This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Has anyone here have Breast Implants.. I was diagnosed with MS and Am trying to figure out if possible What and Why. I am praying that I didnt do this to myself. I can remeber back when I was about 30-31 I was breaking out in sweats at night and having heart palipations, But I was working out really hard back then. I went to the Doctor but the werent sure what it was. I was suppose to get more testing done but my husband left the Military in the middle of what was happening and it didnt happen again once we got back to the states. We were in itlay. There was a couple of time were I felt out of control and overwhelmed more then I would normal. I had to call my husband once to come see me because I just felt like something bad was happening. when I was 34 when I had breast implants done. I really didnt start feeling like I am floating ouside of myself to a noticable extent after I turned 40. I had an infection in my gland in my neck and everything just flooded in after that nightsweats again heart palipations and had to breath when I swallowed my throught felt weard I dont feel that any more.

It's a natural reaction to a diagnosis of MS to ask "What did I do? What didn't I do?" There are many theories outlined here on the site as to possible causes of MS but as yet no definite answers. Thousands of people are and millions are being spent investigating possible causes and treatments. Please don't beat yourself up about the breast implants.
muu

Iam trying not to. I Really wanted to know if anyone else on the site might have implant. If maybe they had them taken out or if anyone has heard of reports about people with implant coming up with MS. I dont want to be Obsessed about it but I just needed to ask these questions because there on my mind.

I have never had breast implants, but I seem to recall that silicone implants were taken off the market for a while because many women appeared before a congressional investigational committee claiming that the implants had caused MS or some other autoimmune disease.

After investigation the implants were put back on the market because scientists found no basis for the claim.

Perhaps you can find this history on the Internet (even connect with some of the witnesses); or surely a doctor in this specialty could relate these events with evidence of the studies. It would seem best to start by discussing this with your doctor.

I thought I remembered the same thing so I checked earlier tonight Lynda and you're absolutely right.

Although they were put back on the market it's only on a very limited basis, not for strictly cosmetic reasons and only when silicone would work better than saline.

I was surprised to read that after silicone implants are removed they suggest waiting for things to heal before installing the saline implants because even they have a silicone coating. I'm not sure why that's necessary.

I had an appointment and had to stop my search but I also found what might have been a whacko site mentioning that autoimmune symptoms were also being reported about the saline implants but I need to look into that further because I'd never heard that before.

Bob

I have tried to find more information on people who have had issue with thier implants but I cant find any sites that have real people. I only come up with plastic surgeons.

Hi INADREAM,
Yeah, I get the idea that you would like to find someone with MS who has had their implants removed and either did or didn't experience an improvement of symptoms.

I hope you do run across someone, but the odds probably aren't very high.

I haven't had time to look into it again but it would be interesting to find out if the people who have experienced the autoimmune symptoms due to/possibly due to the implants....had brain lesions. I wouldn't think so. If you were diagnosed you have lesions which would tend to separate the two situations.

Bob

I know it's been a long time since you guys posted this but I just saw it.
I had breast augmentation in September 2005. I was diagnosed with MS in March, 2010. I did a blood test that I found that tested my lymphocytes against about 200 substances, silicone being one of them. Silicone came back in the highest category. I panicked. I was certain my body was attacking myelin trying to fight silicone. I had them removed. I literally cried for three weeks (as if the hell of an MS diagnosis wasn't enough now I had to live with a flat chest again). They have been out for six years now. There has been no change in my condition. I am a very healthy person with MS. I run 20 miles per week. However, I have lesions on my spinal cord which cause tremendous pain. I am on Duloxetine and Gabapentin for this pain. I am good with that. If I were to go off of these drugs the pain is unbearable. I have tried reducing the meds while the implants have been out. There has been absolutely no change in my symptoms, the only symptom ever being pain. I am very seriously considering getting them put back in as it would be some slight silver lining in what I've had to endure with an MS diagnosis and breast implant removal. I've emailed with a very reputable MS researcher in the US. He is the brother of someone in my church. He told me not to hesitate to get them put back in. As for silicone vs. saline, it should not matter because even the saline have a silicone shell. As for a side note, when mine were removed they were checked and photographed. There was no breakage. They were not leaking. They were the CPG (contoured profile gel) implants a.k.a. gummy bear implants.

And, by the way, I do have a few lesions on my brain to answer the post by Bob.

Karen (very sad without implants)

kzosche wrote:I know it's been a long time since you guys posted this but I just saw it.
I had breast augmentation in September 2005. I was diagnosed with MS in March, 2010. I did a blood test that I found that tested my lymphocytes against about 200 substances, silicone being one of them. Silicone came back in the highest category. I panicked. I was certain my body was attacking myelin trying to fight silicone. I had them removed. I literally cried for three weeks (as if the hell of an MS diagnosis wasn't enough now I had to live with a flat chest again). They have been out for six years now. There has been no change in my condition. I am a very healthy person with MS. I run 20 miles per week. However, I have lesions on my spinal cord which cause tremendous pain. I am on Duloxetine and Gabapentin for this pain. I am good with that. If I were to go off of these drugs the pain is unbearable. I have tried reducing the meds while the implants have been out. There has been absolutely no change in my symptoms, the only symptom ever being pain. I am very seriously considering getting them put back in as it would be some slight silver lining in what I've had to endure with an MS diagnosis and breast implant removal. I've emailed with Dr. Robert Fox in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the brother of someone in my church. He told me not to hesitate to get them put back in. As for silicone vs. saline, it should not matter because even the saline have a silicone shell. As for a side note, when mine were removed they were checked and photographed. There was no breakage. They were not leaking. They were the CPG (contoured profile gel) implants a.k.a. gummy bear implants.

Hi, Karen,

Perhaps I have no right to an opinion since I have not had breast implants; nevertheless, I offer my support for whatever you choose to do – because you seem to be very knowledgeable, very thoughtful, very sensible about the whole situation. You have wisely sought a doctor's opinion.

However, I do make two suggestions:
#1 Please ask for a serum B12 test before and after surgery. Anesthesia used in surgery inactivates vitamin B12 in the body, causing B12 deficiency. (If this happens, your doctor can replenish the supply.) B12 deficiency can cause MS-like neurological symptoms, including pain.
#2 Please ask for a serum vitamin D test (the "25-hydroxy D" test). Vitamin D deficiency can also result in the symptom of pain.

(By the way, lesions on the brain can be caused by MANY conditions, including migraines… and deficiencies in either vitamin B12 or vitamin D.)

MS is a harsh/serious and very unpredictable illness. IMHO, unnecessary surgery of any kind should be avoided.

FWIW, the presence of lesions or lack of them does not necessarily mean anything.

But ultimately, if they are extremely important to you....

I take B12 every day as well as vitamin D and a plethora of other supplements. I take about 20 supplements per day. (glutathione in there also) I actually had to back off and take half of what I was taking in vitamin D because a blood test showed my D level to be high.
As for unnecessary surgery, you are probably right. However, I don't know if the person who wrote that is male or female but to be a female who had her breasts sucked away by babies and then be left with nothing (I'm talking AA here), it is very, very upsetting. It's just a female identity kind of thing. I'm not trying to be a porn star. I don't even want to be big. I just want my breasts to fit my body. I'm 5'8", 130 pounds with AA breasts. I was 36C when I had implants. It was perfect and womanly. I just want my clothes to fit me and to look normal. Honestly, I went through hell being told I had this disease when I thought I was so healthy. It will just be a little present to myself for what I've suffered and lost (my health, my breasts). Maybe you have to be a woman to understand.

kzosche wrote:I take B12 every day as well as vitamin D and a plethora of other supplements. I take about 20 supplements per day. (glutathione in there also) I actually had to back off and take half of what I was taking in vitamin D because a blood test showed my D level to be high.

I understand that your comments involved MS and breast implants. However, I hope you will indulge my curiosity about your supplements, since B12 and D are my current focus.

B12 questions: When tested, what was your serum B12 level? Are you taking a sublingual B12? What is the dosage? Is it the cyanocobalamin form? Or methylcobalamin? Or another?

Vitamin D questions: When you had the vitamin D test showing a high level, what was the actual number result? What was the standard range used by your lab? Several months ago I discovered the California-based GrassrootsHealth (http://www.GrassrootsHealth.net), found their information helpful, and enrolled in their 5-year vitamin D study (My first test result was 24 ng/mL).

I will have to have my neuro fax the blood test to me to see my vitamin D level at the time he told me it was high. I was taking 10,000 mg per day at the time. I have since cut that to 5,000. It's Metagenics High Potency Bioavailable D3 5000. It is non-GMO. As for the B12, I never had my vitamin B levels tested. Both the vitamin D and B12 were taken because I was told to take them; not because I was told they were low. I was originally receiving B12 by injection in the arm. It was quite painful. I began taking it orally. This is also Metagenics. It's Intrinsi B12 Folate. This is also non-GMO.
I will get access to the D blood test results and give you those numbers.
Are you a doctor? Are you someone with MS? Are you someone conducting a study?

And, by the way, Dr. Fox in Cleveland is supposed to be one of the top MS researchers in the country. Thus the reason I asked him the breast implant question. He, as well as my neurologist here in NJ, have both told me that the breast implants have nothing to do with MS.