♪ ♪
♪ >> Jason: THEY’RE A TIGHT-KNIT
GROUP INSPIRING REAL CHANGE.
A FORMER LOCAL 4 REPORTER IS
SHARING HER STORY OF CHRONIC
ILLNESS AND HER FIGHT TO GET
DOCTORS TO REALIZE WHAT’S REALLY
CAUSING IT.
CAUSING IT. >> Karen: TRACY GARY SAID THE
BREAST IMPLANTS WERE MAKING HER
SICK.
SICK. >> Jason: AND AFTER SHE STEPPED
FORWARD, OTHERS ALSO WERE SICK.
>> Devin: IT’S A LONG STRUGGLE.
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WE
SAT DOWN WITH OUR FORMER
COLLEAGUE.
COLLEAGUE. IT HAD BEEN ABOUT A MONTH SINCE
SHE HAD HER BREAST IMPLANTS
REMOVED AND FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN MANY YEARS, SHE WAS HAPPY TO
BE ALIVE!
BE ALIVE! AND HER FIGHT AND THE FIGHT OF
SO MANY OTHERS IS BEING
RECOGNIZED AS SOMETHING VERY
REAL, BEST IMPLANT ILLNESS.
>> I HAD SUICIDAL DEPRESSION SO
BAD, THAT IS ALL GONE.
>> Devin: HER SYMPTOMS WOULD
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH BREAST
IMPLANTS, AIR LOSS, FATIGUE,
MUSCLE PAIN AND CRUSHING
DEPRESSION.
DEPRESSION. SHE DIDN’T KNOW IT BUT IN
CHICAGO, LAURA HAD BEEN GOING
THROUGH THE SAME THING.
>> EVERY DOCTOR, THE SAME THING.
IT’S DEJA VU LISTENING TO THEIR
STORIES.
STORIES. >> Devin: AND ALSO FOR NATASHA,
A MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FIGHTER,
BUT THE IMPLANTS KNOCKED HER OUT
OF RING.
OF RING. >> I GOT THEM AND HAD THREE MMA
FIGHTS AND HAVEN’T FOUGHT AGAIN.
I GOT DEATHLY ILL.
>> Devin: IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD IN
MARSHALL, ANNETTE BAKER WAS LOST
IN A MAZE OF MISERY.
>> NOBODY CAN DIAGNOSE ME AND
WE’RE THOUGHT TO BE CRAZY.
THE LABS WERE NEGATIVE, AT LEAST
MINE ARE.
MINE ARE. >> THE HEAL IS REAL, AND THEY’RE
A TIGHT-KNIT PLATOON OF A
GROWING ARMY, WOMEN WHO HAD
THEIR BREAST IMPLANTS REMOVED
AND GOT THEIR LIVES BACK.
ALL OF THEM FINDING EACH OTHER
ONLINE TAKING THEIR STORIES TO
WASHINGTON TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE
FDA, TRYING TO CONVINCE THE
MEDICAL WORLD THAT BREAST
IMPLANT ILLNESS IS NOT IN THEIR
HEADS, IT’S IN THEIR BODIES.
>> WHAT I’M SEEING AFTER LOOKING
INTO THE RESEARCH AND THE
LITERATURE, I BELIEVE IT’S REAL.
>> Devin: THE PLASTIC SURGEON
HAS COME AROUND.
>> SO WHAT DO I BELIEVE?
I BELIEVE BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS
IS REAL.
IS REAL. >> Devin: I SPEAK WITH HIM A
NEAR AND A HALF AGO AND HE
WASN’T SURE THE EVIDENCE WAS
THERE, AND NOW HE WARNS ABOUT A
BAD REACTION TO IMPLANTS.
IT’S THE MOST POPULAR ELECTIVE
SURGERY IN THE COUNTRY AND A
PROFIT CENTER FOR MANY DOCTORS,
MANY OF WHOM STILL DON’T BUY IT.
>> THEY GET TOGETHER AT THE
MEETINGS, AND FIVE YEARS AGO IF
THEY HAD BROUGHT IT UP, IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN SCOFFED AT AND NOT
MADE IT TO THE SESSIONS.
NOW, IT’S A BIG DEAL.
>> Devin: THIS FALL, THE FDA
AGREED URGING PLASTIC SURGEONS
TO WARN PATIENTS ABOUT BII.
BUT NO VICTORY LAPS, NOT YET.
>> WE HAVE SO FAR TO GO.
>> WE DO.
>> WE DO. >> I HAVEN’T SEEN ANYTHING
REALLY HAPPEN.
REALLY HAPPEN. >> AND THE DOCTORS NEED TO BE
EDUCATED ON TAKING THE CAPSULE
OUT.
OUT. >> Devin: IT REMAINS A
CONTROVERSIAL POINT.
CONTROVERSIAL POINT. IT’S A SIMPLE PROCEDURE TO
REMOVE AN IMPLANT, BUT MANY BII
PATIENTS BELIEVE THEY NEED TO
REMOVE THE CAPSULE, A MUCH MORE
COMPLICATED PROCEDURE.
COMPLICATED PROCEDURE. DEMANDING FULL CAPSULE REMOVAL
IS THE NEXT BATTLE FOR THESE
WOMEN WHO ARE FINALLY HAPPY TO
FEEL UP TO THE FIGHT.
>> I’M HAPPY.
I CAN TAKE CARE OF MY KIDS.
I HAVE MY HEALTH BACK.
MY FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT.
BEFORE, I MIGHT HAVE LOOKED A
CERTAIN WAY FOR OTHERS BUT IT
RUINED MY LIFE.
IT’S NOT WORTH IT.
IT IS NOT WORTH IT!
>> Devin: IF ALL OF THIS SOUNDS
SO OPEN AND CANDID, EXPECT MORE
OF THAT.
OF THAT. >> I HOPE PEOPLE ASK, WHAT
HAPPENED TO HER BREASTS?
BECAUSE I WILL GLADLY STOP AT
THEIR TABLE AT THE WEDDING AND
TELL THEM.
TELL THEM. [LAUGHTER]
[LAUGHTER] >> Devin: WITHOUT IT, INSURANCE
COMPANIES AREN’T BOUND TO COVER
WHATEVER TREATMENT IS DEEMED
NECESSARY.
NECESSARY. AND THAT HAS LED MANY TO HAVE
THEIR IMPLANTS REMOVED IN OTHER
COUNTRIES WHERE IT’S CHEAPER.
WE PUT MY MUCH LONGER AND
IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH THESE
FOUR WOMEN ON
CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
CLICKONDETROIT.COM. HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE.
THEY’RE VERY CANDID AND OPEN
ABOUT IT ALL.
BUT THEY’RE FINALLY SEEING SOME
PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT.
>> Karen: IT’S ENCOURAGING THE
DOCTOR 18 MONTHS LATER SAW THE
CHANGES.
CHANGES. >> Devin: THAT’S WHAT LED ME TO
REVISIT THIS.
REVISIT THIS. I RAN INTO THE DOCTOR AND HE
SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, I’VE
CHANGED MY MIND.
>> Jason: THAT’S A HUGE STEP.