Shirl's story

[Guest guest]

Shirl,

I am so glad you have shared this with us.....I think about you all the time and hope to hear that you are feeling better. It makes my heart ache to know that you are still fighting this so much. When I think about all the healing things that I've done and what I am still looking into, I pray that some of these things will be your key to regaining your health as well. You have suffered so much. We all have.....I'll keep searching for answers!

For those of you who couldn't read Shirl's story, here it is:

I’m a 29 year old female who got McGhan textured saline implants in 1996. I decided to get them strictly for cosmetic reasons. I was working as a graphic artist for a printing company. I noticed that in 1997 and in 1998 I develop bronchitis and allergies which acted up many times in those 2 years. My doctor told me that the allergies where just from pollen in the air and never did any testing. I never had allergies before my implants. In January of 1999 I was rushed to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain. They found that I had infections, urinary and vaginal (which I still have to this day). The pains never got any better so over the next 4 months I went to 2 gastrointestinal specialist, 2 ob/gyns and a urologist. They found polyps and infections. Then in April I started getting burning all over my body, muscle spasms real bad and joint pain. I went to 3 different internists , 2 rheumatologists and a neurologist. And I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. All my blood work was normal. In May I went for a mammogram to see if it could be related to my implants. The mammogram came back fine. But within 3 days of the mammogram I was out of work and bed ridden. I had extreme burning and pressure pains across my chest, around and behind my implants. It was horrible. Soon after I noticed my hair falling out in clumps, my eyes and mouth were so dry. I was so fatigued I couldn’t even get myself something to eat. I’ve always been a healthy person and an active person. I never so much as had a cold in flu season. Now at 28 my health was falling apart. My primary care physician noticed that every time I came in my blood pressure was low. Like 85 over 50 or 87 over 58.

Then, in June I started getting night sweats, I was stumbling and I felt like I was in a fog all the time. Come July I was so weak. I could barely get up to use the bathroom or get a drink. My ears were ringing constantly and I was seeing spots in front of my eyes. I went to the eye doctor and they told me I have extremely dry eyes. In 1999 I need my prescription change 2 times and I just had it changed the year before. I couldn’t remember things anymore. I would get up from the couch to go get a tissue and by the time I hit the bathroom door I would have no idea what I was doing or getting. I noticed I would become cold and nothing I did would warm me up. I remember my feet freezing and putting on 2 pair of socks and a blanket around them. Two hours later they were still cold. I would use a heating blanket and this wouldn’t even warm me up. I ached so bad. I asked different doctors if it could be my implants and they all said no. Then I started having dental problems, infections. I’ve never had problems and now I need root canals. I’ve always taken care of my teeth. In August I had come to the decision to remove my implants. I just wanted to feel better. So in Sept of 1999 I had them removed. After that I noticed some of my symptoms going away and I was very happy with the choice I made. My hands weren’t swelling anymore, I’m still real tired all the time but I can do for myself more now and all the chest pains are gone. My primary care really started to believe that it was implants. I now have bursitis, tendentious, fibromyalgia, arthralgia, low blood pressure, IBS, PID, many infections (including teeth) and dry eyes. These are the diagnoses that I have at this point. I still can’t work and I’m only 29. I have no income and no way to take care of myself. I thank God for my family and my boyfriend who have been supporting me through this, financially and emotionally. Without there help I would be homeless. It’s drained me and everyone around me in many ways. I have noticed that I’m getting better but not soon enough. It’s only 5 months after removal so I’m just trying to be patient and pray that I get better. I really wanted to attend this meeting and show my support, but because of my doctors appointments and my illness I was unable to do so.

Thank you

Shirl