If you have breast implants and have spent months feeling exhausted, foggy, achy or inexplicably unwell, but you have been constantly brushed off by doctors and told that it’s just normal aging, you are not alone. Many women have the same experience of going from doctor to doctor without answers.
Breast implant illness could be the reason for your discomfort, and it is a condition Dr. Tarola takes seriously at his practice in Murfreesboro, TN. At Tarola Plastic Surgery, he will listen to your concerns and help you understand your symptoms, with a diagnosis and options for moving forward.
What Is Breast Implant Illness?
Breast implant illness, or BII, is the name patients use for a group of symptoms that begin or worsen after getting saline or silicone implants. It can involve aches and pains and new allergies, and even cognitive symptoms like brain fog. BII is not yet an official medical diagnosis, and many doctors openly dismiss patients who have concerns about their implants and the connection to their symptoms, but the FDA has acknowledged a connection between a reduction in symptoms and removal of implants.
What Dr. Tarola Was Taught About Implants
In residency, Dr. Tarola learned that implants come with mechanical risks like rupture and capsular hardening, but was never taught about a link to autoimmune problems. His first BII patients, around 2017, left him skeptical. In 2018, he read the manufacturer insert inside an implant box and found that autoimmune-like conditions were listed as a known risk. This, combined with the improvements he saw in patients he treated despite his skepticism, eventually changed his thinking about BII.
Do All Implants Cause Symptoms?
Most women with implants feel well for years, and BII appears to affect only a small portion of patients. Dr. Tarola still performs breast augmentation because implants can be a good choice for many people, but he believes in transparent discussion about all of the risks of cosmetic surgery so patients can make decisions about breast surgery after being fully informed. He discusses BII with all of his augmentation patients beforehand, and listens closely when a patient asks to have the implants removed.
Breast Implant Illness Symptoms
- Fatigue and Brain Fog: Low energy that persists even after rest is one of the most commonly reported complaints, reported by just under half of patients in FDA data. This can also be present along with brain fog or trouble concentrating and remembering.
- Joint Pain and Muscle Aches: Aching joints, swelling and muscle pain can occur throughout the body. One of Dr. Tarola’s patients, Lindsey, had hands that were so swollen, she couldn’t wear her wedding ring for years before her breast implant removal.
- Rashes and Skin Reactions: Some patients experience red, itchy rashes and hives that have no other explanation.
- Digestive Issues and Food Sensitivities: Stomach upset and new food sensitivities are common complaints with BII. Some people can only tolerate a handful of foods.
- Hormonal and Mood Changes: Irregular cycles can occur with BII, along with mood disruptions like anxiety and depression, and sometimes a lack of sleep can make these symptoms worse.
- Less Common Symptoms: Less common, but still reported symptoms include ringing in the ears, dry eyes, restless legs, hair loss and chest tightness. Some people mention getting sick more often than before.
When Do Breast Implant Illness Symptoms Appear?
There is no specific timeline for symptoms to appear. Some notice feeling worse within weeks of augmentation, while others feel well for years before a gradual or sudden decline. Other patients had some symptoms before surgery that intensified after implants were placed. The difference in onset only leads to greater difficulty in linking the symptoms to the implants.
How Breast Implant Illness Is Diagnosed
Why BII Is a Diagnosis of Exclusion
A diagnosis of exclusion means other conditions are tested for first, and BII becomes the most likely explanation once results come back normal. No blood test or scan can confirm it. A peer-reviewed study of women self-reporting BII describes it as symptoms with no abnormal physical or lab findings to explain them.
Start With Your Primary Care Physician
If you are experiencing a decline in your health, you should have an evaluation with your primary care doctor to check for thyroid problems, autoimmune disease and other common causes of your symptoms, just to make sure there is nothing else going on. Depending on your symptoms, you may see a rheumatologist for joint pain, an allergist for reactions or a dermatologist for rashes. At any point during this process, you can also meet with Dr. Tarola to discuss implant removal.
Dr. Tarola’s Symptom Questionnaire
Dr. Tarola created a detailed symptom checklist to record what patients experience before surgery and track what changes afterward. Many describe a lightbulb moment filling it out, recognizing their experience in symptom after symptom they had never tied to their implants. It also gives him a baseline to measure against during recovery.
Breast Implant Removal Options
- Implant Removal Without Capsulectomy: The simplest option involves removing the implants while leaving the surrounding scar tissue in place. Recovery is shorter, risks are lower, and this can be enough for some patients to reduce symptoms.
- Partial or Total Capsulectomy: The body forms a thin layer of scar tissue, called a capsule, around any implant. Removing part of this is a partial capsulectomy, and removing all of it is a total capsulectomy.
- En Bloc Total Capsulectomy: En bloc total capsulectomy is the removal of the entire capsule together in one piece. Dr. Tarola prefers this method when the situation allows. However, he presents every option to his patients to find the best course for everyone.
Is Exchanging Implants an Option?
Some patients want new implants placed at the same time, and this may be an option in certain situations. However, when someone has significant symptoms, Dr. Tarola may advise against replacement and suggest removing the implants first, then waiting a year before revisiting the idea.
Schedule a Breast Implant Removal Consultation
At Tarola Plastic Surgery, Dr. Tarola performs explant surgery in a private operating room inside his Murfreesboro office, so patients recover without hospital foot traffic and often go home the same day. Out-of-town patients are welcome, and payment plans are available since insurance rarely covers BII removal. Call 615-713-1695 or reach the office to schedule a consultation. Virtual visits are available.
