It’s Time to Talk about Breast Implant Illness
What do you do when your breasts are making you sick? That’s the situation that many people who struggle with breast implant illness find themselves in. I recently learnt of this condition through a friend so decided to dig a little deeper. Breast implants or the, ‘Boob Job,’ has been the number one cosmetic procedure carried out for the past 13 years, in the USA alone 300,000 people opted for the procedure in 2019. But many are not aware of Breast Implant Illness and the impact it can have.
What is Breast Implant Illness (BII)?
Breast Implant Illness is still not currently recognised as a medical condition. Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D. president of the National Center for Health Research and a researcher in the USA who studies breast implant safety issues has stated, “We believe that it eventually will be recognized as a medical condition, but that process will take time.”
BII can happen with any type of breast implant, including silicone gel-filled, saline-filled, smooth surface, textured surface, round, or teardrop-shaped. Symptoms can appear any time after the procedure with some people developing them immediately, while others don’t notice symptoms until years after their surgery. Symptoms are often associated with autoimmune conditions and connective tissue disorders.
Some common symptoms can include:
Joint and muscle pain
Chronic fatigue
Memory and concentration problems
Breathing problems
Sleep disturbance
Rashes and skin problems
Dry mouth and dry eyes
Anxiety
Depression
Headaches
Hair loss
Gastrointestinal problems
Many people experience a relief of symptoms after they have their implants removed.
To learn more about breast plant illness and the impact it has I spoke with Georgia from the Instagram account @aweightoffmychest about her breast implant illness journey.
Can you tell me why you decided to get breast implants?
I have always had low self-esteem about my body. I was convinced I was less of a woman or not 'feminine' enough. I thought about getting implants on and off for a number of years, and then at 21 clearly reached peak insecurity (when I got them).
It upsets me to look back at the mindset I was in; thinking that being sliced open and having 2 silicone bags shoved into my chest would make me happier. We need to stop being so hard on ourselves and our natural bodies!
When did you start to notice you had symptoms of breast implant illness?
It's difficult to pinpoint because I always assumed my physical symptoms were due to depression, anxiety and PTSD. I have had intermittent pain in my right breast since the surgery and I was never sure if it was 'normal'.
When I started to read into BII and hear different womxns’ experiences I was shocked to see how many experienced the same symptoms as me. It was pretty inspiring to see people's journeys and how their symptoms largely reduced following explant surgery.
I have been more aware of my symptoms within the past year as I feel weighed down by the implants, both physically and mentally.
What are the symptoms of breast implant illness?
I'll try to give you a short list, as there is easily 80+ symptoms that can be associated with BII. Common symptoms include brain fog, swelling/pain in your breast, fatigue, joint pain, hair loss, autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal issues and capsular contraction.
I think it's important to mention that breast implants can cause a rare type of cancer called Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Cell Lymphoma BIA-ALCL (please refer to NICE Guidelines about this cancer condition here).
If you think you have breast plant illness where can you find information and support?
BII is not a recognised disease yet as there has been little research into the effects they have in womxn's bodies over a long period of time. This baffles me as my surgeon told me I could have the same implants for life 'if I didn't experience any issues with them'...
My point is that the best places to get information from are other womxn experiencing this too! There are even lists available of recommendations for surgeons in America and the UK. 'Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole' is a Facebook support group that has 131,000 members sharing their resources. You can also find different surgeons or information pages on Instagram by searching for BII.
What would you say to anyone currently going through this?
I would say to keep going! It sucks when a medical practitioner doesn't take you seriously, but don't let it hold you back. You are not alone, and we deserve to be more informed of the long-term consequences. By sharing our experience, we can raise awareness and hopefully help other womxn.
What are the next steps in your journey?
I recently had my first explant surgery consultation, where the male surgeon said, "I love your boobs" and after seeing them was reluctant to do the surgery. I told him my personal reasons for wanting them removed, but he couldn't comprehend why I would want to be left with small boobs. He wanted to take a few days to consider whether he wanted to do the surgery on me (!!!!).
Needless to say, I'm searching for a compassionate surgeon who will take me seriously. I've read many great things about a surgeon in Dublin, so I guess my next step is organising some form of a consultation with him during a pandemic!
You can follow Georgia and her journey via Instagram at @aweightoffmychest
Written by Sarah Rose
Sarah Rose is a freelance writer from Belfast who writes about all things pelvic pain. She uses her Instagram platform mypelvicpain to share her journey with endometriosis and raise awareness around this condition and its impact on her life. Sarah’s sole aim is to help others and ensure that no one ever has to suffer in silence again.