new member. Where do I start?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I don't know where to start and feel nervous posting. I got my

implants about 2 and half years ago. After having my children by

breasts were deformed looking. If my plastic surgeon really cared ,

I feel he would have explained Mastopexy options instead of promoting

the saline implants. But I already know the doctors dont care now.

Well, I don't have the money to get them out . Where do I go and what

do I do? Its at least $5-6,000 for an explant. To get a mastopexy

with it will be around the 10,000 mark. I have been so depressed and

its getting worse as the months go by.

I go to my gynocologist on the 26th this month. There is an area

under my armpit on the outer/upper portion of one breast that gets

swollen and tender each month, when I have PMS.. Like its displaced

breast tissue that is reacting to my hormonal changes or something.

Anyway , I am worried. tired and my heart is sick. miserable and my

poor family suffers because of my state of mind.

All the information here is wonderful , at the same time, painful. I

already know they're bad, I already know I want them out. I read all

the medical reports and die inside because I dont have the money to

get them out . So I sit here and have increased anxiety . Part of me

wishes all those reports and forwards were separate from

the " support " area. I need support , not to be scared everytime I

read an email . I already know the bad and reading more of the bad

just increased my depression and fear. I hope that makes sense.

Maybe after I can get these explanted I will be okay reading all the

reports , until then .. I can't take it.

Roma

[Guest guest]

Hi Roma,

First of all, let me say welcome and that I can completely identify with all

of the things you are writing--the pain, the depression and the whole

nightmare of this experience, especially where the family and children are

concerned. None of this is fair.

I am also so very sorry that you are finding it not supportive enough...I

know how frightening it is to read all of the information that is posted,

when it points to the things implants can do, are doing to women, and that

there just aren't that many answers.....that was the very BIGGEST

disappointment I had when I found the implant support groups.

At first I was like, YEAH!!!! Others have been through this, and they can

help me! I am going to get better and they are going to tell me how!!!!

And then I found out that nobody knew how to get better, only had

suggestions, and the most important one was to get the implants out. There

was all this suffering and confusion, and the doctors were not helping.

The women seemed to be like survivors of a shipwreck, tossed about in a tiny

little boat in a big churning sea, lost, but paddling for all their worth to

find some kind of island of salvation. Some were lost, and they died--but

there is a mighty group of women out there who are not giving up and we are

not giving in to the lies that are being spread.

I do hope to be more supportive to you, and the best thing I can think to do

is to tell you that after 3 years, I am finally feeling almost 100% back to

normal. In my own search, I sought and found women who were getting better,

and tried to maintain some contact, so I could have hope. Many times, I

found that they were getting better, only to fall back into worse symptoms

for a time. That happened to me. It is like two steps forward, one step

back, sometimes one step forward, three steps back, and it just goes

on.....the hardest part of the whole healing process is to be patient and

hopeful. Never give up hope that you are going to get better with the

therapies you are using--(!......)

You have to be willing to try new ones, and to give your body a chance to

return to its normal state by not screwing with it too much. That means

getting rid of all the junk, the processed foods, chemicals in cosmetics,

the pesticides and crap that you are exposed to, and seeking a more natural

way of life. Getting back to raw foods, fruits and veggies, and paying

attention to what allergies might have developed. (For me it was chocolate,

corn and Brewer's yeast).

Depression is an awful thing, but I went through it for a very long time. I

was suicidal. I thought it would be much better to be dead than to live the

way I was. But I kept my faith (I knew God didn't want me dead yet, or He

would have taken me), and you know what? The depression just went away. As

I healed, and ate good foods, and cleared my body with fasting and detoxing,

the depression left and did not come back. In my own mind, I believe that

depression is a chemical imbalance, and you betcha that implants and drugs

and surgery cause a chemical imbalance! I think the depression is very

definitely also from our dissatisfaction from our figures, after all the

hoopla about how wonderful implants are and how they change our life, and we

don't want to go back to the way we were. I did go through that. But I

cannot explain why that all went away the way it did, because it seemed like

one day, the black clouds just lifted, and I was not depressed any more.

I am still dissatisfied with my breasts, to be sure, but I don't focus on

them anymore. I focus on the inside of me. I have found a way to deal with

my figure that leaves me unconcerned about it anymore--I wear the clothes

that I want and have confidence in myself. (OK, swimsuits are still

unchartered territory.)

I hope that this little bit of sharing from me will help. I wish I had time

to write more right now, but I am on my way to church....I will keep sharing

my feelings.

One thing I wanted to share....I have been feeling great! I mean absolutely

back to normal, 100% A-OK Patty! Then, yesterday, one of my girlfriends and

I decided to meet for breakfast, and she picked Starbucks....ohhh, I decided

to give in and try a little fancy cup of coffee and donut. Well, that was a

mistake, and I guess I kind of wanted to see what it would do to me, and I

am regretting it now. I was spacey all yesterday, and this morning I have a

horrible headache, and feel a little burning in the urethra area. I learned

a valuable lesson. If you are feeling good, DON'T CHEAT!

Today I will be fasting again.

Everyone, take care,

Love,

Patty

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

From: RMA <rommie31@...>

< egroups>

Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2001 7:23 AM

Subject: new member. Where do I start?

> Hi ,

>

> I don't know where to start and feel nervous posting. I got my

> implants about 2 and half years ago. After having my children by

> breasts were deformed looking. If my plastic surgeon really cared ,

> I feel he would have explained Mastopexy options instead of promoting

> the saline implants. But I already know the doctors dont care now.

>

> Well, I don't have the money to get them out . Where do I go and what

> do I do? Its at least $5-6,000 for an explant. To get a mastopexy

> with it will be around the 10,000 mark. I have been so depressed and

> its getting worse as the months go by.

>

> I go to my gynocologist on the 26th this month. There is an area

> under my armpit on the outer/upper portion of one breast that gets

> swollen and tender each month, when I have PMS.. Like its displaced

> breast tissue that is reacting to my hormonal changes or something.

> Anyway , I am worried. tired and my heart is sick. miserable and my

> poor family suffers because of my state of mind.

>

> All the information here is wonderful , at the same time, painful. I

> already know they're bad, I already know I want them out. I read all

> the medical reports and die inside because I dont have the money to

> get them out . So I sit here and have increased anxiety . Part of me

> wishes all those reports and forwards were separate from

> the " support " area. I need support , not to be scared everytime I

> read an email . I already know the bad and reading more of the bad

> just increased my depression and fear. I hope that makes sense.

> Maybe after I can get these explanted I will be okay reading all the

> reports , until then .. I can't take it.

> Roma

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Roma,

I can totally relate to all the things you mentioned. Feeling your

breasts are deformed, getting implants because of that, thats what

happened with me too. I felt I had no other chioce, my breasts were

so awful and ugly and saggy and I felt really bad about it, I was

only 34 years old, I couldn't even enjoy sex anymore without feeling

ugly and self consious. Implants were the only solution. Then when I

started getting sick, I didn't want to believe it could be the

implants, I wanted to listen to these Dr's telling me it was anything

but the implants, but when they couldn't find anything wrong with me

I began to feel like I had no other choice and had to get them out. I

too hated all the posts that weren't support but rather more

depressing information that just upset me. I wanted to hear that

people had gotten better, but I never really found too many either. I

made up my mind that I had to try to get better and at least then I

would know I had done all I could, so I borrowed the money from my

parents and just decided to get them out. Well, I am only 5 weeks

post op and I still have all my symptoms, but I just don't think they

are going to go away overnight. I can see some things are a little

better, but I am so depressed over the way I feel about myself now,

and that is hard to live with too. I am hoping when my scars fade and

once my health improves I will overcome these feelings. For now I am

really trying hard to just hang in there.I wish I could say it is an

easy road, but there is no easy choice here, you can try to live with

the implants as I did for a year and a half, or you can choose to try

to regain your health as I have. Money is a big issue, but if you

have family or credit cards or something you can use these options,

that is what I finally did. It is very expensive to get these things

taken out, and the cost to us emotionally is far bigger than anything

else. I wish I had never gone throught this, but I have to believe

there is a reason for everything that happens and that I will get

better. Yes, I miss my implants. I won't lie, but they were killing

me, and my health is much more important than my breasts. hang in

there and keep us informed of how your doing.

In egroups, " Patty " <faussettdp@m...> wrote:

> Hi Roma,

> First of all, let me say welcome and that I can completely identify

with all

> of the things you are writing--the pain, the depression and the

whole

> nightmare of this experience, especially where the family and

children are

> concerned. None of this is fair.

>

> I am also so very sorry that you are finding it not supportive

enough...I

> know how frightening it is to read all of the information that is

posted,

> when it points to the things implants can do, are doing to women,

and that

> there just aren't that many answers.....that was the very BIGGEST

> disappointment I had when I found the implant support groups.

>

> At first I was like, YEAH!!!! Others have been through this, and

they can

> help me! I am going to get better and they are going to tell me

how!!!!

> And then I found out that nobody knew how to get better, only had

> suggestions, and the most important one was to get the implants

out. There

> was all this suffering and confusion, and the doctors were not

helping.

> The women seemed to be like survivors of a shipwreck, tossed about

in a tiny

> little boat in a big churning sea, lost, but paddling for all their

worth to

> find some kind of island of salvation. Some were lost, and they

died--but

> there is a mighty group of women out there who are not giving up

and we are

> not giving in to the lies that are being spread.

>

> I do hope to be more supportive to you, and the best thing I can

think to do

> is to tell you that after 3 years, I am finally feeling almost 100%

back to

> normal. In my own search, I sought and found women who were

getting better,

> and tried to maintain some contact, so I could have hope. Many

times, I

> found that they were getting better, only to fall back into worse

symptoms

> for a time. That happened to me. It is like two steps forward, one

step

> back, sometimes one step forward, three steps back, and it just goes

> on.....the hardest part of the whole healing process is to be

patient and

> hopeful. Never give up hope that you are going to get better with

the

> therapies you are using--(!......)

>

> You have to be willing to try new ones, and to give your body a

chance to

> return to its normal state by not screwing with it too much. That

means

> getting rid of all the junk, the processed foods, chemicals in

cosmetics,

> the pesticides and crap that you are exposed to, and seeking a more

natural

> way of life. Getting back to raw foods, fruits and veggies, and

paying

> attention to what allergies might have developed. (For me it was

chocolate,

> corn and Brewer's yeast).

>

> Depression is an awful thing, but I went through it for a very long

time. I

> was suicidal. I thought it would be much better to be dead than to

live the

> way I was. But I kept my faith (I knew God didn't want me dead

yet, or He

> would have taken me), and you know what? The depression just went

away. As

> I healed, and ate good foods, and cleared my body with fasting and

detoxing,

> the depression left and did not come back. In my own mind, I

believe that

> depression is a chemical imbalance, and you betcha that implants

and drugs

> and surgery cause a chemical imbalance! I think the depression is

very

> definitely also from our dissatisfaction from our figures, after

all the

> hoopla about how wonderful implants are and how they change our

life, and we

> don't want to go back to the way we were. I did go through that.

But I

> cannot explain why that all went away the way it did, because it

seemed like

> one day, the black clouds just lifted, and I was not depressed any

more.

>

> I am still dissatisfied with my breasts, to be sure, but I don't

focus on

> them anymore. I focus on the inside of me. I have found a way to

deal with

> my figure that leaves me unconcerned about it anymore--I wear the

clothes

> that I want and have confidence in myself. (OK, swimsuits are still

> unchartered territory.)

>

> I hope that this little bit of sharing from me will help. I wish I

had time

> to write more right now, but I am on my way to church....I will

keep sharing

> my feelings.

>

> One thing I wanted to share....I have been feeling great! I mean

absolutely

> back to normal, 100% A-OK Patty! Then, yesterday, one of my

girlfriends and

> I decided to meet for breakfast, and she picked Starbucks....ohhh,

I decided

> to give in and try a little fancy cup of coffee and donut. Well,

that was a

> mistake, and I guess I kind of wanted to see what it would do to

me, and I

> am regretting it now. I was spacey all yesterday, and this morning

I have a

> horrible headache, and feel a little burning in the urethra area.

I learned

> a valuable lesson. If you are feeling good, DON'T CHEAT!

>

> Today I will be fasting again.

> Everyone, take care,

> Love,

> Patty

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: RMA <rommie31@a...>

> < egroups>

> Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2001 7:23 AM

> Subject: new member. Where do I start?

>

>

> > Hi ,

> >

> > I don't know where to start and feel nervous posting. I got my

> > implants about 2 and half years ago. After having my children by

> > breasts were deformed looking. If my plastic surgeon really

cared ,

> > I feel he would have explained Mastopexy options instead of

promoting

> > the saline implants. But I already know the doctors dont care

now.

> >

> > Well, I don't have the money to get them out . Where do I go and

what

> > do I do? Its at least $5-6,000 for an explant. To get a mastopexy

> > with it will be around the 10,000 mark. I have been so depressed

and

> > its getting worse as the months go by.

> >

> > I go to my gynocologist on the 26th this month. There is an area

> > under my armpit on the outer/upper portion of one breast that gets

> > swollen and tender each month, when I have PMS.. Like its

displaced

> > breast tissue that is reacting to my hormonal changes or

something.

> > Anyway , I am worried. tired and my heart is sick. miserable and

my

> > poor family suffers because of my state of mind.

> >

> > All the information here is wonderful , at the same time,

painful. I

> > already know they're bad, I already know I want them out. I read

all

> > the medical reports and die inside because I dont have the money

to

> > get them out . So I sit here and have increased anxiety . Part of

me

> > wishes all those reports and forwards were separate from

> > the " support " area. I need support , not to be scared everytime I

> > read an email . I already know the bad and reading more of the

bad

> > just increased my depression and fear. I hope that makes sense.

> > Maybe after I can get these explanted I will be okay reading all

the

> > reports , until then .. I can't take it.

> > Roma

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Patty,

I am so glad to hear your are feeling peachy these days! Wonderful

And .. Thank you for sharing with me.

I am trying to think of ways to get the money up for the explant.

Our financial situation is not too good. I have little in savings

and could not bear to use any of that for myself when it could put

everything at risk of loss for my kids. ( ie:car, house) One major

catastophy with the house or car could wipe me out. There is no way

I can save that much money -- it will take me a couple years at least

and I dont feel I have that long to wait.

My body and brain feel toxic. It seems my memory is getting worse all

the time, scatter brained as can be. I was never that way before.

Could it be the depression ?

I do need to follow your lead with the natural living concept. The

whole environment is nasty nowadays. I know I eat too many processed

foods, but i have all my life bad, i know .. My training is as a

Neuromuscular therapist. I was licensed for 4 years and had a

wonderful business. When I got pregnant with my last child in 1996,

I quit and let my licensing go -- I got the implants in 1998 . I've

been a stay at home mom since then. Within 6 months I felt a change

in myself for the worse. Even the week after I had surgery I new I

had made a mistake. Your inner voice never lies, does it?

How I wish there was a training hospital with resident surgeons that

would do the explant for minimum cost. I'd be their guinny pig

gladly , anything is better than living with these in my body .

hugs, Roma

[Guest guest]

,

I am so glad to hear I am not alone about the body image thing. Gosh,

I just wish I would have realized I didnt want to be saggy and not

bigger , as I was natuarally before children. I could have had the

mastopexy for the 5-6,000 that I spent on the augmentation. Small

bust would have been fine, I just didnt like how deformed I was. I

realize now that i will have that worse than before when i am

explanted.

Unfortuanately, I dont have any family. My mom & dad are deceased many

years now. I am 37. If my credit cards get any higher I will go

bankrupt, and I cant do that to my little kids. We're hanging by a

thread. It wasnt that way a few years ago . My how it can change.

I appreciate you sharing with me. It helps so much . Will keep you

posted on how things go.

I am so glad to hear you are post -op ! Just the relief from mental

anguish must be wonderful . I know you're going to get better 100%

-- Hang in there !!

Blessings , R

[Guest guest]

Hi Roma,

I want to address the money situation with explant, if I can. I know this

is one of the hardest obstacles to overcome in the healing process, because

if the money isn't there, it becomes a trap and you feel hopeless. You need

to have hope.

I am not well versed in insurance matters, but I know Martha on this list

is.....she had a career in insurance, and maybe she can offer some hope. She

is Director of the National Silicone Implant Foundation.

Do you have any insurance?

Most insurances won't cover it, but you have to try to cover all your

angles. I did not think that my insurance would cover it, but I had a

wonderful plastic surgeon in Mesa, Arizona who wrote the insurance request

letter in such a way that it was not revealed 1) when I got my implants and

2) that they were saline filled. They didn't ask, either. It was also

noted that I had Baker IV contractures (very hard capsules), which I don't

know if that was true or not, but those facts got my insurance approval in a

matter of about two weeks. I felt God was watching over me!

Another option for you may be to set up a payment schedule if you can find a

very understanding explant surgeon. I know that there are some out there

who are very tough when it comes to the money part, but I do think that

there are some that we have worked with who try to help when a woman is in

dire need.

I am not sure where you are, but I will send you in a private post a list of

the recommended plastic surgeons that I have. You may want to check out

this list to find one in your area, and explain your situation and see if

you can work something out.

This is just absolutely criminal that this is happening, and I hear it over

and over again. Plastic surgeons today should make sure they discuss what

patients will do financially if they have to get the implants out. Everyone

is always so giddy about getting them, and I blame the doctors who put them

in for not bringing up this very important point.

I hope we can come up with some more suggestions for you, Roma, and please

keep writing to us. For now, the best thing you can do for yourself is to

take care of your body with proper internal cleansing and eating good foods.

Check out Dr. Kolb's silicone treatment protocol on www.plastikos.com

for a starting point. Start calling around and see if there is anyone who is

willing to work out payment arrangements, but who will do the explant

correctly. I'll send you the list.

Patty

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

From: RMA <rommie31@...>

< egroups>

Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2001 11:00 AM

Subject: Re: new member. Where do I start?

> ,

>

> I am so glad to hear I am not alone about the body image thing. Gosh,

> I just wish I would have realized I didnt want to be saggy and not

> bigger , as I was natuarally before children. I could have had the

> mastopexy for the 5-6,000 that I spent on the augmentation. Small

> bust would have been fine, I just didnt like how deformed I was. I

> realize now that i will have that worse than before when i am

> explanted.

>

> Unfortuanately, I dont have any family. My mom & dad are deceased many

> years now. I am 37. If my credit cards get any higher I will go

> bankrupt, and I cant do that to my little kids. We're hanging by a

> thread. It wasnt that way a few years ago . My how it can change.

> I appreciate you sharing with me. It helps so much . Will keep you

> posted on how things go.

>

> I am so glad to hear you are post -op ! Just the relief from mental

> anguish must be wonderful . I know you're going to get better 100%

> -- Hang in there !!

> Blessings , R

>

>

>