Questions & Answers on breast implants

[Guest guest]

Q. I am wondering if some of my health problems are caused by my

breast implants.

A. We're not doctors and we don't provide medical advice, but I can

tell you what we know based on research and from speaking with many

experts and with women who have had breast implants.

In testimony before the FDA, women with implants have described

symptoms such as joint pain, chronic fatigue, mental confusion, hair

loss, and flu-like symptoms. These are considered to be auto-immune

symptoms, and according to the FDA, some of these symptoms are more

common for women two years after getting silicone gel breast

implants than they are before the women got breast implants. Those

findings are based on the FDA's analysis of women with silicone gel

breast implants, and were made public on April 12-13, 2005 at a

public meeting of the FDA advisory panel on breast implants.

***All breast implants, even saline implants, are enveloped in an

outer shell made of silicone. The envelope also contains other

chemicals and some heavy metals, such as microscopic amounts of

platinum or tin, which vary during the manufacturing process.

Unfortunately, some women have a negative reaction to those

substances. Although silicone is considered " biocompatible " and most

people don't have an allergic or autoimmune response, some people

do. (Just as some people have an allergic response to peanuts or bee

stings).

Any woman could potentially have a bad reaction to silicone or other

substances in breast implants. However, the risks are higher for

some women than others. Implant makers warn women with certain

medical histories in their family or who have specific medical

conditions that breast implants could be especially risky for them.

Women who have family members with autoimmune diseases such as

arthritis, MS, or lupus are one of the examples. Here is their exact

language, located on the FDA website:

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/labeling/mentor_patient_labeli

ng_5900.html#6.

In a study of women who had breast implants for at least 7 years,

FDA scientists found that women with leaking silicone gel breast

implants were more likely to have fibromyalgia and other painful

diseases than women with implants that were not leaking. Symptoms of

fibromyalgia include pain and chronic fatigue. The FDA study was the

first and most well-designed study evaluating the health effects of

leaking silicone breast implants. Unfortunately, not all plastic

surgeons are aware of the study, which is described in more detail

on our website

http://www.breastimplantinfo.org/what_know/crr082002.html and the

FDA website

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/extracapstudy.html.

The good news is that research shows that many women with breast

implants and rheumatologic pain and symptoms find that their health

improves dramatically after their implants are removed and not

replaced. Dr. Vasey from the University of South Florida and

Dr. Noreen Aziz, a scientist at National Cancer Institute, found

that most women with pain, fatigue, and other rheumatology symptoms

felt better after their silicone implants were removed and not

replaced. Many symptoms lessened or disappeared over the next few

months. In contrast, most women who did not have their implants

removed became even more ill. Those who had their implants removed

and replaced with saline usually did not get better either.

You might have read about Kacey Long, who was featured in Parade

Magazine, People, and on MTV's I Want a Famous Face. Kacey was 19

when she got saline breast implants and 21 when she had them

removed. She got sick very quickly, but didn't realize her health

problems were related to her implants. She started spending all her

time in bed, and was in too much pain to even comb her hair.

However, when her implants were removed she immediately started to

feel better.

For examples of women who had similar symptoms and felt better after

their implants were removed, see the personal stories on our website

at http://www.breastimplantinfo.org/per_stories.html.

If the symptoms the other women describe sound like you, you may

want to consider having your implants removed. If you have silicone

gel breast implants that are broken, it is important to have them

removed as soon as possible. For more information about that, read

the other FAQs.

The comments and statements of the National Research Center for

Women & Families are believed and intended to be accurate, and where

applicable, based on scientific literature. NRC's statements do not

constitute medical diagnoses, medical advice, plans of treatment, or

legal opinion, and we are not responsible for the use or application

of this information. All medical information should be reviewed with

your health care practitioner.

We hope that the information we've provided is helpful. In order to

maintain this free service to all women and their families, we

invite your tax-deductible contributions to NRC (see

http://www.center4research.org/contribute1.html)

Back to the Breast Augmentation Ask Us Your Questions e-mail form.

Home | Site Map | Implant Dictionary | Donations

[Guest guest]

Thank you for this post. I like the way all the information is tied

together with the links. It was good for me to read this again. I

am scheduled for explant this next week and been wondering if what I

am doing is the right thing. Reading everything again answered my

question. I have been doctoring and having problems and nothing I

have been told/going thru makes any sense. But the information

about implants makes TOO MUCH SENSE.

Hugs, MK

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> Q. I am wondering if some of my health problems are caused by my

> breast implants.

>

> A. We're not doctors and we don't provide medical advice, but I

can

> tell you what we know based on research and from speaking with

many

> experts and with women who have had breast implants.

>

> In testimony before the FDA, women with implants have described

> symptoms such as joint pain, chronic fatigue, mental confusion,

hair

> loss, and flu-like symptoms. These are considered to be auto-

immune

> symptoms, and according to the FDA, some of these symptoms are

more

> common for women two years after getting silicone gel breast

> implants than they are before the women got breast implants. Those

> findings are based on the FDA's analysis of women with silicone

gel

> breast implants, and were made public on April 12-13, 2005 at a

> public meeting of the FDA advisory panel on breast implants.

>

> ***All breast implants, even saline implants, are enveloped in an

> outer shell made of silicone. The envelope also contains other

> chemicals and some heavy metals, such as microscopic amounts of

> platinum or tin, which vary during the manufacturing process.

> Unfortunately, some women have a negative reaction to those

> substances. Although silicone is considered " biocompatible " and

most

> people don't have an allergic or autoimmune response, some people

> do. (Just as some people have an allergic response to peanuts or

bee

> stings).

>

> Any woman could potentially have a bad reaction to silicone or

other

> substances in breast implants. However, the risks are higher for

> some women than others. Implant makers warn women with certain

> medical histories in their family or who have specific medical

> conditions that breast implants could be especially risky for

them.

> Women who have family members with autoimmune diseases such as

> arthritis, MS, or lupus are one of the examples. Here is their

exact

> language, located on the FDA website:

>

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/labeling/mentor_patient_labeli

> ng_5900.html#6.

>

> In a study of women who had breast implants for at least 7 years,

> FDA scientists found that women with leaking silicone gel breast

> implants were more likely to have fibromyalgia and other painful

> diseases than women with implants that were not leaking. Symptoms

of

> fibromyalgia include pain and chronic fatigue. The FDA study was

the

> first and most well-designed study evaluating the health effects

of

> leaking silicone breast implants. Unfortunately, not all plastic

> surgeons are aware of the study, which is described in more detail

> on our website

> http://www.breastimplantinfo.org/what_know/crr082002.html and the

> FDA website

> http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants/extracapstudy.html.

>

> The good news is that research shows that many women with breast

> implants and rheumatologic pain and symptoms find that their

health

> improves dramatically after their implants are removed and not

> replaced. Dr. Vasey from the University of South Florida and

> Dr. Noreen Aziz, a scientist at National Cancer Institute, found

> that most women with pain, fatigue, and other rheumatology

symptoms

> felt better after their silicone implants were removed and not

> replaced. Many symptoms lessened or disappeared over the next few

> months. In contrast, most women who did not have their implants

> removed became even more ill. Those who had their implants removed

> and replaced with saline usually did not get better either.

>

> You might have read about Kacey Long, who was featured in Parade

> Magazine, People, and on MTV's I Want a Famous Face. Kacey was 19

> when she got saline breast implants and 21 when she had them

> removed. She got sick very quickly, but didn't realize her health

> problems were related to her implants. She started spending all

her

> time in bed, and was in too much pain to even comb her hair.

> However, when her implants were removed she immediately started to

> feel better.

>

> For examples of women who had similar symptoms and felt better

after

> their implants were removed, see the personal stories on our

website

> at http://www.breastimplantinfo.org/per_stories.html.

>

> If the symptoms the other women describe sound like you, you may

> want to consider having your implants removed. If you have

silicone

> gel breast implants that are broken, it is important to have them

> removed as soon as possible. For more information about that, read

> the other FAQs.

>

> The comments and statements of the National Research Center for

> Women & Families are believed and intended to be accurate, and

where

> applicable, based on scientific literature. NRC's statements do

not

> constitute medical diagnoses, medical advice, plans of treatment,

or

> legal opinion, and we are not responsible for the use or

application

> of this information. All medical information should be reviewed

with

> your health care practitioner.

>

> We hope that the information we've provided is helpful. In order

to

> maintain this free service to all women and their families, we

> invite your tax-deductible contributions to NRC (see

> http://www.center4research.org/contribute1.html)

>

>

>

>

>

> Back to the Breast Augmentation Ask Us Your Questions e-mail form.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Home | Site Map | Implant Dictionary | Donations

>