My Story
My name is Nancy. I had Dow Corning smooth silicone gel breast implants from 1990-2013.
It’s common that women are pressured to get breast implants by a husband or boyfriend. When my partner suggested I get breast implants I responded “if I had that much money I’d get a medium format camera.” I felt hurt and rejected, but with continued pressure coupled with low self-esteem I caved. It was a decision that would eventually cost me my health, and nearly my life.
In October 1990 we flew to Vancouver for my breast augmentation surgery. When placing the left implant the surgeon ripped an entire bundle of nerves so I was in a lot of pain from the start. The nerves took about six years to heal.
Immediately following augmentation I noticed my implants were really cold. They felt like gel packs over my heart and lungs. I constantly felt so cold I’d have to wear vests to stay warm.
The first time I hugged my children I realized we had plastic beach balls separating us. It broke my heart.
On my 6-week follow-up appointment I asked the ps to remove the implants. He assured me they were safe and said removing them would be far more dangerous than leaving them in. I decided I’d wait till my youngest daughter graduated high school to remove them. I didn’t want to risk my children losing their mother while they were young over such a senseless thing. By the time my youngest graduated I felt too ill to face the surgery.
Around 5-6 years after I got implants I started experiencing strange symptoms. The muscles on the entire left side of my body stopped working properly and I got a red measles-like rash on my torso and extremities. Later I developed masses in my armpits and the list of strange symptoms grew. My blood work was always ‘normal’.
By 2010 I had developed esophageal motility issues; dysphagia; laryngospasm; systemic fungal infection; interstitial cystitis; inflammation in my uterus; joint pain; muscle and connective tissue issues; symptoms of scleroderma; pain in my breasts and chest wall; neurological issues including numbness in my arms, fingers and feet; brain fog; respiratory illness; chronic sinus infections; sensitivity to environmental mold; chemical sensitivities; strange over-reactions to nearly all medications; uterine hemorrhage.
Though I didn’t know it then, my symptoms were commonly experienced by women with breast implants. I was virtually bedridden.
I felt mortally ill, but doctors decided it was in my head – an all too common scenario. From that point I was broken in more ways, more times and more deeply than I could ever have imagined possible. I developed anxiety. I knew I was truly ill and that I was going to die if I didn’t get help. I felt completely abandoned medically. I was afraid I would die.
In 2013 a kind and brave young resident, who’s care I was under, looked me in the eyes and asked if I really believed there was something wrong. I told him I KNEW there was something wrong and showed him where I could feel it. An ultrasound diagnosed rupture of both implants. MRI indicated that rupture was contained within the capsule on the right side, but on the left silicone had migrated deeply into my chest wall. The MRI also revealed the exact places I’d shown the doctor I could feel something were exactly where the migrated silicone was.
Although we knew that there was rupture and migrated silicone you never know the full story until the surgeon opens you up. After the procedure the surgeon stressed multiple times, ‘it was really, really bad in there!’.
Explant involved removing the implants, capsules, silicone-soaked muscles, silicone granulomas, necrotized tissue, a large silicone filled mass. My capsules were severely calcified and my chest wall filled with acute manmade inflammation. I had silicone against my lung. There was no way to retrieve all of the silicone.
In 2013, after rupture had been diagnosed, I learned that the implants I’d gotten in 1990 were recalled. I was not notified. I had no idea the implants in me were at the centre of a class-action lawsuit. They had a near 100% failure rate around the 5-6 year mark, which is exactly when mine ruptured.
When I began pursuing explant surgery I had intended to have my implants removed with no one other than my family and closest friends knowing. A conversation with my then 27-year old daughter changed my mind. Learning how many of her peers were already implanted, and that there were many more considering it, gave me pause. In the following weeks I learned, and was staggered by, just how prevalent breast augmentation had become.
Being silent was no longer an option.
In sharing my story of how I ended up getting breast implants and the length of time it took for rupture to be diagnosed, I want to be clear that I don’t blame my husband. I allowed myself to be implanted. Through this experience I’ve learned compassion and forgiveness for both of us. We’ve been married now for 28 years. And I don’t hold hard feelings toward the doctors who failed to diagnose rupture. Instead I work to educate women and doctors and lobby for changes that will better protect women from the harm breast implants can cause.
9 thoughts on “My Story”
Saul
Wow thank you so much for sharing your story. My girlfriend is basically set on having implants done by a celebrity plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills so as a concerned boyfriend I am scrounging up as much resesearch, insight, and perspective as possible. Your initial paragraph was very sad and I hope if women do decide to go through with it is because its their desire, not someone else’s.
motherima
Saul, its great of you to be doing research for your girlfriend. If she hasn’t done so already it would be good for her to join some of the breast implant illness forums on Facebook. She’ll get information there that most doctors aren’t forthcoming about. I hope she changes her mind about getting implants. If she doesn’t, hopefully she will at least be fully informed and know what she’d be getting herself into. There are some links to great fb groups here, under ‘links’. Regarding my own story, if I’d not had such poor self-esteem I’d not have let myself to be pushed into doing something I didn’t want to do. I have to take full responsibility. Unfortunately it took nearly dying to learn to love myself, but I finally ‘got it’ .. yay!! Let me know how it goes with your girlfriend. I’d be happy to connect with her.
Saul
Wow awesome thanks for all the help! I’ll share with her everything you told me!
Jessica
After having your implants removed did your interstitial cystitis get better?
motherima
Hi Jessica, sorry for the delay replying, I’ve been away. Yes, it resolved once my implants were removed.
Linda
My Rms will only move to a certain height pain under armpit,pain in entire body
Tissue problems…had implants for 4 yrs. Cant extend arms out to remove. Need help..
motherima
Linda, have you joined any online FB Breast Implant Illness support groups?
Denise
I have the same exact lump in my breast, rib that has a lump but feels like my rib has popped out feeling, little lumps in body I left side and my implant is leaking outside the capsule right by the rib issue. Ultrasound picked up silicone leak outside capsule over a month ago and I’m
Waiting to explant on April 28th.
I feel like I need to talk with you especially because of the way you described the rib amd that you had leaking silicone.
I’m so ill.
A
Nancy, I am so sorry you got old silicone and all you have been through. Plus, having them for over 20 plus yrs that doctors didn’t give you good information nor informed you they were recalled.
Not sure how you were able to get silicone for your first augment. In the United States when I got my first augmentation in 2003 I chose to get mine. No husband/boyfriend. I could not get silicone only Saline which was fine.
I have not had any problems but they are 18 yrs old. I had a friend who’s saline deflated during covid19 and she replaced them with Silicone Naturelle. So I thought I better see if I should get mine replaced.
I have consulted with my original surgeon. Who is Chief of Plastic surgery at our Major University Hospital. A plastic surgeon who has done lots of my skin cancer so I have a relationship with. And a plastic surgeon my OB/gyno referred me to as she had capsules contracture revision.
Most are all doing Silicone. I am not so sure I want silicone inside me even though the NEW silicone implants are different than yours. But understand and support my concerns regarding silicone. That my breast still look great that one doctor said, he wouldn’t do anything.
There is fine print that talks about lymphadenopathy. Basically, the implants sweat and the silicone whether ruptured or INTACT can leak silicone that get into the lymph nodes like what you had. So I feel that even with the so called “Gummy Bear” silicone women are being mislead with the RISK of silicone. Just because they can’t show it in research because it is too difficult to do so. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
I am now struggling do I replace them with saline or just wait for the saline to deflate at an inconvenient time and be traumatized. Then stressing to get into a doctor to address the issue.
I am currently 48 yrs old. I have had enough health issues prior to my breast augmentation. And several hip surgeries, last being a hip replacement surgery. I love the outdoors and prefer not to have anymore surgeries.
I appreciate you for sharing your story. I am so sorry you went through so much! I have been over all happy with my breast implants. But do wish our society would STOP with plastic surgery, Botox Commercials, social media is going to ruin little girls & boys!!!!!