My story

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

My saline implant nightmare began 10 years ago. I was 28 and had given birth to my second child. I had always been an A cup (if that) and loved how I looked "post baby"---I was happily married and thought it was the perfect time to follow through on a dream. Little did I realize this dream would slowly take away my body, my happiness and my sanity not to even minimize the trauma to my husband and 3 children. I did not realize this of course until I saw Kacey on GMA 3 days ago that it is my implants. You see, I've always thought is was post partum. All my problems began "after the baby" I had NO clue or thought it could be my implants. I've been waiting these ten years for my breast to become hard --that was all I was told that could be a side effect.

I have lived the last ten years jumping from dr. to dr. for "little things" like scalp sensitivity plus my newly acquired bald spot, migraines, sinus infections, severe arthritis in my neck, upper and lower back, bumping into walls, losing my balance, weakness in my feet, arms and hand/arm tremors, I'm always dropping things and my right shoulder is in constant pain-nothing helps. I've been to my ob/gyn; chiropractors, orthopedist, psychologist, allergist and lastly(I'm sure I've missed a few drs) an orthopedic surgeon who diagnosed me as having a narrowing of my spine in my neck along with all the arthritis--(my spine as a 38 year old woman is now as a 60+ year olds).. I asked why--he says, "I don't know, unlucky I guess." I had two surgeries two years ago to take the pressure off my spinal cord and still have all these problems, it's a daily challenge to get up and do for my family. I say two surgeries because the initial one the doctor put in a metal door and metal plates in my neck--I was deathly ill for 3 weeks unable to hold my head up and walk; I started to get somewhat better and he says you have an infection we've got to go in and remove the metal and put donor bone in. They did; I felt 1000% great the day after surgery-I couldn't believe it-it was night and day from the first surgery it wasn't an infection; it was an allergic reaction to the metal--foreign object in body--it should of been a clue.

I think I have lived so long trying to accept myself "post baby" that I forgot how active, happy and pain free I was before. Now that I've had a few days to think back and really look at it ---I'm 100% sure what I need to do. Although, knowing doesn't make it easier; there's the fear of surgery, recovery and dealing with the feelings prior to having the implants. Will my self esteem hit rock bottom; (somehow I'd like to think I"m older and wiser)--of course my health comes first but there's a twinge of wishing it not be my implants. Plus how do I deal with not looking back and blaming myself --did I do this to me--or did the medical community let me down--I guess it's a little of both.

So, I turn to ya'll (yes, I'm a southern girl) hoping to find support to point me in the right direction of where to start. How do I go about finding the right doctor to remove my implants but also how to find someone who will listen and find out exactly ALL the damage that has been done. Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to being a part of the group and helping you along your journeys.

Thanks for listening,

Janice