Sorry, ann-elizabeth, to bear these tidings, but the bad news is true. Silicone is definitely associated with neuropathy.

I'm one of the women who became ill from implants, and only started to heal when they were removed. I don't talk about it much, if ever, up here; but I'm not the only one.

The strongest evidence for the silicone neuropathy link is a simple review of medicare claims that was done a number of years back. The goal was to see if any medical devices were associated with any specific diagnoses, over the cousre of a number of years. What turned up was that anyone with silicone implants (testicles, chin, breast) had a much higher incidence of peripheral neuropathy than people without. That to me was the best published evidence.

Beyond that, there's my story. I had implants put in after finishing nursing my second child. Plastic surgeons no longer did "lifts" for those of us who totally lost our shape to nursing. It was easier to "slip in an implant", as my surgeon recommended. I was 40. For the next 10 years I developed one joint problem after another, and one inflamed nerve after another. I had chronic sinus infections and was in intravenous antibiotics for two months, as well as having surgery.

The 10th year I developed a rash in the sun, ulcers on my tongue, and a sudden onset of feeling things crawling all over my legs. By then I had clear nerve conduction evidence of neuropathy. Every rheumatologist I saw told me I had "implant disease". They said yeah, it "doesn't exist" but they all saw it all the time and all said that I would not get well until they were removed.

I went online and found a silicone support group. I posted, new to the online world, "Does anyone there have neurological symptoms". I was terrified, totally terrified. By morning, I had 20 letters from women who had neuropathy. I've been in touch with a couple over the last 7 years, and I can tell you that no one who has not had the implants removed has gotten better. But just about everyone who has them out within 10 years does get well. Longer than 10 years, it's a crap shoot, because the silicone has migrated through the nodes (rather like breast cancer), and triggered immune dysfunction. Some docs would still want to treat me for immune disease.


It took a few months to be well enough for removal, at which time I flew to one of the two plastic surgeons in the country who were removing them carefully, looking at and removing involved lymph nodes.

I got worked up for every other possible cause. I went to Mayo. Nothing else was found to be wrong.

I've embarked upon the healing program recommended by so many here on the site, wtih yoga, supplements, and a decreased work schedule.

I am way way better. Even though I'm still recovering from spinal surgery, I am much more well than I was in those 10 years I had implants. Rheumatologists and immunologists say my immune system is still over-revved, but I'm not taking any drugs at this point.

I do not tell doctors about the silicone. It's wasted breath and just labels the woman a problem. But I tell any women I meet who are entertaining the notion that it is a very very bad idea. And anyone who has them and has health problems----I recommend removal. En bloc. With a surgeon who specializes in removal. There's a central list of "approved" plastic surgeons, who have proved themselves. Mine was a microvascular surgeon. It took 7 hours to remove them. A coronary bypass only takes 2.

Do your reading, please. If you need to pm me, feel free.