Episode 28: The Symptoms of Breast Implant Illness: How to Identify and Treat

Breast Implant Illness is a point of concern and a topic of debate by many especially women, plastic surgeons, and medical professionals, as it can manifest itself in several symptoms. However, there are limited tools and resources for such a condition, which is why many people still don’t know much about it.

It is thus crucial for us to understand the symptoms and other potential risks associated with breast implant illness. That is why we’re here to delve deeper into understanding the truth about breast implant illness. In today’s episode, we’ll discuss research, treatment options, and more information to educate more people and raise awareness.

The constellation of symptoms of breast implant illness

One of the challenging aspects of breast implant illness is the wide range of symptoms that patients have reported experiencing. These symptoms vary greatly from person to person.

The first time I was confronted with patients experiencing brain fog, I was perplexed since I still didn’t understand what was happening back then. I had to ask relevant questions to inquire more about their conditions considering they tend to forget things, even their children’s names, which was very concerning.

Other patients develop respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath and tightness in the chest, or cardiac symptoms like heart palpitations and body tremors. There may also be skin problems such as bad rashes and large outbreaks of cystic acne all over the body.

There are also those who report cases of gastrointestinal issues, such as bloating, digestive discomfort, and food intolerances. Psychological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and mood swings, have also been mentioned by some. These symptoms make it difficult for patients to sleep or function daily.

There's honestly a constellation of these symptoms and most patients and their traditional physicians don't know what’s going on. Sometimes, even when they’ve consulted their plastic surgeon and did an exam to see if there’s anything wrong with the implants, they can’t figure out anything wrong.

It is important to note that in some cases, symptoms may appear shortly after breast implant surgery, while in others, they may develop gradually over time. The delayed onset of symptoms, sometimes years after the initial surgery, has made it challenging and complicated to understand and diagnose the condition.

Providing standard measures of care to patients is a must

I previously had a patient who came to me wanting to be flat-chested after having breast reconstruction after cancer. As part of my standard operating procedure, I reviewed her history and exams and didn’t find any evidence of capsular contracture or skin problems or changes; everything was normal.

She requested an en bloc capsulectomy which is a term that is very familiar to me as I have done several years of reconstruction for breast cancer, neck cancer, and sarcomas, which are rare tumors of bone, muscle, and fat. In line with this, we make sure that there’s no evidence of recurrence of cancer or any contaminants to avoid any problems or infections.

Later on, after going through her microbiota or microbiology reporting, I found that she had an E. coli infection on one side which was shocking. I couldn’t figure out what or how I missed that considering I went through a thorough assessment of her case. It was apparently an occult infection and not a biofilm of low-grade amounts of contamination.

She was dealing with serious fatigue back then which many patients commonly have after cancer treatment with chemotherapy. I correlated her symptom of fatigue with the implant infection, so I put her on the appropriate antibiotic as a standard measure of care which was proven effective in her case.

That is why I always mention the importance of having a qualified plastic surgeon who has experience performing various cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has a vast knowledge to assess individual patient needs accurately, and recommend appropriate treatment plans in order to achieve optimal results.

It is also necessary that the plastic surgeon maintains an ongoing relationship with patients, provides support, and addresses any concerns that may arise long after the procedure has been completed.

How to identify symptoms of inflammation

In showcasing my leadership in the Aesthetic Society’s Research Foundation, of which I later became the president, we continuously strived to fund and find ways to advance research regarding the controversial matter of breast implant illness.

As I mentioned in my previous podcast episodes, inflammation worsens breast implant illness which is why it is closely associated with the latter. That’s why it’s important for us to be able to identify the pattern of the symptoms of inflammation and/or breast implant illness.

As I have routinely observed, the usual pattern of symptoms consists of brain fog, anxiety, depression, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, joint and muscle pain, rashes, chronic problems with infections, sinusitis, and many more.

Raising awareness about breast implant illness and providing accurate information can help the public, especially women considering breast implants, make informed choices about their health. That’s why many people seek help and consultation from me since I already have years of knowledge and experience in these areas.

The good thing is that we have programs, tools, and other resources, to help you from a neurological standpoint. To be certain, we conduct an EEG if there is any complaint of brain fog. We also evaluate and improve their gut health by taking into consideration food sensitivities and DNA analysis of their stool.

Links and Resources

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Read this article - https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/breast-reconstruction/types/implant-reconstruction/illness/breast-implant-illness
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