POSTED UNDER Breast Implant Removal REVIEWS
45 yrs, 18yr Ruptured Saline Implant, With Implant Illness...
ORIGINAL POST
I had my implants done 18 years ago at an insecure...
I had my implants done 18 years ago at an insecure age of 26 post modelling career. At the time I had wanted simply a lift as my breast were never perky and did not mind the small size. The PS convinced me of saline, under muscle, implants to bring fullness and limited size. Within 6 months the left implant leaked twice and he refused to correct the surgery the second time. Within a year I was diagnosed with Rhuematoid Arthritis and became severely ill with joint pain, fatigue and weight loss. I never put the implants and RA together as the PS swore that saline implants were safe. Today I know otherwise. My RA came and went, particularly with 2 pregnancies where it went into remission. But continued to suffer from chronic fatigue and mild RA symptoms until 3 yrs ago where my RA returned so severely I am on methotrexate and anti-inflammatory meds 2X/day for pain maintenance. I am now on medical leave and suffer with additional tissue pain down in my shoulders and arms and blurred vision and chronic eye dryness on top of my RA symptoms. Finally I put the two together after being asked if RA was in my family which it is not. And I am now looking for a BC surgeon who will agree to removing my implants as well as the capsule asap which is covered under MSP if the surgeon agrees to the application. I have found a surgeon who will take them out but is trying to convince me to leave the capsule in. I believe my questions and requests to removing the capsule has affected our rapport and I fear he may not help me with MSP assistance... or that he is inexperienced in capsule removal. However, this could all be me being paranoid as he is a PS, obviously does not support implant illness if he is putting implants in women and that my previous experience with PS when my implants were put in was far from successful or trustworthy. My questions are... Can I access a regular surgeon for this procedure if I am not interested in a lift? Or, are there PS or general surgeons anyone out there can recommend in BC that supports implant illness and the need for the capsule to be removed regardless of saline, leakage, etc? Please help....
Sick No More's provider
UPDATED FROM Sick No More
BC Canada MSP... Does it Cover Saline Implant Removal?
For starters... I am finding dealing with PS re: the removal not too supportive, particularly that I am requesting MSP coverage with a referral from my home doctor stating the health complications due to 18 yr, sub-muscular saline implants, one implant which had ruptured twice within the first 6 months and has stayed that way for 15 yrs, I have had autoimmune disorders since and am very ill with blurred vision, fatigue and muscle, tissue and joint pain. I have had two children and my breasts ballooned leaving them droopy after breastfeeding and age of course... I am 45 years old now and the sagging has recently become very noticeable. Presently, I am at the bottom of the wait list for a PS, and some PS's that I am consulting with say saline is not covered by MSP in BC, and another said it is. I have read another woman's review that her saline implant removal was covered but she has had her's removed in AB and wondering if she experienced the same frustrations... Can anyone help? Are saline explants covered by MSP in BC...? Thank you in advance....
Replies (3)
April 16, 2015
I just had my Saline unders removed a week ago..in AB though.. Covered, no problems no questions.
April 16, 2015
Thanks for responding... Are your originally from BC? And went to AB to remove them? If so... why AB?
April 19, 2015
No, sorry should have clarified. I do live here. I have heard some provinces cover..If this is not your case it may be worth your while looking into what could be done for you here. My wait was quite short, so another reason it may be worth your while-even if there is a fee not being an alberta resident, if you are struggling with illness a shorter wait time would be ideal.
UPDATED FROM Sick No More
My Surgeon Search... Frustrating : /
So, Ive been feeling so angry lately and emotional for all the suffering and bull___t we have to go through to get these things out... not to mention the money or fear of no coverage. Mostly at the industry that that perpetuates the selling of the implants and procedures. But here I am, dealing with it... all b/c a little voice whispered in my ear early one morning to take out the implants.
As of late, my time has been spent trying to find another surgeon who can get me in sooner than 3 months. None are sooner, breast surgeons, not PS, won't go near me, except for a Dr. Kuusk in Vancouver whose wait is 6 months... Others I have talked to won't do the MSP coverage or tell me saline is not covered. But there was one PS that was recommended in Vancouver and their receptionist was very pleasant. She can get me in for a consult in a few weeks and surgery mid summer... the same as the previous PS I was going to go with. So, it looks like 3 months it is... and I'll have to endure the symptoms longer. I just hope and pray I get better when their removed...
Thank you all for your courage and inspiration...
As of late, my time has been spent trying to find another surgeon who can get me in sooner than 3 months. None are sooner, breast surgeons, not PS, won't go near me, except for a Dr. Kuusk in Vancouver whose wait is 6 months... Others I have talked to won't do the MSP coverage or tell me saline is not covered. But there was one PS that was recommended in Vancouver and their receptionist was very pleasant. She can get me in for a consult in a few weeks and surgery mid summer... the same as the previous PS I was going to go with. So, it looks like 3 months it is... and I'll have to endure the symptoms longer. I just hope and pray I get better when their removed...
Thank you all for your courage and inspiration...
Replies (9)
April 18, 2015
I did not get the capsules out, but I did not have symptoms. Because of your symptoms it sounds like a good idea for you to get the capsules out. There's bound to be someone in your area that has experience and is comfortable with capsule removal. Sending you luck and good wishes to find a doctor very soon!
April 18, 2015
Hi there. Having done a bit of research it seems to suggest that if you have silicone then the capsules should come out but if you have saline it's ok. Regardless of that you should do what makes ou feel happy. Maybe drop a line to Dr Susan Kolb on this site as she seems very supportive and knowledgable. Hope you find a way forward. We are all here for you. X
April 19, 2015
3 months seems like an eternity when you are not well, but hopefully it will pass quickly. I think it is insane salines are not covered there, i feel like if a woman is removing implants (and particularly removing and NOT replacing) this is not elective. Anything done afterwards-implants replaced, breast lift, fat transfer-these things are all elective and subject to fees. I think it is safe to say the majority of women remove them for health reasons.. we are left with small, deflated saggy breasts that are not the most attractive- clearly there is a larger motivation at work here! I can tell you i don't regret my decision for one second, and in spite of my boobies being a little sad (lol) i feel MUCH better and am extremely happy. If i get a lift down the road, i will happily pay.
I am so sorry this is such a struggle. It shouldn't be.
April 20, 2015
Thank you for your reply... And I agree! As I consult more and talk to others like us.... It seems saline is covered, but not always??? A PS that didn't want to take me on told me this information and I encouraged her to research this again as she is misinforming sick women who may not remove them b/c they can't afford it. This is also the frustrating part... its all about the money isnt it? Arg!
April 24, 2015
Unfortunately that is the case a lot of the time and it is sad.. This is not what health care should be about. I don't feel like there was enough information available about saline implants- quite frankly I thought I was getting the "safe" alternative. After all, it's saline right? But now after doing investigating, there are issues with these as well. And the capsule is silicone.. I have my follow up with my PS on the 29th, I will be curious to hear what they looked like coming out. I can't say I am 100%, but I am definitely 60% better than I was. That has to say something. Another thing I have noticed which is just weird, and maybe unrelated and just a coincidence, but I used to be a sweet drink Starbucks girl- now I find my old drinks kind of overwhelming. Way too sweet and not palatable. Bizarre.
Anyways I digress. I can't ignore the correlation between feeling crappy and those implants, saline or not. I'm a nurse, and I don't see a lot of women removing them and it makes me sad to think there are women out there feeling not themselves, or downright shitty and that could potentially be the cause. As far as I am concerned, post explant, this should be considered a medical procedure. I hope you are able to have this covered. It is difficult for some surgeons as they still do implants and possibly they feel like it is a conflict for them. But ultimately a lot of women have them and are happy, and are still having breast augments done. For the few that want them removed I don't know why it is not covered. Fingers crossed for you!!
April 27, 2015
Thanks so much for this post Allejane! And I agree wholeheartedly with you. I've been through a whirlwind this last week too b/c of all this. The PS I visited almost a month ago said it would take up to a month to hear back if the surgery is covered. His office manager who communicates for him reassured me that these surgeries are almost always covered. When I did call her back a week later to ask about saline implants not being covered unless there is proof they are harmful to health, she didn't know anything about the saline glitch. This made me nervous knowing that the PS did not support the reasons I was removing them, redirecting me to other specialists for these ailments in my body, even though he did agree to doing the surgery and applying for coverage... I was nervous as to what the application for coverage stated : P Even more, MSP also informed me that even if there is a leak in the saline implant they believe that the water is reabsorbed into the body and so the implant does not pose a risk.. despite that they are almost 20yrs old and the bag is made of silicone... I was shocked!!! MSP also told me the worst news... that they hadn't rec'd my application yet despite the office telling me it was sent, not to worry, and they would call when they heard back !!! This a month later, which meant even if I asked them to send it in that day... I would have to wait another month for the reply, and then 3 more to book the surgery... IF accepted. So, I phoned the office back to inform them that I knew my application had not been sent yet, and the confirmation directly from MSP, that salines were not covered without proof of harm to health. Of course, they were defensive, telling me they were busy, again they did not know about the saline issue, that they hardly never see rejected applications... blah, blah, blah. I don't know what happened, but later that day, I got a call back saying they faxed off my application, stating that the implants were causing pain and discomfort, and asking me to arrive for my explant in 12 days... !!! The surgery is this Sunday/Monday coming up, and without a response back from MSP as they just faxed it! So...I guess I just have to trust that this is happening... that the PS referral letter to MSP is gonna make it happen... and now I am making plans for getting there, childcare, and support once Im back... so far everything is falling into place... I jusst have to have faith that I will be getting a call that its covered! I am so grateful..! They put me to the top of their waiting list... most likely just to get me of their backs, lol And when this is all done? Im going to help advocate to MSP that saline implants need to be covered... how ignorant can they really be regarding the silicone bags, etc.! I most likely going to repost this on a new review to share the ridiculous-ness of MSP, coverage and saline implants. Without coverage, I would have had to come up with up to $8000 to get them removed! I now have faith in my PS... perhaps his referrals have always been covered and I worried for nothing. who knows... I only hope all goes well this weekend... Thanks for your support ~*~
April 27, 2015
Sorry to hear your not feeling well:(
Sometimes our Canadian system is funny, I went to my family doctor here in Ontario,,,then he found a surgeon for me. My surgeon was a upper limb doctor. He was awesome.
Sorry to say you need to work it a bit,,,if you tell them you are sick with the implants they get defensive,,,say they hurt which is not a lie,,say you feel selfconcious,,that gave me the in,,I could see it in their eyes.
After that I waited 6 months feeling really rough. I had a explant, capsolectomey,and masoplexy....it can all be done under our Canadian system,,you just need the right doctor.
It was suggested to me to put new ones in. I said I am done with implants,,a lift was suggested,,,I said if I spend one more dollar on this stuff my husband would be furious.
Your right about the implant doctors. I would be interested in how many women were told of possible side effects,rate of rupture, no one told me I would need MRI's tp screen them. I walked put thinking they were life time things. Shame on the system in Canada for not having our backs in the name of money. They figure they will keep the OR's busy putting them in,taking them out,lifting ect.
Kinda like the whole breast cancer campaign scam.
Hang on and try to put it out of your mind and keep busy till your appointment. It will come before you know it. Then you will be free.
It feels so good to get them out,,,my brain fog left me quickly,,my hips are not like a 90 year olds anymore and it has been just 2 1/2 weeks.
Maybe there will be a cancellation and they will move you up,,,
Your doing the right thing. You know they are making you sick.
I went through that waiting time thinking Oh no I will be a double AA again,,but somewhere in that 6 month wait,,,I just didn,t care and just wanted to feel good again.
Big hugs!
Replies (13)