My breast implants are failing after 25 years

[Knackeredboobs1972]

I'm 51 and had implants privately after my late grandma left me some money. I'd had a terrible time in high school up to early 20's when I finally got the chance to afford it. I was ridiculed at school for having no boobs and this absolutely destroyed me. It affected my mental health so much I was unable to go on holiday for fear of my partner seeing someone's boobs on the beach, watching TV with him was stressful, life was very difficult and as a result I attempted suicide twice. Shortly after that I inherited the money and had surgery. I also had counselling. It changed my life. I'm happy with my body and have been for years.
But obviously they don't last for ever. They have been dimpled and lumpy for years. I've ignored it as I do not have any money to get them taken out or replaced. They are getting worse and worse and I'm terrified they are causing damage. What do I do? I'm up to my eyes in credit card debt and bills already. I work 2 jobs, as does my partner. There is no way I can get thousands to sort this out.
Would the nhs ever sort this out or do I just have to live with this.

https://www.realself.com/drsearch?builder=true&keyword=Breast%20Implant%20Removal&location=United%20Kingdom&lat=55.378051&lng=-3.435973&country=GB&range=60

You can see before and after photos and find surgeons near you.

I would see how much it would cost to get them taken out privately OP. You could potentially get some kind of payment plan. I can only see this becoming more of an issue, seeing as so many people go to Turkey every year for cheap cosmetic surgery. I doubt many are saving for replacements and are quite happy to try and use the NHS as a safety net.

Surely it's common knowledge, I've never had implants and even I know they're the same lifespan as smoke alarms.

@Knackeredboobs1972

Do you know what kind of implants you have, OP?

Thank you for replying 🙂 This gives me hope!

My grandma's nursing home had a lady who was rushed into hospital, turned out she had her implants in for 40ish years! She ended up with an infection. The NHS removed them for her.

Just get them taken out and accept your natural boobs, I am sure they are just fine!

I guess you start a GoFundMe among all the people you know?

I've no idea what they are! Cannot remember. I'm now in perimenopause and can't remember what I did an hour ago let alone 25 yrs ago!
I'm glad others have been through procedure and it wasn't as bad. That gives me hope!
I'm sure the surgeon will have told me but being early 20's and so delighted I didn't give it another thought until I hit 40ish. Then since that they've deteriorated
And as I cannot afford to get them redone (nor do I want to) I've ignored it.
I've read it's way more complicated to take them out though

Honestly I am so much happier now, you should do it.

@Knackeredboobs1972

I thought that I would ask about the kind of implants because there seems to be specific guidance on a particular kind called PIP and I wondered whether this might give you broader options if you did have PIP implants.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pip-implants/

I’m in the same boat @Knackeredboobs1972 but mine are nearly 30 years old. Like you I’m sure they told me about replacement but I was young and i wanted bigger boobs so i would have agreed to anything and the clinic I used is long gone.

Well I sure hope the nhs will remove them. Just had a quote from the hospital where I got them done....just under £6k 😱😱

I don’t have any suggestions as to now but I’m so sorry you felt like you did in the past. The truth is men don’t care half as much as women do. In fact small perky boobs look much more attractive that big ones. I was bullied for big lips at school and now they are all the fashion. If only kids knew at school the damage that can be caused mentally for life.

@Knackeredboobs1972

Have they said what kind they are in the wording of their quote, OP?

Can you say what kind of problems you have with them at the moment? Do they look or feel strange or uncomfortable?

Complaint about what? They don't last forever.

She was

No worries, we’ll all pay for it instead then. Alls well that ends well hey.

I breastfed for 11 months! I'm 18 years in and need them redone ideally but I want another baby so trying to eek it out

The NHS has better things to be spending money on?

I don't see why the NHS should have to foot the bill.

If they're causing you physical harm then you should be able to get them removed on the NHS - but as others have said, they won't replace them, so you will need to accept that you will be a lot flatter when they've been removed. Not that this should really matter - but any change to appearance can feel like a bit of a jolt sometimes, so just something to be aware of.

Unless it's life threatening I don't see why the NHS should pay to fix cosmetic treatments. There much more important health needs in this country.

Unless it's life threatening, should they pay for something you chose to?

The NHS doesn’t only pay for life threatening procedures though.