My Journey With Breast Implant Illness

7 years ago, I sat alone in a plastic surgeon’s office for my consult to get silicone gel breast implants. I was just coming off of a 45lb weightloss and I was left with hardly any breast tissue. I wanted to feel feminine again so I made the choice to get a breast augmentation. Once I got them, I felt so good and so confident about myself.. and then over the years of having them, something began to change.

I began feeling tired all of the time. I was a new mom too so I chalked it up to being the reason for my fatigue. My hair started falling out and I got headaches out of nowhere. My symptoms were very small at first and I passed it all off as me getting older and being busy with kids.

Fast forward to today: It is difficult to get out of bed as I sleep 12 hours a day in addition to a 2 hour nap. I have headaches every single day which are hard to relieve. My hair still falls out every shower. My anxiety and depression is the worse it has ever been. My brain fog is so strong that it is sometimes hard for me to form complete sentences and remember things. When my husband tells me something, I cannot comprehend what he is trying to say-nothing sticks anymore. Driving has also become difficult as it is hard for me to stay in the lines. I am the heaviest I have been since 2010 and nothing that I do can help the weight come off. I have not been able to complete a FULL workout in MONTHS due to muscle and joint weakness. I feel drunk every single day-it is almost as if I stay in a constant dizzy state. I do not know who I am anymore.

This illness is costing my everything. It is affecting my marriage, my kids, my job, and my health. I have literally no energy to play with my babies anymore. I have no energy to give my husband or anyone my affection. I have no energy to move because of the muscle and joint pain. I cry every day because breast implant illness has become such a buden in my life and on the ones I love.

Fun fact: implants are recommended to be replaced every 10-15 years. Why? Because over time they break down and get weaker allowing the silicone to “leech” or basically make its way through the shell and into your bloodstream. They are not built to last people! Also, all of us metabolize and break things down differently. One woman may need hers replaced at 5 years while the next could go all the way to 15 years. You do not know what is going on with the implant until you actually get to take them out and see it. THAT is scary.

They say that there’s this “look” you have when your breast implants are slowly poisoning you: you look dazed and your eyes are not as bright/clear as they once were. Your skin gets dry and you start rapidly aging. This is where I am at now so I can report what I look like after explanting:

The reported symptoms of Breast Implant Illness: fatigue/low energy, cognitive dysfunction (brain fog, memory loss), headaches, joint and muscle pain, hair loss, recurring infections, swollen lymph nodes and swollen glands, rashes, IBS, problems with thyroid and adrenals. For a more thorough list, click here.

At 29 years old, I feel as if I am trapped inside of an 80 year old’s body. Scratch that, I think most 80 year olds have more energy than I have. I’ve never felt this way in my entire life. I used to be so energetic that I did not nap-ever. I have gone to doctors throughout the past year and have done countless blood draws. Everything always comes back normal and I never get an answer. The last blood draw however showed I was low in Estrogen and Progesterone-menopausal levels actually. Please tell me why a 29 year old with no family history of early onset menopause or reproductive/hormonal problems would be basically menopausal? I dug deeper only to discover that the heavy metals contained in silicone implants can wreak havoc on your hormones among everything else.

Silicone breast implants contain the following heavy metals according to the FDA:

Keep in mind that arsenic is rat poison. Now you may continue.

They also contain the following:

Methyl Ethyl Ketone (neurotoxin)
Cyclohexanone (neurotoxin)
Isopropyl Alcohol
Denatured Alcohol
Acetone (neurotoxin)
Urethane
Polyvinyl Chloride (neurotoxin)
Amine
Toluene (neurotoxin/carcinogen)
Dichloromethane (carcinogen)
Chloromethane
Ethyl Acetate (neurotoxin)
Silicone
Sodium Fluoride
Lead-based solder
Formaldehyde
Talcum Powder
Oakite (cleaning solvent)
Methyl 2-cyanoacryltes
Ethylene Oxide (carcinogen)
Xylene (neurotoxin)
Hexon
2-Hexanone
Thixon-OSN-2
Stearic Acid
Zinc Oxide
Naptha (rubber solvent)
Phenol (neurotoxin)
Benzene (carcinogen/neurotoxin)
Lacquer Thinner
Epoxy Resin
Epoxy Hardener 10 and 11
Printing Ink
Metal Cleaning Acid
Color Pigments as release agents
Heavy metals such as aluminum, tin, lead, and platinum
Silica

Frightening, right?? Formaldehyde is what they inject dead people with to keep them fresh for their funeral. I mean… WHY?

Silicone ingredients can pose many dangers. All of these ingredients can greatly cause many problems by slowly poisoning you while you are dying a slow death. You still are not safe even if your implants did not rupture. Why? Because silicone can leech through the outer shell and into your blood stream. I was reading an autopsy about a woman who had her brain issues tested only to find silicone stuck in her brain cells.

I know what you are thinking… “ill just go with saline then!” But saline has its own set of problems as well starting with the fact that the shell or outer covering is made of silicone. Saline implants also harbor black MOLD such as the one below. Fun fact: saline has a shelf life of six months. Let that sink in for a moment…

Saline implants can have faulty valves that allow body fluid/tissue in and allow colonization of fungal microorganisms inside the implant. These microorganisms produce metabolites which are toxic to us known as mycotoxins. Fungus loves hiding and growing in warm, dark places and your body is basically becoming a walking petri dish. Mold can cause so many issues including death if you are unlucky. Check out some scientific date here.

Implants in general-no matter which they are-are not good for your health. Think about it.. you are putting a foreign object filled with poison into your body. In turn, your body is going to fight as hard as it can to get rid of that foreign object that is not supposed to be there. It’s basic survival mode of your own body protecting itself!

If you are considering a breast augmentation or believe you could be suffering from Breast Implant Illness, please check out the following sites for facts and studies:

https://www.breastimplantillness.com/

https://healingbreastimplantillness.com/

Also please check out the following group with over 50,000 women explanting and dealing with BII:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Healingbreastimplantillness/

I will update you as my journey goes on. I do have a consult next month so I will report more after that. I feel as if I am getting worse and worse by the day and it sucks having to wait. I am happy to be explanting and getting them out.

Thank you all for the love and support during this hard time.

Sia

Your trainer and friend,