I had no problem with the implants, but did start having intense hip pain in late 1993, along with some chest pain. I did not associate this with the implants and I did not even mention the possibility to my doctor. How could implants affect ones hip?!! I found I was sensitive to all the medications given to me, I also did not associate that with implants. The doctor sent me for tests, and I am not sure the order in which they were done, but I had 2 or 3 proctoscopes, barium enema xray, and a colonoscopy early in the "game" since my sister had died of colon cancer in 1985 and the doctor wanted to be sure I did not have this horrible cancer. Ruled out. Of course, from the beginning, I had lab tests every two or three months because of the medications I was taking (trying to take) to be sure they were not doing damage, and to check to see if any abnormality would show up that way. I had two abdominal sonograms, an endoscope, and my internist stated he no longer knew what to do to determine what was wrong with me. He suggested I see my gynaecologist. I did so and he informed me I was starting menopause--which I was unaware of, but suggested I have a D & C to possibly help relieve some of the "discomfort" I was then experiencing (by this time, the pain was agonising, and was spreading over the rest of my body-I had difficulty walking and feared I would be in a wheel chair soon if they did not find what was wrong with me). The D & C did not help one iota, so he then suggested a complete hysterectomy, which I readily agreed to. He could have cut off my head and I would have agreed--that was how painful it had become. At this point, no one suggested my implants could have been involved, not even myself.

I received no relief (except for the time I was at home recuperating and was doing nothing at all--then I could control the amount of pain I was having, but not eliminate it). I went back to work, continued my classes, continued my volunteer work and continued spoiling my grandchildren as much as possible-with intense pain day and night. I was unable to sleep because of the pain, so used the nights to study and go through magazines and newspapers. I fell later in 1996 (the hysterectomy year) because of severe muscle spasms, so was referred to a lower back specialist, who did xrays, then an MRI of my lower back (something on the xray caused him to order the MRI) but I "only" had osteoporosis(sp?) normal for my age-whatever that means. He said to go back to my regular doctor because nothing was wrong with me. He suggested I take more of my calcium than I had been taking. My doctor then sent me for therapy and did so again later in my treatment--the second a different type of therapy.

I asked to see a rheumatologist, was sent to a lady a bit younger than I and she diagnosed me "definitely" with Fibromyalgia and prescribed an anti depressant and anti inflammatory, which I could not tolerate. She then prescribed another of each. Which I could not tolerate. When I saw her next, I was "armed" with information from the Fibromyalgia Network(thanks to an 800 number I had found in a Woman's Day magazine one of those long, lonely nights I was sitting up), and asked questions she could not answer, so went back to my primary care doctor and asked to see a doctor who was listed in the Network info packet who had been recommended by subscribers as being good doctors to consult for this "disease". The doctor I saw again asked me many questions (as well as the physical exam for "pressure points") and was trying to determine what had triggered my immune system to become so sensitive. Just as I was getting up to leave, I hesitantly told him I had breast implants. He exploded! Asked me why I didn't tell him that first! Said I MUST have them removed as he had several patients with my same problems and he felt sure the implants had triggered an immune system response. He scheduled an MRI which stated "no leakage" but he stated he was sure that was the problem, since we had ruled out everything else. He wrote the ins. co. for permission and sent me for nerve conduction studies of my arms, legs, then MRI's of my head, neck, entire back, and right hip. They all came back with minor this and that "normal for my age". In short, nothing that can account for the intense agony I was suffering. Meanwhile, the ins. denied explantation and we appealed the proper number of times, the doctor continued giving me various medications that "might" work--none did. In fact, they made me so ill I would literally throw up. By this time, I was running periodic temperatures, had diarrhoea, and had to leave my job. I could not bear the pain any longer, and could barely walk. I borrowed the money and went to a nearby teaching hospital, and had the explantation done by a young plastic surgeon who did not believe silicone could cause illness, but was willing to remove them if I insisted. He was a bit "put out" with me when I refused to have the saline implants put in to replace the silicone. I told him I would never have another implant unless it was necessary for life, not for what I look like! He did a visual, and manual check and stated he did not believe they were ruptured, yet when he did the surgery, BOTH sides were ruptured!

After the surgery, I felt I would improve, yet I have not--in fact it was immediately worse, if that is possible. Now the doctor was frantically trying to help me to be able to function at all.

While I was seeing all these "regular" doctors, I was also trying alternative treatments: chiropractors, an osteopath, an herbalist (I had a severe reaction to "natural meds" just as I did to the prescriptions given to me by my "regular" doctors), and 3 different types of acupuncturists. They gave me no relief at all. I also purchased "gallons" of liquid supplements advertised to eliminate Fibromyalgia Pain (like "Dead Doctors Don't Lie" or what ever the tape they sent out to millions of businesses states) and they did not help either. (I tried 3 or 4 different ones, just give that one as an example--they all state they can cure anything from hangnails to cancer).

My daughter was told of a pain management doctor who had appeared on a local TV show discussing various ways of treating pain, and she gave me his name. I requested a referral to see this doctor, and he told me he could not treat me as long as I was nauseated, so gave me Zofran to stop the nausea--after 3 or so weeks, he gave me small doses (15 mg twice a day) of morphine and, although the meds did not make me ill, they also did not do anything for me at all. I could not even tell I was taking any medication. He then increased to 30 mg, twice a day with the same results. After increasing the dosage to 30 mgs a day, with the only result of swelling legs, he asked how drastic was I willing to go to achieve relief. I told him he could do literally anything he wanted to try. I was admitted to the hospital for an intrathekial (sp?) morphine injection, which did give a little relief. (I was in bed the entire day of the "relief"). He then suggested a morphine pump, to get the morphine directly into my spinal column, thus using less morphine with better results. Another implant! At this point, the pain was so great, I didn't care.

The pump has now been in for more than a year: I rec. minimal relief some days, some days, none at all. I must lie in bed as much as possible on days when I can to receive the relief, and on days when that hurts, I simply try doing anything I can to get some relief. I cannot do my housework and I don't care. I still have intermittent low grade temps, diarrhoea, and various other things over which I have no control.

The bottom line is: We have been unable to find ANYTHING that can account for the pain I have every day of my life. (I am able to sleep, thanks to a rheumatologist who refused to give up and continued to try different combinations until he found something that would help me sleep--I was unaware one must have sleep in order to live!--Now, the only problem is, after sleeping like the dead, usually, I then wake up with such intense pain in my back and chest, from the waist to the back of my head, I have difficulty breathing!) My rheumatologist is SURE the implants caused an autoimmune reaction, and there has been no research done to determine what to do when one has such a reaction. The implant manufacturers, all of them, knew such a reaction was possible, but they felt only a "small subset" of the population would have this reaction, so didn't bother to determine what to do about it!! People don't count, especially a "small subset" when they can make SO much money selling their bags of poison. They aren't required to care, thanks to their contributions to the lawmakers and departments who have control of legislation and testing. Now President Clinton, in his great wisdom, wants a law limiting their liability when they do do harm. Thanks a lot from all the victims past and present and especially, future! I think they should be forced to pay until they have no money left, but that wouldn't leave them any money to lobby with, would it!?! Our governments no longer care about the people who are victims, only the large corporations who help them get elected, or help them keep their jobs (through contributions).. I have no respect for such a government.

Thanks for letting me tell my story.

Dorothy Thomson