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 香蕉视频直播渢errifying香蕉视频直播� experience that led up to her procedure.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 an epidemic right now, it香蕉视频直播檚 so bad,香蕉视频直播� Shannon Sayers said of breast-implant illness.
香蕉视频直播淚 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.香蕉视频直播�
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Breast cancer, she noted, was 香蕉视频直播渁 piece of cake,香蕉视频直播� by comparison.
Sayers shared her story with Peace Arch News last week, on the same day that plans to suspend breast-implant manufacturer Allergan香蕉视频直播檚 licences for Biocell implants, a move intended 香蕉视频直播渢o protect Canadian patients from the rare but serious risk香蕉视频直播� of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
Sayers said she doesn香蕉视频直播檛 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.
香蕉视频直播淎ccept your bodies the way they are,香蕉视频直播� Sayers said. 香蕉视频直播淲hy would you risk you life over this?香蕉视频直播�
Sayers, 49, had her first set of implants 香蕉视频直播� the saline variety 香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渓ike an octopus香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渢hree or four香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播� which her mother and grandmother also had 香蕉视频直播� was not rooted in genetics, she said.
香蕉视频直播淢ine was called environmental,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 would never have thought I would香蕉视频直播檝e got cancer from implants.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播� and unbeknownst to her, an implant capsule was ruptured by the resulting pressure from her seatbelt 香蕉视频直播� the severity of her symptoms worsened. Sayers described the months that followed as a 香蕉视频直播渘ightmare,香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淭hey all looked at me like I was crazy,香蕉视频直播� Sayers said of the majority of medical personnel she saw when seeking help.
香蕉视频直播淵ou feel like you香蕉视频直播檙e going crazy.香蕉视频直播�
Desperate to find an experienced surgeon to remove her implants, including the capsules, Sayers remembers she was on the brink of losing all hope 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淚 was going to die,香蕉视频直播� she said, 香蕉视频直播渕y body was so bad香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� when something told her to Google 香蕉视频直播楤everly Hills.香蕉视频直播�
After connecting with a surgeon there who specialized in explants, Sayers flew to California and had the US $18,000 surgery on April 25.
香蕉视频直播淲hen I woke up, all I remember, I had tears coming down my face: 香蕉视频直播業香蕉视频直播檓 going to be OK,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 she said.
Sayers learned soon after that a MRSA-type infection, propionibacterium, had been behind many of her symptoms, 香蕉视频直播渂urning (her) from the inside.香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渁bout 90 per cent香蕉视频直播� recovered 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淟ast year at this time, I was about 12 lbs lighter, my hair was falling out, I had skin falling off my freaking body,香蕉视频直播� 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 she香蕉视频直播檚 found keeps her symptoms at bay.
香蕉视频直播淥ne day at a time for me,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭oday香蕉视频直播檚 a pretty good day.香蕉视频直播�
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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