Excited and Nervous for Implant Removal and Smart Lipo for Abdomen. San Diego, CA

First of all thank you to all the ladies out there who have been explaining their experience out there on their implant removal process. I have been reading all of your experiences and feeling all sorts of emotions, excited, nervous, scared, fearful, and hopeful. I think you have been going through the same and it is a relief to know I'm not alone as my husband and mom who I have told of course are supportive but don't understand like all of you do! So, my story is very similar to many of yours. I am 46 now and I got my implants back when I was 28 just before I was going to get married and before children. I thought at the time it would make things much better and I guess for a while it did. I began on this journey because I had two uneven breasts. my left one pointed down and the other was just fine. I guess I was likely a B to B+ cup. My goal wasn't necessarily to go bigger, it was to look more symmetrical. I went to the Dr. to see what he could do to lift the left one and he brought up the fact that I would look much better with bigger breasts because of my height and adding them in with a lift on the left would make me look much more symmetrical. I wasn't sure but decided it would look good and just went for it (nervously and hopeful). My soon to be husband thought I was ridiculous and didn't want any part of it. I should've listened to him! Anyways, I went through with the procedure and got 330 to 350CC's of Saline implants put under the muscle. They were put in through my armpit and I had a scar under my breast on left side with what i think was a lollipop lift. I remember waking up from the surgery already feeling it was a mistake because I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. so much pressure. I remember them telling me just breathe but i already felt super anxious because of the pressure. I iced them a bunch but my breasts never did do a great job of dropping. About 2 years later and after moving to San Diego from north Calif. I went and saw another breast surgeon in La Jolla who told me I had capsule contracture and that he could fix it so they could relax ( as they were definitely pointy, squeezed looking and high). So, I went through that with a much better relaxed looking breast. that was in about year 2000. In 2001 I had a baby and at end of 2002 another. I managed fine with pregnancy and breast fed for the first couple of months with both but also supplemented with formula too as I didn't produce as much milk as I should. Then, in 2006 I got divorced. A year later I was in another serious relationship and am married to him now. Going back to the boobs story- In 2010 I had my implants replaced with Mentor Smooth round moderate Saline 360cc's replaced because they were 12 years old and I thought I needed them replaced sooner than later so I just did it so I could get the inevitable surgery out of the way. At the time, I was considering having them completely removed and I wish I would've followed through with that. However, my boyfriend (who is now my husband) didn't like that idea at the time and I just didn't have the confidence to tell him and myself what I really wanted to do (he used to joke that he would just get a penis minimalization then-! ha ha). I understand that would've been a possible big change in my appearance and I was too scared to pull the trigger. After seeing all of your pics I realize it really isn't that big of a change and I should've done it... ugg..! So... more of my story and the health effects: Along the way I have had fibercystic breasts and lumps. My breast doc has kept a close eye on me and had me MRI'd yearly practically. I have had 2-3 lumps surgically removed. I think 2 on my left and 1 on my right. All have come out as scar tissue, benign tissue lumps. So, with that being a continuing series my doc and I have decided to just wait out further lumps after careful following and let them come and go because more surgery for my poor breasts isn't good. Even my doc said there shouldn't be any hurry to get my implants out so again, I just have been living with them against everything my body has been telling me. As far as my health goes I literally have had so many of the signs and symptoms of breast implant illness that I am fed up and want them out!!! about 6 years ago I got diagnosed by a doctor with Reynauds because of my always cold feet and hands and poor circulation. I got diagnosed with spondalytis arthritis 3 years ago and have been on sulfasalazine to minimize my joint pain and canker sores of the mouth and conjunctive itis of my eyes. the sulfasalazine (along with ibuprofen) has done a great job at making all those stay at bay. My neck and shoulder muscles are like a vice and tight. My neck xray shows fusing together of my cervical spine in 3 spots. I recently finished physcial therapy for my neck range of motion and it helped quite a bit. I think that is probably due to the extra weight of the boobs??? My general doc is very thorough and without my knowing she ran all sorts of blood tests and let me know I am positive for the MTHfr gene mutation. After reading all the info. on this site I realize that I should have never got implants with that gene mutation because of the risks it has for auto immune disease! ugg. I have had several Goiters on my thyroid as well and because of that and all my symptoms I have additionally been put on naturethroid because we believe I'm hyperthyroid? needless to say I have so many issues going on and if they are related to these implants, I want the dang things out!!! I have also been told by her that my adrenals are exhausted so I have been taking supplements (Adapten all) to try and restore my adrenals but I feel it is an uphill battle. Anything to make my life and body feel better would be awesome. I'm honestly very hopeful and excited I will see a turn around in my health once these things are out. I've always told my docs that something happened to me when I was 30. I literally had a change in my body. Insomnia hit me like a brick wall and all sorts of joint pain and fatigue started happening after that. Along that line, I have always been a very dedicated and active person, working out daily but I can tell you it isn't easy sometimes with all the issues I have. I bike, run, walk or swim depending on what I feel like on a daily basis and I know it's supposed to help with arthritis to keep active so I just do it, no matter what my body is telling me. I will say arthiritis and immune disease does run in my family so I'm not sure if it's just the implants that have caused this problem but at this point I'm hopeful because this is something I can change! I started reading about implant illness and found this site and am now convinced I will be so much better off with these out of my body. I met with three surgeons and ended up picking the same office (the father retired so now his son is working with me) i had my capsule contracture and replacement done with. I chose them mainly because of my comfort with the office, and price. However, I am kind of having second thoughts now (since I have already paid!) because I had my pre-op appointment and some of my questions for him have left me uneasy. I talked to him about my fears of the implants making me ill and explained to him all that I have been going through and of course he doesn't believe in it. He feels it is all a bunch of hype and he says that it in fact has been researched thoroughly and it was proven false and thats why silicon is back on the market now for womens implants. ugg.... although I don't have silicone implants I fully believe these implants are responsible for some of my issues. At the end of the day, I guess I don't care what he believes as long as he does what I need and I'm informed and take care of myself. I told him I want the capsules removed and I also asked him about drains. He said he doesn't use drains usually, and his clients do well. He said I shouldn't need them. I'm find with that again, as long as it doesn't result in something bad for me. He told me he would take out any parts of my capsule that don't look right or are calcified etc.... but if it looks soft he won't bother taking it out. He said it can be risky and attached with a lot of vascularity and cause a lot of bleeding if he removes parts of it (I'm guessing because its under the muscle?). He assured me I would be okay and thats where we left it. I've been second guessing this since I left and am feeling very nervous. Especially after reading that if I want a full recovery all of it has to be removed. :-(. I just don't know what to do.... I called the nurse who has helped me there and told her my concerns and told her I want her to tell him I have been thinking about it and I want the whole capsule removed (en bloc) and she said she would talk with him and get back to me. She told me while looking at my chart that it states implant removal, and capsulectomy (which is good but that isn't completely what he told me). She called me back but just told me to call her and so I did and she already left for the weekend. So, I'm left with a cliffhanger... ack... So my question for all of you out there is, will I be okay with him leaving in part of my capsule if it doesn't look calcified? Or should i cancel and find a surgeon who 100% says he will get all of it? I'm feeling pressured for time as we are going on a family vacation June 19th and I need to be healed. I did talk with one other surgeons office here in San Diego on Friday and they are booked out until 1st week of May. I could wait until then but it is closing in on my vacation and I just want these out! I'd love to stick with my April 7th date but am nervous if he doesn't get the whole capsule out and am so ready to do that in 10 days...! Do you think it's maybe not a big as deal since I don't have silicone??? But what about all the issues I've had with my health? ackk... feeling so nervous and unsettled on what to do... any advice you can give me would be good. Anyone out there with part of their capsule not removed who had saline? how are you doing? are there things you can do to make it dissolve inside you or does it dissolve if not reactive?

Well, I got good news this morning, my doc will do the full capsulectomy and understands I want absolutely nothing left of it! He did add more money to the cost by $1350 but I'm definitely okay with paying it as it's 100% worth it to me. That peace of mind knowing it will be completely out is worth the extra $! The nurse said it will add more time because he will have to cauterize as he goes. I'm so relieved to know it's going to be done right for me the first time! :-) Still scared but anxious to have it over with. 10 more days to go!

I'm excited, nervous and anxious! Tomorrow morning is my surgery. I just got the call with my check in time, so let the hourly countdown begin!! Additionally, I had asked the nurse to let me know what happened with my capsules when my implants were replaced in 2010. The doc just called me and let me know that my capsules From my previous implants (1999) remained and they had just cut into the capsules in 2010 (capsulotomy- I think) and replaced the implants. He said that is typically the way it's done (when there is no contracture). I wanted to know because if the new ones were placed in a new pocket and the old capsules were in an old pocket, I wanted them to try and remove all capsules from all pockets tomorrow. He said since it's the same original capsule that my implants are currently in so no problem, he will remove the entire thing tomorrow- so no capsule of any kind will be left in me. Even though I'm not excited to hear I have an old capsule in me that got reused I'm happy to know it can all come out in one fell swoop and he doesn't have to search old pockets. He said any and all capsule he sees in there he will remove. This of course makes me happy. He plans on doing it enbloc. If for any reason he can't he will make sure there is none left In me. With that, im feeling confident and very happy with Dr. Jeffrey Umansky and his understanding of my concerns and willingness to remove it all! I'm pretty excited and hopeful this will turn around so many of the health issues I have experienced over the last 16 years. In total I've had implants for 18. Ready to be free of the fake bags! A little scared with what I will be left with, but ready for it however it ends up being. I know Dr. Jeffrey will make the best of what I have as they have a lot of skilled work in their history. I will post as soon as I can once I'm all done! Put positive thoughts my way and bless you all who are going through this. Xoxo