Lupus-wanting Breast Implants

Hopefully,youve seen a reputable plastic surgeon and he was honest with you.It would be a great risk for you to have implants-immune suppressed illnesses do not like foriegn objects.I too always wanted implants and now that I have seen several friends with them and the problems they have had-i do not want them.Yeah,it would be nice to be able to wear certian things that would look silly on my current body,but-i have learned to love my "little girls".I am 40 and can go braless if I want to-not many ladies my age can and stiil look okay.There are benifits-mammograms are much easier for the small breasted,no sag,less back pain.....So-count your blessings-not your cup size!!!

All I can say is don't do it. I have been battling lupus for 16 years. I started getting sick when I was 35 with the usual joint pain and minor things that go along with it. I had saline implants and after about 4 years, I became extremely sick with inflammation of my brain and spinal cord. I had to go through chemo for 6 months which caused premature menopause. Now I have to deal with all of the problems that menopause brings on, only a lot worse because of the chemo. This is only a fraction of what those implants did to me. By the way, my doctor told me to have them removed. When they were removed, the surgeon reported that the tissues around the implants were all infected and inflamed. That was 9 years ago and i'm still very sick because the damage was already done.

I now have epilepsy from the damage done to my brain, fatigue, severe joint pain, menopause, asthma, thyroid disease, two big ugle scars from where the implants were removed that are red and sore all of the time, and the list goes on. I wish I would have known what I know now. Vanity isn't worth the price of good health anyday. I have a safe full of very expensive jewelry, bmw and other flashy toys but they don't do you any good if you're in the hospital wondering whether or not you're going to make it out.

is there anyone that has had this done successfully?

I had double masectomy 6-1/2 years ago--had reconstruction (implants)--have lupus and have had no problem. Please note that I am not on medication.

Ive had implants since '03. Im worried about the possible plastics poisoning issue with them. The type of breast cancer (yes i was just diagnosed) i have is estrogen negative but progesterone positive. this means my tumor is hormone sensitive. if you can follow me on this there is a good point. there are endocrine disruptors (in plastics) that can act like they are hormones when they are not. this means, they possibly can cause cancer because of the toxicity levels of the plastics you have accumulating in your body. here is a an example of endocrine disruptors in wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_dis ruptor

so, my point is, im wondering if "psuedo" hormones i.e. the toxicity of the plastic surrounding the implant caused the level 3/3 IDC i have. please keep in mind too, regarding the patient above who had major inflammation issues, strangely enough chronic inflammation from OTHER THINGS can cause a person to get very very ill. some of these things are: slipped disks, chronic back pain, allergies to nightshade plants (these are inflammatories) and to be honest, unless you are on a PURE vegan, (anti nightshade, anti yeast) macrobiotic diet can you then really blame one thing. why do i say this? because a person has got to narrow down the possibilities. if this person got the implants out, & they werent the issue, and shes taking tons of painkillers (those are nightshade ingredients too, narcotics!) then of course her problems will get worse and or multiply. a person needs to do tons and tons of massive amounts of research to figure out systematically what it could be that is causing their issue. even trying to be "smart" and taking implants out, but constantly staying on narcotic (nightshade inflammatory) drugs might hide the true issues at hand. add to that there is evidence that some cancer (breast and more) could possibly be caused by constant candida issues (BV, yeast infections,etc), well what if she has them, doesnt know it (you can have Bacterial Vag & not know it!) and isnt stopping it? right there that is a major life issue. I have candida & i have been resolving it w/psyllium husk, caprylic acid (2000mg a day & at night) & acidophilus (when not using the pysillium husk). so, again, if the implants were her issue, you would think that would cause massive relief and healing. well, for her there wasnt. the body always is pro heal. so i personally think, she has hidden, underlying issues that are completely unrelated to her lupus of 16 yrs. as for me, im looking every minute of every day as i have the time to narrow down what is causing my cancer issue. i know i will find it, it just takes a lot of due diligence & also genetic screening helps narrow it down too.

the one part i forgot to mention also, is if you look at the lupus patient of 16 years she mentions she has thyroid disease. well, thats an endocrine problem. so right there, this person needs to research everything she has because it sounds like she is multiplying her issues innocently and not realizing it. there are natural things a person can take to alleviate chronic inflammation such as: boswelia root (great for joints also), bromelein (the pineapple extract) and very very sparingly white willow bark (aspirin made from this). if a persons problems get worse, than environmental factors including diet HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED. if they are not, be prepared to get worse. we cant act like victims about our issues and expect doctors, etc. to just get us better. never never never act like a victim. this sets off such a bad series of chemical reactions in the body, you are basically telling your body to stay sick. this can be just as bad as being sick. if you negatively project (imagine bad situations or what you could have done in a bitter way) or you role play constantly in your head, you leave no room for: thinking, healing, being who you really are, loving yourself, letting go and moving on, finding what really ails you and resolving it. these are the things a "sick" person really needs to do to get better. if a person would just look at what they have as a SYMPTOM and not a DISEASE, they would be able to look at things in a new light. yes genetics can be triggered into allowing things from the past to happen. that doesnt make us a victim. it just makes us a person who needs to cope w/it, and heal ourselves ANYWAY. i look at my cancer as a symptom, not as a disease so i can figure out where the real problems lie, & i already am making headway and progress into myself. think of yourself as a library of information. well, then that means you have a lot of work to do. you need to learn about yourself to get better. not the doctors or the medical communities. they dont have time to on a case by case basis!

I have lupus (mild) w/ almost No symptoms. I got breast implants 6 months ago and LOVE Them!! I was in the middle of my Lupus diagnosis when I got them. So far so good! Things have not gotten worse at all (some people say that getting them triggers a reaction)... But, I did research and was careful to pick the right plastic suergon.

How are you feeling now? I am in the middle of getting a diagnosis and have always wanted implants. My rheumatologist wants me to go with saline. What did you do?

That's good to hear.....a positive experience! I am looking into getting them done soon. I am off all my meds and been symptom free for over a yr. When u said you picked the right plastic surgeon...is it someone who is familiar with our disease? The consults I am going to are referrals from friends. I've researched the doctors and they have quite a bit of experience. I just want to make the right choice.

That's good to hear.....a positive experience! I am looking into getting them done soon. I am off all my meds and been symptom free for over a yr. When u said you picked the right plastic surgeon...is it someone who is familiar with our disease? The consults I am going to are referrals from friends. I've researched the doctors and they have quite a bit of experience. I just want to make the right choice.

I'm 25 days away from Having my saline implants for a year. I have had Health issues from the first month starting with Respitory Distress, Excessive hair Loss that is STILL coming out, gobs daily, I had Massive thick curly hair down to my waist that now is so dry coarse and tangly and sits @ my shoulders. between the breaking and falling out its scraggly at the bottom, see thru and my scalp is showing thru in areas especiallty the front forhead,, ( ya cant style to hide that ) I've had all the body aches pains, fagitue to the point of being up for 3 hours and Have to go back to sleep again or i feel as though i will throw up. weakness in my arms and legs and have lost my strength to pick up/carry things etc. leg cramps, absolute forgetfulness and unable to stay on task or focus, sometimes slurred speach, slow reactions and even remembering words to the point of panick and having to describe you know,,,,, the green stuff you have to mow! I have been making my DR. rounds for 8 months now, Dermatologists to figure out my hair & they say ehhh, Telogen Efflivium... I know its not... Its 9months of this daily.. My regular Dr. 1st. & she did basic blood work & said ehh your fine nothing wrong with you... Then why do I feel like a Mac truck ran me over??? Thank goodness for non referal based insurance.. I did my research & my symptoms check list & started the LONG process.. I Do now know I have "Sub clinical Hypothyroidism" Positive for the Aniti Thyroid Antibodies = Auto Immune Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism. On Meds for that Did the Gyno to test my hormones to see if @ 40 I was startinbg Menopause? nope hormones of someone in their 20's.. except for the past 2 months being on Diflucan on & off for a yeast infection that wouldnt go away, which (never had one to know what it was) I now know has been recurrent since Sept. when all the rest started too then to Asthma Allergist,, Now I have several allergies & my Asthma is staying just out of the realm of being controlled. I go through bouts of being so horse to speak its almost like laryngitis. & my abilty to swallow i've been choking on food, my mouth, & eyes have become so dry when I cry out of frustration, well no tears, & swallowing now feels like trying to swallow a cotton ball.. been to the Gastroenterologist & had the upper GI & shows inflamation.. I've been having chest pain & feeling like i'm suffocating @ times fighting for a deep breath of air.. & lastly on to the Rhumatologist on the 7th of this month.. During the last few weeks its come to me that all thats goig wrong with me has to be stemming from something & well DUH....... My Implants,,, In the first month of having them, I developed an infection with absesses the size of a pencil eraser with pus coming out at the inverted T of my lift. My implants were supposed to drop,, well they never did the way they were supposed to, I was told by my PS push on the left one daily along with my displacement movements well when I went back for a follow up in March,, He said I have a Grade 3 Bilateral capsular contraction which requires a Bilateral capsuelectomy. I've started going back to my Dr's saying that I believe all my issues are from my implants... Well as you can imagine, I've gotten the whole,, implants don't cause anything route. As well as the back away & the Pass me off to the next Doc, not wanting to be the one dealing with me. I know that I have some undeniable health issues BC I'm on multiple meds for all the different symptoms for it.. As well as I've lost 22 lbs mostly since Dec. I've gone from a size 6 to a 4 to a 2 (having to borrow my teenage daughters to small for her jeans,, which started out tight now are falling off me too )now going having to goto Good will to shop to find 0's because I can't keep paying full price for clothes i'm shringking out of...And Finally after 2 expandable file folders of research,, I've come to the conclusion I firmly Believe its Lupus that I have along with the posibility of Sjrogen's syndrome along with the autoimmune Hypothyroid, I DO Have Alot of Auto Immune Diseases in my Family and I believe that having gotten the implants has triggered Lupus to become active in me Especially because for 12 years I had on and off what I was told was Fibromyalgia,, could have been but again, now due to Surgery, implants, infections & multiple worse health issues than I ever had before. And Capsular Contracture can come from an infection and or its your bodys way of protecting you from the foreign invader and while your body is going crazy with that its going after the rest of your system.. Each day/week I never know whats going to be the newest addition to my Circus of health issues and right now the past 3 wks its been really bad.. Dog piled on.. MY Best advice in making a decision on implants ( IF you have Lupus or ANY auto immune issues) is go to the FDA web site about breast implants and read on the CTD'S Connective Tissue Diseases, as well as Mentor's (a leading implant manufacturer) They Suggest that your plastic surgeon do a CTD back ground on you & if YOU have any history/family history of it that they should tell you of the inherent risks for you on getting implants and suggest that IF YOU DO have any CTD's You Should NOT get Implants! And that your PS should give you the manufactures insert on the implants for you to read on the detailed risks of the CTD's as well as the variable Symptoms and combination of CTD's you can develop.. I DID not have this information prior to my implants and had I,,,, I WOULD ONLY Have Gotten a Lift... Believe me,, I nursed 2 children for a combined total 2 1/2 years and I years down the road, lost more tissue & got more sag, especially with the more fit I became in my running and weigh lifting,, to the point that I could not wear a swim suit or tank top with out them looking like folded skin you could see with having to lift them & attempt to manipulate & situate them in my pulling my straps to the max tight for lift bra tryig to make them look fuller and normal not like a tube sock roll in the bottom of my bra.... SOOO I wanted implants and a lift for several years I didnt even go BIG I went smaller than I was when I had my own before breast feading.. so Now to make the Decision to have them removed is extremely CRUSHING dare i even say devastating! I was self concious of my appearance before, & to finally have gotten them & to feel complete again,, now to have all these health issues, and to realize they should be taken out before things continue to get worse. As I mentioned, I had very little tissue left Had a lift (takes even more of your own tissue) and did a small C cup. Now to know I'm going to look either like a sharpay dog, or like I had a masectomy if I do another lift to mamage to salvage what I can.. I can say Ladies,,, It's NOT worth the on going health issues to deal with and another 2 bits of food for thought,, the implants have a shelf life of 8-10 years, & you will need to replace them,, so If you made it through this time without the Lupus health isses being thrown into full gear,, you may then,, and that Saline has only a supposid sterile life of 2 years after that, well its a petri dish for many nasty bacterias, molds etc that can get into your system as well as IF it were to Leak/deflate,, then that nasty contaminated fluid floods your system and already being immune comprimised, the possibility of Toxic Shock Syndrome & Antibiotics not being able to help your system fight it off as there are bacteria's in that toxic soup that can be Antibiotic resistant.. I hope that ANYONE who has ANY AI Disease's will please please,, truly weigh the pro's and con's of the decision to get implants.. If it was our loved one or our child we had to weigh the risks for, it would be a no brainer,, Use that descression for your selves too.. I wish you all the very best life and a healthy future....

I'm 25 days away from Having my saline implants for a year. I have had Health issues from the first month starting with Respitory Distress, Excessive hair Loss that is STILL coming out, gobs daily, I had Massive thick curly hair down to my waist that now is so dry coarse and tangly and sits @ my shoulders. between the breaking and falling out its scraggly at the bottom, see thru and my scalp is showing thru in areas especiallty the front forhead,, ( ya cant style to hide that # I've had all the body aches pains, fagitue to the point of being up for 3 hours and Have to go back to sleep again or i feel as though i will throw up. weakness in my arms and legs and have lost my strength to pick up/carry things etc. leg cramps, absolute forgetfulness and unable to stay on task or focus, sometimes slurred speach, slow reactions and even remembering words to the point of panick and having to describe you know,,,,, the green stuff you have to mow! I have been making my DR. rounds for 8 months now, Dermatologists to figure out my hair & they say ehhh, Telogen Efflivium... I know its not... Its 9months of this daily.. My regular Dr. 1st. & she did basic blood work & said ehh your fine nothing wrong with you... Then why do I feel like a Mac truck ran me over??? Thank goodness for non referal based insurance.. I did my research & my symptoms check list & started the LONG process.. I Do now know I have "Sub clinical Hypothyroidism" Positive for the Aniti Thyroid Antibodies = Auto Immune Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism. On Meds for that Did the Gyno to test my hormones to see if @ 40 I was startinbg Menopause? nope hormones of someone in their 20's.. except for the past 2 months being on Diflucan on & off for a yeast infection that wouldnt go away, which #never had one to know what it was# I now know has been recurrent since Sept. when all the rest started too then to Asthma Allergist,, Now I have several allergies & my Asthma is staying just out of the realm of being controlled. I go through bouts of being so horse to speak its almost like laryngitis. & my abilty to swallow i've been choking on food, my mouth, & eyes have become so dry when I cry out of frustration, well no tears, & swallowing now feels like trying to swallow a cotton ball.. been to the Gastroenterologist & had the upper GI & shows inflamation.. I've been having chest pain & feeling like i'm suffocating @ times fighting for a deep breath of air.. & lastly on to the Rhumatologist on the 7th of this month.. During the last few weeks its come to me that all thats goig wrong with me has to be stemming from something & well DUH....... My Implants,,, In the first month of having them, I developed an infection with absesses the size of a pencil eraser with pus coming out at the inverted T of my lift. My implants were supposed to drop,, well they never did the way they were supposed to, I was told by my PS push on the left one daily along with my displacement movements well when I went back for a follow up in March,, He said I have a Grade 3 Bilateral capsular contraction which requires a Bilateral capsuelectomy. I've started going back to my Dr's saying that I believe all my issues are from my implants... Well as you can imagine, I've gotten the whole,, implants don't cause anything route. As well as the back away & the Pass me off to the next Doc, not wanting to be the one dealing with me. I know that I have some undeniable health issues BC I'm on multiple meds for all the different symptoms for it.. As well as I've lost 22 lbs mostly since Dec. I've gone from a size 6 to a 4 to a 2 #having to borrow my teenage daughters to small for her jeans,, which started out tight now are falling off me too #now going having to goto Good will to shop to find 0's because I can't keep paying full price for clothes i'm shringking out of...And Finally after 2 expandable file folders of research,, I've come to the conclusion I firmly Believe its Lupus that I have along with the posibility of Sjrogen's syndrome along with the autoimmune Hypothyroid, I DO Have Alot of Auto Immune Diseases in my Family and I believe that having gotten the implants has triggered Lupus to become active in me Especially because for 12 years I had on and off what I was told was Fibromyalgia,, could have been but again, now due to Surgery, implants, infections & multiple worse health issues than I ever had before. And Capsular Contracture can come from an infection and or its your bodys way of protecting you from the foreign invader and while your body is going crazy with that its going after the rest of your system.. Each day/week I never know whats going to be the newest addition to my Circus of health issues and right now the past 3 wks its been really bad.. Dog piled on.. MY Best advice in making a decision on implants # IF you have Lupus or ANY auto immune issues# is go to the FDA web site about breast implants and read on the CTD'S Connective Tissue Diseases, as well as Mentor's #a leading implant manufacturer# They Suggest that your plastic surgeon do a CTD back ground on you & if YOU have any history/family history of it that they should tell you of the inherent risks for you on getting implants and suggest that IF YOU DO have any CTD's You Should NOT get Implants! And that your PS should give you the manufactures insert on the implants for you to read on the detailed risks of the CTD's as well as the variable Symptoms and combination of CTD's you can develop.. I DID not have this information prior to my implants and had I,,,, I WOULD ONLY Have Gotten a Lift... Believe me,, I nursed 2 children for a combined total 2 1/2 years and I years down the road, lost more tissue & got more sag, especially with the more fit I became in my running and weigh lifting,, to the point that I could not wear a swim suit or tank top with out them looking like folded skin you could see with having to lift them & attempt to manipulate & situate them in my pulling my straps to the max tight for lift bra tryig to make them look fuller and normal not like a tube sock roll in the bottom of my bra.... SOOO I wanted implants and a lift for several years I didnt even go BIG I went smaller than I was when I had my own before breast feading.. so Now to make the Decision to have them removed is extremely CRUSHING dare i even say devastating! I was self concious of my appearance before, & to finally have gotten them & to feel complete again,, now to have all these health issues, and to realize they should be taken out before things continue to get worse. As I mentioned, I had very little tissue left Had a lift #takes even more of your own tissue# and did a small C cup. Now to know I'm going to look either like a sharpay dog, or like I had a masectomy if I do another lift to mamage to salvage what I can.. I can say Ladies,,, It's NOT worth the on going health issues to deal with and another 2 bits of food for thought,, the implants have a shelf life of 8-10 years, & you will need to replace them,, so If you made it through this time without the Lupus health isses being thrown into full gear,, you may then,, and that Saline has only a supposid sterile life of 2 years after that, well its a petri dish for many nasty bacterias, molds etc that can get into your system as well as IF it were to Leak/deflate,, then that nasty contaminated fluid floods your system and already being immune comprimised, the possibility of Toxic Shock Syndrome & Antibiotics not being able to help your system fight it off as there are bacteria's in that toxic soup that can be Antibiotic resistant.. I hope that ANYONE who has ANY AI Disease's will please please,, truly weigh the pro's and con's of the decision to get implants.. If it was our loved one or our child we had to weigh the risks for, it would be a no brainer,, Use that descression for your selves too.. I wish you all the very best life and a healthy future....

Not worth it!!!! I have had saline in for a yr.. Tons of strange
Health issues.. Took them out.. Felt better...
Put silicone back in thinking maybe it was a fluke..
2 yrs later... All the same health issues.. Now have to take
Them out again.. Probably left with super saggy boobs..
It's NOT worth it & if you are already having autoimmune issues
You would be an idiot to put them in.. You'll see.. Give yourself 2-3 yrs
Then repost!

My wife has had Lupus since she was 22. She has always ate well and had plenty of excersize. She is now 45 and has had Open Heart at 28, kidney failure and Two years ago Lupus of the brain along with going into a sphycosis from prednisone wich Landed her into the hospital for a month. She is going in to have breast implants and i am going to support her on that. I feel the drugs the doctors had given her has done more damage than the disease. If it will make you feel good do it as feeling good and being happy is good for battling the disease. Research and plenty of it has nothing relating implants to Lupus. In studied cases it is found that it is the body itself that did not like it as piercing The Body can be regected very quickly as the body say's no.People including myself when things happen tend to blame the lupus for the problem and that is why we need experts to consult with. There are many lupus patience out there that have had Implants and no problems at all and that is why you dont hear from them. I have been in science for 16 years working 4 years in Genetics and i am telling my wife to go girl and be Proud and Happy cause that is what she wants and with lupus Life can be short so why not start emptying the bucket list rather than looking at it.

Its really appreciable that you support your wife.

I cannot prove, but I know silicone breast implants have given me lupus, and sjogrens. I have no leaks. Please look up the side effects. I did not get these for vanity, I had a severe disformation.I used my life savings, and now I am kicking myself! But yes They made me feel & look better. Silicone, and saline implants are extremely dangerous. I had to have 2 surgeries because one fell to the side.One the Dr. suggested w/ out pain meds HUGE MISTAKE! I have nerve damage. I have a list about a mile long with a ton of medical problems. PLEASE PLEASE read everything you can on the computer!!! I have been in pain for 4 days w/ no relief. My hair is falling out, I have connective muscle problem. I am week, faint, and I can barely get out of the tub/shower by myself some days.I hope all of you reconsider.

This post has been removed because it did not meet our Community Guidelines.

I got Mentor gel breast implants in 2004. I then got sicker and sicker and was diagnosed with SLE Lupus in 2008. Anxiety problems, joint pain, skin problems, hair loss - the works. It's now 2011 and I am on a cocktail of immune suppressants and other drugs to keep me 'healthy'. I have been told that there is no evidence to suggest that the implants have caused my Lupus. I want to remove them anyway as it just seems strange that I was always so healthy in mind and body until I got the implants. I will keep you posted to as what happens.