Lynn's Story

Hi my name is Lynn.

I was 27 years old when I got my saline implants. I had them placed through the belly button (TUBA) because I have issues with keloid scarring. I was a 34 B when I got my implants.

After minimal research, I found a surgeon close to my home that performed the belly button procedure (TUBA). During my consult, he assured me that implants were safe. In fact, this surgeon had just implanted his daughter a month prior. I was warned that in the very rare chance that the implant broke, I would need another surgery but the saline would just absorb in to my body and it was safe. Also, because he was placing them over the muscle I wouldn’t have to worry about future surgeries caused by “double-bubble” (when the implant is placed under the muscle and the rest of the breast tissue sags with time and gravity). So I opted for surgery.

Boy, it was so painful. My tiny frame couldn’t handle the weight of the implants. My skin was stretched so tight that I had pressure on my lungs and I couldn’t take a full breath. Oh, and my stomach had bruised to every color in the rainbow from the TUBA procedure… I couldn’t sit for a week.

My implants were never soft. They always felt fake to me and I was so self conscience when I was with a man that he would know. The first time my husband and I were intimate, he asked me … “are these real” – embarrassing to say the least.

Over the years I had many sinus issues, I was always sick with something. But in December 2006 my health took a nose dive. I was only 34 years old and I felt like I was 90 years old. I was always very active – played volleyball, softball and golf. I am 5’7 and always under 130, tall and skinny (with big hard boobs).

I experienced muscle fatigue, at times I couldn’t grip a pen to write. I had joint pains, blurry vision (I have always had perfect vision), short term memory loss, hair loss, hyperpigmentation, weight gain, chronic constipation, bloating, heart palpitations, difficulty swallowing, trouble breathing, anxiety and depressions (I am probably forgetting other symptoms).

I went to my doctor, who recommended an EKG, it came back normal. He ran all sorts of auto immune testing and at first told me I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was so upset, I went from being healthy and active, to have RA in one month!! He sent more of my blood to the Mayo Clinic and it came back negative for RA, so he told me it was Lupus… well I would have rather had RA. More tests were run and I was told it wasn’t Lupus. I was a puzzle to my doctor. My tests showed auto-immune and inflammation but no clear cut diagnosis at that time. In May, I was diagnosed with Hashimotos which means my body is attacking my thyroid and killing it. I guess it couldn’t kill the implants so it moved on to something it could kill.

I was given anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs and told to take 500 mg of Naprosyn to help with the pain in my joints. I had never been depressed in my life, what did I have to be depressed about? I have a great husband, a good paying job, a house, a car, a wonderful family and many good friends! But the doctors felt it was all in my head (the majority of doctors I have seen will not admit to implant illness).

So, I started researching Breast Implants on the internet and I came to a board that saved my life!! It is the Saline Support Group - http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SalineSupport/

While it was bittersweet to know that so many other women were going through what I was going through, it was good know that I was not alone. The women on the board have so much knowledge about this illness because they have lived it!

Within a few months of finding the Saline Support Group, I was explanted. I have been without implants for almost 6 months and my health is getting better each day.

It has been a rough road and I have had to change my diet and detox my body. I still have bad days but I am able to hold a full-time job and I finally started playing volleyball again. I went from not being able to walk up my stairs to do laundry and thinking I would be disabled from work in December – to regaining a little bit of my life every day.

I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. I sometimes blame myself for being so vain but then I remember that I was lied to.

Back in 1999, I did not have internet at home and I couldn’t use my work computer to research implants. So, I didn’t find any negative information on implants. If you are reading this, you will find a wealth of other information about implant illness on the web as well. I hope that my story will help you realize that having implants is not worth your life.

 

Hugs… Lynn