Re: Article on explantation for the LA Times

[Guest guest]

-

I live in Boston. I had explantation surgery only five days ago. Unfortunately I had to travel to Atlanta because none of the doctors here believed me even though I have been sick for months. Fortunately, Dr. Kolb (I'm sure you have heard of her) in Atlanta helped me out and I am on the road to recovery from this horrible ordeal. If you find any groups in Boston please let me know. If it was not for the Internet and the stories of so many other women I would have never had the information to make the connection myself. I am also interested in informing those who are sick and do not know why.

Sincerely-

Christy Andrzejewski

[Guest guest]

Dear Christy,

You have found a great dr. and you will probably do very well in your recovery. Congradulations on your explant, I hope you feel better each day. Realistically there could be some peaks and valleys but you must continue to work at recovery. God Bless, Thanks for sharing, We look forward to hearing of your recovery, SodaRene2@... wrote:

-

I live in Boston. I had explantation surgery only five days ago. Unfortunately I had to travel to Atlanta because none of the doctors here believed me even though I have been sick for months. Fortunately, Dr. Kolb (I'm sure you have heard of her) in Atlanta helped me out and I am on the road to recovery from this horrible ordeal. If you find any groups in Boston please let me know. If it was not for the Internet and the stories of so many other women I would have never had the information to make the connection myself. I am also interested in informing those who are sick and do not know why.

Sincerely-

Christy Andrzejewski

[Guest guest]

Christy, (that’s my sis' name) welcome, I am sure you had a good experience and its always good to hear.A good outcome in explant, is the least we are owed in all this mess. I was also explanted by Dr Kolb. I couldn’t be happier and owe most of it, to this group for their doc list. Patty did a great job compiling all our info. just knowing which docs I could even choose from. If I would have done it on my own, I wouldn’t have probably gotten them out incorrectly.

Tell me, how long was your explant (how many hours) how long were you implanted, how soon after being implanted did you realize the implants were affecting your health, how do you feel now? Did you need a lift? Fill us in. I am so glad you feel you are on your way. its been over 2 years for me and I feel wonderful.

Re: Article on explantation for the LA Times

-

I live in Boston. I had explantation surgery only five days ago. Unfortunately I had to travel to Atlanta because none of the doctors here believed me even though I have been sick for months. Fortunately, Dr. Kolb (I'm sure you have heard of her) in Atlanta helped me out and I am on the road to recovery from this horrible ordeal. If you find any groups in Boston please let me know. If it was not for the Internet and the stories of so many other women I would have never had the information to make the connection myself. I am also interested in informing those who are sick and do not know why.

Sincerely-

Christy Andrzejewski

[Guest guest]

My surgery was a little over six hours. I had explant and a lift...even though there was not much left. I had my implants for just under seven years. I only started having severe breast and chest pain in the last year. Then...about four months ago I was hit with many symptoms...loss of balance, transient low-grade fevers, muscle twitching (all over and very scary), muscle weakness, extreme fatigue, thinning hair, nail/hair/skin changes, sharp nerve pains all over, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, and numbness. One day my face started gradually going numb. It started on the left side of my neck and travelled across my face. I thought I had a mini-stroke, but at age 27, non-smoker, light drinker, that was absurd. Doctors did everything to rule out diseases...MRI, CT, blood tests, neurology exams, etc. Every doctor I saw at the great Mass General in Boston said my implants had nothing to do with it. I kept asking them hoping one would at least take the time to entertain the thought and look into it...but no.

In fact...my second time in the ER...the neurologist didn't put any of my physical symptoms in his report. He only mentioned signs of depression. He wrote that I was teary and frustrated. He asked me questions about school and my boyfriend and my family. Then he told me to see a psychologist. I was so mad. I'm filing a complaint on him. I do not expect every doctor to know about this disease right now, but if they will not even believe a patient who is really physically sick then they will never see the light. I spent the entire exam trying to convince him that my life was wonderful until I became very ill, that I know what stress feels like and this was not it, and that I was "teary and frustrated" because I was getting sicker everyday and they would not help me. They made me an appointment for a month later. I felt like it was the 1920's and I was being labeled an "hysterical woman". I thought they were going to give me a lobotomy next.

That's when I went looking elsewhere and found Dr. Kolb. Thank God for the Internet. The stories of other women helped me make the connection and be proactive about saving myself. I was so convinced that the pain and everything was not my implants for so long. I kept looking at the FDA website and government pages (the most reliable...ha ha). Then...all of the arguments I had rationalizing how it was not the implants were disproved the more I read stories and the more I used some common sense to make the connections. Foreign body for seven years=Sickness. It does not take a rocket scientist. Now all we need are more doctors to listen to the "crazy" idea that saline and silicone shells make people sick.

Thank you to all of you for having this support group so that women can help themselves when nobody else will. God Bless.

Christy

[Guest guest]

Such a familiar story Christy. But thank God with a happy ending. Anita Re: Article on explantation for the LA Times My surgery was a little over six hours. I had explant and a lift...even though there was not much left. I had my implants for just under seven years. I only started having severe breast and chest pain in the last year. Then...about four months ago I was hit with many symptoms...loss of balance, transient low-grade fevers, muscle twitching (all over and very scary), muscle weakness, extreme fatigue, thinning hair, nail/hair/skin changes, sharp nerve pains all over, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, and numbness. One day my face started gradually going numb. It started on the left side of my neck and travelled across my face. I thought I had a mini-stroke, but at age 27, non-smoker, light drinker, that was absurd. Doctors did everything to rule out diseases...MRI, CT, blood tests, neurology exams, etc. Every doctor I saw at the great Mass General in Boston said my implants had nothing to do with it. I kept asking them hoping one would at least take the time to entertain the thought and look into it...but no. In fact...my second time in the ER...the neurologist didn't put any of my physical symptoms in his report. He only mentioned signs of depression. He wrote that I was teary and frustrated. He asked me questions about school and my boyfriend and my family. Then he told me to see a psychologist. I was so mad. I'm filing a complaint on him. I do not expect every doctor to know about this disease right now, but if they will not even believe a patient who is really physically sick then they will never see the light. I spent the entire exam trying to convince him that my life was wonderful until I became very ill, that I know what stress feels like and this was not it, and that I was "teary and frustrated" because I was getting sicker everyday and they would not help me. They made me an appointment for a month later. I felt like it was the 1920's and I was being labeled an "hysterical woman". I thought they were going to give me a lobotomy next. That's when I went looking elsewhere and found Dr. Kolb. Thank God for the Internet. The stories of other women helped me make the connection and be proactive about saving myself. I was so convinced that the pain and everything was not my implants for so long. I kept looking at the FDA website and government pages (the most reliable...ha ha). Then...all of the arguments I had rationalizing how it was not the implants were disproved the more I read stories and the more I used some common sense to make the connections. Foreign body for seven years=Sickness. It does not take a rocket scientist. Now all we need are more doctors to listen to the "crazy" idea that saline and silicone shells make people sick. Thank you to all of you for having this support group so that women can help themselves when nobody else will. God Bless. Christy

[Guest guest]

I know that we don't have locally based groups, but I wonder if she

would be interested in talking to the ones that actually got

together for several days in Idaho. A one time thing, but a face to

face support group nonetheless! What do you think?

kathy

--- In , " bbossttonn " <sarahlpark@g...>

wrote:

>

> Hi there,

>

> My name is , and I'm a Boston-based health reporter for the

Los

> Angeles Times. I am writing an article on explantation support

groups

> and am looking for locally-based groups that meet face-to-face.

>

> -- If you know of any meetings -- large or small, informal or

> formal -- where women have met in person to discuss their

experiences

> and knowledge about explantation, please let me know!

>

> -- I also am wondering if any of you have felt more comfortable

> discussing explantation with others now that several reality TV

shows

> have drawn attention to various plastic surgery procedures.

>

> You can reach me at sarahlpark@g... or 617-283-2654.

>

> Many thanks for your time and insights!!

>

> Best,

> Park

[Guest guest]

Chrsity, OMG! I had mine for about 8 years when big symptoms came on, and the muscle twitching (all over my body, likelittle heart beats, legs, and arms mostly) and the bells palsy on the ride side of my face, is what got me. I also thought I had a stroke! Then the auto immune illnesses started. Thyroid and RA. I got them out, a little under a year later. I was also told by many docs, and even yelled at once by a rhuemy -it was not my implants iAlso had MRI"s , cat scans, electrical nerve testing, blood work, all these test, to rule out nuero disease. It was scary, I thought I had ms. . I got them out by Dr Kolb and have been doing better more and more. Wow, we are even close in age. I'm 29. Got them out at 27 Hearing your story is like hearing mine. Re: Article on explantation for the LA Times

My surgery was a little over six hours. I had explant and a lift...even though there was not much left. I had my implants for just under seven years. I only started having severe breast and chest pain in the last year. Then...about four months ago I was hit with many symptoms...loss of balance, transient low-grade fevers, muscle twitching (all over and very scary), muscle weakness, extreme fatigue, thinning hair, nail/hair/skin changes, sharp nerve pains all over, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, and numbness. One day my face started gradually going numb. It started on the left side of my neck and travelled across my face. I thought I had a mini-stroke, but at age 27, non-smoker, light drinker, that was absurd. Doctors did everything to rule out diseases...MRI, CT, blood tests, neurology exams, etc. Every doctor I saw at the great Mass General in Boston said my implants had nothing to do with it. I kept asking them hoping one would at least take the time to entertain the thought and look into it...but no.

In fact...my second time in the ER...the neurologist didn't put any of my physical symptoms in his report. He only mentioned signs of depression. He wrote that I was teary and frustrated. He asked me questions about school and my boyfriend and my family. Then he told me to see a psychologist. I was so mad. I'm filing a complaint on him. I do not expect every doctor to know about this disease right now, but if they will not even believe a patient who is really physically sick then they will never see the light. I spent the entire exam trying to convince him that my life was wonderful until I became very ill, that I know what stress feels like and this was not it, and that I was "teary and frustrated" because I was getting sicker everyday and they would not help me. They made me an appointment for a month later. I felt like it was the 1920's and I was being labeled an "hysterical woman". I thought they were going to give me a lobotomy next.

That's when I went looking elsewhere and found Dr. Kolb. Thank God for the Internet. The stories of other women helped me make the connection and be proactive about saving myself. I was so convinced that the pain and everything was not my implants for so long. I kept looking at the FDA website and government pages (the most reliable...ha ha). Then...all of the arguments I had rationalizing how it was not the implants were disproved the more I read stories and the more I used some common sense to make the connections. Foreign body for seven years=Sickness. It does not take a rocket scientist. Now all we need are more doctors to listen to the "crazy" idea that saline and silicone shells make people sick.

Thank you to all of you for having this support group so that women can help themselves when nobody else will. God Bless.

Christy

[Guest guest]

-wow christy

So many of your symptoms and your experience was like mine! I am so

glad you got explanted. Like you, I could never find anything about

saline implants being harmful and my sisters had them too and they

would always say that they never heard anything harmful about them

either. When I finally started getting really sick I couldn't

figure out what was wrong. I knew I had scleroderma like symptoms

too and was scared to death. I thought I was dying. I kept praying

that God would help me and heal me. Finally one day I was in a

massage therapist's office and thumbing through one of her magazines

and it had an article on massage for explanted women. It mentioned

Ilena Rosenthal and gave her number. I called her and got put into

this group. Right away I realized how my symptoms were just like

theirs. But until then, I could never find any connection between

implants and illness. Within three weeks I set up an appt with Dr.

FEng. Three weeks later, I had them out. As far as I am concerned,

this site saved my life. I had so many symptoms--many just like

yours. And I went to several doctors that kept insisting it was

stress--even a rheumatologist. They even tried to tell me I was

having panic attacks. Yea right! I went to a psychologist who told

me I just didnt' want to get married. You really have to stand up

for yourself. Hopefully you are well on your way to feeling good

again! There is alot of great info on this site about ways to get

back to health.

Hugs,kathy

-- In , SodaRene2@a... wrote:

> My surgery was a little over six hours. I had explant and a

lift...even

> though there was not much left. I had my implants for just

under seven years.

> I only started having severe breast and chest pain in the last

year.

> Then...about four months ago I was hit with many symptoms...loss

of balance,

> transient low-grade fevers, muscle twitching (all over and very

scary), muscle

> weakness, extreme fatigue, thinning hair, nail/hair/skin changes,

sharp nerve pains

> all over, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, and numbness.

One day my

> face started gradually going numb. It started on the left side of

my neck and

> travelled across my face. I thought I had a mini-stroke, but at

age 27,

> non-smoker, light drinker, that was absurd. Doctors did

everything to rule out

> diseases...MRI, CT, blood tests, neurology exams, etc. Every

doctor I saw at the

> great Mass General in Boston said my implants had nothing to do

with it. I

> kept asking them hoping one would at least take the time to

entertain the

> thought and look into it...but no.

>

> In fact...my second time in the ER...the neurologist didn't put

any of my

> physical symptoms in his report. He only mentioned signs of

depression. He

> wrote that I was teary and frustrated. He asked me questions

about school and my

> boyfriend and my family. Then he told me to see a psychologist.

I was so

> mad. I'm filing a complaint on him. I do not expect every doctor

to know about

> this disease right now, but if they will not even believe a

patient who is

> really physically sick then they will never see the light. I

spent the entire

> exam trying to convince him that my life was wonderful until I

became very ill,

> that I know what stress feels like and this was not it, and that I

was " teary

> and frustrated " because I was getting sicker everyday and they

would not help

> me. They made me an appointment for a month later. I felt like

it was the

> 1920's and I was being labeled an " hysterical woman " . I thought

they were going

> to give me a lobotomy next.

>

> That's when I went looking elsewhere and found Dr. Kolb. Thank

God for the

> Internet. The stories of other women helped me make the

connection and be

> proactive about saving myself. I was so convinced that the pain

and everything

> was not my implants for so long. I kept looking at the FDA

website and

> government pages (the most reliable...ha ha). Then...all of the

arguments I had

> rationalizing how it was not the implants were disproved the more

I read stories

> and the more I used some common sense to make the connections.

Foreign body for

> seven years=Sickness. It does not take a rocket scientist. Now

all we need

> are more doctors to listen to the " crazy " idea that saline and

silicone shells

> make people sick.

>

> Thank you to all of you for having this support group so that

women can help

> themselves when nobody else will. God Bless.

>

> Christy

[Guest guest]

Can anyone give us more information on this? When do they normally

get together? Is anything currently scheduled, and how would we

connect to this group of women?

I live in Washington State and vacation pretty regularly in Idaho. I

love the Sandpoint and Couer de' Lane (sp?) areas. One of my best

friends has a wonderful 3 story cabin up there close to the Canadian

border that I use when I travel through. I would be interested in

either participating or hosting sometime.

Tammy

> >

> > Hi there,

> >

> > My name is , and I'm a Boston-based health reporter for the

> Los

> > Angeles Times. I am writing an article on explantation support

> groups

> > and am looking for locally-based groups that meet face-to-face.

> >

> > -- If you know of any meetings -- large or small, informal or

> > formal -- where women have met in person to discuss their

> experiences

> > and knowledge about explantation, please let me know!

> >

> > -- I also am wondering if any of you have felt more comfortable

> > discussing explantation with others now that several reality TV

> shows

> > have drawn attention to various plastic surgery procedures.

> >

> > You can reach me at sarahlpark@g... or 617-283-2654.

> >

> > Many thanks for your time and insights!!

> >

> > Best,

> > Park

[Guest guest]

Congradulations Christy, on your explant and with an excellent surgeon. I'm very happy you're here. Looking forward to hearing of your recovery. God Bless you too, you've come to a great group of women with tons of knowledge. Hugs, SodaRene2@... wrote:

My surgery was a little over six hours. I had explant and a lift...even though there was not much left. I had my implants for just under seven years. I only started having severe breast and chest pain in the last year. Then...about four months ago I was hit with many symptoms...loss of balance, transient low-grade fevers, muscle twitching (all over and very scary), muscle weakness, extreme fatigue, thinning hair, nail/hair/skin changes, sharp nerve pains all over, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, and numbness. One day my face started gradually going numb. It started on the left side of my neck and travelled across my face. I thought I had a mini-stroke, but at age 27, non-smoker, light drinker, that was absurd. Doctors did everything to rule out diseases...MRI, CT, blood tests, neurology exams, etc. Every doctor I saw at the great Mass General in Boston said my implants had nothing to do

with it. I kept asking them hoping one would at least take the time to entertain the thought and look into it...but no.

In fact...my second time in the ER...the neurologist didn't put any of my physical symptoms in his report. He only mentioned signs of depression. He wrote that I was teary and frustrated. He asked me questions about school and my boyfriend and my family. Then he told me to see a psychologist. I was so mad. I'm filing a complaint on him. I do not expect every doctor to know about this disease right now, but if they will not even believe a patient who is really physically sick then they will never see the light. I spent the entire exam trying to convince him that my life was wonderful until I became very ill, that I know what stress feels like and this was not it, and that I was "teary and frustrated" because I was getting sicker everyday and they would not help me. They made me an appointment for a month later. I felt like it was the 1920's and I was being labeled an

"hysterical woman". I thought they were going to give me a lobotomy next.

That's when I went looking elsewhere and found Dr. Kolb. Thank God for the Internet. The stories of other women helped me make the connection and be proactive about saving myself. I was so convinced that the pain and everything was not my implants for so long. I kept looking at the FDA website and government pages (the most reliable...ha ha). Then...all of the arguments I had rationalizing how it was not the implants were disproved the more I read stories and the more I used some common sense to make the connections. Foreign body for seven years=Sickness. It does not take a rocket scientist. Now all we need are more doctors to listen to the "crazy" idea that saline and silicone shells make people sick.

Thank you to all of you for having this support group so that women can help themselves when nobody else will. God Bless.

Christy

[Guest guest]

Christy,

You are a very smart woman, and I see you have some spunk too....that is what it is going to take to let these arrogant people know that we are not hysterical, stupid women, but we are intelligent, savvy, and capable women who aren't going to be pushed around anymore. We stuck together and found a way to help each other, and we are getting better in the process through our shared experiences.

I pray that our efforts will be rewarded...not that they aren't already, as we have so many fantastic success stories here of women getting their lives back! But rewarded through our vindication when the truth comes out and can no longer be denied that implants rob women of health. There are too many case histories out there that point the way. Those who don't learn from their past mistakes are destined to repeat them, and it appears lessons on corporate greed are never learned