I want to call attention to one of the early subtle-at-first but, insidious symptoms I had. It’s a typical early warning symptom.

I was really healthy, fit and active. I hiked nearly every day. I didn’t smoke or drink. I ate well. Going for a 4-hour hike was nothing out of the ordinary. But, suddenly on hikes I began to become winded. I had to stop to catch my breath, when I’d never had to do that before. My heart rate would increase as I struggled to breathe. As far as I knew nothing had changed so it was a puzzling onset of symptoms.

Over the next couple years it got worse to the point that I had to stop hiking. If I walked it had to be at a slow pace and I couldn’t go too far from my vehicle in case I got into trouble. I’d walk a small distance in one direction, then double-back toward my vehicle .. I would repeat that as many times as I could, but it got less and less each month.

Fast forward to explant and I discovered that my lungs were surrounded by silicone and acute inflammation; and basically encased in cement as I had such extreme calcification. There were so many nasty things going on in my chest wall .. infections .. granulomas .. necrotised tissue .. and on and on.

All the while ALL OF MY BLOOD TESTS WERE NORMAL! Doctors didn’t believe there was anything wrong with me until many years later when long standing rupture was finally diagnosed.

It was HELL.

So if you have breast implants .. or you know someone with breast implants .. and you’ve noticed even subtle unexplained changes in your respiratory health PLEASE think breast implants!!

Request an ultrasound or MRI to check the integrity of the implants. Though these tests don’t always detect rupture that’s how my rupture was diagnosed.

Listen to your body speak .. I was told my breast implants couldn’t possibly be impacting my health .. it was complete MISINFORMATION that nearly killed me.

Credit: Mixed media art piece by Cara Purita, Terrace, British Columbia, Canada