Monica,
I had knee replacements in March of '03 and developed the first symptoms of Sjogren's in May of '03 and neuropathy along with it. My thinking is that the surgery and all the inflammation kicked my autoimmune system into overdrive. But there is no real way to know. Have they tested you for all the autoimmune things that are in Liza Jane's list?

Billye

Ann-Elizabeth--I know you want to see some medical proof that implants can cause neuropathy, and you're just not going to find it. However, populations studies of people with any kind of silicone in their bodies show an excess number of neuropathy patients. If you want to know how this could happen, you might want to go to pubmed and search on "silicone AND immune response". From that I'm sure you'd find a lot of articles which are to the point.

The problem is, all the money was on the side of the manufacturers during the years leading to the litigation; since settlement, there's been no drive to study the products at all.

Monica: My guess is that your doctors will tell you that the silicone in your nose is more solid than that used in implants and that it should be fine. Except that's not a good enough explanation. The silicone degrades, and my guess is the nose implant isn't even in a capsule, so silicone is migrating from the implant into your lymphatic system, stimulating a response which cross reacts with nerves. I hope you can get this removed easily.

Valerie--when you have the implant removed, it's extremely important that it be removed correctly, and that the surgeon work with a radiologist who can check your lymph nodes, to make sure no silicone has leaked there. The one problem with removal is that there is usually leached silicone in the nodes. If you can't see it, that might mean there's very little; if you can, it's a good idea to have those nodes removed. But the sad part is that by the time we get the damn things out because of sickness, there is clearly some leakage or degradation. I highly recommend Dr Feng in Cleveland. I found her worth the trip out there, even alone and sick. Her radiologists scanned every node in my body, and she was able to microscopically remove all leaked silicone while preserving as much tissue as possible, and doing a nice reconstruction. If you look at the silicone support groups, you will see that there are several surgeons in the country who are recommended. I'd stick with the tried and true if I were you.

These two sites will link with most of the support sites. Myrl runs a listserv email group which updates us. Command Trust Network was in this from the start, in the 80s, and I relied on them for health information even before I became ill. After I was ill, I realized what a wonderful group they were, and how much data they had.

This first link is to an implant support group. If you search on "neuropathy", you will find many women there have neuropathy. I've posted and suggested some come here, but I don't know if any have. I was surprised to find that there were many, and that they really didn't have the medical information this site has.

http://www.breastimplantsupport.org/

These are links to two main implant sites which are rich in links.

http://www.webstarmagic.com/wisletter.htm
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

Last, this group is for women with saline implants.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SalineSupport/

It's nice to have more people posting here about this issue. It deserves attention.

My name is Jenny, I am 51 I had silicone implants for twenty years, had them out last year, no replacement. The right one was ruptured and leaked out probably a long time ago, my guess is when I started having mammograms, around 10 years ago, the left one was slightly leaking. I have right side neurological problems, the S1 nerve affecting my right leg, mostly from knee down. The way I walk is impaired, I drag my right leg or when I try to walk normal I tend to walk on my toes, the right leg muscles are very tight, I have been told I walk like I have cerebal palsy, which I do not. I have been to many doctors with no help in sight. I have also tried the alternative route, it cost alot of money and did not really help except that is when I made the decision which was a good one to remove the implants, they are no longer important to me. I just want to walk. Thank you for listening Jenny in Florida

I see that this is a really important thread! There's 2 or 3 brand new posters to this board already with pn possibly from implants of some sort. This thread my need to be kept visible!!

Finally,a place to talk about what I am soo ashamed to talk about! I grew up being called all of the usual "flatsy" names,nearly got implants when I was 18, when my boyfriend told me I was not much of a woman without big breasts, broke up with him,only to marry a like-minded man, like the one I broke up with.He said that size did not matter to him,but very willingly wrote the cheque to the Plastic Surgeon,when I got them 27 years ago.Yes,I have had the same ones for 27 years now,and they are a real mess,distorted and very painful.They still look good as long as I have a bra on, but they hurt more than not.Back then,we had extra money, but not now, so to get them replaced would be hard financially.I remember asking my Neurologist, when I got G.B.S, if there was a chance I got it from having silicone implants,but he said no.So I have not questioned it, not until yesterday, when I found this site,after reading all of the posts, I wonder if they really are the reason why I have such bad nerve pain? Then I went to read about the female doctor in cleveland,ohio, that some of the posters talked about, and did even more reading, and looked at pics of problem implants,and how it looks when they are removed,but not replaced,and I just don't think I could handle looking like that! Vanity? Yes! But I also feel like I am part of a very small group of women who have had the original implants for soo long!Though I am canadian,I am going to write to this doctor, she sounds like she knows what she is doing,and see what can be done. I REALLY want a female plastic surgeon this time,and I am hoping she can point me to one in canada.I am 49 now,but feel like I am abit too young yet to not care if I have "tube"breasts or not,implants out, with no replacing them.Boy,if I had only known then,what I know now, I would still very happily be called FLATSY!