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Patty

----- Original Message -----

From: Beth Buchholz

Patty

Sent: Monday, May 14, 2001 5:18 AM

Subject: Re: My breast implant experience

Thank you for sharing your experience, Patty. I have heard from a number of Nevada women --some who are active on a state government level --working on a state bill for breast implant women. Please encourage others in your internet support group to share their stories with me as well. Thanks for taking the time. We'll keep up the fight on Capitol Hill. Take Care, Beth

-----Original Message-----From: Patty <faussettdp@...>mbbuchholz@... <mbbuchholz@...>Date: Friday, May 11, 2001 7:42 PMSubject: My breast implant experience

Hi,

My name is Patty Faussett, and I live at 1401 Minuet St. , NV 89052

I got saline implants in May 1997, and was sick by January 1998. I had my implants removed in Feb. 98.

Here is my story:

In January 1998, my life went from being happy, secure, and carefree, to my worst nightmare of mysterious maladies and frightening symptoms , symptoms for which I have never had a diagnosis. It is my opinion that all of my suffering has been as a result of getting saline breast implants in 1997, a decision that I will forever regret.

Prior to getting implants, I had enjoyed robust health. I was an avid student of nutrition and health issues, and had not missed a day of work due to illness for over 10 years. I had graduated from college with high honors, had a career in management, married the man of my dreams, and had 4 beautiful, healthy children. To me, my life was perfect. But I wanted implants, hoping to restore my pre-pregnancy shape after having breastfed my 4 children.

I was told by my plastic surgeon that the saline implant was the safest on the market, even though it was encased in a silicone shell. Risks we discussed were mainly that of a local nature, such as infection, hematoma, or rupture, which seemed easy to remedy. I was told that my implants would go with me to my grave.

What I was not told was that the risks were far, far greater! In January 1998, only 8 months after getting my implants, my whole world crashed. My vision became disturbed. My head felt very strange, like it was filled with cobwebs, and my thinking became very labored. I couldn’t concentrate, and was unable to retain most of what I read. I was extremely tired all of the time, and sleep never refreshed me. I was constantly dizzy, and felt uncoordinated. I had night sweats, and heart palpitations. I dropped things, and had tingling sensations in my hands. My extremities were always cold, and I developed joint pain. I could barely take care of my children or home anymore, and I had a constant brain fog. I was scared out of my wits with this sudden, drastic change in my health. Nothing in my life or habits had changed, with the exception of having received the implants.

The first three doctors that I saw made light of my symptoms, suggesting that I was clinically depressed. I found this to be absurd, as I had previously been very content in life. Through computer networking, I discovered that a whole support group of women existed who were experiencing the same troubling symptoms as I was, and it was through them that I found a plastic surgeon who confirmed that my implants were probably making me ill, and that I should see a rheumatologist. Blood tests showed an autoimmune response starting, as evidenced by an elevated rheumatoid factor, as well as a lowered C3 complement, and macrocytosis. A brain MRI showed a mild degree of atrophy, alarming to me considering that I was only 38 years old at the time and have no family history of these problems. My implants were removed in February of 1998, only 9 months after I got them.

The difficulty I encountered was in finding adequate medical care. The original rheumatologist that I saw made it obvious he did not want me as a patient when he cheerfully declared, "You’re all better! You don’t need to see me anymore!". This, in spite of the fact that my blood tests were abnormal, and I felt like I was dying. He offered no treatment, and no diagnosis, but complied when I requested a prescription for Vitamin B12 shots.

With my immune system obviously embattled, I continued to struggle with fatigue on a daily basis, and eventually had to quit my job as my symptoms continued. I remember having feelings of despair that I would never ever feel good again. It was only a matter of months that I went from a highly energetic, organized and efficient wife and mother to a sick, lethargic shell of my former self. I felt that my life was over. Saline breast implants took away precious years from my children, my marriage, my family, and my life.

I have struggled the last 3 years to regain the precious health that I lost. The most important step of course, was to have the implants removed. There is no doubt in my mind that the implants caused me harm, as almost all symptoms have subsided, and my life has regained some semblance of normalcy, although I still have to work very hard at maintaining a healthy lifestyle. My blood tests should be proof enough. In 1998, my rheumatoid factor was 159 at its highest. This year, finally, it has tested at 58. Normal is under 40, so I am closer to normal now than at any time in the last 3 years.

Silicone induced disease knows no boundaries, as to who will get it once implanted, how long it will take to show up, and how long, if ever, it will take to completely be free from its devastating effects. In July of 2000 I formed my own Saline Support group on the Internet, to help other women as they discover the truth about the dangers of their saline implants. Currently there are over 70 members on this group, sharing stories almost identical to mine about the devastating turn their life has taken after getting saline implants. It is very sad to hear these stories over and over again, many with no money to remove the implants, many having lost their jobs, home, savings, and everything they held dear in life. I am sure my group represents but a small number of those actually harmed, and sadly, the women joining seem to be getting younger and younger, many still yet in their 20’s.

My statute of limitations has run out, but I would never have been able to prove my case in court, as I am still healing from this brief encounter I had with my silicone encased saline implants. I pray for justice for all of those who have come before me, and all of those who will follow, tragically, in my footsteps.

Here is the full list of symptoms I experienced during my implant ordeal, almost all of which have now completely resolved:"Brain Fog" --feeling of cobwebs and cloudiness in my head, slowed mental functioning, spacy, distant feelings, feeling of inflammation or chemical dysfunction in the brain, accompanied by listlessness and tiredness. Often fall into trance-like mode, or zone out. Feels like I am looking at the world through a bottle.Eyeball weakness and pain behind eyeballs. Slowed eye movement. Brightlights produce eyeball pain.Cognitive dysfunction. Saying wrong words. Slowed information processing.Memory problemsMuscle weaknessSleeplessnessNightsweatsHeart PalpitationsMuscle TwitchingCold hands and feetSwollen Lymph glandsStiff neck, sore on right sideGrinding, debilitating fatigueTingling in hands, waking me up at nightLow body temperatureVisual DisturbancesCrawly Feeling in LegJoint PainJerky leg movements at night, spasmBumped into walls more oftenFire-ant like lesion on skin (one, on chest)Small red spots all over legs (in first weeks after implant surgery)Flaking eyelids

TESTS:Elevated Rheumatoid FactorLowered C3 ComplementMacrocytosisMRI of brain: "Mild prominence of superior cerebellar sulci, significanceuncertain. Suggest clinical correlation.""There is mild prominence of sulci over the superior cerebellarhemispheres bilaterally, of uncertain significance. This may indicate a mild degreeof cerebellar atrophy considering the patient's age."