A "UK" STORY by Kathy I am sitting at my pc and it is the 11th day since my explant. I would very much like to talk about my journey to get here. In the mid '80's, I lived in France and was married to a Frenchman. My breasts had always been saggy and droopy and I had always been ashamed of them. My husband was quite vocal in not liking their shape, and after awhile (and not having much self esteem at the time) I decided to have surgery. I was in my mid 20's and found a surgeon who suggested implants and a lift. He placed them under the muscle. I had a full mastopexy, with incisions along the crease, vertically, and around the nipples, which they moved up quite a ways. Kathy with Implants - Front View Kathy with Implants, side view I was delighted with my "new" breasts, I thought that the implants weren't too big for my size, and I felt so confident. I had some scarring, but my shape was fine (back then). Over the years, age and gravity took their toll and other things started to happen. These things I had never associated with my implants, and it is only from hearing other women's experiences that I have realized the connection. I started to have a nearly constant tingling in my feet, leading me to seek medical help and to see the doctor in case I had MS. Another thing I hadn't realized could be associated with implants, was tooth decay along the gum line. Lastly, I have had cold feet and legs for years and years, and now wonder if that is not another symptom associated with the implants. Appearance wise, my breasts had developed a large area of white scar tissue from where the breasts had stretched around the nipple. I have never had elastic skin and the scar tissue just stretched. I suppose that for at least the last 12 years, I have been worried about the implants. I was vaguely aware of the controversy about implants in the 90's but it is one of those things that I consciously chose to ignore. I stuck my head in the sand and just hoped for the best. I knew deep inside that sooner or later something would have to be done, but clung desperately to my denial. About 6 years ago, I plucked up the courage to go to my doctor and asked to have them checked. I was sent to the hospital for an ultrasound and a check up. In the UK, we have a National Health Service, which is free, but there are long waiting times and you cannot choose which doctor you see. So I saw the consultant at a local hospital and was told they were fine, or at least had no gross ruptures. Back Into Denial In November 2002, I got up to go the toilet one night and walked into the door. I knew immediately that there was something wrong with my implant. I felt a burning and a pain in my breast and the next day there were lumpy grainy areas. I went to my doctor who sent a letter to the hospital to ask for me to be put on the waiting list. I felt so trapped; I didn't know how easy or how hard it would be to get them removed. I was horrified at the idea of having just folds of skin left, and most of all, the idea of the silicone spreading around my body scared me. Finally, I decided to go to a plastic surgeon and have a private consultation. He didn't seem too bothered and sent me back to the hospital to make sure the swelling in my breast from the rupture wasn't cancer. I had an appointment in December and an ultrasound, I saw the silicone on the ultrasound and cysts associated with it. The ultrasound technician seemed to think it was ok just to leave the implants in place. She told me I didn't need to get them taken out. I cringe when I realize that this is probably standard advice. The hospital breast surgeon also told me I could leave the implants in, that silicone is inert. I told him I would like them taken out and he put me on his waiting list (one year). I went away and thought and thought and was so unsure what to do. I was getting ill. I was aching all over, and my neck and arm felt like they were vibrating and I could feel a throbbing and local congestion in my breast. I was tempted to go back into my denial and let what the surgeon said reassure me. But it didn't work anymore. I had started looking on the Internet, found sites that were horrific, and that I shied away from. Other sites were reassuring about silicone, but I knew. I know my body, and I knew I had to do something to get them out. I found Explantation.Com and posted a message. I was stunned by the replies I got. I cried after reading the posts back to me. I think it was a mixture of finally finding others who understood my situation and knew what it was like. Another very very important aspect was the knowledge and experience - so important. I found another surgeon and spoke to him. I found out that he always performed capsulectomy with explant and that reassured me. I was encouraged by this site and spoke to him about removing my implants "en bloc". He said he would do this as best he could with both of them. I also told him how important it was for me to have all of the silicone out of the surrounding tissues. I very much liked him and felt comfortable with his manner and knowledge. As far as I could find out, there are no doctors specializing in explant and silicone removal here in the UK, and the women on the site told me how lucky I was to have found a plastic surgeon who routinely does capsulectomy and who is honest about outcomes. My doctor explained that because I had already had a full mastopexy, which had stretched and scarred me badly, there was a higher than average risk of necrosis. My surgery was booked soon, and I didn't have long to wait at all. I cannot begin to say how much this site helped me in those days. Practical advice, warmth, and hope, were all there and I felt sure that this was what I needed and wanted to do. I went into surgery as a day case and after the procedure woke up with drains and was very sore and swollen. The anaesthetist told me that they also inject local anaesthetic into the breasts, on top of the general, and that this wears off after. I was given three kinds of pain medication. Two strong opiate based and one non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. The drains were taken out after 5 days and I was more comfortable. I had tapes, which irritated my skin like hell, as you can see from my post explant pictures, and I wore a bra over the top. Kathy with bandages and drains after explantation On the 11th day (today) I went and had the tapes off and was so happy to find that I have some breast tissue left. I had another full mastopexy, and it seems to have come out ok. I was very much more bothered about the silicone than the aesthetic side of things, so it is a bonus to have perkier breasts. After looking at some of the horrific post explant pics on the FDA site, I must admit, I was quite worried. I also spoke to my plastic surgeon today and asked him about what he found. He said my breast had had lots of silicone outside the capsule and that he had removed everything he could see. I started to worry and to think that I should have had an ultrasound and fly to the States and see an explant specialist, but I feel better physically and lighter, I am hoping it is mostly gone. He also said that I would have silicone in my lymph glands, because the function of the lymphatic system is to drain away foreign matter, but they have not been removed. There is a part of me that would like every last atom of silicone gone, but I will try to trust that it will be ok, and that the vast majority, plus the constant gel bleeding from my implants, has gone. My aching has disappeared, although I still have the tingling in my feet and a bit in my arm. All in all, I am very very happy to be free of my implants. I am happy with how my plastic surgeon has made my breasts look, even though they are bruised and red now. This site has helped me to no end. Kathy developed a skin rash from the tape and bandages, but it is evident that she has a very good asthetic result after explantation. I will update my story with pictures of my breasts when they are a bit more healed. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy this new found freedom and this new found group of friends. Kathy UK January 2003