47 Years Old, Infected Saline Implants... Beware the Signs!! - London, GB

Hi! I have found the reviews on real self so comforting and it's amazing to see how many ladies are explanting! I must admit I'm not explanting out of choice but I'm hoping I will be happy with my natural boobs but I am so scared how this will turn out... What if They look so bad I can't even bear to see them, let alone my husband... My story is this... I had implants (mentor saline) some 17 years ago as my bust was non existent (34a and implants took me to a 34c so not huge) . I have pretty much been happy with them up until about 4 years ago. I've had two kids and breastfed both and all was fine. Then, about 4 years ago out of the blue my right breast swelled massively overnight and I was diagnosed with a Seroma... For no ryme or reason!!? This fluid was thankfully removed with a guided ultrasound and all pretty much went back to normal for about a year. I then noticed what felt like a hard roundish lump right at the front of my right boob and saw my gp who sent me for another scan. I was (repeatedly) advised (by the nhs) that this was the port of the implant. I never actually believed this as this lump had never been there before! And the implant would not have just moved around after so many years with the capsule and all.... But, I was assured nothing wrong so I got on with it. A month or so later I started to feel like my underarm lymph nodes were 'pulsating' and I was told I was imagining it! At this point I went to see a private surgeon who advised that two of my lymph nodes were very enlarged and had to be removed. At the follow up the surgeon advised they were the size of walnuts but thankfully they were not cancerous... "Just an infection" and that would be the end of that... Was told to move on, which I did!! Forward now to April 2016 when, pretty much overnight my right breast turned rock hard and after a week or so displayed a violent red rash under the crease line. Wasn't really sure what was going on but assumed i had Developed capsular contracture... Well they were around 17 years old. Did not feel unwell, no fever, no nausea, just a bit of pain in my arm and breast. Saw my PS who immediately advised a severe infection (apparently Cellulitis) and put me on penicillin. Had the scan, mammo and Mri which showed infection which is thought to be caused by leakage although the implants are intact as such I.e no deflation. Also showed a possible firbodeama (which I think is what the lump at the front is and always has been ('port' my ar????e!!). So a month down the line, still infected as antibiotics would not shift it, so in for explant tomorrow with at least a six month break between thinking about having any new implants! I probably won't go there... There ya go! Never ignore redness and enlarged lymph nodes!!! Have posted some pics of infection and implants in situ... If I'm brave enough I'll post explant pics too!! Wishing you all lots of best wishes and hugs in your journeys and let's hope we all get some sort of decent boobs back after explant!! Oh and one last thing... All of the symptons Ive had are characteristic of ALCL so I will ask PS to test for this although I know it's apparently super rare ... Fingers crossed!!!

It's been three weeks since I explanted and I've certainly had a few ups and downs. The surgery itself was pretty straightforward but I must admit to being in a state of shock when I woke up from the anaesthetic and put my hands on my chest ... Which was as flat as a board. I think, if I'm honest, I'm mourning the loss of the implants after 17 years... I'm also so ashamed that I did this to myself, I made the (ill informed) decision 17 years ago to have these put in my body....I've got to get over this and move on I know. You can see the pics of me now and one boob has a slight swelling which my ps says is a minor haematoma and he is draining it next week. Pain wise though it's not been too bad at all and I'm back at work and have taken my last lot of antibiotics and the infection has all gone. It has been a shock, mostly I guess because at the time of explant I was not ready to explant, the infection forced it on me, but there is a warm feeling with me now that I am free and I don't have to worry about what the implants were doing to my body anymore. In the week following the explant I read so much on the effects implants have on our bodies and I couldn't believe how many women have had so much trouble and illness after having implants. I am still so shocked by what I have now learned. I think before all of this, I was deluded! So, overall I know it's the best decision. I'm hoping the flat pancakes might perk up a little in the months to come. One thing that has helped is buying some prosthetic boobs (like bigger chicken fillets that are concave at the back) to go in my original 34c bras so I can still wear them and keep some shape.... I really don't want my colleagues noticing something doesn't look the same anymore!!! Also, this means that I won't feel so flat chested when I'm out socially ... So hopefully none of those body conscious feelings that drove me to put these things in my body in the first place will reappear!! There's no going back now, no more implants for me.... Freedom!!!