Getting Better After Implants

Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 17:05:35 -0500

From: Jeannie

I'm sending my suggestions for getting better after implants. This is what works for me. Hopefully you will find something of benefit for you. As long as I follow my "program" I feel almost normal.

try anything that has the possibility of helping me without hurting me further. Getting well is not a quick process, but I am living evidence that one can get a lot better by working at it!

If you still have implants, do not follow my suggestions that will increase your circulation exercise, massage, or sweat therapy until if, or when, you get your implants out. If you need information about getting your insurance to pay, let me know. I have another "canned" message that a silicone sister passed on to me.

I had my 16-year old implants removed six years ago. I'm still recovering. Here are things that work for me. They may not work for you, but they shouldn't hurt you either. It took me several years to figure this much out. Hopefully they will save you time in recovering.

Drink lots and lots of water as much as you can tolerate. We know that the body excretes silicone in the urine. Make as much of it as possible. Plenty of water also provides lubrication for lungs (reduces thickness of secretions) and muscles.

Take extra vitamins and minerals drinking lots of water washes out essential vitamins and minerals, especially the water soluble vitamins and some minerals like potassium.

Take anti-oxidants pychnogel, Insitol, vitamin E are examples. There are quite a number of them. Ask the women on the board which ones they find helpful. When buying supplements, be sure they do not contain silicone. Minute amounts may not hurt most people, but you don't need it! You've got plenty!

Try to sweat many women get very sick if they do. I believe this is because of the toxins that get stirred up which is precisely what you are trying to do in sweating. Use a hot tub, sauna, yard work, exercise, etc. anything that gets you warmed up to the point that you sweat. You may have to start slow and work up to a soaking sweat gradually.

Since the liver is the cleaning organ of the blood, it is also a repository of silicone. There are a variety of liver cleanse products. One commonly available is Milk Thistle. I can recommend a more radical approach that I used successfully, but before I do, please take the time to read up on liver/gall bladder cleansing.

You are probably have a sleep disorder most of us do. Experiment with ways to encourage sleep an over-the-counter sleep aid, a glass of wine, a hot bath, etc. If you still are not getting deep, restful sleep, talk to your doctor. They can give you medication to help you sleep. I've found alternating between two medications as needed helps prevent resistance thereby keeping the dose low.

Most women who have had implants also have thyroid problems. Even if your TSH is borderline, ask the doctor to let you try a thyroid supplement. Signs of thyroid problems are related to nervousness, fatigue, hair loss, anxiety, and muscle pain.

I've found massage therapy to be invaluable. No, insurance won't cover it. However, as long as I am working and not physically active throughout the day, I get massage therapy every two weeks. It's not a feel-good massage. It's deep, and if I've missed awhile, very painful. It must be accompanied by lots of water to flush the toxins loosened by the massage. I would not allow the therapist to massage any areas that I suspect are deposits of silicone. Those, your doctor should check, and if possible remove surgically.

Gentle exercise is essential. The body must keep moving to keep the systems working and muscle tone. For some women, that may mean starting by lifting their legs off the bed five times a day, then seven, then 10, etc. You should feel some strain but don't go into pain. Just keep expanding your program until you are up and around the greater part of the day.

Mental exercise is very important also. Work puzzles, do math, read, find stimulating activities. The brain can develop new neurons to replace damaged ones. You must work at it though. Co-enzyme Q10 is believed to help brain function.

There are some things that are much easier said than

done. However, they are every bit as important.

Let go of anger - it's like acid and will destroy you

Think positively

Avoid negative people

Get as much stress under control as possible one method is to make a list of all the things that are bothering you. Many of them you can strike out as not important or out of your control others, you can easily take care of by just getting them out of the way (the messy closet, the magazines piled up, etc. Other matters, you will need to figure out a way to handle . ask someone else to handle, get rid of, pay off, etc.

Most important reestablish your relationship with God. He can and will take care of you. He will lead you to people who want to help you. You will be introduced to treatments that you need. When someone/thing comes into your life, go inside and ask Him if that is what He wants for you. Then act accordingly! Sometimes he heals instantly, other times, we have to work with him so we learn the lessons that come with healing.

Keep a simple daily journal of how you feel. You may not feel as though you are making progress. However, if you are doing all that I suggest, when you look back, you will find that you are getting better.

Before you go to see your doctor, record all your symptoms. I make two lists. One is a list of symptoms, for whatever the doctor may make of them those are the ones that I have learned to accept regardless of how strange they might be. These you do not expect

the doctor to treat. This is just for information. The other list are things that are bothering you which you think the doctor may be able to relieve or treat. These lists serve two purposes. For one, you won't forget to tell the doctor everything you need to tell him/her. And, the doctor will be put on notice that these symptoms exist at a point in time, and that it is possible there could be a law suit if suitable treatment is not provided. I would never SAY that though!! Also, don't dwell on implants unless your doctor wants to discuss them. Stick with symptoms. Your doctor may wholeheartedly believe that implants cause illness, but in many cases, they are afraid of the reaction of their peers if they speak out!

You may find information on the alt.med.fibromyalgia and the alt.support thyroid newsgroups, plus any other newsgroups that support symptoms you are having. I, for one, do not believe that we have the typical diseases. Those diseases do not improve with age.

One way you can check your progress is with a spit test. Place about a tablespoon of spit on a white piece of paper (index card). Let it dry thoroughly. Then examine the paper under a bright light. You will see tiny crystals. People without implants do not have these crystals. As you cleanse your body the number of crystals should gradually diminish.

Be patient the recovery we are talking about is in terms of years. The more you know, the closer you stick to your program, the faster you will improve. Some damage caused by the silicone may never improve (my peripheral neuropathy, hearing loss hasn't), but you should feel much better with work.

I hope I haven't overwhelmed you with all this. You will need to find your own path because your problems will be unique to you. However, with all the people participating in the newsgroups, you should be able to find out what helps much faster than I did.

Please let me know how you are doing. If you have any questions, please let me know.

My prayers are with you,

Jeannie