Re: BOTH Saline Implants Rupture - NOW WHAT?!!

[Guest guest]

Hi,

It is way too late to enter a class action lawsuit for Mentor. That was

settled years ago.

I would be extremely wary about letting this same plastic surgeon remove

your implants. 20 year old implants are more likely to be ruptured than

not. The average life expectancy is less than 10 years for an implant.

Insurance often covers removal of ruptured implants, even if they say they

will not. You need to have the right doctor write the right letter of

medical necessity.

Where are you?

Lynda

At 05:20 PM 10/10/2005, you wrote:

>I have had these implants for ten years and the right one ruptured

>10 years exactly to the date of implant. I did not have any problems

>for ten years. (So I thought). Then, 4 days ago my left implant

>ruptured, one day before my consultation with my new surgeon. Now I

>have pain in my left breast and am worried about possible infection.

>I am going to have a full blood screening tomorrow. I was told by my

>surgeon that it is very rare for both implants to have burst. This

>tells me that the product that I put into my body is defective. Now

>I will need to pay for expensive surgery to have these possibly

>toxic implants inside of me removed. My doctor DID NOT explain any

>of this to me, and after researching on my own, I sadly realize that

>the implants have made me sick for ten years. My symptoms include:

>abnormal fatigue

>pain, muscular or joint

>extreme morning stiffness

>digestive problems

>sleep disorder

>numbness and tingling in arms

>sharp shooting pains in the chest and eyes

>musculare weakness

>difficulty concentrating

>and memory loss

>I want these out of my body as soon as I can. The problem is that

>insurance will not cover this, and I could be cancelled from my

>insurance policy!! I would love to sue MENTOR and have them pay for

>my surgery, is this possible. Can anyone guide me to the right

>person?

>

>

>

>

>

>Opinions expressed are NOT meant to take the place of advice given by

>licensed health care professionals. Consult your physician or licensed

>health care professional before commencing any medical treatment.

>

> " Do not let either the medical authorities or the politicians mislead you.

>Find out what the facts are, and make your own decisions about how to live

>a happy life and how to work for a better world. " - Linus ing,

>two-time Nobel Prize Winner (1954, Chemistry; 1963, Peace)

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi and welcome,

I am sorry to hear of all you have been going through. I know how

alarming it is to realize that your implants may in fact have

contributed towards your decline in health.

Unfortunately, Mentor knows that women will get implants without

really realizing what the full cost of this surgery is, and so that

is why you sign an " informed consent " when you got implants. It

basically says that breast implant surgery is considered

experimental, that there are no guarantees, and that you will assume

full risk associated with this surgery. This protects both the

manufacturer and the plastic surgeon. When you got implants, you

signed up for the whole ball of wax, good and bad, and bear the

costs of it all.

They do have a " product guarantee " , but it is only good for purposes

of replacement, and they will only contribute a portion of the funds

necessary for the surgery to replace implants. But, for most women,

when they find out that they are sick from implants, the last thing

they want to do is get them replaced.

The bottom line is that almost all of us have to bear the cost of

explant surgery ourselves. In rare cases, the insurance company

will pay. But that will require the help of your plastic surgeon to

word the letter correctly and include the right information that

will prompt them to pay for this. Some women have gotten reimbursed

after explant, and this requires having your implants analyzed by a

professional, who can write a report showing that the implants were

defective and caused a dangerous infection in the body. Dr. Pierre

Blais is excellent in providing this information, but you may have

to appeal your insurance a number of times.

Losing health insurance is another cost that many women don't

consider at the time of implant. It is an ugly business when these

implants fail us.

I would encourage you to find a good explanting surgeon who can help

you in your situation. We have a list of recommended plastic

surgeons who understand the need for a proper explant, and one or

two are also good at getting insurance coverage. Please check our

list (under files) to see if there is someone close to you. You may

want to call around and talk to them first, but many women have

ended up traveling to a good surgeon for proper explant. This is

something that you want to have done RIGHT the first time. It is

worth the extra effort to find the right surgeon.

Let us know if you have more questions.

Take care,

Patty

--- In , " loriwaldo " <loriwaldo@y...>

wrote:

>

> I have had these implants for ten years and the right one ruptured

> 10 years exactly to the date of implant. I did not have any

problems

> for ten years. (So I thought). Then, 4 days ago my left implant

> ruptured, one day before my consultation with my new surgeon. Now

I

> have pain in my left breast and am worried about possible

infection.

> I am going to have a full blood screening tomorrow. I was told by

my

> surgeon that it is very rare for both implants to have burst. This

> tells me that the product that I put into my body is defective.

Now

> I will need to pay for expensive surgery to have these possibly

> toxic implants inside of me removed. My doctor DID NOT explain any

> of this to me, and after researching on my own, I sadly realize

that

> the implants have made me sick for ten years. My symptoms include:

> abnormal fatigue

> pain, muscular or joint

> extreme morning stiffness

> digestive problems

> sleep disorder

> numbness and tingling in arms

> sharp shooting pains in the chest and eyes

> musculare weakness

> difficulty concentrating

> and memory loss

> I want these out of my body as soon as I can. The problem is that

> insurance will not cover this, and I could be cancelled from my

> insurance policy!! I would love to sue MENTOR and have them pay

for

> my surgery, is this possible. Can anyone guide me to the right

> person?

>

[Guest guest]

Lori,

Welcome to the group. Your symptoms make you one of

us! I'm sorry to know another woman has fallen victim

to these criminals!

Plastic surgeons will tell you anything that makes

implants look less dangerous than they really are! . .

.. Take anything most of them say with a grain of salt.

Do I sound disgusted with them?

Silicone starts breaking down as soon as it's made. .

.. I had a pair of silicone soled shoes that I hadn't

worn in years . . . The silicone soles had degraded to

the point that, when I stepped on a tile floor, the

sole stuck so hard I couldn't lift my foot without

tearing it away from the bottom of the shoe! I had to

scrape and use solvent to get it off the floor.

If I remember right . . . breast implants have a

five-year shelf life (assuming they haven't been

implanted)

Insane isn't it?

Stick around . . . we have a group of wonderful women

who want to share what has helped them get their lives

back!

Hugs and prayers,

Rogene

--- loriwaldo <loriwaldo@...> wrote:

> I have had these implants for ten years and the

> right one ruptured

> 10 years exactly to the date of implant. I did not

> have any problems

> for ten years. (So I thought). Then, 4 days ago my

> left implant

> ruptured, one day before my consultation with my new

> surgeon. Now I

> have pain in my left breast and am worried about

> possible infection.

> I am going to have a full blood screening tomorrow.

> I was told by my

> surgeon that it is very rare for both implants to

> have burst. This

> tells me that the product that I put into my body is

> defective. Now

> I will need to pay for expensive surgery to have

> these possibly

> toxic implants inside of me removed. My doctor DID

> NOT explain any

> of this to me, and after researching on my own, I

> sadly realize that

> the implants have made me sick for ten years. My

> symptoms include:

> abnormal fatigue

> pain, muscular or joint

> extreme morning stiffness

> digestive problems

> sleep disorder

> numbness and tingling in arms

> sharp shooting pains in the chest and eyes

> musculare weakness

> difficulty concentrating

> and memory loss

> I want these out of my body as soon as I can. The

> problem is that

> insurance will not cover this, and I could be

> cancelled from my

> insurance policy!! I would love to sue MENTOR and

> have them pay for

> my surgery, is this possible. Can anyone guide me to

> the right

> person?

>

>

>

>