el_jeena

[Guest guest]

It is great to have you as a new member. Could you please tell me about

your history with implants (what type, how long, symptoms, etc), and if you

wouldn't mind telling me who you used for your explant surgery, or maybe you

could email me personally with your dr. information.

Thanks megan

PS I enjoy reading your postings.

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

From: el_jeena <el_jeena@...>

< >

Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 3:46 AM

Subject: Re: saline implants are safe?

> Dr. Feng is one of the best plastic surgeons I have ever seen, but

> she also implants women who desire implants. She does, however, tell

> them ALL of the RISKS and possible complications.

>

> I know this is seems like a double standard to you, and you have a

> right to question this. Maybe it would help if you try to see breast

> implants and breast prosthesis needs as other medical products and

> devices. NONE are SAFE for all people. I can think of no medication

> or product that does not carry contraindications and warnings and

> nearly all medicines have side effects. Even antibiotics carry some

> risk and some are deadly to certain people.

>

> We often think of breast implants as totally unnecessary evils that

> should be outlawed because they seem frivolous or cosmetic. However,

> there are so many hurting women out there who have lost breasts to

> breast cancer or car accidents, have birth defects or have NO BREASTS

> whatsover. These women are often so anguished and embarrassed that

> it can be a matter of emotional concern. Some just deserve the

> CHOICE to at least TRY. They may not be safe, and they may never be

> 100% safe, because they are FOREIGN OBJECTS.

>

> The body is designed to FIGHT off foreign invaders. To implant

> ANYTHING is going against nature, because our autoimmune systems were

> built to surround foreign invaders, fight them, and force them out.

> If it can't be accomplishes, it will try to encapsulate it to keep it

> from invading the tissues around it. This is not only true for

> breast implants, but for artificial joints, heart valves, organ

> transplants, etc. Some people have no choice but to risk these

> devices, because they will may not be able to live, or walk, or

> function in some area.

>

> My father is on kidney dialysis and has been for years. It is NOT a

> NATURAL THING, and he has the same issues of silicone victims, but no

> one would think of insisting that dialysis machines be outlawed. It

> is ALL we have right now, and hopefully one day there will be BETTER

> alternatives and tubing that will not slough off silicone.

>

> Remember, most of our cosmetic procedures were developed in WARTIME.

> We had maimed and disfigured men on the battlefields who had to be

> repaired. Who would say it was a travesty to try and repair our

> injured soldiers?

>

> We sometimes forget that our sisters who get breast augmentation are

> sometimes just like injured soldiers in this life. Not all

> implantees are topless dancers. They are REAL people who feel

> inadequate or deformed.

>

> Hopefully, our struggles and our stories will go down in history and

> our victimization will be viewed differently. We are the pioneers and

> maybe the lawsuits and the brave people who have spoken out will be

> the ones who spurred the medical community to search for BETTER

> answers to these problems.

>

> Once we are sick, we usually find our priorities are in perspective.

> I no longer cared if I had breasts or not. I just wanted to be out of

> PAIN. But, once, I thought I would be happy if only I had my saggy

> breasts fixed. HOW my experience changed my perspective!

>

> Not all women are where we are, Angelika. Right now, I would NEVER

> consider putting implants in my body and neither would you. But the

> woman who has just faced cancer, chemotherapy and longs to be whole

> may see it as the lessor of 2 evils.

>

> The greed and dishonesty of the manufacturers is QUITE another story

> and let us NOT forget who our enemies are right now. They failed us,

> because the LIED and did not warn us of the potential risks. Their

> motivation is to MAKE MONEY, and this is the case with many plastic

> surgeons.

>

> BUT, a good physician is one who tells the truth, weighs the cost,

> PROVIDES a service to a patient, respects their wishes and listens to

> their needs, and is capable of understanding their pain. Some women

> would rather risk death than to be disfigured and they have the right

> to chose, just as my father has the right to chose to go to dialysis

> 3 times a week. One day, he will wake up and say " NO MORE " .

>

> Our job is to INFORM and PROTECT women's rights and do our very best

> to find help and support for the ones who are having problems with

> this medical device.

>

> One other comment I have. If this is a NEEDED medical

> prosthesis/device, and the FDA still allows for it to be available to

> the women who chose it, then the government should REQUIRE insurance

> companies to COVER it. PERIOD. If women chose to have this device,

> and they are so safe (?? and I have my doubts!) then insurance

> companies could make money on insuring them. Accurate records would

> be available, the REAL NUMBERS of complications and costs would

> quickly surface, and I find it hard to believe that one can insure

> their contact lenses and cannot be insured when their breast

> prosthesis breaks. If they are going to be on the market, this

> society needs to make a way for the women with problems to have them

> READILY and SAFELY removed. If they can't pass laws to protect our

> women, then they need to reconsider their safety.

>

> I do not know Dr. Kolb, and I also considered her to explant me. In

> fact, I emailed her for information. In the end, I chose another

> surgeon. We all have different personalities and needs, and a Dr. who

> is not perfect for one patient, may be perfect for another.

>

> I don't mean to sound compromising, but I think we all need to

> realize the pain of the women who feel they need a breast prosthesis.

> Many of them will be needing us SOON and will not need to feel

> condemnation. They will be suffering enough.

>

> YOu may not agree with me, but I hope you can at least understand why

> not all breast implant victims feel that there should be no breast

> implants. We really do pray for SAFE ones, because there is a need

> for a safe answer to the women who desire them for very good reasons.

>

> We will never reach the people we need to reach and help if we are

> not compassionate and understanding of their needs and issues.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thankyou so much!

My complete nightmare with breast implants and all photos are on

http://explantation.com under the link which says " Our Stories " .

I am not trying to pull anyone from this support forum to ours, but

it is just so lengthy to rewrite in another post. ('s story is

also featured on our site)

I have suffered greatly from silicone implants, and I continue to

suffer the ill effects of this medical device. I am truly passionate

about warning women about the potential dangers of implants and

discourage women from getting them without WEIGHING the cost and

learning all they can learn about them.

I do not believe in frightening asymptomatic women into explanting

against their will. When the time comes, no one has to convince

them. There are risks in explantation as well as implantation, and we

try to encourage symptomatic women to take the plunge, get a good

surgeon and be a positive force so they do not have to have dread,

fear and can SEE that they don't always have to be deformed. We

search for positive and inspiring explantation stories and good

surgeons because we are now getting hundreds of emails daily. The

women are out there and they are seeking help.

We try to provide a LOVING environment for them to express their

fears, anxieties, get FACTUAL information about their situation and

be supportive in whatever decision they make. MOST are quite ready to

explant after being to our site. SOME are encouraged that there is

help, should they ever have severe problems. Some visit and are

happy as can be with the implants that have changed their lives for

the better but have a very eye opening experience because prior to

coming to our site, they have been told nothing but lies and negative

things about women who claim to have had problems with implants.

Some may see us as compromising and tolerant of breast implants, but

in actuality, we are VERY PASSIONATE in our quest to get the truth

out and have chosen to take a very compassionate the tender approach

in order to GAIN credibility.

Being a 60's and 70's child, I am reminded of the parents and

authority figures who stood over me, shaking their fingers and

telling me if I tried marijuana, I might jump out of a window

thinking I could fly, might die on the spot and have permanent brain

damage and end up a heroine addict. Being a rather intelligent

person and having done my research, I quickly realized that they were

not telling the truth and were exaggerating the facts. Because they

exaggerated and were ignorant of the REAL dangers, I ignored their

warnings, tried " weed " and didn't die. It did not take long to find

out the REAL, yet impending dangers of drugs, but the lesson remains

in my mind and heart to this day. WE MUST STICK TO THE TRUTHFUL

FACTS in order to be HEARD and credible.

Believe me, the REAL and TRUTHFUL FACTS about breast prosthesis are

scary enough. We no longer have to make the case--READ NICOLE'S

BOARD just ONE TIME. THE posts are nothing but PROBLEMS and

questions and confusion. I am still amazed that any woman goes to

that site and then RISKS implants. It was there I learned about

symmastia, double bubble, and the myriad of problems some young,

beautiful women are facing!

Again, thanks for your warm welcome!

[Guest guest]

Dear

I am in complete agreement with you, I guess what is the biggest thing that

upsets me is when I think back to how sick I was and then how I never heard

any positive stories about women getting better and this upset me so much, I

thought why remove the implants if I am still going to be sick.

My goal here on this group now that I am the new moderator is to make sure

that women who are having problems are aware of the facts and that you can

get better.

I used to argue with so many people angry and wanting to know how I could be

sure that it was my implants! I was so set on not getting them out, it took

me several months of suffering to realize that I needed to get rid of them

that if I didn't I was going to die.

Today I am much healthier, and look good, I have posted my story not just

here but on several sites so that it can get out there that there are ways

to get better, I feel that it is important to help the women who are sick

and need help as much as I can, that is why I feel this group is an

important place for women to come to for healing ideas and tips and a

personal level of help, I encourage women to come here and tell their

stories and put up their pictures and to share their intimate feelings about

what they have been through and to vent about the feelings they may have

over this issue.

I don't want this to be a place where we argue or fight over who has the

best info or who is right or wrong, just someplace we can share info is all.

I like to post allot of healing methods and there are many in the files

section that Patty created. These are important things to do when you are

ill from implants. I have also encouraged the women here that they should go

to explantation.com and post their story there as well as it is a more

public site and a way for women to see this info in a way that is not

threatening or scary as I do not agree with many of the scare tactics used

on other groups.

I also think that it is fantastic what you guys have done over their and I

think that it is helpful to enlighten women with implants. I know I was very

uninformed about many things, when I got my implants.

Thanks for your support

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

From: " el_jeena " <el_jeena@...>

< >

Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 9:22 AM

Subject: Re: el_jeena

> Thankyou so much!

>

> My complete nightmare with breast implants and all photos are on

> http://explantation.com under the link which says " Our Stories " .

>

> I am not trying to pull anyone from this support forum to ours, but

> it is just so lengthy to rewrite in another post. ('s story is

> also featured on our site)

>

> I have suffered greatly from silicone implants, and I continue to

> suffer the ill effects of this medical device. I am truly passionate

> about warning women about the potential dangers of implants and

> discourage women from getting them without WEIGHING the cost and

> learning all they can learn about them.

>

> I do not believe in frightening asymptomatic women into explanting

> against their will. When the time comes, no one has to convince

> them. There are risks in explantation as well as implantation, and we

> try to encourage symptomatic women to take the plunge, get a good

> surgeon and be a positive force so they do not have to have dread,

> fear and can SEE that they don't always have to be deformed. We

> search for positive and inspiring explantation stories and good

> surgeons because we are now getting hundreds of emails daily. The

> women are out there and they are seeking help.

>

> We try to provide a LOVING environment for them to express their

> fears, anxieties, get FACTUAL information about their situation and

> be supportive in whatever decision they make. MOST are quite ready to

> explant after being to our site. SOME are encouraged that there is

> help, should they ever have severe problems. Some visit and are

> happy as can be with the implants that have changed their lives for

> the better but have a very eye opening experience because prior to

> coming to our site, they have been told nothing but lies and negative

> things about women who claim to have had problems with implants.

>

> Some may see us as compromising and tolerant of breast implants, but

> in actuality, we are VERY PASSIONATE in our quest to get the truth

> out and have chosen to take a very compassionate the tender approach

> in order to GAIN credibility.

>

> Being a 60's and 70's child, I am reminded of the parents and

> authority figures who stood over me, shaking their fingers and

> telling me if I tried marijuana, I might jump out of a window

> thinking I could fly, might die on the spot and have permanent brain

> damage and end up a heroine addict. Being a rather intelligent

> person and having done my research, I quickly realized that they were

> not telling the truth and were exaggerating the facts. Because they

> exaggerated and were ignorant of the REAL dangers, I ignored their

> warnings, tried " weed " and didn't die. It did not take long to find

> out the REAL, yet impending dangers of drugs, but the lesson remains

> in my mind and heart to this day. WE MUST STICK TO THE TRUTHFUL

> FACTS in order to be HEARD and credible.

>

> Believe me, the REAL and TRUTHFUL FACTS about breast prosthesis are

> scary enough. We no longer have to make the case--READ NICOLE'S

> BOARD just ONE TIME. THE posts are nothing but PROBLEMS and

> questions and confusion. I am still amazed that any woman goes to

> that site and then RISKS implants. It was there I learned about

> symmastia, double bubble, and the myriad of problems some young,

> beautiful women are facing!

>

> Again, thanks for your warm welcome!

>

>

>

>