Whammo! My sweet friend Amy brings up the dangers of breast implants.
Hardly anyone knew I had breast augmentation. Only a few close friends knew, and I left it at that. Not even my mom knew. It was a private decision Dan and I made back in 2013. He agreed because he wanted me to be happy. I made it out of vanity, curiosity, and felt I was improving myself by fighting the aging process.
I still don't really know why I thought I was saggy. When i look at my before pictures, I was perfectly fine. But I didn't like how south my girls were pointing. What I recall of my thoughts., never having given birth, or breast fed a child, shouldn't they look better?
IN 2012, I had worked really hard to get in the best shape of my life, but that left me with a loss of volume. Did you know eventually breast tissue will "fluff'" and regain their shape? I didn't until 2020.
Back in 2013, I went to see a plastic surgeon, who came highly recommended. I inquired about my loss of volume and his suggestion was either a breast lift or to give me small implants that wold take up the space I had left from losing weight.
I was pretty afraid of having all the cutting that comes with a breast lift, and, as I remember it, the doctor made it seem very simple to just pop in an implant.
I expressed my concerns of having foreign matter in my body and he assured me, a saline implant is totally safe. Especially the kind he uses. I was shown a bunch of before and after photos and decided to go ahead with scheduling surgery.
I recovered perfectly and for the first 2 years, after surgery, I felt fine. My breasts were definitely bigger than I wanted or anticipated. But at this point, I wasn't about to complain. It was kind of fun to have these new boobs.
The 2 year mark was when things began to change. I developed major anxiety, hair loss, weight gain, candida symptoms, brain fog, and my immune system was not as strong as it was prior to implants. I chalked this up to aging, and did my best to treat my symptoms with natural remedies.
4 years after my breast implant surgery, Amy started talking to me a bout Breast Implant Illness. She told me how she learned about various side effects, and how women were opting to remove their implants. All of this terrified me. I believed every word of Amy's findings, but justified that MY implants are safe because they are saline, from what I understood, silicone implants are dangerous and cancer causing, not saline.
About a year later, the breast implant discussion came up again. This time I started researching. We had moved to Florida, and my symptoms had gotten worse. I found a naturopathic Doctor here in Orlando, who couldn't help his own wife. She had been sick for so long, and no matter what he tried, she was still having these debilitating symptoms. Turns out, she was suffering from BII (Breast Implant Illness).
The Doctor's wife found a plastic surgeon in Sarasota, Florida, who was an expert at removing toxic breast implants and the surrounding tissue, safely. This technique is called En Bloc. After her implants were removed, she was able to detox and her health was restored.
After I learned of the Doctor and his wife's journey, I decided, I would remove my implants. I just wasn't sure when...
In September of 2020, I came down with a sinus infection, which caused my ear drum to perforate, and left me with temporary hearing loss and bleeding from my ear. It was awful! It took 3 months for my ear drum to heal.
Call me crazy, but deep down I know that the toxins in my system, (due to the implants), hampered my immune system, and caused me to become way sicker than usual. The infection took over and the result was a busted ear drum.
But wait? Aren't saline implants safe?
I guess technically they are SAFER than silicone. However the reality is Saline implants are silicone implants FILLED with saline.
YUP. I know. And silicone is a carcinogen. Plain and simple.
How dd I not know this? DUMB, Is the only answer I have. I really never thought about the material surrounding the saline.
So here I am, living so very TOXIN FREE, meanwhile being poisoned daily for 7 years. At least I was living clean, or I'm sure my symptoms would have been much worse.
Friday I had the implants removed. Why I am bothering to share this story?
For a few reasons...
1. We all screw up. ALL OF US! It doesn't have to be final. Our bodies are amazing and can heal.
2. If I can prevent just one person from making this mistake, then it was worth it. All the pain, all the side effects.... totally worth it.
3. And finally, as a reminder that healing takes time. It's unique to each of us, and even when we think we are getting it right, there are surprises that throw us for a loop.
I want to mention that my unbelievably supportive and loving husband is extremely private and he has not once even suggested I don't share this. Please pray for him as I know it's hard for him to walk this path with me.
Please share this with anyone whom you think needs to hear my story.
