I’m typically a pretty private person and I don’t tend to share a lot on Facebook. I’m writing this post in hopes that it might save someone from having to go through the agony, frustration and pain I have been dealing with for the past 10 months. It all started last July when I woke up in the middle of the night with burning like welts across my butt. Yes my butt. It was hot enough to wake me up. We were leaving to go camping that next morning with some friends. That morning when I woke up the welts were gone as if they were never even there. They had moved to my inner thighs. They itched and burned like crazy. This was just the beginning of something that was about to consume me for the next 10 months. Before long, I was literally covered from head to toe in these hives. I wanted to rip my skin off! There were times when all of a sudden it felt like my feet were engulfed in flames and I would have to run and put them in water as quickly as I could. At this point, I have gone to see my physician who then referred me to an allergist. The allergist took blood to test for allergies. My entire body looked as though I was having an allergic reaction to something. He gave me an EPI pen for just in case in the meantime, until the bloodwork came back.
Bloodwork comes back showing no known allergies. I was so frustrated. He said that I had urticaria also known as chronic hives. He spent 6 months treating me with allergy shots and prednisone. He told me I was the toughest case he’d ever had. They shots just weren’t helping. He was giving me 4 a month at $1,200 a shot. Insurance paid very little. He was talking with his fellow colleagues at the Universities trying to help her me some answers. In my heart, I felt like I was being treated for the wrong thing. I wasn’t okay with being told that I just get chronic hives. That just isn’t normal! My body was trying to tell me something. At this time, I was taking so many antihistamines just trying to get through the night. By day I was a crabby, bitchy, aggravated zombie still trying to work and carry out all my mom duties.
By this time I’m about 8 months in and am getting zero relief! I’ve put on more than 50lbs because of the prednisone and cortisol my body is releasing. MY POOR BODY IS COMPLETELY PANICKED BY NOW! Not only am I losing my mind, but I’m losing hope! I’m mentally breaking down. I itch morning, noon and night with zero relief. Soon the prednisone stops working. I’ve had 2 ER visits, no answers, but more prednisone being thrown at me.
In desperation to get answers as to why!? My mother in law asked me to see a holistic Doctor that she has a ton of confidence in. What did I have to lose right!? He hooked me up to a bio feedback machine. He touched my skin with a pencil looking gadget that would give him readings on the computer. He tested for several different chemicals in my system. For the 1st time now in 8 months he has answers!! Silicone poisoning! He tells me I have high levels of silicone throughout my entire body! He believes it’s from my IUD. I explained to him that I actually had my IUD removed 4 days prior because of the horrible shooting pains and cramping I had been having. Then I asked him if it could possibly be my implants. Yes, I was 27 when I thought getting breast implants would be great. Anyway, he looked up at me and said, “oh no, you have implants?” Fast forward, my hives completely cleared on my lower torso after the removal of my IUD. I thought I was getting better and improving with the herbs he had given me to detox my system. I was wrong. The hives became way more aggressive and were attacking my upper body. I remember laying in bed crying uncontrollably. I felt so ill that I was worried I might not wake up the next day. I truly felt like I was going to die in my sleep. My lips and face swelled up. I remember James waking up throughout the night to touch me to make sure I was still breathing. I remember one night James began to cry. He said he has never felt so helpless. He couldn’t stand watching me suffer. I knew what I needed to do.
I contacted the surgeon who put my implants in. I begged to be seen. I felt like I was getting worse by the day. 2 other surgeon’s I called were booked out for a consultation until the end of August. There was no way I could survive until then. I had my consultation last Wednesday and he got me in for surgery yesterday. Surgery went well. It took 2.5 hours instead of the 1.5 he had anticipated. One of my implants had in fact been leaking. I’ll spare you all the details but he is positive he got 100% of the silicone out. I’m very sore, but feeling very thankful to have found out this what was making me so sick! Months and months of being told that I am a medical mystery and not one doctor thought to have my implants checked. I am looking forward to returning back to my old self again. So many women suffer many different illnesses and autoimmune diseases and it really makes you wonder if it’s the implants. You can have silicone toxicity and not have a leak! My body was doing what it was supposed to do…fight off foriegn bodies! Please share this with anyone you may know who has implants or IUD who is sick and can’t find answers! Most of all, my family and friends and shown me so much love and support through this whole thing. I couldn’t have done it without them!