Mary and Sybil,

I think my story will help other women, especially the women new to this experience. Please post my story. My name is Shirl and I will try to make my long story as short as I can.

I had two different types of implants. The first were silicone and after 12 years of problems, I had them removed and replaced with double-lumen saline implants. I carried these hard rocks for 26 years, making a total of 38 years of misery and pain.

Doctors assured me they wouldn’t harm me or my body regardless of unexplained pain and chronic fatigue and neuropathy that disabled me. I spent thousands of dollars in medical expenses. I had two major exploratory surgeries that showed nothing could be causing that kind of pain I was having. I had MRI’s of every kind, diagnostic testing and nothing showed up.

Then I found explant sites like yours and found some of my symptoms. I also found Dr. Melmed in Dallas, TX. Finding you two was a blessing because I had gotten to the point where I didn’t care to live anymore, because I thought I was losing my mind.

Dr. Melmed removed my implants. The garbage I was carrying in my chest was unbelievable. I had been carrying ruptured implants with a chest full of calcification. Dr. Melmed’s bovie couldn’t cut through it and he had such a hard time getting the capsules out. Since they were totally calcified that were like a hard rock structure. He finally freed the capsules from both by breasts and cleaned up my chest and bandaged me up.

Now for the second part on my surgery from the explants: For almost a year I was unhappy with the appearance of my breasts as they healed. I sent Dr. Melmed an e-mail and he immediately got back in touch with me and asked me to send him some pictures of how I had healed. I was glad to do that, since because of the neuropathy and pain in my low back, hips and legs I didn’t want to make a long trip to Dallas unless he could help me. After receiving the pictures he sent me a letter informing me I had developed hallows in my breasts, because the implants had stretched my tissues and did not rebound and shrink back. He explained it would be fairly simple to fix. The surgery would be in his office with 1-2 hours of local anesthetic. I called Janeth to schedule my appointment and get the names of nearby hotels. Janeth recommended a few and after a problem with one of the hotels, Janeth took time from her busy schedule to help me with my problem and find another hotel for me. Janeth is such a caring person. I was so impressed.

While I have 50% less pain since my explant surgery (as compared to the 24/7 pain I was in before I had my implants removed) I still have problems traveling and wanted a place to rest and make sure there were no complications before leaving Texas.

I headed to the Dallas Medical Center the next morning. Janeth was there, waiting to personally greet us. I was very nervous and Dr. Melmed took extra time to calm me down, reassuring me everything would be fine. Le Anna was there with a smile too and she helped me during the surgery by talking to me and keeping my mind off what Dr. Melmed was doing during the surgery. It helped me tremendously. I only felt a slight tug now and then and nothing like I had imagined. My breasts were numbed by a cream and I had a pill to relax me before the surgery, Dr. Melmed was so gentle with me. I had an inverted nipple (from birth) and he fixed that for me too. That was a wonderful surprise and now both breasts look the same.

After the surgery Dr. Melmed let my husband sit with me until I could get to my feet. The next morning I went back to see Dr. Melmed to be checked out before leaving Dallas. Everything was okay and he gave me instructions on how to take care of myself. Before leaving the Dr. shook my husband’s hand twice and told me to stay in touch to let him know how I was doing. Le Anna and Janeth hugged me before I left.

I will never forget any of them because they made an everlasting impression on me. I prayed that God would put me in loving hands and my prayer was answered BIG time.
After I got home my bandages were on for about 10 days before I took them off. I was really surprised when I took it off. My breasts look so much better and perkier. Although my breasts at the time still had some swelling, I decided to wait and see day by day the outcome. They were looking better as the days went on. It has been around 5 weeks now and they are still looking great. I am so happy; I got backing touch with Dr. Melmed after the explant surgery and decided to have the second surgery for improvement. My husband felt like royalty with the treatment we received from Dr. Melmed and his staff. He did a wonderful job and I feel so much better looking at myself in the mirror.

Thanks to all of you on the internet and the sites that helped me find such a wonderful doctor and for all you have taught me. It is so good to know that some doctors really DO care about people. My love to all of you and God bless each of you that have and still are going through the pain from the horrible poison from the implants. I hope this letter will help someone else that has been or is in my situation. Let them know there is help and hope for feeling better healthwise. We don’t have to look mutilated either. I am more satisfied than I was before thanks to Dr. Melmed. I couldn’t ask to have been in a more comfortable environment. They made me feel like a family member, instead of someone I only met for the second time.

Love in Christ to all of you,

Shirl