“Finally, I said I need these out in 2015 and my husband absolutely agreed! We had seen a couple of things that helped us think we were right. One was Discovery channels the monster within me. A woman had hers removed with a lot of my symptoms and they were full of mold and fungus. That was it! My husband researched doctors that would remove the whole implant en bloc style. We had read to get out the capsule etc somewhere. We were just trying to get them out ASAP.”

Tell us about your explant journey.

I had saline implants placed in 2002. I was 28 years old and had 2 young children. I had been married to my husband for almost 9 years. He didn't really want me to get them but I was very self-conscious of my flat chest! I was about size 2 with less than an A cup and slightly deformed from nursing 2 kiddos. I thought I would be fixing myself for the better. 

I was an avid gym-goer and taught group fitness. I really liked them at first. I felt like they were a bit too big, but it was fine. I slowly started gaining weight after I put them in. Which I now know was a lot of inflammation! I remember starting to feel tired often and needing naps each day. I was gaining more and more although I worked out often. I was training to run half marathons and it was becoming harder to push myself. I couldn't eat certain foods, especially grains. I had gained 25 lbs and it would not budge. I was very self-conscious of my now larger chest and weight. Now I looked unhealthy! I was becoming a personal trainer and felt people would judge me for not looking the part. I worked so hard to get my old body back and it felt impossible. I was getting sicker each year. 

My symptoms slowly progressed to sore swollen lymph nodes in my armpits which they almost thought was cancer but brushed off as just inflammation due too? Who knows why? I had started having migraines that would knock me out for a day. I would be in bed shades drawn and no sound or light could I handle. I would throw up my vitamins and sometimes food for no reason. I just felt miserable daily and pushed to teach train and be a good wife and mom daily! I would get heart palpitations and have panic attacks at random. I felt better depressed often. I started hanging swollen eyes almost swollen shut summer days. Rashes in my groin area that wouldn't heal with any meds and they itched burned and bled. 

The doctor I started going to see sent me for MRI's and did blood work. I was told I probably had MS or Lyme disease. Maybe Hashimoto’s? They could not figure it out. My hormones were way off! I had to go on a grain-free diet. It helped for a bit. I was diagnosed with early perimenopause. My periods were also unbearable some months I had to stay home to be able to avoid an embarrassing moment and deal with crippling cramps. All my symptoms were running my life. I really kept it all to myself a lot! 

Finally, I thought could it be my implants? All the doctors said, “No"! My original surgeon said he would drain them and pull them out under local anesthetic if I wanted. He also showed me my before pictures and said I'd look similar but stretched out and shriveled with scars. He said he'd had 2 women wonder the same thing and he took them out but they never returned to say anything after. So I left in tears waiting another 2 years in misery. No one seemed to be able to help! 

My husband and I went to San Diego for a few days and per usual I would go running or for an outing and just pass out when would get to the hotel. Finally, I said I need these out in 2015 and my husband absolutely agreed! We had seen a couple of things that helped us think we were right. One was Discovery channels the monster within me. A woman had hers removed with a lot of my symptoms and they were full of mold and fungus. That was it! My husband researched doctors that would remove the whole implant enbloc style. We had read to get out the capsule etc somewhere. We were just trying to get them out ASAP. 

A doctor in Scottsdale said he didn't know why but he was removing often and some women got better and he'd do it enbloc style. He had very little bedside manner for explant! I was crying at every appointment. He had gorgeous women with large implants all over his walls where he took your pre-op pictures. It was so hard to see! I knew I would be deformed and I was so scared I would be sick still and feel so awkward and ugly after! 

On January 29th, 2016 I had my 14 yr in saline implants removed! Thank God! It was a real struggle to heal. I was diagnosed a year after feeling so much better but uncomfortable in my own skin still with rheumatoid arthritis. I had frozen hands wrists and shoulders starting to occur. I knew I just needed more help detoxing so I went to Naturalpath. I am now almost completely symptom-free 4 years later. I finally healed mentally and don't stress over what they look like much anymore. I wish I never got them put in! 

What type of implants did you have?

Mentor saline-filled

What surgeon did you explant with?

Aesthetic assets I believe was the PS group in Scottsdale AZ

When did you begin to experience symptoms?

About 5 years in I noticed 

What symptoms did you have?

Inflammation

Lymph node pain and swelling in the groin and underarms

Heart palpitations

Extreme fatigue

Food sensitivity

Nausea

Migraines and regular headaches

Muscle aches

Hormone imbalance

Vitamin deficiency

Rashes

Eye swelling

Brain fog

Extreme night sweats

Food intolerance

Sleeplessness

Depression

Anxiety

Just feeling sick all the time

How did breast implants impact your life?

I felt like I was going to die often or end up bedridden. I lost time at work and the joy of life with friends and family for many years. 

What was surgery like for you?

Painful 

How are you doing now, after explant?

I feel almost 100% better most days once in a while I think oh that's still my body healing and I take natural supplements to help

What would you like women who are considering explant to know?

It's not worth it at all. I wish I'd kept what I had. Now I'm scared and missed out on a lot of life during that time!

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

I just hope they ban them. I know that implants all slowly breakdown inside everyone's body. They slowly poison us from the inside out as they basically melt away. The capsules we all form is our bodies way of trying to save us but it's not able to. They are literally death bags!