Connection Between Autoimmune Disease and Breast Implants?

Healthy in 2007, I has saline breast implants put in. Loved them for 3 years. Health remained great except for hair thinning. Went in for a normal physical & doc said I have positive ANA 1:160. Had a bunch of testing, but no diagnosis. Scared, I had implants removed in 2011. I have made no changes in diet or lifestyle. My ANA went down to 1:80 a year later. Then to 1:40, year and a half later. Hair thinning stable. How do you explain??? I want to put implants back in, but I'm scared.

Tags:

Comment on this

5 Doctor Answers | Asked by Wanda1860

Doctor Answers (5)
Community Comments (2)

No evidence implants cause autoimmune disease

Extensive study has been done looking at breast implants and autoimmune disease. Implants do not cause autoimmune disease. If you want breast implants, get them.You will love having them again

Breast implants and autoimmune disease

As you have read in all of the previous responses, the scientific literature shows that there is no relationship between breast implants and the development of autoimmune disease. And lab results may be abnormal for a number of different reasons. However, only you can make the decision about whether you want breast implants or not. I would suggest that you discuss your concerns with your plastic surgeon; but if you decide that you don't want breast implants, then don't... more

There is no link between autoimmune disease and implants

After allegations made in a television news report by Connie Chung, and then others, breast implants became the most studied devices of all time and, after exhaustive review, no links were found between them and autoimmune diseases. Breast implants are not a necessity. If you are scared, then live without them instead of second-guessing yourself. However, there is no known correlation.

Autoimmune disease and implants

I was involved in several studies as an investigator of autoimmune disease possibly caused by breast implants in the 90's at a major university. The results of our work and others shows no correlation between your implants and autoimmune disease. Several patients showed the same changes in their lab values as you after removal of their implants, but it this turns out to be coincidental and not truly significant. If you would like implants, go for it. more

What if you had left your implants in and had the same lab results?

Breast implants have been the most exhaustively studied and tested products in the medical marketplace, and not just by implant companies. Dozens of studies by credible scientific entities (Harvard, Mayo Clinic, Canadian, European, and American university researchers) have found NO cause-and-effect between silicone gel (or silicone shell, saline-filled) implants and ANY autoimmune illness. And trust me, they've looked. Hard. Anyone who publishes a peer-reviewed, reproducible study that... more

Doctors will not see your comments on their answers. If you'd like to follow up, please go here to ask another question.

Comments (2)

trainerchic 15 Feb 2013

got my implants in 2001. I was 31. I LOVED them. Little did I know that they would cause me to be so sick. I started having major panic attacks. I never had anything like that before. I felt like I was going crazy. I learned to manage them. I started getting canker sores. I dont remember a time in the last 10 years that I havent had a mouth full of canker sores. I had them test me for everything. They said I must be deficient in b12. Well, I still have them. I also started feeling very achy. Every muscle just ached. I didnt realize my breasts could be the cause. I was always so healthy and never had problems until my implants. it has progressed into my neck and back. I am a personal trainer and have always been so active but about 5 years ago, I started having problem with my joints. My hip would go out then my low back then my neck. I would have major sharp pains in my sternum that would take my breath away. I went back and forth to the dr. My sacroilliac joints were bothering me so bad, I had to stop running or doing anything that would jar my body to much. I finally got an mri and I had them test me for the HLA-B27 gene. The blood test came back possitive anbd my mri shows every disc in my low back ruptured with two bone spurs between L5- S1. It didnt occur to me until I saw a lady you tube that mentioned that her implants were causing her to be sick and because she has the HLA-B27 gene she is more likely to be sick from the implants. !! I am looking for a DR. to remove my implant. I feel ,the way this is progressing, If they are not removed soon, I will be crippled. I am angry at myself for allowing my vanity to ruin my health. I am also angry because through all the research I am currently doing I am finding out a lot of horrible things....for instance, saline needs to be stored in a temperature of 78 degrees for it to stay sterile. Our bodies are 98.5 degrees. There is so much more that I am finding out.... Wish me luck on removing my implants. I want to be well again!

CaptObvious 4 Mar 2013

Because of your long-winded story, you have made the point of what each doctor made, the implants were not a result of your issues. As we read your story it is *very* clear. Come on unless your implants were the size of giant watermelons (which if they were you still did that yourself) do you want every one to think that your disc and bone issues were the result of YOUR impants? Your story mentions joint issues, which are commonly associated with time, genetics, etc NOT TO MENTION you are a trainer and runner unless those things are false as well. The fact that you mention your neck area, well that is also common with the disc, nerve issues surrounding that condition. Also the HLA-B27 gene marker is assocated with bones NOT implants as well as the complaints you mention. Please, educate yourself on your own medical issues by talking to real doctors not by watching videos on UTube. You may learn a thing or two by talking to *real* doctors for one or that everything that you read on the internet isn't real for one! Because I was able to easily pick your story apart easily without even going into the whole storage of saline and body temperatures. Good luck to you. It appears are going to need it!

Ask a Question