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AJAX MON-WED/SAT: 9AM-6pM, THURS/FRI: 9AM-7pM SUN AND HOlIDAyS: 10AM-5pM WHIlE QUANTITIES lAST @macmillanorchards1953 Fully Cooked PoRk BReAkFAST SAuSAGe 1lB/20 PieCeS oNly $5.99 ReGulARly $11-$14 GiANT BiTe 1/4 lB BeeF HoT doGS 2 lBS/8 WeiNeRS oNly $7.99 ComPARe AT $12-$16 SToCk uP FoR SummeR WiTH uNBelieVABle SAViNGS! Then, she started researching breast implant illness -- she got implants in 2009 and says no risk was discussed at the time. Online, she found a huge community of women describing symptoms like hers. The term "breast implant illness" is both controversial and poorly understood. There are no diagnostic tests or diagnostic criteria, and many doctors cite medical literature that says there is no straightline connection between the symptoms women are experiencing and their implants. According to breastcancer.org, breast implant illness is "a term that some women and doctors use to refer to a wide range of symptoms that can develop after undergoing reconstruction or cosmetic augmentation with breast implants." De Jager says she was met with eye rolls from doctors when she asked whether her implants could be causing her symptoms. "It's scary that it's not recognized as an illness," she says. "I felt demeaned. I wasn't heard. I was made to feel like it was all in my head." Since having her implants removed De Jager says 90 per cent of her symptoms are gone. She is now making it her mission to raise awareness. De Jager's story is familiar to Lindsey Evans. The 38-year-old Pickering resident got implants in 2012 and says she "almost immediately" started to see subtle changes in her health that grew more serious. Symptoms like exhaustion, weight loss, rashes --her hair even started falling out. Evans says she had a "light-bulb moment" when she saw a Facebook post. "I was sitting there crying after I read some of the stories, I was like 'this is me!' I felt like I might finally have an answer." Evans had her implants removed in 2021 and, like De Jager, says most of her symptoms have now resolved. Dr. Vishal Sharma is an Ajax plastic surgeon who performs breast augmentation surgeries as well as breast implant removal -- in recent years, he has seen an increase in women asking to have implants removed, in some cases because they believe their implants are making them ill. "We do seem to see this constellation of symptoms. It's still fairly poorly understood and definitely the hottest topic in plastic surgery .... A lot of research is being done to try and identify what exactly the cause is" Sharma says. "It's really quite incredible how many patients seem to improve once they have their implants out." All implants undergo a scientific review for safety and effectiveness before Health Canada issues a medical device licence. After breast implants are licensed, Health Canada does post-market surveillance including monitoring incident reports from members of the public and health-care providers. If required, action could include recalling implants or suspending the manufacturer's licence. In 2021, Health Canada data estimated there were 64 confirmed cases of BIAALCL in Canada and 25 suspected cases. A Health Canada safety review found the rate of BIA-ALCL in Canada is "significantly higher in patients with macro-textured breast implants" and in 2019, Health Canada suspended the licences for Allergan's Biocell breast implants. Sharma says there is a lot of misinformation online and stresses people should search out "accurate information that's grounded in science." "I think it's just important for people to know what they're getting themselves into. There's no such thing as a risk-free surgery. Implants are not lifetime devices. Much like a car, they kind of have a shelf-life," he explains. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Women in Durham who believe their breast implants made them sick are finding support and community online, while some local plastic surgeons are seeing an increase in the number of patients asking for breast implants to be removed. WELLNESS Continued from page 3 'I WAS SITTING THERE CRYING AFTER I READ SOME OF THE STORIES, I WAS LIKE 'THIS IS ME!' SCAN THE CODE to read more Durham news.