Breast implant illness.

Hello Jac,

I was awake and I read your post. I haven't had an implant but I have watched lots of articles on tv.....Good morning Britain, This morning, even The News where problems with implants have been discussed. I also remember seeing some articles here in France where the implants were poisoning the ladies wearing them. So I definitely think you should pursue this.....these ladies were really unwell just like you.

In addition, I don't think your extreme menopausal symptoms are unrelated to your bc treatment.  I had gone through the menopause 10 years before I had triple negative bc but now any kind of exertion leads to severe sweating, dripping wet hair etc. How can that be the menopause.?....I haven't mentioned it to my doctors because I have other problems with walking which I want sorted first and I keep hoping the hot turns will pass.....but they haven't yet after over three years since chemo. My physio told me that although the oncologists don't seem to recognize the mobility problems, he has so many patients who have been referred after cancer treatments that he and his colleagues can't believe there is no connection. It doesn't help you stop the problem but you might feel less alone. 

Thank goodness your husband, like mine, supports you. I am only awake now because my leg pain woke me. Actually the IRM showed the problem is at the base of the spine but the pain is always in the leg from thigh to foot!

Anyway, if your GP doesn't follow up the implant suggestion soon, I should by pass her. Write to the tv programme......ask for a second opinion......book an appointment with your surgeon. At the very least someone should eliminate this as a cause for your symptoms.

Keep in touch with the progress. I hope it can be sorted for you soon.

Love Karen

Hi 

First a welcome hug

You must be so weary and frustrated...it is very difficult to be your own advocate whilst you feel rubbish. Unfortunately, people like to be problem solvers and when there isn't an easy solution or something isn't over fairly quickly, they can tend to stop giving it attention or minimise it.

This is especially true of health conditions...and I am not talking about health professionals but folk in general. If you have the flue or a broken leg, they can see the issue and sympathise, help out, make allowances and adjustments and have different expectations of you than  other fit and well people.

If you have an ongoing (chronic) health issue or an invisible condition or one not easily explained or with many problems.... then reactions are different.

Health professionals SHOULD be the exception. They SHOULD have a patient centred investigative approach. Some chronic conditions can't be cured but CAN be helped to be managed...with symptom relief etc but currently no one has identified the reason for your mutilpe symptoms.

Have you had the same GP throughout this time? What was your health like prior to your surgery? Have you tried routes other than your GP such as a Well woman clinic?

I would have hoped that it is no longer the case that debilitating symptoms are dismissed as 'women's issues that you just put up with'! 

Is it possible for you to change GP?

Your issues may be linked to your implants or they may not but in either case, possibilities need to be eliminated. I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue...both of which involve many symptoms including fatigue and pain etc etc...and the risk is that I attribute any and all symptoms to this when they may be caused by a different health issue which needs attention and treatment.

Hope someone comes along soon with more specific advice ...re implants. 

Take care

Hi, I have implants and also have these symptoms, fatigue etc

1. Sounds like my symptoms I too have implants