Breast Implant Illness/ Explanting/ Surgeons

I wanted to write this blog based on the 7 years I have spent researching and trying to understand how I could accomplish this with the best results. I had many setbacks which led to me not having it done yet, one being my Myomectomy in 2017. I didn’t want back to back major surgical procedures. A lot of vulnerable, scared and suffering women come to the internet in search of answers regarding having crammed foreign objects in their bodies to look more visually appeasing. I was one of them.  There are many doctors who offer this procedure, some far more experienced than others. Many, I believe have a major hype train around them. Hell, my surgeon who placed both sets of my implants had a HUGE hype train. My first set was nothing but pain, complications and deformity. My now second set (put in only 1 year after the first) was not satisfactory either. As amazing as that Doctor was on a personal level, his hype train did not reflect on my body.  I found the best information on breast explanting was on realself.com. I am very into personal accounts, photographic evidence, etc. I was also pointed to the direction of online communities of women who are suffering from their explants as a great way to shop for surgeons and hear true accounts. I personally believe some Doctors and some online communities have agreements that involve money to be published on a “list” of “approved” Doctors. This is not a list comprised by Doctors, Nurses or the medical community. This list is put together by people who claim these are the ONLY approved Doctors. I think this is a very dangerous practice. A list is fine…but this one is highly suspect to me. Many capable and amazing surgeons that many women have given accounts on and photographic evidence are NOT included. I deduce, because they haven’t shelled over some money. Over the years, when money is to be made, I always tread carefully. money is the great corrupter.

Women in my position (and maybe yours) are vulnerable and seeking answers. We can easily fall victim to being manipulated one way or the other if we are not careful. I went onto one of these communities for information. Make NO mistake, it was an absolute trove of it. MANY of the women were very awesome.  The doctor I finally did choose was being mentioned a LOT, but was not on the super special “ONLY THESE DOCTORS” list. In fact, MANY highly skilled and highly recommended and reviewed doctors do not make that list. However, people with no medical degrees or right to state that only these doctors are acceptable are doing so. Some of the top surgeons on it I contacted. One of them asks women call 90x a week, over and over for months. Then they act like the women are winning the lottery if the office decides they have the time to call them back. It is the most poorly ran office I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. Highly unprofessional. Only when it was recognized I was a “celebrity” did I get that magical call back. I immediately blocked the number and recognized this as highly toxic and abusive behavior towards already suffering women. There was no way I would advocate for that, involve myself in it or influence any woman to subject herself to that simply because she saw that I went there. I did not feel “special” for my call back. I literally felt SICK knowing so many suffering women who stood in line before me were bypassed. When I expressed this in an online forum, I was immediately silenced. RED FLAG. Not judging anyone who wants to go this route, but it is not for me. With an award winning nurse of over 40 years for a Mother in-law, I know damn well who I can trust to ask things. She was aghast when I told her about this. Side note, she helps install robotic hearts to keep people alive till they get their transplants!

Another Doctor that is “highly recommended” seemed nice enough, but was very clearly running a breast explant factory…due to being touted as the end all be all of surgeons. Their prices were absolutely absurd and the things I was told I would need (via a picture) did not coincide with what I had heard from other skilled and experienced surgeons. I had already jumped onto a hype train to get my breasts with results I wasn’t a fan of. I did more research, and did not find enough photographs, mostly only written accounts, of their work to make me even remotely comfortable. I wanted to feel, I don’t know, SURE. I wasn’t comfortable with so little photographic evidence/reviews for one of the tippity top suggested surgeons. I also did not like how quickly women were wheeled out of their procedure and sent home. That is MY personal research and choice that I would never push on ANYONE.  When I mentioned some of this openly, I was attacked, silenced and told how utterly wrong I was. This doctor has a cult-like following that will tell you how ONLY they can fix you, help you and basically anyone else is sub par. RED FLAG. I have been to entirely too much therapy in my life to not recognize blaring red flag behavior from people.  It felt like that Simpsons episode with LEADER.

I want to make it clear that communities of women giving their input on their personal experiences are amazing. It’s when cult-like behavior, censorship of questioning of said behavior and claims that this doctor is better than the other by NON medical professionals starts up that I see nothing but RED FLAGS. This is why I was censored. I expressed that I found this behavior, this “fear mongering” highly toxic and non beneficial to me and my journey. Do your research but do NOT fall prey to opinions being facts. Do NOT let anyone fear monger you into your choice of doctor. Do not let any non medical professional claim one doctor is better than the other. Step away from opinions and look at ONLY facts. This is a very serious surgery and no one should influence your decision one way or the other. Simply research and divorce yourself from personal opinions. Look at photos, accounts, etc.  That particular doctor may be the best choice for YOU and others, but they were not for ME. They barely even had yelp reviews, which I found very odd. That should have been OK for me to express openly, but I was silenced. I am also against holistic medicines for myself. I have had people pull that shit with me and suffered HORRIBLY due to it. I will not be limited on what I require to heal, or convinced some hippie dippie bullshit is what I need. Totally cool if you are into that shit, I am NOT.

I chose Dr. Florence Mussatt in Chicago, IL. I was so impressed with her reviews on yelp, realself, online communities, etc that I flew in to see her. Her photos of explanted patients were superb. Many women reported how amazing she was as a surgeon. She was knowledgeable and SHE suggested BII before I whispered a single word about it. MANY accounts from women are all over the net about her and her reviews have more pictures than the “top recommended surgeons” which made me personally way more comfortable. She is hands on, texts you, checks on you, the whole deal.  My flights for my hubby and I (first class on the way back!), week long hotel stay, overnight in a hospital after surgery for care (not wheeled right out!) AND the  surgery is UNDER the cost of what one of the top surgeons on “the list” quoted for JUST my surgery alone. I felt comfortable with her. I LIKED the fact that I could go to my home state to go back to who I used to be, physically. She is NOT listed on the magical list floating around. She does enbloc, the whole shabang, has many accounts from many women AND awesome pictures that helped me make my decision. She is french, and en bloc was created IN FRANCE. I liked that lil tid bit. What I liked THE MOST is the option to stay overnight in an actual hospital. This is a major surgery. I have a history of complications and know I need it.  I like my Doctor a lot, FOR ME.

Listen to accounts from other women. They are SO amazing for sharing their photos and helping women make their choice. Peruse online communities and see the pictures whilst reading personal accounts.  I will discuss with my husband how I can tastefully share my own results to help any women looking for answers for my own doctor. This is amazing that we can help one another this way. Ignore “the list” as an END ALL BE ALL, it is a wonderful suggestion. Also blow off anyone telling you ONLY this doctor is good, etc. Listen only to accounts, look at photos and mull over the FACTS ONLY. Not opinions. If you are ever silenced, know this is red flag behavior and proceed with caution. I decided to willingly leave that community, which as I have stated, IS an amazing trove of info and populated by a lot of good eggs. I have my own platform I can express these things and not be censored at all, which I am doing right now.

Good luck, lovely ladies. May you make the right decision for YOU, and never let anyone question you for doing so!