54 yr old..sick of/from her boobs??? - Texas

in 2007 (age 45) I was a very active person. I worked out everyday, ate right, and kept my weight down but I had "mommy boobs" as I call them. After much research (so I thought) I decided to have a full Breast lift with Saline Implants 250cc filled to 275cc under the muscle from a very reputable PS in our area. (I decided on the Saline because at the time Silicon implants were rupturing and there were all kinds of lawsuits going on!! I thought Saline would be safer) I told my PS I wanted to remain a C (which I had been my whole life) but a full C. I went from a good size C to a humongous DD. Hated them the minute I got them and regretted the decision but decided to just live with it!! Everything was fine until two years later (47 years old) I noticed so many things going wrong! I felt TERRIBLE!! I thought "47 is not old but lets be realistic, it is up there in age. Maybe this is a product of old age setting in. My menstrual cycle was becoming sporadic so I thought I was going through Menopause which is common for the women of my family...ok, its age!!! Then I started noticing my face was aging horribly and my skin was a grayish color...ok, its age!! Then I could not complete a workout class! My muscles were fatigued...ok its age! Unexplained weight gain, hair falling out, brittle nails, etc etc...ok its age!! All my joints ached! I couldn't get up from the chair without moaning! I could barely get out of bed..ok its age. Saw a specialist and he said I had Arthritis! I thought "this can't be my life at 47 years old". I could NOT seriously have aged this much in two years...AND IT JUST KEPT GETTING WORSE!!! at 49 years old my menstrual cycle stopped!! HOORAY...but really!?! I felt like death warmed over!! Then things really went hay wire!!! Finally (age 50) I decided I couldn't take it anymore, something was wrong!!! I went to see my family doctor! He said the same thing all my friends said, "well you are getting older"!! He ran a battery of blood work and the results were Thyroid 0, Adrenals 0, Cortisol 0, DHEA 0, VitD 0, Progesterone, Testosterone, Estrogen all 0!! He said I was a walking shell!! He had never seen levels this low and was just as shocked as I was!! Now at 54 years old and $$$$ worth of pills, creams, blood tests, Saliva tests and Dr. appointments to get levels back where they should be is STILL ONGOING and I still feel awful!!! Terrible attitude, Brain fog, chronic fatigue, muscle fatigue, hair loss, skin discoloring, wrinkling, adrenal failure, hormones off, thyroid off, aches and pains in ALL JOINTS, depression, now add in Hot Flashes and sensitivity to heat and cold!! Jesus Lord Help me!!!

THEN I FOUND THIS SITE and started reading all the reviews and blogs about implants!!! It was my "AH HA" moment!!! I am not crazy, I am NOT old....my implants are making me SICK!!!!! I immediately made an appointment with my original PS to see what had to be done to have them removed!! I was so shocked....He wasn't hearing of it! "Don't take them out unless you want to be saggy again!", "the implants are not making you sick!" All he was concerned with was taking the 10 year old implants out and replacing them with "new improved ones". Well, if these weren't making me sick why did I need "New Improved" ones!!! When I told him I wanted them out he basically shut down and ended the appointment...RED FLAG!! ummmm, you will NOT be working on me with that attitude!! I made an appointment with another PS in a neighboring metropolitan city for a second opinion and that happens on August 12th. I talked to my husband (and showed him some explant pictures from this site) about the possibility of having saggy deflated boobs again, he said he didn't care about that and was only concerned with my health....so these BAD BOYS ARE COMING OUT!!!! THANK YOU ALL for posting your stories and helping me to realize what is actually going on with me!! Never in a million years did I believe Saline Implants could be doing this to me!! Now, if I have them removed and still feel this bad...then...I'm old!!! LOL

So I finally had my consultation. I went in KNOWING exactly what I was going to do, but came out somewhat confused and undecided!! I was certain my consultation was going to be about having my implants ex-planted!! I was certain that due to everything I've read about implants, all the blogs I've read from other women with the same symptoms, the so-called 10 year expiration on the implants and my unexplained medical problems.....TAKE THEM OUT!!!!
I met with the new PS and he was WONDERFUL!! He was very accommodating, sympathetic and educating. He took his time and did not rush the appointment!! He addressed every question I had and even suggested questions I should have. (I wish I would have used him initially). I told him my implants were bothersome, hard as rocks, and that I thought they were making me sick. I went into great detail about my symptoms and what I've been going through for the last 10 years (see post above). He examined me and said my implants were exactly the same size so he didn't think there was leakage. He said they moved freely so there was no Capsular Contracture. He said "as a Doctor, and since you have Saline implants, I cannot medically say the implants are making you sick, however, I will not disregard what YOU as a patient are feeling." Long story short, I left his office with 2 options. #1... I can have them removed, wait 6 months to a year and see if the symptoms subside. If the symptoms subside then yes the implants were making me sick. Boom, done...everyone's happy again!!! #2....have them removed...wait 6 months to a year and if my symptoms have not subsided then it WASN'T the implants making me sick and there are other underlying problems. If I'm not satisfied with the way they look without implants I can go back and he will put them back in. I talked to my husband about the choices and of course he said It's my choice and he would support whatever I decided. I'm leaning toward option #1. He said he felt like I wouldn't have to much of a saggy breast because I still have quite a bit of breast tissue and ample breasts. I just wouldn't have the fullness at the top from the implants. But, who knows..after a year I may not care what my boobs look like and just leave them out. anyhoo...that's the latest!! your thoughts????

So, I had my consultation on August 12th (read post above). After two weeks of totally agonizing over this procedure, my options from the PS, much soul searching, continued research, and major major anxiety (LOL) I finally made a DECISION!!!! I don't know if I'm making yet another mistake or if I'm making the best decision of my life but THESE BAD BOYS ARE COMING OUT...Boom (mic drop)!!!!! I am CONVINCED these things are making me sick and I am way to young (54yo) to be dealing with this many health problems!!
My appointment is schedule for Friday September 9th and it can't come soon enough!!! I will have the procedure done in the Doctors office. A little slit under each breast (on my old scar), pull out the implant, sew me back up (he said he is leaving the capsule in) and I'll be on my way home and on my way to being healthier...I hope!!! I'll just have to deal with having my old jiggly, saggy, mommy sacks back!!! LOL!! The day after my consultation I started loading up on vitamins and healthy foods just in case I made this decision so hopefully it will help me heal better and faster. I will post again after the procedure is done!! Thank you all for your comments to my prior posts!!