38 Yo with 7 Year Old Silicone Implants - No Lift/ No Children. Bellevue, WA

I have to start this off by saying that I loved my implants. They looked amazing! They were under sub-muscular (300 cc) and looked/ felt real! I got them at 31 years of age because I'd always wanted bigger boobs and had enough money in the bank to pay in full. I went to a surgeon in Austin, TX who did a great job with the surgery but who, looking back now, didn't tell me everything I needed to know about implants. And I know, I know, that's really on me - I should have done better research beforehand but I was blinded by a big-boobed future. He probably couldn't have changed my mind even if he did fully educate me!

So fast forward 4 years after implant... I started losing my hair. Or rather, I was losing a normal amount of hair but not growing anything back. Shortly after, I developed erratic heart beats, chronic thirst, dry eyes, dry mouth, insomnia, night sweats, and aches and pains in my back, feet, ankles and chest. As the symptoms progressed, I became increasingly confused! I never get sick, I'm a marathon runner and health food nut. I completely cut out alcohol, coffee, and focused on a mostly plant-based diet. But then it got worse: I started gaining weight, the hair I hadn't lost turned to straw, and I felt exhausted all of time -- which doesn't bode well when you love to run. I went to a cardiologist, a dermatologist, an endocrinologist (I was convinced it was my thyroid), my PCP, a rheumatologist... every single diagnostic run on me came out normal. I was increasingly agitated because I just wanted to figure out what was wrong, start taking medicine for it, and just move on with life. Instead I was told to try meditating, try switching jobs, and to even try counseling. And yes, I did feel like I was losing my mind! I became desperate to figure out what was wrong as it was affecting my ability to run, to keep focused at work, to do anything fun!

Then about 3 months ago, my symptoms were in full effect with the addition of itchy dry skin, chronic nausea, dizziness, and brain fog. I was at a breaking point and was complaining about it to a girl friend when she wondered if it could be my implants or the silicone Mirena I had for been using (removed 3 years ago). I immediately thought, "No way!" But then I started researching and the more I educated myself, the more I thought, "Well....maybe." I am obviously not a medical professional, but I did read a lot... anything I could get my hands on debating both sides of the argument. - Not just studies done in the US but all over the world and what struck me is that so many women with implants were having the same symptoms. Could it just be a coincidence? Sure, but I felt like I was running out options (and hair)! And my symptoms came way before I made any connection to the implants so this isn't something that was just put in my head.

The only thing left to do was to have the implants taken out. It seems crazy even to me now as I write this (1 day after surgery), but that is how desperate I have become to just feel like my self again. After much research, I booked with Dr. Marosan in Seattle (Bellevue), Washington because that's where my mom lives and I had read quite a few positive reviews about his handling of explants.

Now I am one-day post surgery and I feel way better than I thought I would! Dr. Masosan and his staff (nurses + anesthesiologist) were so hands-on and supportive. Dr. Marosan even personally helped my parents walk me out to the car after surgery. He never once told me I was crazy to want to them out or tried to talk me into getting new ones or trying a lift. He just listened and said that he was seeing more and more patients in my predicament who wanted to the implants out immediately. He said he was committed to my goals and I believe(d) him. He even called me at home later that night to make sure I doing OK. My plastic surgeon in Austin never did that!

So how was surgery? He went in under the breast (not nipple) because apparently i have tiny nipples... wasn't really aware of that before, but OK! The anesthesiologist called me the day before surgery to go over my health history and he was awesome - he kept saying, "Let's get these implants out and get you feeling better!" The surgery only lasted 2.5 hours and he did a total capsulectomy (en bloc). I am sore and I HATE the drains, but overall, I do feel pretty good. And my chest doesn't look like the gore-fest I thought it would-- it looks like my boobs have already gone to their pre-implant look, so hallelujah!

I have included 3 photos with my 7 year old implants, and 1 pic post surgery. I will post more post-op pictures as my healing progresses. I will also report on my symptoms. I start a detox at the end of the month which I hope will help as well. Good luck to everyone else explanting!