Today I’m talking about breast implants. I’m going to tell you where I stand with them. My point of view is not rare, but it’s not a popular view. For 1000’s of women have had breast implants, and have endured health problems for years because of them. It’s not a matter of if a woman gets sick from her breast implants. It’s a matter of when.

A Gift to Myself

Ladies, have you ever thought about getting breast implants? I mean, it’s understandable after breast feeding, RIGHT?! Giving up your body for your kids, it’s honorable. But, breast feeding the babies for months or years can wreak havoc on our breasts. In addition, I always had little ones, and just wanted them fuller, bigger. In 2011, I looked into it and didn’t see or hear of any negative reasons not to, so I did. If I knew then what I know now, I would have never got them. At the time, I saw them as a gift to myself.

And Then…

It was nice to have them for awhile. Then, around the 6th year, I started having a variety of health issues pop up that were bringing me down little by little. I just thought each one was a little part of just getting older. I was so wrong…

A Lump

Nine years after getting breast implants, I had found a lump in my left breast. I did what all women do, I got a mammogram and ultrasound. You see, I didn’t get a mammogram each year after implants because it’s very uncomfortable to get mammograms with implants. And, after much of what I read, I was afraid of getting them punctured due to the procedure. Well, low and behold, they found what they called a large cyst. It was probably there for awhile. The doctor said we couldn’t have it biopsied position because doing so could rupture my implant. I was told by that doctor that it was best to come back in 6 months. That just didn’t sit right with me. Would it sit right with you?

What Next?

I got a 2nd opinion, and this doctor said I might have an implant rupture. She thought it didn’t look cancerous. Phew! But, it still needed to be tested…just to be sure. Over the next couple days after the mammogram, my right breast started changing. It was shrinking, burning, hurting, swelling under my arm, a heartburn feeling all over my chest and the constant feeling of a lump in my throat. I realized that I probably had a silent rupture (a slow silicone leak) for some time. It might have been leaching into my body for years causing many of the health problems over the years that I had been enduring. Then, the mammogram really opened it up by squeezing it, thus the instant pain and other symptoms. I started researching silicone ruptured implants and came across a ton of information about Breast Implant Illness (BII) that I didn’t know existed until that moment.

A Black Box Warning

This is where things changed for me. I realized that all these crazy symptoms I’ve had over the years, which I thought were all separate issues, were actually all part of having breast implant illness, and 1000’s of women have the same symptoms. Many doctors will never admit the symptoms are from the implants because that’s a class action waiting to happen. Yes, we chose to put them in our bodies, but the doctors don’t tell us about the “black box” warning that comes with these toxic bags! Really! They now have a “black box” warning.

I Couldn’t Even Climb a Set of Stairs

Here I was with all this new knowledge about breast implant illness, and I was experiencing more immediate problems after the mammogram. From what I read, the long and short term symptoms can actually DISAPPEAR after an explant. I scheduled my explant as soon as I possibly could. I was looking forward to feeling better. I couldn’t even climb a simple set of stairs in my house without having to sit and catch my breath. That is terrible! It shouldn’t have been that way.

My Long Term Symptoms

The last 3 years of my experience with breast implants, I had neuropathy, stiffness, and inflammation in my feet. Overall body inflammation and joint pain, major brain fog, insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, shortness of breath, a headache/pain behind my right ear (MRI showed nothing), and even facial paralysis (doc was considering a neurologic disease). Prior to explant, my days were also filled with dry eyes, tremors in my hands, low grade fevers, ocular migraines and localized headaches. And, no matter what I did, I could not lose weight. It sucked!

What was Happening in My Body?

The thing is…when you have a foreign body in your body, your body wants to attack it. That’s why the body forms a capsule around the implant, to protect your body, but this capsule that grows around the implant is also very unhealthy for you. It can grow bacteria in it and more. A silent rupture, which is what had been there for years in mine was leaking silicone and harmful chemicals into my body. That stuff doesn’t dissolve or decompose. It’s very bad for our bodies. Here is a list of ingredients in breast implants:

– mercury
– tin
– lead
– cadmium
– freon
– color pigments
– urethane
– acetone
– carbon black
– denatured alcohol
– oakite
– acid stearic
– dichloromethan
– polyvinyl chloride
– hexanone2
– platinum
– formaldehyde
– zinc oxide
– arsenic
– epoxy
– talcum
– benzene
– rubber solvents
– cyclohexanone
– metal cleaning agent

That’s a long list of terrible chemicals that should NOT be in our bodies.

Advocate for Yourself

I shared the same symptoms as 1000’s of women who also had breast implants. It’s called Breast Implant Illness (BII). Insurance doesn’t usually cover explants because we paid cash to have them implanted. The medical professionals don’t admit these symptoms are caused by breast implants because they make a lot of money. They make a lot to take them out as well. But, the FDA, has only recalled specific implants that have proven to cause cancer. They will not connect the dots for you. You have to. They will say every issue is separate and in no way connected to these mold infested, chemical ridden tox bags that we were told were safe to put in our bodies.

My Explant Surgery

When I came out of surgery, my shortness of breath was gone. My feet didn’t feel painfully swollen, my overall joint pain, brain fog and headaches were ALL gone! A weight was lifted off my chest (pun intended)! Then, after my explant, I developed a staph infection in my left breast. Three more weeks of painful, irritating drains and another scar. Yet another side effect of getting implants is enduring the troubles of explanting them.

Don’t Get Breast Implants!

If you are ever considering breast augmentation for the sake of “beautifying” your breasts, just remember what you’d be giving up. I know many women do because they have asked me over the years when they learned I had them. Please do your research, and then, DON’T DO IT!! They are not safe and cause illness. Your health is not worth it.

Photo of me basking in the sun a couple days after surgery in July of 2020. Enjoying the new lighter feeling after breast implant explant surgery. It has made a big change in my health and well being.

Update: The only symptom that did not fully disappear was my foot issues. I eventually went to the podiatrist and found out I have plantar fasciitis. Boo! But, read my intro post where I talk about my feet goals for 2023!