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 B次元官网网址渢errifyingB次元官网网址� experience that led up to her procedure.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an epidemic right now, itB次元官网网址檚 so bad,B次元官网网址� Shannon Sayers said of breast-implant illness.
B次元官网网址淚 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.B次元官网网址�
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Breast cancer, she noted, was B次元官网网址渁 piece of cake,B次元官网网址� by comparison.
Sayers shared her story with Peace Arch B次元官网网址 last week, on the same day that plans to suspend breast-implant manufacturer AllerganB次元官网网址檚 licences for Biocell implants, a move intended B次元官网网址渢o protect Canadian patients from the rare but serious riskB次元官网网址� of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
Sayers said she doesnB次元官网网址檛 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.
B次元官网网址淎ccept your bodies the way they are,B次元官网网址� Sayers said. B次元官网网址淲hy would you risk you life over this?B次元官网网址�
Sayers, 49, had her first set of implants B次元官网网址� the saline variety B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渓ike an octopusB次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渢hree or fourB次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址� which her mother and grandmother also had B次元官网网址� was not rooted in genetics, she said.
B次元官网网址淢ine was called environmental,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 would never have thought I wouldB次元官网网址檝e got cancer from implants.B次元官网网址�
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 B次元官网网址� and unbeknownst to her, an implant capsule was ruptured by the resulting pressure from her seatbelt B次元官网网址� the severity of her symptoms worsened. Sayers described the months that followed as a B次元官网网址渘ightmare,B次元官网网址� 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.
B次元官网网址淭hey all looked at me like I was crazy,B次元官网网址� Sayers said of the majority of medical personnel she saw when seeking help.
B次元官网网址淵ou feel like youB次元官网网址檙e going crazy.B次元官网网址�
Desperate to find an experienced surgeon to remove her implants, including the capsules, Sayers remembers she was on the brink of losing all hope B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淚 was going to die,B次元官网网址� she said, B次元官网网址渕y body was so badB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� when something told her to Google B次元官网网址楤everly Hills.B次元官网网址�
After connecting with a surgeon there who specialized in explants, Sayers flew to California and had the US $18,000 surgery on April 25.
B次元官网网址淲hen I woke up, all I remember, I had tears coming down my face: B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 going to be OK,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said.
Sayers learned soon after that a MRSA-type infection, propionibacterium, had been behind many of her symptoms, B次元官网网址渂urning (her) from the inside.B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渁bout 90 per centB次元官网网址� recovered B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淟ast year at this time, I was about 12 lbs lighter, my hair was falling out, I had skin falling off my freaking body,B次元官网网址� 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 sheB次元官网网址檚 found keeps her symptoms at bay.
B次元官网网址淥ne day at a time for me,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭odayB次元官网网址檚 a pretty good day.B次元官网网址�
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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