Knowledge is Power
Recent breast implant surgery a valuable learning experience for Ridgeway resident. By Alyssa Doherty
As women,
we’re inundated with images of how the female body should look. If we don’t like our body, we can nip it, tuck it, inject it and change it. So that’s what I did. In 2009, I chose breast augmentation. It seemed like a relatively safe and common solution. So common that over 300,000 women annually make the same choice. So safe that consultations like mine only highlighted the side effects associated with the anaesthesia. I trusted my surgeon that there was no harm done so I got breast implants.
14
HEALTH, WELLNESS & SAFETY MAGAZINE
In late 2018, however, I learned that breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) cancer can be associated with textured implants. Since this was the type of implant used in my augmentation, alarm bells went off. Add to this was the symptoms I was experiencing. My right breast was swollen and tender, and I had a constant deep-seated body itch and night sweats that would soak a mattress. After addressing my concerns with my surgeon, he assured me the symptoms were unrelated to BIA-ALCL and that the associated cancer was rare. But my symptoms weren’t resolved so I sought a second opinion with my family doctor who sent me for an MRI. Fluid along my right breast was discovered but I had few other answers. Next, I found a Facebook support group for BIA-ALCL and for breast implant failure. These groups were filled with
women sharing similar firsthand stories. The possibility of developing complications with implants was much greater than I had anticipated. I exhaustively researched all the articles, medical journals, FDA and Health Canada documentation I could find associated with breast implants, all describing a wide range of risks. Risks that were not discussed with me during my 2009 consultation. I knew what I had to do. Through the guidance and support of these women online, I was directed to the right plastic surgeon and the proper testing. In May of 2019, I had my implants removed just as Allergan textured breast implants were being recalled by Health Canada. I had the chance to examine them. My right implant showed a sizeable tear and a silicone gel bleed, which I’ve since learned is very common and likely the cause of my symptoms. Symptoms that immediately improved upon their removal. Throughout my search for answers, I discovered that unfortunately, medical professionals are not always up to speed with the dangers that exist. Prior to my explant surgery, there were 22 confirmed cases of BIA-ALCL reported to Health Canada. Today there are 106. Prior to my explant, the risk of developing BIA-ALCL was thought to be 1:300,000. Today that risk falls somewhere between 1:443 and 1:3,345. In July, the FDA imposed a class one recall on Allergan textured breast implants, as they can cause harm, cancer and death. Thirty-three deaths have been confirmed worldwide. These are not rare numbers, these are emerging. I’ve since learned that removal doesn’t guarantee I won’t develop this cancer. If I’d been informed of risks as severe as these, as lifealtering, as life-threatening, I would’ve declined implants. Today I’m thankful for my improving health and the women who have supported me online. I also appreciate the newfound ability I have to see beyond the projected images of how a woman should look, to see me: someone who is willing to do the research, educate herself and advocate for her own health and the health of others. HWS Alyssa Doherty is the owner and operator of the Ridgeway Massage Therapy Clinic. She is an advocate of good health practices and believes in helping empower women to make more educated choices when it comes to their health and their bodies.
WWW.HWSMAG.COM
