A White Rock woman who had emergency surgery nearly a year ago to remove her breast implants is hoping her story will save others the 害羞草研究所渢errifying害羞草研究所� experience that led up to her procedure.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 an epidemic right now, it害羞草研究所檚 so bad,害羞草研究所� Shannon Sayers said of breast-implant illness.
害羞草研究所淚 was told by my surgeon that (implants) were FDA-approved and 100 per cent safe. It took me seven years to get sick with them.害羞草研究所�
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Breast cancer, she noted, was 害羞草研究所渁 piece of cake,害羞草研究所� by comparison.
Sayers shared her story with Peace Arch News last week, on the same day that plans to suspend breast-implant manufacturer Allergan害羞草研究所檚 licences for Biocell implants, a move intended 害羞草研究所渢o protect Canadian patients from the rare but serious risk害羞草研究所� of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
Sayers said she doesn害羞草研究所檛 know if she has the lymphoma that has been associated with the textured implants she received in 2011, and encourages any woman who develops a fluid pocket around their implants to get tested for it.
She also wants women who may be considering implants for cosmetic or reconstruction purposes to think again.
害羞草研究所淎ccept your bodies the way they are,害羞草研究所� Sayers said. 害羞草研究所淲hy would you risk you life over this?害羞草研究所�
Sayers, 49, had her first set of implants 害羞草研究所� the saline variety 害羞草研究所� at age 24, a decision she says she made for cosmetic reasons, to counter the effects of breastfeeding. At that time, and for nearly two decades after, she never considered that the procedure could cause her grief down the road.
When her breast cancer was discovered nine years ago, one of the tumours was wrapped 害羞草研究所渓ike an octopus害羞草研究所� around one of those implants, she said. In performing a double-mastectomy 11 days post-diagnosis, her surgeon removed three tumours in all, along with 害羞草研究所渢hree or four害羞草研究所� lymph nodes.
Looking back, Sayers is confident her first implants led to her cancer. She said she was never told at 24 that implants have a five- to seven-year lifespan, and said more recent testing at BC Cancer confirmed her disease 害羞草研究所� which her mother and grandmother also had 害羞草研究所� was not rooted in genetics, she said.
害羞草研究所淢ine was called environmental,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 would never have thought I would害羞草研究所檝e got cancer from implants.害羞草研究所�
Sayers said her breast-implant illness symptoms set in almost immediately after her second set of implants, although it would be years before she made the connection between them and the bouts of pneumonia and other ailments. She also experienced immune-related issues including rashes, neuropathy, joint pain and more.
Early last year, after her car was rear-ended in January 害羞草研究所� and unbeknownst to her, an implant capsule was ruptured by the resulting pressure from her seatbelt 害羞草研究所� the severity of her symptoms worsened. Sayers described the months that followed as a 害羞草研究所渘ightmare,害羞草研究所� with burning that felt like bee stings in her chest and numbness down one entire side of her body, ringing in her ears and feeling like her internal organs were on fire.
害羞草研究所淭hey all looked at me like I was crazy,害羞草研究所� Sayers said of the majority of medical personnel she saw when seeking help.
害羞草研究所淵ou feel like you害羞草研究所檙e going crazy.害羞草研究所�
Desperate to find an experienced surgeon to remove her implants, including the capsules, Sayers remembers she was on the brink of losing all hope 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淚 was going to die,害羞草研究所� she said, 害羞草研究所渕y body was so bad害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� when something told her to Google 害羞草研究所楤everly Hills.害羞草研究所�
After connecting with a surgeon there who specialized in explants, Sayers flew to California and had the US $18,000 surgery on April 25.
害羞草研究所淲hen I woke up, all I remember, I had tears coming down my face: 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 going to be OK,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she said.
Sayers learned soon after that a MRSA-type infection, propionibacterium, had been behind many of her symptoms, 害羞草研究所渂urning (her) from the inside.害羞草研究所� She plans to send one of her implants for more conclusive testing of a black, mould-like film that covers it.
Sayers said three months after her explant, her symptoms had significantly subsided, and today, she feels 害羞草研究所渁bout 90 per cent害羞草研究所� recovered 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淟ast year at this time, I was about 12 lbs lighter, my hair was falling out, I had skin falling off my freaking body,害羞草研究所� she said.
A burning sensation still lingers under her ribs, and anxiety remains a daily ordeal, but Sayers is determined to continue a regimen of natural products that she害羞草研究所檚 found keeps her symptoms at bay.
害羞草研究所淥ne day at a time for me,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭oday害羞草研究所檚 a pretty good day.害羞草研究所�
Wanting to share her experience, spread information and support other women, Sayers launched a blog, , in January. She invites any woman with questions to contact her at 604-802-2214.
tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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