Hi folks, I’m writing this to get the truth out about implants and connect with others that have experienced debilitating symptoms that may occur as a result of breast implants. I hope to increase consumer awareness on just how dangerous these silicone implants can be (even after the reintroduction of them in 2006). I had augmentation with saline implants in 1993 and experienced no side effects. I had the surgery right after silicone had been banned due to numerous health problems women had experienced. In July 2009 my saline implants encapsulated and I had to have them replaced. I had them replaced with silicone on the advice of my surgeon, who made the analogy: “silicone is to saline as a Cadillac is to a Toyota”. I had always been happy with my saline implants but I figured that because the silicone implants were on the market again, they must be safe. With the word of my trusted doctor, Dr. Wald, I decided to proceed. I had them replaced in July 2009. In September, I started noticing problems with my knee and jaw. I had my knee examined and the orthopedic surgeon didn’t detect anything out of the ordinary so I dismissed the symptoms. In the meantime, my jaw was getting worse and my dentist diagnosed me with TMJ. I dimissed the TMJ as being stress related. Gradually, I started to feel more pain in my joints and was having a very difficult time even getting out of bed. I then started to experience severe fatigue and lethargy in addition to the pain. I began visiting numerous doctors and was subsequently refered to various specialists. After several months I was finally diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritus. Each and every doctor that I asked about the possible connection between my implants and RA, all but rolled their eyes at me. I had a mammogram in 2010 and when the radiologist said she didn’t detect a leak, I dismissed the silicone connection, yet again. My health was now rapidly declining; to such an extent that I could barely pick up my two year old son, make it up the stairs or even peel a banana. I was in constant pain. I was angry and confused by what was transpiring. I had been in optimum health for my entire adult life, up until this point. In my profession I am on my feet 8+ hours per shift. In August I managed to work two hours a day for five consecutive days. Each day I left work in a wheelchair because I couldn’t walk. Come to find out after I was admitted to emergency and had a slew of tests, MRI’s and CAT scans, I had a sub-chondral fracture, simply from standing. The doctors at Los Al Med Center didn’t know why this had occured. I had started with a new general practioner right before the hospital epsisode and in the meantime he had ordered a complete panel of blood tests. This was the first time any doctor had ordered this in two years. I had also told him my theory of the implants and he said he had never heard of anything like that but I should listen to my intuition. The results reported that I was Osteopenic and basically like a 75 year old. I started researching ways to detect silicone poisoning. I felt the time frame was too much of a coincidence between the new implants and my declining health. I finally found two places in the States that actually conduct silicone poisoning. (If you get tested, go with the Automimmune Technology in Louisiana as they are $150- per test). It was extremely gratifiying to have Dr. Armandi come out with the results of my test in hand and claim “wow you were right”! Indeed I did have silicone poisoning with the test results to confirm it. I filed a report with the FDA prior to my test results and plan on filing again with my new test results. I was told that these implants were too new to have a large enough sample of women reporting on problems with the implants. I have since contacted about twenty lawyers but unfortunately nobody wants to take on a company with the magnitude of the implant company. This is very unfortunate because we, the public consumers, have once again been duped by a product and it’s manufacturer claiming the safety of these implants when if fact they are anything but. Even in the implant book that was given to me after surgery, on page 17 it states “Concerns have been raised over whether or not ruptured implants are associated with the development of connective tissue or rheumatic diseases and/or symptoms such as fatigue and fibromyalgia…….These studies do not, taken together, support a significant association of breast implants with that typical, diagnosed rheumatic disease”. If that’s the case then why the need to even print that in the book??? Ladies, if any of you have suspicions about weird ailments AND you have silcone implants, start by filing a report with the FDA and then getting tested for silicone poisoning. These implants have no business being on the market, much less a human body. Furthermore, if enough women come forward, there is hope for a future class action lawsuit; however, there is a statute of limitations regarding the time you discover the connection so don’t hesitate to get checked if you are suspicious. Forward to 9/2012, I decided to switch my implants out to saline again. Within 6 months my health had improved and I weaned myself off of Celebrex and Vicodin. 2 months later my breasts had become encapsulated again and almost immediately my symptoms returned. A year later I decided to have the implants removed for good, as my 2nd doctor suggested I am most likely not meant for implants any more. I chose a doctor nearby who was reputable but at the time I didn’t realize I should have chose an explantation specialist. 5 months after and I am now worse than ever. In addition to the RA, my tendons, bones and muscles are always sore. I have brain fog quite often and mix my words up. Some mornings I can barely get out of bed because the pain is so debilitating. My 5 year old son is what keeps me going. I just had mammogram and will be getting an MRI as it is apparent my last doctor did not remove all the scar tissue, and my right breast is rock hard. After I scrape some money together for another surgery. Fast forward to May 2014. Went to Dr. Melmed in Texas, who is so awesome by the way. After expressing horror and what a shoddy job Dr. Aiello did on “removal” of scar tissue and lift, Dr. Melmed removed scar tissue and capsules. Dr. Aiello aka Butcher Bill, assured me that he had removed all of this and then admitted to me that he left it behind as “he didn’t want me to be flat and didn’t believe there was a correlation between illness and implants. This was after I paid him $10,000. The scarring he left was so bad that the show Botched might cast me. By now I had found a new rheumatologist and she finally found out that I have what is called Mixed Connective Tissue Disease. There is no cure and I will be on medication for the rest of my life. Kind of a coincidence that I now have a severe connective tissue disease that has completely decimated my joints and connective tissue (which is why silicone was removed in the 90s) but I have no case as these implants are “too new” according to the 300 plus attorneys I have contacted.
Silicone Poisoning By Breast Implants
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