Re: how do they know if silicone is still in your body?

[Guest guest]

Deb,

Your answer depends on how much silicone is potentially there. For women who had silicone gel implants that have ruptured and the amount of silicone that could be recovered is substantial, there are ways of detecting globs of silicone, such as ultrasound, and then surgically removing those deposits.

However, for the microscopic particles of silicone that travel through the body in the lymph or blood, and settle in major organs, I believe you would need biopsies and microscopic evaluation done to prove it. There really is no way to recover it. We just have to hope that our bodies can help it move out.

However, that is not as easy as it sounds. My naturopathic doctor told me that the body "does not like to get rid of it," talking about silicone gel or particles. As far as I understand, silicone does not easily break down in the body into smaller components which the liver can help detoxify and eliminate. In fact, some women experience silicone particles coming out of their skin as if shards of glass were making their way out, or (in the case of silicone gel) they may experience a skin eruption like acne, with a yellowish, sticky fluid released that has a strong chemical smell. It just doesn't dissipate, unfortunately. Therein lies the problem.

Proving damage from silicone has been the crux of the whole controversy and never-ending lawsuit. Doctors would like us to believe that since silicone is so prevalent in our foods and personal care products, it is completely harmless. They say silicone tests don't prove anything because everyone has been exposed to silicone, and will have evidence of it in their bodies anyway. They use this same reasoning for candida testing, which is usually spoken of with similar derision by most allopathic doctors.

I really don't know the value of the silicone tests--perhaps those who have had it done and discussed their results with the doctors or labs that have ordered them can enlighten us....

Patty

----- Original Message -----

From: debsings04

Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 6:28 PM

Subject: how do they know if silicone is still in your body?

Hello girls,a question? What is the procedure for proving you have silicone in your body still. Assuming you've had the explant etc. Lets say they do a capsulectomy and remove the entire thing. How can thy track where the silicone is. If you react to a silicone like show antibiodies to a silicone test that does not mean the silicone is still in your body, it just means your body has formed an immunity to it, like a vaccine.You would think over time that your body would breakdown the silicone by some way and your body would rid itself of it.Do these docs and scientist say over time that silicone stays forever or eventually it leaves.Where is the proof. I understand if they find it in a tissue specimen, like a chunk of it stuck to the wall, but just in time, like the capsule of a gel implant you'd think it would dissipate over time.Deb