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Breast Implants Are Toxic!?

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Why I Started This Campaign:

For nine years, toxins have been leeching into my body from my breast implants, without me having had any clue or warning, causing me a number of severe, chronic illnesses that, until recently, I did not realize were related.  Along with thousands upon thousands of other women who've struggled with Breast Implant Illness, I need to have my implants removed ASAP. Explant has immediately resolved many of the most severe symptoms woman like me face, allowing them to return to normal functioning, however, insurance companies are, thus far, refusing to cover the procedure.

Along with severe anxiety, shortness of breath, moderate to severe pain effecting multiple major joints & muscles, and incurable, inexplicable fatigue that makes it impossible to function, I have been treated for a possible thyroid disorder, connective tissue disorder, autoimmune disorder, and many other things like depression, heart palpitations, iron deficiency, and more. I am on multiple medications for inflammatory conditions. The multiple doctors and specialists I've seen have been mostly unable to find any definitive answers in my test results. More often than not, I have been given medications in hopes that they would resolve my issues; they have not. In fact they have only gotten worse. Many doctors have also insinuated the problems may be just due to depression. I can tell you without any shred of a doubt, they are not. And all of these things combined have rendered me unable to work for 7 years.

I am now a shadow of my former self, no longer living, but simply existing.  And the crazy thing is, all of these problems are likely caused by implants which are supposed to be safe.

A Little About Breast Implants: 

Implants contain many carcinogenic chemicals such as Formaldehyde, multiple neurotoxins, and other chemicals and compounds, such as Talcum powder, are known to frequently contain cancer-causing asbestos. They also contain heavy metals such as platinum, known to be toxic to the human body. And finally, they contain things you would never expect, such as epoxy resin & hardener, lacquer thinner, cleaning solvents, rubber solvents, lead based solder, and even printing ink. Fungus, mold, and all sorts of pathogens have been frequently found in implants after removal, turning them black in some cases, and in many cases, causing the shell to break down, unleashing a toxic goo into the surrounding tissue. What’s even worse? I am, by far, not alone with my illness.  Breast augmentation surgery has remained the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States for decades. Plastic surgeons have become millionaires by this procedure alone. It should come as no surprise then that they are failing to warn their patients of the risks. And why would they? It is, of course, not in their best interest to do so, and the FDA has so far been quite frustratingly silent about it, although at least 70,000 women have come forward to tell their truth. I am one of those women. 

According to my surgeon and everything I had researched online at the time, the relatively new Silicone Cohesive Gel implants were the better option over the standard saline implants, though much more expensive. Although previous silicone implants had been making women extremely ill and were banned by the FDA in the late 90's, these new implants promised complete safety. I know now that this claim is absolutely, completely untrue. In at least 2% of patients, studies conducted by the implant manufacturers themselves, they notes adverse symptoms, all identical to what I and so many others have been experiencing, and those that women with original silicone implants of the 80's and 90's had experienced, yet those findings have been completely swept under the rug. Other studies have concluded the frequency of such complications may be closer to 4% or more. I mean, its really not a wonder. Breast Implants have been shown to contain at least 38 toxic chemicals, including many carcinogens, neurotoxins, such as formaldehyde and others that have no business being in the human body, such as acetone and printing ink.

Making matters worse, no long-term studies were concluded prior to the FDA giving their approval (nor has there been any since). With around 4% of all women in the US having breast implants (around 5 million with 300k more every year), that seemingly obscure 2%-4% is a quite significant few hundred thousand women. And as though women being implanted with poisonous bags weren’t bad enough, we all have no recourse. The FDA, most of the medical community & insurers refuse to acknowledge this epidemic for what it is: a breast implant induced illness destroying lives. 

A Little About Me:

My name is Nicole Zander. I am a mother of 4 wonderful children aged 16, 12, 9 and 1.  I was once an active, full of life, 24 year old mother, juggling a full-time job in a hospital emergency department and attending my junior year of college. I made sure to live life to the fullest and on my free time, my children and I would spend our time doing all sorts of activities. Ranging from crafts & or playing board games at home, to simple adventures through the woods. Days lounging on the beach and dinners at local restaurants to out of state trips and everything in between, we were always busy doing something. Although I had a rough upbringing, I was determined to be successful and be the parent to my children that I had never had. 

Although my first son was born just before I began my senior year of high school, I still graduated, early in fact, while working and living on my own. I started college straight out of High School, juggling working nights as an Aid in a old folks home. By the age of 20, I had built myself good enough credit to purchase my first brand new car, with no help. By 23, I had started an exciting but demanding job as an Emergency Nursing Technician (similar to an EMT) in a hospital emergency department and was approved for a sizable mortgage. I was always extremely fit and strong, ran or biked daily and could do more push-ups than most men I knew. I enjoyed reading & learning; every single day, every free minute, I was like a sponge.  Anything that peeked my interest, I would immerse myself in, learning everything there was to know before I moved onto the next topic.

I dreamed of one day teaching, at the university level, while conducting scientific research. I have the mind for it. I was, and still am, very analytical, logical, and able to decipher information quickly to creatively problem solve. Others have said I am quite intelligent; if you believe IQ tests are a true measure of intelligence, my 138 would place me in the category of "highly gifted". All these traits are of the me prior to breast implants, though. Everything has changed and even I cannot recognize the person that I've become.

Growing up, I did not have much parental guidance. I was regularly subjected to neglect and abuse by certain family members even after my grandparents took over my care when I was about 8 years of age. My childhood was difficult, to say the least. Emotions were not something ever to be talked about. Affection, rules and guidance were simply non existent. My sense of self and my self esteem were stunted.  And, not unlike many young woman, I grew up to be very insecure; especially about my small breasts.High school was difficult. I was teased regularly but did not have the emotional intelligence to handle any of it in a healthy way. Eventually my breast size became the point of obsession. Every time I saw a friend or a woman with a large chest on TV, in a movie, or in real life, I'd immediately have a panic attack. It was not uncommon for my relationship to suffer from my insecurity. I decided at a young age that as soon as I was able, I would get breast implants. Countless nights, that desire to learn had me researching them, soaking up everything there was to know about implants and the surgery (or so I thought). And, finally, in 2010, just months after the birth of my 3rd child, and just before my 25th birthday, I rounded up my savings and went ahead to have augmentation surgery.

My Struggle with Breast Implant Illness:

It was immediately after my surgery that I began feeling the symptoms, although I did not realize it was due to my implants. Immediately after removing my bandages, I noticed that my right breast was deformed and painful; I would come to learn about a month later that I had developed one of the common complications of BI surgery known as Capsular Contracture, where scar tissue squeezes the implant making it hard, deformed, and painful.  Rated on a scale from 1-4, with 4 being the worst kind, mine was a 3. Although I decided to try to live with it, I have recently learned this can be a sign of the implant having ruptured, but I was never told this by my doctor. If I had known, I would have elected to have it fixed right away, but he acted as though it was really nothing to worry about. Within that 1st year, I began having soaking night sweats; swollen and sore lymph nodes; difficulty concentrating, remembering, and recalling words; skin rashes and sensitivity; my periods stopped; muscle pain & weakness;and last but by far the most pervasive: severe anxiety. These symptoms developed over just a few months after my surgery, but they seemingly had nothing to do with it. Again, all the information at the time insisted implants were absolutely positively safe.

No longer able to keep up at school and having such difficulty concentrating, I chose to drop out, only really expecting it to be temporary (not permanent, like it ended up being). I truly believed doctors would eventually figure out the cause, but after a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder and depression, and more medications, I was no better. Soon thereafter, I managed to land an incredible job at a large medical insurance company, the job being so good, I could have stayed there until my retirement. It wasn't long though until my problems got worse. I began having to wear a knee brace as after sitting at my desk for any length of time as my knee would get stiff and give out when I stood. I developed chronic tendinitis in my thumb, wrists, and elbows from typing. I found myself so exhausted that I'd nod off at work, struggle to stay awake on the drive home, and sleeping from the moment I got home until pressing snooze multiple times and having to run out the door the next morning. Every weekend, I could do nothing but sleep. I never wanted to leave the house or participate in social events. I was no longer living, really I was just barely making it through each day.

Eventually, this turned into having to call in, frequently. At the time, I thought it was just the toll of having 3 young children, although it had previously never slowed me down, in addition to maybe the depression, as my doctors suggested. It wasn't long though until even doing household chores had become difficult though and, that year, the stress of it all cost me my relationship with the love of my life. After losing him, I was desperate. I checked into a mental health facility for treatment, switched medical doctors and began a battery of tests in hopes of finding the culprit.  The stint in the hospital really did not help but my new primary care doctor believed there was much more going on than just depression. She tentatively diagnosed me with Narcolepsy, hypothyroidism, arthritis, TMJ DisorderChronic Fatigue Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome, and a number of other illnesses and placed me on short term disability so we could focus on finding some answers and getting me healthy. The symptoms had become so severe that getting to work, let alone dealing with the pain in my my joints while there, was just too much. A year down and numerous tests later, I still had no real answers. I was feeling worse than than before and with my STD and FMLA benefits exhausted, I lost my job. That was in 2013. I have not been able to return to work since.

Doctor after doctor, none have found a definitive cause. Sure, I have been given many diagnoses, but each were treating the symptoms as though they were separate.  Now 9 years after implants, am stricken with such intense pain, fatigue and other inexplicable symptoms that I cannot get out of bed many days. Garnering the energy to shower is often too much, even brushing my hair is painful. Standing at the sink, cooking, doing laundry or any other chore where I have to stand for any length of time causes me pain in my back and hips that is so severe, I have to wear a back brace to even attempt doing them, and even then I'm still in pain. My shoulders have begun to roll forward as standing straight hurts. I am regularly forgetting words I frequently use, mid sentence. I'm starting to notice I am forgetting how to also spell words I frequently use, even though my English and grammar skills have always been one of my strengths. At only 34, I feel like I'm dying and have hit brick wall after brick wall with doctors.

Recently, believing I must have some rare or uncommon disease that has eluded my doctors, I began researching Lyme Disease and Multiple Sclerosis as my symptoms are in line with both. Along with the severe pain and fatigue I already described, I have developed auto-immune problems, chronic reactive Epstein-Barr tests, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath (it feels like I have something to cough up, but I cant); high blood pressure, weigh gain (40 lbs), and skin problems such as eczema, acne, sensitive skin & sensitivity to certain products, and strange rashes (one blistering so severely that I had to make a trip to the ER); hair loss, daily headaches, I am sensitive to temperature extremes, my nose burns and bleeds daily, I have allergies &experience chronic sinus infections; my eyes are always dry, sometimes blurry, and can no longer tolerate wearing contacts for more than just a few hours; I have occasional inexplicable nausea, painful periods, yeast infections & heal slowly. And as previously mentioned, the worst is the chronic fatigue. Even after getting a full nights rest, I feel as though I have just completed a marathon. I am literally sleeping my life away with no energy to complete even minor chores. My joints and muscles are always painful, weak, and sore. There is just no break from it anymore. I cannot escape it. And its only getting worse the more time that passes by.I have anxiety that causes me panic about just about everything. Getting the mail, a knock at the door, or seeing a familiar face all throw me into full panic. I can no longer socialize. At all. The anxiety is just too extreme.

What I found while doing that research was that my symptoms were also all those found to be associated with breast implants. I came across a video talking about what has been collectively called "Breast Implant Illness", and I was shocked. The only symptom I DO NOT have in the lengthy list is stomach and intestinal issues, at least, not yet. Since watching that first video 2 weeks ago (about March 2nd, 2019), I have came across woman after woman who have a nearly identical story to mine. Thousands of other women have experiencing these very same debilitating conditions after getting implants. Sadly, most of these women where also treated as though they were crazy, just like I was. As so many of their stories go: they stumbled upon information on Bii, they immediately know this is the cause, they eventually consult with a surgeon who recognizes the severity of Bii and who specializes in complete and safe removal, they pay for and complete their surgery, and they describe relief almost instantly, within hours of the surgery.

And that is why I am here, asking for your help. The doctors fees range from around $6800 to up to $10k, with women having to pay out of pocket as, as of right now, insurers are not paying for the procedure. On the rare occasion that they do, they do not cover the extra cost of the delicate technique of removing them without causing rupture (which is necessary to ensure every bit of toxic material is removed). I have scheduled consultations with 2 different doctors who do this very technique & procedure, known as an En Bloc Explant. Though I have no resources to pay for it, these doctors are booked for months in advance as the number of women with this illness is staggering, so I hope to raise the funds in the mean time. As I stated, I've now lost everything. My house. My job. My dreams.  I will soon be filing bankruptcy -once I can afford to. The entire person I used to be has been destroyed.

Why I Need Your Help:

Thankfully, my wonderful grandparents have been so kindly helping us to survive, but even they are starting to feel the financial burden as my inability to work has drained their savings. They cannot help me with the procedure and I have no other resources now that my credit is in shambles. All I want is to be healthy again and go back to work, but I simply cannot in this condition. In order to receive the surgery, I will first need an MRI that I must pay for as my insurance company is declining to cover it. I will also need to say in a hotel the night before, and the night after my surgery as it would not be safe for me to complete the 3 hour drive that is necessary to the surgeons in Detroit. All in all, I will need around $10,000.

I know I've given more info here than is probably necessary, and if you are still reading this, THANK YOU, but my hope is that, at the very least, by telling my story, I can help other women to avoid making the same mistake I did. My insecurity has ruined my children's childhoods and cost me that time too, as well as some if the best years of my life. I have lost everything, and if I could go back, knowing what i know now, things would be so very different. I would be so very thankful for every dollar you can spare to help. All I want is my health back to be the hard working mother I used to be. I cant change my past, but I can fix my future and I know that once I have these out, I can use this experience to stop other women from making my mistake, and to advocate on behalf of so many other women who are currently, or will soon be, suffering from this very preventable disease.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to hear to my story!

Organizer

Nicole (Lane) Zander
Organizer
Portland, MI

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