If you measure liquid volume with a yard stick you’re not going to get an accurate measurement.

Women are being told that breast implants are safe despite the fact that they’ve never actually been proven ‘safe’. At best there is conflicting opinion on IF they are safe and whether they cause autoimmune illness.

The system of measuring breast implant related illness is flawed and there is no standardization, despite breast implants being introduced to the consumer market in the early 1960’s.

There is no standard of accountability for patient safety in regard to breast implants, or for reporting device failure and illness in women with breast implants.

For the better part of two decades I was told by doctors that my breast implants (which were actually RECALLED devices) were not connected to symptoms I was experiencing. Even up to the time of explant, where it was discovered that I was quite literally on death’s doorstep, doctors locally believed I was fine.

Among a host of strange symptoms I had inflammation throughout my body, though standard blood tests didn’t indicate I did. I had a rash in my vagina, uterus, bladder and throat that was identical in appearance in each location. Also, multiple benign growths (hundreds of them) in my uterus and one in my stomach. As these issues were revealed, through scopes and ultrasound or being visually observed, it was always body-part-by-body-part, in separate instances. The tests ordered by different specialists so no one put it together; with the exception of me. Women with breast implant illness are typically the ones having to connect the dots.

Very interestingly, many women I’ve connected with that had silicone implants, especially ruptured and over 10 years old, were told by their gynecologist (after being observed visually in procedures) that they had hundreds of tiny, benign growths in their uterus. Each doctor commented they’d never seen anything like it. Not one of their doctors considered breast implants as being the cause.

Unless someone specifically looks for them, or discovers them inadvertently, you don’t know those things are happening inside your body, out of sight, out of mind.

The thing is, no one seems to be specifically looking (or, surely not many). Women are implanted with these toxic devices that sit within 2-3 cm of vital organs. They are known to be high risk devices with known issues, many of which are serious, or even life-threatening. Doctors that are convinced breast implants are safe are not ‘measuring’ women’s health based on criteria for breast implant related illness signs and symptoms, and are therefore missing glaring symptoms. ‘One plus one’ is not adding up to ‘two’ with their flawed approach.

Through social media women that have had breast implant related complications, and/or illness, are amassing in communities via the internet. The truth is coming out. The oversights and lapses in quality care for women with breast implants is gaining attention.

Years back when I was corresponding with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia in regard to my son having been released from the hospital in a critical state their response was that the surgeon had provided an adequate standard of care. My response was: How low is the bar?

I would ask the same question in regard to breast implant safety. How low is the bar for protecting women’s health? What is the standard of measure for diagnosing and quantifying breast implant related illness?

Photo: Silicone from a cohesive gel breast implant (gummy bear) escaping the scar capsule