suite 105, Rochester, NY 14618
p:  585-244-6180
f :  1-866-413-9019
e: walt@waltfritz.com
website: www.myofascialpainrelief.com/treatment/pelvic-pain-and-dysfunction
“Walt Fritz, PT is a New York State Licensed physical therapist with over 28 years of experience. He is the most experienced myofascial release therapist in the entire Rochester and Finger Lakes region. The Pain Relief Center has been helping others get out of pain and get on with their lives for years. The goal of treatment is to create positive, lasting changes. “

If others want to comment on this post, leaving comments and add POSITIVE reviews on here to what they found helpful, in this area or their own areas, that would be cool.  You could also private message me on my Meshmenot Facebook Page.

If you do comment here, please be careful what you post and how you word things.  This is not a place to solicit your own business.  I also do not want (and won’t allow) people to start trashing any doctors publicly here that they did not have good experiences with.   This is not a place for that… and not a good idea in general since you can get in trouble for slander, etc.    I would, however, recommend that people make both good and bad reviews on your various doctors on sites like Vitals.com (ww.vitals.com) or Healthgrades (www.healthgrades.com).

Hope to hear from more Upstate NewYorkers!  Please feel free to leave a comment here, and/or contact me on Facebook.

Take care everyone (wherever you may call home!).

Tagged as: Albany, Buffalo, doctors, Dr. Raz, Fingerlakes, full mesh removal, Mesh, mesh complications, mesh survivors, myofascial release, not alone, NY, only one, Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Pelvic Therapy, POP, Raz, removal, Rochester, Stress Urinary Incontinence, SUI, Syracuse, UCLA, Upstate NY

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