Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 23:13:36 -0700

Hi, I am new to this board so please excuse any gaffs I may make. Ilena suggested, or possibly Rogene suggested that we should post our stories on this site for all to read. So here is mine:

I was implanted in 1982 with Silicone Implants because I wanted larger breast after two pregnancy's and I thought they were safe.

My Implant Story-

IMPLANTS ARE DANGEROUS

Implanted 1982 with Dow Silicone implants. Capsular Contractures frequently with closed capsulotomies performed-that's where you Plastic Surgeon puts a vise grip with his hands on your hardened breast and squeezes to rip apart the scar tissue that has grown around the implant. Note: it hurts like heck! Ruptured implant with silicone being let loose in my body. 1990 mysterious aches, pains, numbness, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, thinning hair, blood in the sclera of my eyes, and eventually after an MRI, a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

Mammogram confirmed ruptured implant. 1995 removal of silicone implants. But, I stupidly believed my plastic surgeon's assurances that there were no systemic problems with implants and that the saline were safe. So, I opted for saline replacements-Mentor. Two ruptures with the saline implants. One occurred at 3 months postimplantation and the other at 6 mos postimplantation.

As of today, my MS has worsened, I still have the saline implants (now 6 years old), and I'm still scared as to what I will look like without implants. To be this trapped in the implant thing is more of the tragedy of implants.

I am bound and determined to rid myself of these poisonous implants once and for all and I will be going back to a Plastic Surgeon specializing in Microvascular surgery late this summer for an explantation enbloc (where the scar tissue and all remnants of silicone are taken out too).The saline have the same silicone elastomer shell that degrades and leaches silicone into your body, too. It's just a slower process. The life expectancy of saline shells is estimated to be a max of ten years.

For all you young women out there, research the bad part of implants as well as the good parts. You may be saving yourself a lot of $$ and a lot of grief.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. As you can see, I don't think implants are good for anyone. They should not be available for use. I used to be a contributing member of our society with a 20 year history of being an R.N., employed and happily raising my family. Today, I am unemployed and am on disability income. I am the drain on society that I used to despise. Now it is me.