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For some reason I am a little nervous putting this out there but I believe it is information that everyone considering getting implants needs!
Two weeks ago I went in for surgery to have my breast implants removed - a 10 year old decision I have come to regret. I went under the knife 10 years ago as I grew up with images of Pamela Anderson as my goal so after doing some research which all came back saying implants were safe and approved by the medical community I chose to get these new 'safe' silicone gel implants put in. I had complications with my first surgery and got a capsular contraction on one side which is a hardening of the breast tissue around the implant as an immune response to the foreign body that has been put in. At the second surgery I made the mistake of going bigger again. I recovered from surgery well which was the result of being healthy and fit. However I was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress from the suicide of my partner at the time and was dealing with heavy depression. I threw myself into work as my way of coping with it. I was working 80+ hours a week for most of my 20s.
The bad health issues started when I was around 26-27 and I got shingles out of no where, then glandular fever which was very persistent, then chronic fatigue. Slowly I felt like I was falling apart. My endocrinologist would tell to me to slow down. I was going on IV vitamins just to keep going I wasn't ready to slow down yet even though my body was telling me otherwise. I would come in and out of depression over this time even though I had an amazing life and knew I shouldn't be feeling this way. I was engaged to an amazing man and had a lovely home and a couple of businesses. I kept doing my blood tests regularly and taking handfuls of vitamins and supplements every day just to keep myself going. I was getting major digestion and stomach issues and my weight was going up and down. I was getting migraines fairly regularly and was having to see my physio sometimes 3 times a week. My back was always in pain and then the neck and knees started hurting. I was only 30 and my body felt like it was falling apart.
I found it hard to be happy as I had this heaviness around me that I couldn't explain other than depression. I had problems with my mental clarity and would forget things even my friends and family names at times as the mental fog was so heavy. I kept a brave face on and didn't let on how bad I was suffering as I didn't want to seem ungrateful and really knew there was no reason to be feeling like this. My hair was falling out, I was bloated all the time, I had sore eyes and vision issues, heavy fatigue, regular dizzy spells and fainting and seizures sometimes for absolutely no reason, my insomnia was at an all time high with regular nights of not being able to fall asleep until dawn even when I took a sleeping pill, I was getting night sweats, more and more food made me feel sick so I cut it out of my diet, I was feeling short of breath all the time, tingling in hands, ringing in ears, I was always thirsty and would panic if I didn't have a water bottle with me everywhere I went, I was getting anxiety and panic attacks which I had never had. Basically by the time I was 31 I felt like I was dying I knew something was terribly wrong but tests were coming back all 'fine' I had very low progesterone, low iron and other vitamin levels would be low but it wasn't enough to explain why I was falling apart. I kept it in not even telling my husband the full extent of what I was dealing with on a day to day basis. I got diagnosed with auto immune issues. I was always researching and trying to figure out what was wrong. I ate a clean mostly organic diet, didn't drink alcohol, didn't party, worked out and lead what is considered a very healthy lifestyle so there was really nothing more I could have done.
Finally I discovered Breast Implant Illness and every thing I was dealing with started to fall into place and make sense. Finally there was a list of possible symptoms that matched everything I had. I started researching and finding out more and more info about breast implants and discovered that silicone implants had actually been banned by the FDA until 2006 and I had my first operation in 2006 so I would have been one of the first to get silicone implants. And actually disturbingly the implant manufacturers knew they would make people sick and compromise their immune systems yet they were allowed to fund a 'study' on their safety which I can assure you was very skewed. Then basically they paid off the FDA to allow the manufacture of silicone implants. Which the medical community were then told were safe. I have silicone toxicity poisoning. Everything makes sense.I managed to secure an urgent surgery and have them removed and a lift done. Straight away the fog has lifted, I feel happier, I feel clearer than I have for 10 years, knee and back pain almost fully gone, no more bloated stomach, skin looks better and I have not even done my silicone detox yet.
I urge everyone thinking about getting breast implants to think again. Is it worth risking your health and even your life for so called beauty? Yes women have died from their breast implants. There are alternatives such as lift or fat transplant. Do your research. Not everyone gets affected as every body is different and some are more susceptible to immune issues that others. I love the look of implants but for me it is no longer worth it - I want my health back. I want to enjoy my life. I want to live past 40. This is only a brief overview of what I have been dealing with there is much more. If you want more information about this then www.healingbreastimplantillness.com is a good place to start and there are a number of information and support groups on Facebook with thousands of women all with a very similar story to mine.
