After hernia mesh surgery triggered a bodywide inflammatory reaction, Sharon Surita went from high-achieving engineer to bedbound patient. Her recovery required mesh removal, functional testing and steps, nervous system healing, and personalized nutrition.

When faced with hernia surgery, Sharon Surita did her homework. The Ph.D. and environmental engineer dug into the science, asked questions, and followed what she believed was the best course of treatment. She underwent surgery to repair both an umbilical hernia and a ventral incisional hernia from a previous C-section.

But the surgery didn’t go as planned.

“Even though I was adamant against receiving any synthetic material because of the things you hear — there’s lawsuits and things like that —  they did use a hybrid mesh for me. It was mostly biologic material, but even the small amount of synthetic material in there caused a full-blown systemic reaction in my body.”

Following the surgery, she was exhausted, dizzy, sensitive to sound and light, and struggling with constant head pressure. And cognitively, the woman who once handled complex engineering work found it hard to engage with others. Simply showering became a major chore, not to mention working or caring for her two young children.

“From day one of that surgery, I became bed-bound for many months, and it took many years to actually be able to even leave the home without fear of having a cascade of symptoms,” Sharon says. “I could barely keep myself in a conversation with even my immediate family.”

The high achiever who had once planned out the next decades of her career suddenly found herself unable to work.

Sharon believes she was experiencing what some researchers and patients refer to as mesh implant illness — a systemic inflammatory reaction believed to occur in certain individuals after surgical mesh implantation. While some report structural problems like pain, migration, or bowel perforation, others, like Sharon, report bodywide symptoms ranging from neurological dysfunction and extreme fatigue to autoimmune-like reactions and nervous system disorders.

A Bodywide Breakdown

Despite seeking help from endless specialists, Sharon felt like her health was at a standstill. Doctors ordered scans, colonoscopies, endoscopies, and neurological workups, but failed to find specific answers. And none connected her symptoms to the recent implant. Eventually, she was referred to psychiatry.

“To be gaslit to that extent, even from the care team that you think you’re going to get the most support from, was really disheartening,” Sharon says.

Given the timing, Sharon linked the surgery to her health crash, and specifically with the mesh implant as the cause of her widespread inflammation.

Eventually, she received multiple diagnoses:

  • Dysautonomia, dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system that can disrupt multiple body systems
  • POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which can cause dizziness, rapid heart rate, and exhaustion when upright
  • Orthostatic hypotension, a drop in blood pressure upon standing
  • Mast cell activation syndrome, where immune cells release inflammatory chemicals inappropriately
  • Gastroparesis, slowed stomach emptying that can affect digestion and nutrition

For Sharon, the reaction resembled what’s known as ASIA syndrome — autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants — where foreign materials can trigger widespread immune dysfunction in susceptible individuals.

“I started researching deeply into what the autonomic nervous system is, and why I’m having all of these symptoms throughout the body, even though it was a localized procedure,” Sharon says.

She later learned that while some people react immediately to implants, others may not for months or even years.

Removing the Mesh — and Living With the Tradeoff

Four months after her hernia surgery, Sharon made the decision to undergo another operation to remove the mesh implant.

The explant surgery removed what she believed was the source of the inflammatory reaction, but it came with lasting consequences. She now has what’s called a denervated abdominal wall, meaning nerve damage caused muscle on one side of her abdomen to atrophy. She effectively has no muscle left on the left side of her abdomen.

As a result, she wears a binder continuously to support her abdominal wall and help prevent another hernia. She also has to stay mindful of movement and physical strain.

Even after the explant surgery, however, her healing was far from complete. Some symptoms improved, but she still found herself trapped in chronic fight-or-flight mode, constantly fearing another flare or setback.

Recovering from Mesh Implant Illness

Sharon spent years searching for answers through both conventional and functional medicine before realizing that healing would require addressing her body as an interconnected system rather than chasing isolated symptoms:

  • Reducing her toxic burden — She began making lifestyle changes, starting with what she now calls “pre-tox.” She reduced the burden on her body before attempting aggressive detoxification protocols. That meant improving water and air quality, removing synthetic chemicals from personal care and cleaning products, shifting toward whole foods, and reducing inflammatory triggers in her environment. Those changes gradually improved her mobility and daily functioning, though she eventually plateaued.
  • Calming her nervous system — Sharon then realized that her nervous system was always on edge. “I realized I hadn’t been able to get out of that fight-or-flight mode that I was in all the time,” Sharon says. “From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep, I always felt like there were things impacting me that could throw me into a worse flare.” That realization shifted her focus toward nervous system healing.She started journaling daily, first tracking symptoms, but eventually grounding herself in small moments of beauty and safety. Over time, she began focusing less on fighting her body and more on helping it feel safe again.
  • Using functional lab testing — Eventually, Sharon enrolled in the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition program, in part to better understand how to heal herself. Through that training, she began using functional lab testing to assess hormones, cortisol rhythms, gut health, detoxification, immune function, and energy production together — instead of looking at symptoms individually.
  • Personalizing her nutrition — Through metabolic typing and food sensitivity testing, she learned her body functioned better with a higher-fat, lower-carbohydrate approach that supported her energy and digestion more effectively.
  • Targeted supplementation —Sharon used functional lab testing to identify where her body needed support. She focused on areas like adrenal health, digestion, gut support and detoxification, using tools such as probiotics, digestive enzymes, and targeted nutrient support to help stabilize her system before deeper detox work.
  • Restoring sleep and circadian rhythm — Sharon focused heavily on establishing healthy sleep rhythms. She set strict blue-light boundaries, used blue-light blocking glasses,and began using a sunrise-mimicking lamp to help retrain her body’s natural rhythm.

Helping Others Navigate Implant Illness

Today, Sharon says she’s back to feeling “85 to 90% more functional” and shifted her career to help others dealing with implant illness, chronic inflammatory conditions, and nervous system dysfunction.

Her newly released book, Meshed Up: A Guide to Healing from Implant Illness, shares both her personal story and practical tools for others navigating similar challenges. The book covers mesh implant illness, detoxification, nervous system healing, functional labs, and scripts patients can use when speaking with doctors.

“You have to advocate for yourself,” Sharon says. “Do your research, really get multiple opinions.”

Find and follow Sharon at Functionally Enlightened, on Instagram and Facebook.

The Steps That Helped

  • Mesh explant surgery — Sharon had the mesh implant removed four months after hernia surgery. The surgery left her with lasting abdominal damage, but removed the foreign material she believed was triggering her systemic reaction.
  • Reducing environmental toxins — She focused on “pre-tox,” lowering her toxic burden through cleaner water, air, food, personal care products, and cleaning products.
  • Personalized nutrition — Food sensitivity testing and metabolic typing helped her move away from generic healing diets and toward foods that better supported her body.
  • Functional lab testing — Training and certification as a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition helped Sharon assess hormones, cortisol, gut health, detoxification, immune function, and energy production together.
  • Nervous system regulation — Journaling, body awareness, emotional processing, and grounding helped her begin moving out of chronic fight-or-flight.
  • Sleep and circadian rhythm support — Blue-light boundaries, blue-light blocking glasses, and a sunrise-mimicking lamp helped her restore healthier sleep rhythms.