'I had 29 symptoms of Breast Implant Illness, an unofficial (but very real) illness that those with breast implants can experience before having them removed.'
I’m not even in the itty bitty titty committee. I’ve got nothing now except three large scars across my chest. After having afour summers ago after being diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, I lived with breast implants for three and a half years. That is, until I realized that not only were they causing me constant pain, but also making me sick. Here I am, three months after having my implants removed and feeling like I’m finally returning to myself again.
You might be wondering, how do we know that a person’s health issues are from their implants and not because they have another condition? Many of the women I’ve spoken with who believe they have or had BII went through extensive medical evaluations, including expensive testing, to try to pin down a diagnosis — to no avail. I can include myself in this group.
When I had my implants, especially during the last few months, I truly felt that I was dying. I spent entire days in bed, trapped in my body. It seemed like anything could trigger what I was told was an autoimmune flare. I was miserable, at times barely able to form sentences or recall words. I woke up most mornings with swollen, stiff joints, and no amount of coffee could give me the energy I needed to parent my children and work. I was also in constant pain.