Before my suicide attempt, I searched the web in hopes of finding something to prove that my implants were causing all of my horrible symptoms.  I found a breast implant support group and read the postings for what seemed like hours.  I cried and cried.  These women had the identical symptoms.  Some had been through the same journey that I had.  Many, many doctors, many tests but basically nothing indicating that the implants were the cause of their problems.  Most had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Peripheral Neuropathy.  I believed in my heart that my Mentor implants had been causing all of my strange symptoms.  I posted a message regarding all of the problems I was experiencing in hopes that I would get a reply back saying that my implants were not the cause.  I knew in my heart that they were the cause.   I received a personal e-mail saying that I had Toxic Silicone poisoning!  I believed this person was correct and everything seemed to take on an entirely new light.  I also knew that my implants must come out as soon as possible. 

The similarities were uncanny.  A lot of these women had just lived what I had gone through.  From the doctors diagnosing everything but problems with the implants, to suicide attempts, losing everything they owned but most disturbing is that I heard over and over again that their plastic surgeons told them that the implants were safe and would last a lifetime.  Almost as if that was a scripted line they were told to tell all of their patients.  I realized at that time that none of us had stood a chance.

I was told that the implants should be removed 'en bloc'.  En bloc removal refers to removing the implant, and the thick fibrous capsule surrounding it, together and intact. This prevents spillage of contaminants into the chest cavity.
I couldn't find a local plastic surgeon that would perform the surgery 'en bloc'.  I was much too ill to travel so I had to settle with a local surgeon that performed a capsulectomy.  My explant surgery was performed on November 29, 2004.

The explant was a breeze compared to the implant.  Very little pain involved and I recovered from the surgery much sooner than I had from the implant.

Also, some of the symptoms disappeared immediately following explant.  Others still linger and it is a constant battle each and everyday to regain my health back.  I would say that the fatigue is the worst symptom I'm still experiencing. I also have aches and pains and have developed a few additional symptoms after explant.  I've been told that this is normal and in time I should fully recover.  I just do not know how much time it will take.  My implants were in for 8 years and it was 8 years all of those toxins were seeping into my body.

I sent my Mentor implants and capsules to a well known Bio-chemist in Canada.  The report that I received back from him was very disturbing.  The report indicated that the saline had multiple forms of bacteria and fungi growing within it.  So much so, that there were actually chunks of it. 

The report also indicated that some of this toxic saline had leaked out, surrounding the capsule and caused a massive infection of that breast.  I had been walking around for several years with this infection.  He also found a tumor in the capsule itself and described it as being malignant in nature.  He wrote in his report that there was no doubt in his mind that this is what had been causing all of my symptoms.

Everything finally made sense to me and for the first time in a number of years, I started to have hope.  Hope that I could actually  regain my health.  I knew that it would be a long battle but after what I had been through, it would be well worth leaving that part of my life behind me and starting new. 

My wish is to be able to return to work.  Be able to work and not have the confusion, fatigue and aches and pains I had experienced the last several years I had while working.  I'm confident that I can now accomplish this as I've come so far since explant.

Pictures of explanted breast implants:

The implant photos that appear more yellow, are pictures that were taken of the side view of the implant.  As you can see, you can really see the bacterial growth from a side view.  Also please notice the flecs inside the implants.  I'm assuming that this is the bacteria that was growing as Dr. Blais worded in his report.