I know that Summer months can bring up issues with self-confidence and highlight insecurities. It might make you consider going under the knife and consider getting plastic surgery. I was a big supporter in changing yourself, as long as you were doing it for yourself, to feel better about yourself.
As a flat chested girl I always wanted big breasts. At 23 years old, I went from a barely A cup to a DD cup. The first year was a bit of an adjustment of learning to manage big breasts. They got in the way a lot more than anticipated and I didn’t really factor in things like boob sweat or back pain as part of regular living. Aesthetically I did like the appearance and how much easier it was to find shirts that fit properly. When I got my surgery, the only side effect or risk that I remember the surgeon advising of was capsular contraction. He advised as a potential side effect not that all implants will have scar tissue form around them.
I have now had my implants for over a decade and many advise that the longer that you have them in your body the worse it can be. While there may be some truth in this, the reality is that you can start to have Breast Implant Illness almost immediately after having them put in. It wasn’t until 2020 that I had ever heard of Breast Implant Illness before and it was on Denai Johnson’s Instagram account. I honestly feel so grateful to her for sharing her story and feel like she probably helped save my life.
I had so many symptoms of BII but never occurred to me that they were linked to my implants. As women, we really tend to gaslight ourselves. I tried to blame stress, age, poor immune system and hormones, which may have also played a factor but the large amount of women that share the same experience with BII seems undeniable as the cause.
Breast Implant Illness is not a medically recognized illness even though hundreds of thousands of women experience the exact same symptoms. Not recognizing this illness also makes removal of the implants an extremely expensive elective surgery instead of being covered by MSP in Canada. It is really frustrating going into a doctors office and being tested for different symptoms with the most obvious cause not being mentioned. It doesn’t seem to be studied but breast implants now have a black box warning so that more patients are aware of the full risk of putting them into their bodies. My understanding from reading about implants is that they are all extremely toxic and that there isn’t a “more safe” option.
Breast Implant Illness Symptoms Include:
- Joint and Muscle Pain
- Chronic Fatigue
- Memory and Concentration Problems
- Breathing Problems
- Sleep Disorders
- Rashes and Skin Problems
- Dry Mouth and Dry Eyes
- Anxiety and Depression
- Headaches
- Hair Loss
- Gastrointestinal Problems
- Autoimmune Disorders
- Connective Tissue Disorders
There has been so many more women coming forward about this which makes me so happy. Michele Phillips of What Dreams May Become has shared her story here. Claire Crawley from the Bachelorette has also recently come forward to share her experience. If this can prevent anyone else having to go through this, that is all that matters. Having bigger breasts isn’t worth all the toxic side effects that come with it. They have taken years off my life and enjoyment of being able to be healthy.
I have my first consultation, with a recommended local plastic surgeon, to see about getting mine removed this fall. To follow along with my experience head over to my Instagram or visit www.filledupcup.com.
Let me know in the comments if you had ever heard of BII or have ever experienced any symptoms yourself.
Thanks to Ashley for sharing her story with us.
