MCTD and saline implants - connection ?

Did you have the capsule removed as well ?

Doing ok

Yes ! You must do this

It's very important that the capsule created by your body to surround the implant be fully removed as well as the implant itself. It's the biopsy of the capsule that is the most important part because it can reveal if you have Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. The abbreviation is BIA-ALCL. This is not a breast cancer per se. It's a cancer that occurs in other parts of the body. But the implants have caused this type of cancer to occur in reaction to the implants. So this cancer is not routinely looked for in the breasts. Which means that the pathologist will not be using the typical stains that are used to identify breast cancer, & therefore could potentially not ever diagnose you with this type of cancer which is caused by the implants. This type of cancer might need a different type of stain. Stains are chemicals placed on the microscopic glass slide that contains cells from your breast capsule. Certain stains cause different kinds of cells to light up or turn a certain color. It enables the pathologist to identify the cells that aren't normal or cells that shouldn't be there, such as antibodies or cancer cells or other things that are abnormal. There are many many types of stains. So it's very important that the pathologist is told to be on the lookout not only for regular breast cancer or anything else abnormal but to specifically search for the BIA-ALCL.

Sorry for posting this twice but I've been away for a long time because of all the rotten stuff wrong with me, so I'm not sure who to respond to with my post. Sorry! So to be safe, I'll just post this twice & hope it gets to the correct person. It's very important that the capsule (which is created by your body to surround the implant) be fully surgically removed as well as the implant itself. It's the biopsy of the capsule that is the most important part because it can reveal if you have Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. The abbreviation is BIA-ALCL. This is not a breast cancer per se. It's a cancer that occurs in other parts of the body. But the implants have caused this type of cancer to occur in reaction to the implants. So this cancer is not routinely looked for in the breasts. Which means that the pathologist will not be using the typical stains that are used to identify breast cancer, & therefore could potentially not ever diagnose you with this type of cancer, which is caused by the implants. This type of cancer might need a different type of stain. Stains (also called dyes) are chemicals placed on the tissues taken from the breast capsule. The tissues are sliced into very very thin cuts & then dyes (or stains) are added to these thin tissues slices & then examined & studied very carefully under high power microscopes. Certain stains cause different kinds of cells to light up or turn a certain color. It enables the pathologist to identify the cells that aren't normal or cells that shouldn't be there, such as antibodies or cancer cells or other things that are abnormal. There are many many types of stains. So it's very important that the pathologist is told to be on the lookout not only for regular breast cancer or anything else abnormal but to specifically search for the BIA-ALCL, which could possibly need a specific type of stain/dye to be used, in order to identify this unusual cancer. If not, it's possible that your BX (biopsy) could say that you don't have any neoplasm or any kind of malignancy (cancer) all because the pathologist was never told to look for BIA-ALCL. And that would be a truly horrible mistake to happen.

Deedee, have you received any news about your biopsy? I'm thinking of you & hoping for the best.
I'm going downhill so fast now. I have so many weird things happening that the doctors just shrug their shoulders and say they have no idea what's going on. It's very upsetting because I can't help but think that if I had adequate health care with excellent laboratories and excellent pathologists that someone could figure out what's going on in my body. It's complicated because I'm in Mexico (20 years) & doctors here are not required to do residencies or anything like ongoing education to keep their license to practice. Even the best doctors in the capital city are ignorant about implants causing cancer. The pathologists are subpar, the labs also, & of course the hospitals & doctors are too. Hospitals don't have blood banks. If you have surgery & might need blood, you have to go find your own volunteers to donate your blood type before they operate. Many hospitals are so dirty that I would not trust them with my cats. It's very rare that I see gloves on any healthcare professional. The phlebotomists never wear gloves, not since I arrived here in 2005. I bring clean gloves to them when I go to the lab, plus a mask, because I hardly ever see anyone wearing a mask. The doctors don't take the Hippocratic Oath when they finish medical school. They don't take any oath at all. Being a doctor is mainly seen as a way to hopefully make a lot of money. Most don't take credit cards, cash only, no receipt, because they don't want to pay any taxes on their income, so they are careful to avoid a paper trail. I know I could get a diagnosis (DX) for all the new things I'm going through right now if I could be seen at the Mayo Clinic, but because I don't live in the US, I don't have any health insurance in the US. And there's no way I could pay for anything because I simply don't have the kind of money required in the US for any kind of medical care. One doctor here said that the fascia on my legs & arms is disappearing and little bits of muscle are popping up to the surface (the epidermis) through the holes where the fascia is fragile & thin. Who really knows what these little bumps are? They are extremely sensitive and super painful to touch. I had a tumor on my back removed & the path report said it was a dermatofibroma, no malignancy seen. But how do I know if they used the proper stains to examine the cells? It could possibly be a soft tissue sarcoma, which often look like dermatofibromas. Now another new thing is that I can't open my eyes at certain times of the day. If I hold ice on the lids for a few minutes, then my eyelid muscles will work again. It can be a Sx (symptom) of Myasthenia Gravis but the labs where I live are not able to do that blood test because they don't have the reagents necessary. It can be a Sx of many other things as well but no doctor here will have a clue. I'm so frustrated, & my MS is so much worse. It's been over 4 years since I could walk. So tired of being in a wheelchair, can't go outside anywhere because the sidewalks are crumbling & the buildings don't have ramps. No handicap bathrooms anywhere. This is the worst place to live if you're in a wheelchair. Sometimes my husband has to carry me upstairs because there's no elevator. And the entrance to buildings never have ramps. Sorry for whining. I'm isolated from society. I don't know where this type of post would be proper to make. Frustrated. I don't mean to dump on you or anyone. I'm very sorry for all my whining. I know we all have our own histories of frustration with the medical profession. No one is exempt. I hope that you are doing well.

Hi mawmaws, I've been out for a while because I was sick on top of sick, over & over. Just now saw your message. I think you just click on my name in blue to send me a message. Somewhere in my original post is my name rottenweather but in blue. I think you click on that to send a private message. Hugs to you dear friend. Actually, I don't think I know how to send a private message! Can anyone help us out?