[April Bradford]

Woman suffering chronic illness cured by breast implant removal​

It is a sad fact of life that some of us are plagued by constant thoughts of self-doubt and insecurity, particularly when it comes to our bodies and appearances.

Some choose to medically enhance or alter their bodies to achieve their desired appearance.

For one woman in the United States though, her choice to have breast implants horribly backfired and she was forced to undo the procedure after more than a decade.

TikTok user @melissalima713 shared her story online and gave a quick background of her ordeal in a post.

‘In 2002, I got breast implants,’ she began, ‘because being in front of the camera made me insecure about my body’.

A young Melissa in 2002. Credit: TikTok​

Eight years later in 2010, she said she started having severe joint pain, unexplained swelling, and depression.

‘After hundreds of doctors and still no answer I just gave up,’ she admitted while opening up on the struggles of being a single mom to her children.

The situation — literally life-saving, in this case — changed when a friend of Melissa’s told her to research breast implant illness.

This nudge spurred Melissa to a conclusion: get rid of her breast implants after nearly two decades.

The video then cuts to a horrifying post-operation visual: her implants were swirling with mould inside!

Melissa’s mould-filled implant. Credit: TikTok​

‘My face and eyes literally changed within hours (of the operation),’ Melissa said next on the post.

‘I finally felt like me again!’

The post triggered an outpouring of support for Melissa, with the video garnering over 600 thousand hearts (likes) on TikTok, and thousands of messages and shares.

‘Amazing. Great story. Glad you are better. Man, I’ve not yet seen implants look like that. So glad you feel better,’ said one user.

‘You’re pretty. Didn’t need that anyway. Glad you are here for the boys,’ another added.

Melissa’s post also seems to have served its purpose of turning other users away from getting implants.

One wrote: ‘You know… I was honestly considering it, but this video just made it a big hell no for me… thank you.’

‘When I tell you I GASPED! I explanted a few years ago & the heal is REAL!!!!’ another exclaimed.

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), breast implant illness, also called BII, refers to a wide range of symptoms reported by some women after getting breast implants.

The FDA reported fatigue, joint pain, and depression among the most common signs and symptoms in more than 7,000 cases they studied for BII.

One user asked Melissa: ‘What did you learn from this experience? Did you change in any way?’

‘I have changed so much. I no longer worry what others will think of me,’ she answered.

https://www.tiktok.com/@melissalima713/video/7142323848187514158?is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7142323848187514158​

Please do get in touch with your doctor if you have gotten breast implants and are experiencing similar symptoms!

What do you think about Melissa’s story?

Tell us your thoughts and opinions below!

 

[Penny4]

Scary!

 

[Marj53]

Each to their own. I wish I could have afforded to go the other way and reduce.

 

[MIZMAC]

I also wished I could reduce. My breasts were so heavy and cause pain

 

[Groovy]

We all have things we don’t like about ourselves. Unfortunately we have to accept them as part of life, because not a single person is perfect.
When we start changing or meddling with our bodies, we will pay the price. Look at people who do Botox all the time, their faces become completely different from what they were (some didn‘t need the change at all).
Media has a lot to answer for the way we feel about body image.

 

[Defiant540]

Each to their own. I wish I could have afforded to go the other way and reduce.

me too!