Neruro Pathways...' Well, DUH? Excuse me, but that is implant 101? They have to cut nerves to put in the implant? Any BC surgeon will tell you that there can/likely/will be some nerve/sensitivity damage to that surgery site..Hey! They gotta cut!
Me? after having the PN pains all over for years told my surgeons to SEVER those nerves! Plain and simple, I did NOT want more pain related to nerves regrowing in such a 'tender' spot. My surgeon and PS are top notch, but those danged nerves are trying to 'regrow' as I write this...The pain of nerves regrowing is very similar to that of them dying...PAINFUL! Enuf, no more replies from me. - j

Yes, that is right but I was one that had no breast pain at all. NONE. So that is why I did not know the implants were making me ill. Everything hurt but my breasts. I kind of doubt that my implants could make my feet and shins ache because of a cut nerve in the breast but I do believe the chemicals affect us and can cause the other problems.

Some people are very sensitive to chemicals and that is why so many eat an organic diet. Those are the people that will most likely be affected by breast implants.

My PS did't say anything about cutting nerves. He said the nerves will get streched. I can't remember if it was a lift or reconstruction but the PS said this is when you have to worry more about problems with the nerves. I didn't get the same "implant 101" like you did.

I hope people who have had them will PM you if you are concered about PN
Mrs.d left good advice on women's health..Good luck honey. Sue

Sorry to put in my 2 cents, but I feel that its necessary fo all of us
to be aware of possible complications with anything that we
put into our bodies, orally, IV, or surgically.

Implants are foreign bodies, not part of our anatomy.
Our bodies do not take to them lightly. Teflon, steel rods, silicone, etc-
tend to be impacted in some way. Silicone or saline breast implants
are encapsulated in a bag made of what...silicone? Other material?
It doesn't matter, its foreign & probably will affect our system in some way.

Surgery is cutting. Things don't always get 'bent', they get severed.
Any surgery is a good probability for PN of some type.
To me, its a logistical problem.
LOGIC !
True, there are false logic situations that are very convincing, but
plain, simple logic says to me-
'if it doesn't belong, it will be either rejected or cause some type of problem'.
Then it becomes a situation of pros & cons.
Trade-offs for a better quality of life.
Those considerations must be evaluated and a conclusion must be made for the well being of the individual.
Concessions have to be made.
I'm almost 64, and probably will have to have CTS surgery soon, and maybe a hip replacement in 5 or so years. I'll take my chances on the hip & will probably not be around for any long term complications.
Hell, I already have PN !
But when one of the cons is life threatening,
to me- its a logical "no-brainer"!
Don't do it !

Its a shame (& a crime) that so many have had to suffer, and are suffering because of a lack of proper information- and have gone thru procedures naively and without adequate information prior to having these things done. My sympathies go out to all who suffer.
But for those who are contemplating...... be informed, be aware!

Can someone NICELY explain to me how you develop PN after ten years? A few of you ladies said that your problems started ten years after you had your implants. Well if nerves get severed during this surgery they will regenerate. So I don't understand why after ten years people get PN? The nerves should be long healed by then. I noticed some other, I think it was a gentlemen, posted something to the effect that people are getting an "attitude" on this website. I noticed this right away. People tend to give nasty comments and I thought this website was supposed to help people?

undecided, that "attitude" is a minority not the majority. also the written word can be taken the wrong way. you can't "hear" the person.

this is a very supportive site. this a site where people have health issues, so you will get the replies based on their health experiences.

nerves can take years and years to regenerate..if ever. so pn may not come on right away.

any and all surgery involves cutting. cutting involves severing nerves and tissue...muscle. your surgeon should explain this. if not, i suggest you find another.

i am neither for nor against breast augmentation.

my sister who was MAYBE an A cup had an augementation. in her mid 40's. she is now full B..small C. she didn't do it just for vanity, she did it because she couldn't get shirts and dresses to fit. they would bag and sag.

me...i would gladley get rid of some. i can't find shirts that fit right and i think it makes me look heavier than i am. plus i have severe back problems and i'm a belly sleeper.

The PN people have here, is in the feet/hands/and some full body.

The local damage potential at the breast site, is really dependent on the skill of the surgeon. (we are NOT talking about neuropathy in your breasts or adjacent areas). We are talking about a full body reaction, that is painful and hard to treat. Some people can no longer walk, and the drugs do not cure anything or get rid of all the pain. The nerves may be affected that control your stomach and
blood pressure. Neuropathy of the stomach is called gastroparesis and you can no longer eat normally. If blood pressure control
is affected you may faint unexpectedly or not be able to move around normally. (autonomic neuropathy). If it affects your eyes, it is optic neuritis and can cause blindness.
The word neuropathy means disease of nerves.

The neuropathies that may develop are toxic/autoimmune ones and as such are systemic and take time to manifest. Like I explained before some people are genetically very sensitive and have very reactive immune systems.
In these people over time, antibodies will be made which may then move on to attack the nerves causing neuropathies.

Neuropathies occur very slowly as a rule. Many years pass before significant pain or impairment can be measured.
The only exceptions to this are infectious viral infections or vaccines that induce Guillain Barre syndrome, which is acute. Neuropathies can be toxic, (from poisons like arsenic, or pesticides or solvents), metabolic (hypothyroid and diabetes), from hidden cancers (paraneoplasia), from drugs (like statins), from vitamin deficiencies (B12, thiamine B6) from autoimmune attacks, from many things.

With all due respect to you Undecided, I don't think you understand what neuropathies really are. They are complex, hard to diagnose, and treat.
The risks of breast implants are basically~~1) the not well understood reactions of the body to silicone,2) and the induction of autoimmune complexes which lead to the destruction of nerve tissue by antibodies the body makes.

We don't have in medicine the little wand thingys that you see on SciFi shows like Star Trek. No one can wave a sensor over your body and predict what will happen to you in the future, or even what is happening now, but just not yet visible.

The bare bones facts about neuropathy is that as you age, Undecided, you might get a neuropathy from any one or more of the causes I listed above, even if you DON'T get the implants. No one knows what your future holds.
The members of this board suffer daily, with pain, loss of mobility and dealing with a disease that doctors do not understand fully, and cannot treat. This is very frustrating, and I see people who are concerned about you, and don't want to see you hurt.

Well said and I agree!!!

I didn't have any nerves cut either. I had no pain in my breasts at all. I have heard of women having pain in the breasts because the implant is sitting on top of a nerve. This can cause alot of pain. In a way, I wish I would have had this from the beginning because then I would have known it was my implants and would have had them taken out before the damage was done.

My PN is in my lower legs and arms. I was told it was caused by a b12 deficiency. I know that the many women with implants end up experiencing vitamin deficiencies. I'm not sure why. I have noticed that B12 shots help with the pain but I can't get my doctor to approve it any longer. Makes alot of sense, doesn't it?