Breast Implant Illness: A Patient Story About Getting Her Life Back

A 49 year-old woman from North West Georgia gets her life back after breast implant removal surgery performed by Dr. Rudderman, here is her story.

Surgery Date: 6/9/2022

I got my saline implants in 2009, Mentor brand, smooth style, placed under the muscle.

I started having health problems about 8 years or so ago. The last two years have been the worse, and last year has been almost debilitating at times. I have been to many doctors, many procedures, many scans, and a ton of blood work over the years. In the past year alone, I have been to 4 different PCP’s. No one could tell me what was wrong with me.

A friend of mine knew what I was going through, and she asked me if I thought that it could be my implants. It was like a light went off in my head! I couldn’t believe it! That was the one thing that had never crossed my mind. She added me to some Facebook BII (Breast Implant Illness) group pages. That was last year in 2021, and I have been researching ever since. I had probably 90% of the BII symptoms on the list.

After researching and reading women’s stories on the BII Facebook group pages I knew I had BII because of the following symptoms I experienced:

• My looks had changed a lot, you could see it in my face, I was looking older and haggard. My eyes looked dead, and I had sensitivity to light and sound.
• My joints and muscles were bad. I had muscle twitching & muscle spasms. I also had chronic back and shoulder pain. I also experienced numbness and tingling throughout my torso.
• I had gain weight that I couldn’t get off. I had digestions problems, GI problems, IBS problems, & throat problems. I also had libido problems & frequent urination.
• My memory and all cognitive stuff had been affected, I experienced brain fog. I also had chronic fatigue from the time I woke up.
• I also experienced heat and cold sensitivity, shortness of breath, and the overall feeling like I was literally dying, along with many other symptoms.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was that I started having problems walking. My feet hurt so bad, and I started having hip pain to the point of not being able to sleep well or get out of the bed. I was once an active person, a hunter and fisher that loved the outdoors, go hiking and do sports. But by then I didn’t feel like doing anything.

I finally went for consult with Dr. Rudderman on 5/9 this year and scheduled an explant surgery for 6/9. Here I am today still recovering from the toxins/symptoms but feeling so much better!

After Breast Implant Removal Surgery

Since the explant, within hours, my eyes looked clearer, the whites whiter, and my complexion brighter, like I was alive! The inflammation has been decreasing from my face, and my jaw line looks better. My skin is feeling smoother and not bumpy like it was in places.

Also, since the explant, I have not had one issue with hip pain. I don’t have trouble walking anymore. I still have back pain but a lot better than it was, especially when I use to hurt straight through from my breast to my back. I can take a deep breath now and I don’t feel like I am dying.

My gut and bowel problems have improved tremendously. My swallowing has also gotten better. I feel more alive and have more energy. My depression and anxiety have vastly improved. And keep in mind I am only 4 weeks out! I am excited to see more improvements the weeks and months to come.

For those contemplating this, just know that this is a journey

It isn’t just as easy as getting the implants back out. It will play with your emotions. I have had mental, physical, and emotional problems since I started this journey last year. For starters, there was a reason I got the implants in the first place. I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin, I felt very self-conscious, had issues with vanity, etc.

Just know that you will probably face all these emotions as well, and you should give yourself time to go through it. And you will get through it! I can say it was easier getting them out than putting them in, pain wise. But my recovery getting them out has lasted longer because I had a full capsular capsulectomy and drains.

I was referred to Dr. Rudderman in Atlanta by a few women on the FB BII pages. I am one of the lucky ones that had a doctor within a few hours of me. From what I see and hear on the pages, not all women do.

I am thankful for Dr. Rudderman and his Patient Care Coordinator, Lauren. They gave me my life back!

I hope this helps anyone out there that thinks they may have Breast Implant Illness.