Silicone implants CAN leak, seep or rupture.

Regrettably I don't know how but discovered today that my blog has been tampered with and this post and one other are gone. 
I will attempt to recant my ordeal and the sadness that comes with the realization that once again I had to undergo major surgery ...It happened slowly in Washington State in 2009 believe it or not..I started seeping silicone through the outer layer of the Mentor implants. 
I recall asking my oncologist to check me out over and over and numerous ultra sounds were done but nothing was found because of the testing technique.
Finally over a year later of constant uncomfortable sound in the back of my head saying keep pushing..there is something wrong.
When I moved to GA I found a surgeon that almost seemed that she was pacifying me by allowing me after undergoing another ultra sound, that maybe there was something to this dark gloom that I kept feeling.  I honestly don't know how I knew but I remember the hospital 
was a small private LDS funded facility..Very soothing and a bird cage in the lobby that seemed to be chirping..You are OK  just know you are safe. The birds in the cage were so bright and cheery and it helped me get through to the next stage. 
This type of MRI is a very intensely accurate machine., but unfortunately in this area there are not many hospitals that have this MRI breast machine. It was a bit intense as I climbed up to the table and placed my breasts in the slot that were shaped like cups to hold me in place and from there the accuracy of the images are easily read.
I had to stay in one position without moving for over 90 min.  I had a bit of Xanax to relax me or I do not know how I could have stayed so still..my positioning was very uncomfortable and the IV that I had in me to replace the radioactive isotope tracer is always a strange feeling and some say they can taste metal in their mouth.
 I have a bladder disease also,and I felt it there.  IT isn't painful. It’s just a bit of a warm feeling. Do not be afraid since this is the best possible way to check for any problems with your breasts especially with implants.
My radiologist had been doing tests on me and we were very friendly to one another and we talked about my upcoming trip to Italy.  She said you need to go ...I have heard that from all my doctors but life kept getting in the way.
After my test I went home and the toughest part is the waiting.

I received a call directly from my radiologist the next day after a sleepless night.

I know this sounds strange but when she said 

"Stephanie, they are both ruptured," I was relieved, and started to cry. why? it was 
a feeling that I can't describe but a weight had been taken off of 
me and another journey would begin.
That is when the nightmare began again.  
All I can say at this point was that I kept hearing the words free 
floating silicone in my body and wanted them out...now!  These touted Mentor implants were indeed not what they professed to 
be.
I was referred to a surgeon and it was a very difficult surgery since he was not a friendly or empathetic surgeon.   I did' care at that point since he was the one that my surgeon referred me to and he could take them out and replace them with saline ones and that is all I cared aboutgetting them out..
I went back for my after surgery check and one of the stitches was not dissolving and was painful..I kept doing as the nurse told me by massaging it but the last stitch was a large knot and I felt as if he had just sewn me up quickly..as if I was a turkey on Thanksgiving day. I was not a happy camper when I came in for what would be my only after surgery appointment.   The surgeon was in the room with me and my significant other.  He came in and didn't even sit down.  Took a look for one 
sec it seemed and than proceeded to tell me that the implants were intact. I said what do you mean the MRI clearly showed I had silicone inside me.  "yes, he said..I know that that silicone didn't come from the 
implants I took out!" I was stunned.  What are you saying to me I blurted out. I sat up and looked him straight in the eye and he said "you had implants before apparently and didn't tell me that " are you serious..I saw Tony starting to walk over to him ...I knew 
he was about to confront him with his 6’4” 330lbs ! I quickly said I had beautiful breasts before breast cancer!  I never had implants "I call it as  see it"...I quickly let out a scream and ran out of the room..I was devastated.! Tony ran out of the room after me but not before he said what kind of doctor he thought he was for saying such a horrible thing.
I didn't find out until weeks later when my radiologist called me to tell me how she had attended a conference in Seattle and 
ironically enough that was my medical center where I had been in 2009 for severe PTSD brought on by the breast cancer and most importantly the fact that I knew that there was something wrong and had been to many surgeons and doctor for the second tumor and the silicone leaks just to be told that they thought I was over reacting. it turned out that 
she addressed the conference with the question re my silicone leaks and the answer she received was that the material that encapsulated the silicone inside seeped through ...it was that simple.  The material had seeped through the skins of the implants.  I was a guinea pig I guess you could say and I don't know how many other women have had this happen.
I am now living with free floating silcon in my upper chest...some has moved to under my sternum andthere is no way to remove it.
I do know after much research that the tiredness I have been feeling for the last three years has intensified from when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Apparently the silicon contributes to
 the disorder so I now have a more intense form of this immune disorder.  Update: I now have BII. (Breast implant illness)
When in doubt don't let anyone tell you different. I am living proof that once again I knew my body.
Another day and another tale to tell that hopefully will help other women.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Trying to live a healthy life

This is going to be a challenge

My two battles with cancer/ interview with Madame Arcati