December 20, 2023 • 30 mins
On this episode, I am joined by Candice Diaz. Candice is the host of the podcast Finding Resilience Within. It is a podcast that doesn't shy away from hard topics and shares stories of finding resilience.
On this episode we discuss breast implants and breast implant illness. Breast implant illness isn't a medically recognized condition but many people find themselves getting sick with the same illness and finding themselves better once the implants are removed. Neither of us are medical professionals so we are sharing our personal experiences from our perspective.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Filled Up Cuppodcast.
We are a different kind of selfcare resource, one that has
nothing to do with bubble bathsand face masks, and everything
to do with rediscoveringyourself.
We bring you real reviews,honest experiences, and
unfiltered opinions that willmake you laugh, cry, and most
(00:21):
importantly, leave you with afilled up cup.
Ashley (00:31):
I am so excited today.
I have Candice Diaz joining me.
Candice is the podcast host.
Her podcast is FindingResilience Within.
Thank you so much for joining metoday.
Candice (00:42):
Yeah, thank you for having me.
Ashley (00:44):
Candice and I are going to talk about breast implant
illness and her personal journeywith it.
Just a little disclaimer thatneither one of us are healthcare
professionals, and this isbasically just our shared
experience.
Can you tell me a little bitabout what made you decide that
you wanted implants?
Candice (01:00):
Yeah, so I had always been self conscious of my
smaller breast size all in likemy young adulthood and then It
was kind of random jumping from,being self conscious about it to
actually going through withgetting implants.
My husband had been strugglingwith, a porn addiction, and it
(01:22):
really made me obsessed over mylooks and comparing myself to
all those women.
And so, through my traumamindset and hurt, I was just
like, I'm getting implants.
And from the moment I wasdeciding, it was like, A month
later, I actually was gettingthe surgery.
So I didn't really think about,yeah, I wasn't really logically
(01:45):
thinking.
I was just like, I want them.
I'm getting them.
Ashley (01:47):
Was your husband on board, like bigger is better.
Was there any aside from sort ofcomparing to others?
Was there outside pushes or likea voice that was like, you
should absolutely be consideringthis.
Candice (02:01):
My husband never made me feel like.
My body wasn't good enough.
He was very supportive of mychoice But he also I could tell
felt bad like he didn't want meto go through with it and so I
didn't really even tell anybodyI was doing it So I had no other
voices really like you should doit.
You need it It was all just myown mindset and what I believed
Ashley (02:25):
I guess every situation is totally different where
sometimes it is somebody saying,Hey, bigger boobs are better.
But I think a lot of the timesit's coming within the things
that we tell ourselves and thinkthat they'll solve a problem.
I'll suddenly become moreconfident.
I'll look a certain way.
People will treat me in certainways, but I think that there's
so much psychological thingstied into it that way that as
(02:47):
women, we put so much pressureon these two little bags to
solve all of our problems.
Candice (02:55):
It is crazy to me.
It's like, we put all of ourself worth and our value in our
boobs.
Like, that's crazy.
Just the way society treats itand the way that I was raised,
like, little things, even thoughsomeone didn't.
Straight up say big boobs arebetter.
That's what I internalized.
Ashley (03:13):
I think the media and society really did kind of have
that bigger is better.
And for a long time, it was sortof romanticized as you know,
your clothes fit better.
Sort of the playboy or thebombshell people were sort of
sold to us as this is the beautystandard, which I do like that.
Now that we are having more ofthese conversations, and now
(03:36):
that, I don't know, we canaccess more things on the
internet, it's sort of nice thatwe are seeing more body types,
that it isn't just a one mold.
Yeah.
When you got your breastimplants, how was the after?
Like, did you have any symptoms?
Did you start to not feel good?
Or was it you were happy withthem after and everything was
(03:57):
fine?
Candice (03:59):
It's kind of like a mix of both because I had an
interesting situation with mysurgeon who put them in.
I never tried anything on.
I heard later that a lot ofwomen will, like, be able to see
the implants and, pick a size.
He was just like, trust me, Iknow exactly what to do for your
body type.
And I told him, I don't wantanything huge, I just want,
(04:19):
like, natural.
So he did put a size that wasway bigger than I expected.
So after the surgery, I waslike, whoa, they're bigger than
I was hoping.
But I also was like, I lovethese.
Right after that, it's like,this is what I've been dreaming
of and hoping for.
So I was kind of like cloudedwith that, excitement, but it
(04:41):
was only like a month later thatI started having complications
with one of my implants gettingharder.
I messaged the surgeon.
I was like, Hey, something seemswrong.
And they totally dismissed it.
They're like, it should be fine.
It's only been a month, likeit'll all work out.
And so that was the main thing Ihad.
And also I had.
(05:03):
nerve damage, like my entirenipple and breast was numb.
And that stayed the whole time Ihad them.
Ashley (05:12):
That's so frustrating that you totally got written
off.
Just the medical gaslightingthat can happen in these
situations is just.
So incredibly frustratingbecause any surgeon should know
in any type of surgery the riskof Complications are there that
it's like if I'm telling yousomething's wrong with my body
at least bring me in for a checkin Have more than just a
(05:33):
dismissive conversation so afteryou kind of blew you off in your
initial concerns?
Did you eventually go to see himand have a checkup?
Candice (05:43):
No, I never did because he was I went all the way to
Texas to do it.
So I didn't live there.
So yeah, I just dismissed itmyself.
I'm like, it's probably fine.
And then I also thought it wouldjust get better because they
told me that.
And then all of a sudden yearsstarted going by like, it's not
getting better.
Ashley (06:04):
So other than a capsule constructure then, the scar
tissue just adding up in theone, and then with the nerve
pain, was there any othersymptoms that you had other than
those two?
Candice (06:16):
Yeah, so, at first it was just those two, and I don't
even know when it actuallystarted of me having other
symptoms, because, I also had apregnancy while having them, and
like, just getting older, it waslike, what's just getting older
and having kids, and what's,being caused by the implants,
but now I realized I have such along list of issues that came
(06:40):
from implants, such asdizziness, brain fog just breast
pain, I'm trying to remember allof them.
I have like a whole list ofthem.
Ashley (06:50):
It is really scary because when you really look at
the list, a lot of the things Ithink We do as women that we're
so conditioned to be like, wedon't want to bother anybody.
I'm sure it's all in my headthat we do.
We go, Oh, I'm just a woman.
I'm sure that it's maybe myperiod or being pregnant.
Everybody talks about pregnancy,brain and things like that.
So it's like, I'm sure this isthe brain fog and getting older.
(07:13):
Oh, I'm stressed.
I'm busy.
It's all of these things thatthe frustrating thing about
breast implant illness is thatit isn't medically recognized.
So it's like we are sold to lookat all of these other options
instead of the blaringly obviousone in our mind.
Some of the symptoms for anybodywho isn't aware it can cause
(07:33):
heart palpitations, dizziness.
It can cause early menopause,your hair goes gray, it can
cause anxiety, depression,insomnia joint pain, respiratory
issues.
Cancers, it can cause really badmemory problem, concentration
problem allergies to food, GIsymptoms like rashes on your
(07:57):
face.
Headaches, hair loss, and whenwe talk about brain fog, like,
I'm not sure if yours was thisbad or not, but I literally felt
like I had dementia, I would seelike a pen, but I couldn't
remember what the name of thepen or I know my respiratory
issues got so bad that goingfrom the bottom of my stairs to
the stop top of my stairs, Ialmost felt like.
(08:20):
There was an imaginary rope andI had to sort of envision myself
like forcing myself up.
And at that point, I was in myearly to mid thirties, but it is
kind of really frustrating thatyou feel almost like a senior
citizen trapped in your body.
Candice (08:34):
That's crazy.
Mine did not get that bad yetbecause I just started having
those symptoms early this year.
So it was just starting and itwas like, I would be talking to
my kids and I would say thewrong words.
And they'd be like, what?
And I'm like, oh my gosh, Idon't know what I'm saying.
(08:56):
And that would scare me.
And then like the fatigue,that's what made me, I'm like,
am I just lazy now?
But it was, obviously, I knowit's from the implants.
I was so tired and groggy.
It's crazy that all this iscaused just from the implants.
Ashley (09:11):
Right.
And your body literally rejectsthem.
And a lot of the times too, Ithink something that people talk
about is like, Oh, if you havethem for a long time, but it's
not really the case.
You can almost immediately startgetting symptoms, but not
realize that that's actuallywhat it is.
How did you end up ever hearingabout breast implant illness?
Candice (09:30):
Yeah, so I, started debating on getting my implants
out just because I found a lotof healing.
And me and my husband wentthrough a lot of healing and I
was like, these don't feel likeme.
I want to get them out.
And I was looking into it andthen I realized like all the
breast implant illness and allthese accounts on social media
came up and I was like, okay,now I want to get them out even
(09:52):
more.
This was like.
Two or three years ago.
So it took me a while toactually go through with the
surgery, but that was my firsttime really hearing that it was
common, like I knew you couldget sick from them, but I also
kind of dismissed it becausejust like the medical field,
it's like they dismiss it soeasily.
So that's kind of what I didtoo.
(10:13):
I'm like, it's rare, but it'snot rare.
It's actually way common.
Ashley (10:18):
I had mine all in all for 12 years before I got them
out.
But when I first got my surgeryand I Was basically just told
about scar tissue.
I wasn't told about breastimplant illness or the cancers
or anything.
I was basically said scar tissuewill happen Potentially in heart
and your breasts, but even thenlike I think all of us get scar
(10:39):
tissue from it So it's notreally could happen.
It does happen But I think thatit would be so nice if it was
more transparent of these areall the things potentially could
happen.
And then, like you said, evensometimes if we hear that
something could happen, we kindof all have this like, oh, but
it could happen to other people.
It's definitely not going tohappen to me.
(11:00):
And it is hard because it's likewe do get breast implants for a
whole wide variety of reasonsthat it is kind of hard when
it's something that you'vewanted.
And especially if you are reallyhappy with that afterwards to
have the reality of like.
Okay, not only am I going tohave another surgery, but the
things that I wanted, I don'thave anymore and kind of dealing
(11:21):
with that.
So I think it's really fair thatit did take you a couple of
years to make that decisionbecause it's.
In some ways it's easier to putthem in.
The surgery to get them out ismuch different.
Now I know that you talked abouthow you went to Texas to get
them in in the first place.
Did you go to the same doctorfor explant?
Or how was it finding an explantdoctor?
Candice (11:40):
I definitely did not go to the same doctor.
I actually made a Tik Tok of mystory of how my surgeon didn't
listen.
And now I have issues andsomeone saw it and they actually
work for an explant surgeon.
So they reached out to me andwere like, Hey, the surgeon I
work for is amazing.
And so I went to his page and Ijust Completely trusted them.
(12:05):
He doesn't even do implantsanymore.
He only takes them out.
And so, I wanted to make sure Iwent to someone who knew what
they were doing, who believed inwhat women are saying, and who
would get like, the wholecapsule.
Cause, you know, like, if anypart is still in there, it can
still cause a breast implantillness symptoms.
Ashley (12:27):
Which, for people that aren't aware, Basically, the
capsule is essentially the scartissue that builds up around the
implant and there are differentsurgeries.
So like the explant would bejust getting the implant out and
then it would be a capsulectomythat takes everything out.
And there isn't a lot of doctorsthat are skilled in explant
because it is still a relativelynew.
(12:50):
Procedure that's going on andthat a lot of the times if you
go back to a surgeon and you'relike I'm having issues with my
implant, they try to talk youinto taking those ones out and
re implanting different ones inwhich I think that you're
offering that option, but itshould also be like, let's just
take everything out.
It's frustrating that it's notcommonly both yet.
Candice (13:11):
Yeah, and it's crazy to me that it's so common for
surgeons to it.
Like even make you feel likeyou're going to hate your body,
and they're like, well, you'regonna regret getting them out.
You might as well put a smallersize in or, you know, you're
going to miss them.
Like for a surgeon to say thatit's just blows my mind.
Ashley (13:29):
For a male surgeon to say that it's like, how do you
know what a woman is going tofeel like, Really kind of how
dare you put so much emphasis onmy chest that our life will be
ruined if our boobs are a littlebit more saggy or if I have a
scar like it's not the end ofthe world.
And like you said, for the mostpart, say your husband, he
didn't care if they were big, hedidn't care if they were small,
(13:50):
but it's like, they're going tolove you regardless.
That it's unfortunate to kind ofput those voices in people's
heads that are maybe strugglingwith what their body looked like
before, after, during any of it,instead of really focusing on
health.
Candice (14:05):
Yeah, and that was one reason why I took so long,
because, I knew I didn't wantthem, one, for the health
issues, and also, they wereuncomfortable, I wanted to, take
them off sometimes, you know,like, and I take these off and
put them back on later, butbesides all that.
I was just so nervous about whatI was going to look like,
(14:26):
because everyone, I mean, evenpeople I knew, they're like,
well, you're so small, oncethey're out, they might be like,
completely deflated and I was sonervous about that, that it took
me so much longer.
Ashley (14:39):
Once you had gone to the doctor that was referred to and
had the explant, how was yourexplant surgery?
Did you find that recovery wasbetter than you had thought?
Worse?
Candice (14:49):
It's been better but definitely harder than getting
the implants in.
But it was so...
Amazing, like a really goodsurprise because I actually had
this scheduled for in May, mysurgery, and I got cold feet and
I canceled.
I was like, I can't do it.
I'm just so stressed out.
And then just a couple monthslater, I was like, no, I need to
(15:12):
do this.
And so they fit me in someonecanceled.
And so by the time they calledme and said, I can come in to
having the surgery was twoweeks.
So I like quickly got ready andit was.
So amazing.
They were so nice and caringover there.
And then so you get tubes.
(15:33):
I didn't have tubes when I gotthem in.
So that was a new experience forme.
I'm only three weeks out post opand I feel so much better.
And recovery is not as hard asthey, a lot of people try to
make you feel like it will be.
Ashley (15:49):
I think it really depends.
On the doctor and how skilledthey are and really just how not
what condition your health is inbut really just how your immune
system is going to handle it.
So I think it's one of thosethings like if you had health
problems or you just basicallylike I think so many factors, I
think your age, I think yourimmunity, I think the skill of
(16:12):
the surgeon of how really badly.
Or good.
Candice (16:16):
Yeah, that's definitely true,
Ashley (16:19):
which is good that you're finding it that it isn't
as bad, especially as a mom.
It's so hard to not do all ofthe things that you need to do
and actually like kind of sitback or in my experience, it was
anyways, that it's hard to needhelp.
I think afterwards.
Candice (16:33):
Yeah.
Cause like after you can't liftmore than five pounds and then
10 pounds and right now I stillhave a hard time lifting my arms
up.
So yeah, it's tricky.
Are you driving yet?
Yeah.
I am.
Ashley (16:48):
See, I think that was for me.
I didn't anticipate not havinglike this range of motion,
although I had my implants outand I also had a lift at the
same time and I got a little bitof like the side.
boob area.
Lipo.
So all of that was a little bitmore of the bruising and stuff.
But yeah, driving was the thingthat took me the longest because
it was just awkward to move yourbody.
(17:10):
The things that you don'tnecessarily think of.
Candice (17:12):
Yeah, it's true.
There's a lot of things I didn'teven think about.
Like, I don't know, evenshowering or putting my shirt
over my head.
I'm like, I can't do anything
Ashley (17:21):
Oh, it's, I found the sports bras that had a zip up
front was made like was a goodas saving Grace A.
Candice (17:29):
Long time.
Yes.
Just like you mentioned, like, Idid not get a lift.
So I think that's one thing thatmade my healing easier.
Ashley (17:36):
But kind of like you, I was almost like flat as a board
before I decided to have mysurgery.
And then I went up to a doubleD.
So I think I had 650 cc's.
And so, and then I had pregnancyand things like that too.
So everything kind of shiftedthat I think for me, had I not
had it, it would have made a bigdifference.
(17:57):
But ultimately, my health haddeteriorated so much that for
me, whatever it looked like, itdidn't matter just because my
health had gotten so bad, but Iknow for a lot of people, and
it's okay for people to stillcare what the size is or what it
looks like or things like thattoo, and I guess as technology
changes and as science goesforward, there is also for
(18:20):
people that feel comfortableenough to get fat transfers if
they wanted to, could look intothat if they Did want to do a
lift and change the shape.
I guess it's nice that there arethese options, but ultimately, I
feel like we have to feelcomfortable.
And again, so much easier saidthan done, but it's like, we
have to get to a point where wefeel comfortable within
(18:40):
ourselves, that our body.
Doesn't hold the same amount ofweight, which I think to some
degree kind of gets easier as weget older, but then also doesn't
as things change.
So yeah, women, you just, it'scomplicated.
Candice (18:56):
It is, but I like that you said that.
Cause it's true.
It's like, I did not get a liftbecause I want more kids and you
can't breastfeed after.
But in the future, like I mightwant.
Fat grafting and a lift like tofix after two more kids
Ashley (19:12):
Being post op, was there anything like we kind of talked
about for me, I found it was asports bras.
Has there anything that's beenreally helpful product wise or
helping your healing in the lastcouple of weeks?
Candice (19:22):
I'm trying to think.
I did a lot of like the icepacks and I ate a ton of
pineapple and I think thathelped with swelling and stuff.
I also took a lot of vitamin C.
Other than that, I haven't donemuch.
Ashley (19:37):
I found for me to, you kind of see them with older
people, but you know, those likea wedge pillows, because they
know for me, I lay flat.
Those were awesome because youdon't really roll over on them.
Whereas if you stack yourpillows in the same way,
potentially you can, and thenthose squishy ice packs were
awesome.
Candice (19:55):
Yeah, that's true.
See, right now we have a bedthat reclines, so it's been
saving grace.
When we were in Florida, becauseI went to Florida for the
surgery I had to use 10 pillowsto be comfortable.
Ashley (20:10):
I think that's the hardest part is that we all have
that position that we like tosleep in, or like, that you get
in the habit of sleeping in,that I think it's more...
Challenging the first weeks kindof to try to sleep upright and
to try to sleep in a differentposition while also getting a
good enough sleep that you feelrested and able to do all of the
things that you need to do.
Yeah.
(20:32):
Have you found any of yoursymptoms have changed since your
implants have come out?
Candice (20:37):
I feel like it's hard to know exactly because I'm
also, recovering from surgery,but I do notice that my brain
fog isn't as bad.
Like, after the surgery, I foundout that it was ruptured.
One of my implants was ruptured,and I had no idea.
So it's interesting that thingshave gotten worse this year.
But all of a sudden, my brainfog's getting better.
(21:01):
One of my symptoms, I don't evenknow why, but my heart rate
would jump up so high.
From it'd be like 90 sittingdown and I'd get up and it's
like 130 and I found out thatthat's not normal and that's
what was making me dizzy.
So that has gone away a lot,
Ashley (21:20):
which is amazing.
Yeah.
Well, and I think like talkingabout the ruptures really
interesting too, because I thinka lot of people, if you think of
something rupturing your body,like a appendix, you would think
that there's a lot of extremepain and your body would sort of
tell you it really isn't thecase with an implant rupture.
It could be ruptured forSignificant period of time.
(21:42):
You really wouldn't know that.
I think for people that areconsidering it or have noticed
an uptick in their symptoms,it's a good idea to try to get
like an ultrasound or have acheckup on your implants because
that's also not a thing thatsurgeons do.
Once they're in and they havetheir few follow ups, that's
kind of all said and done.
Nobody really checks on them.
(22:03):
They don't test them.
There's no let's just make surethat they're all intact and that
it is kind of scary because youwould think if you're getting
something that they would wantto monitor it or yeah, he's do
like annual checkups or semiannual.
I don't know.
Candice (22:17):
Yeah, it's true.
And like for me, I'm like, Iknow I need to do that, but I
don't know why I would feelsilly, like, I don't want to go
get an ultrasound on my implant,I don't know why, maybe because
when I got them I was selfconscious that I was getting
them, but yeah, and it's alsoeasy to forget, to like, do your
checkup, I know, I have friendswho have had their implants for
like, 10, 15 years, and they'venever checked them, so I'm like,
(22:42):
Hopefully they're good.
Ashley (22:44):
I think the one thing that we really don't think of,
or if you're somebodyconsidering getting implants, is
that they aren't lifetimedevices.
And the doctors really don'tknow, like, should they be
replaced after four years?
Should they be replaced afterseven?
That it is something that if youare committing to implants, it
really is that you might needtwo, three, four implant
(23:06):
surgeries and switching themover in your lifetime.
So it's kind of factoring in thecost.
Like I, at 22, never everthought about that when I had
gotten them.
That it is sort of somethingthat I think a lot of people do
need to realize that we can'tnecessarily have them in for 20,
30 years, which is kind of crazyto think of.
Candice (23:26):
Yeah, that's something I wish people were talking about
more when I got them because Idid not think about I'm
committing to A life of futuresurgeries as well.
It was, in my mind, like, oneand done.
Maybe I need to do it one moretime.
When I'm older, and to refreshthem.
But that's all my mind wasthinking.
And, now, I guess they've cometo find that after five years,
(23:51):
is when most people get breastimplant illness symptoms that
are starting to get more severe.
So I think they're even saying,like, surgeons are saying, like,
in five years, To maybe replacethem because now implants have a
black box warning, which meansthey're like the worst thing you
can put in your body.
So I'm glad they're starting torecognize that.
(24:12):
And now they're going to have tolegally start telling women.
And I don't know how manysurgeons will because you know
the money, but I'm glad it'sstarting to change.
Me too,
Ashley (24:24):
because I feel like for me, I don't judge anybody who
chooses.
To still get them, but I do wishthat they were going in with as
much information as possible.
I really do think that peopleshould know all of the risks and
then be able to make an educatedchoice instead of it being like,
Oh my gosh, you're going to lookso great.
(24:45):
And yeah, you might need anothersurgery instead of like three or
four.
And it's like the cost of them.
When you think of all of itcombined, like who has a hundred
thousand dollars that they justwant to dedicate to surgery.
For your lifetime for one thing.
Yeah.
I don't know about you, it costme just under 5, 000 to put mine
(25:06):
in, and it cost me 15, 000 toget them out.
Candice (25:10):
Dang.
Mine was, so it was 11, 000 toput them in, and then since I
didn't do a lift, it was 8, 000to get them out.
Ashley (25:22):
Yeah, it's so frustrating in a sense of like,
it's such a big expense thatit's frustrating or I find it
frustrating that it's like, Ididn't get this informed
decision that I was able to knowall of the things that I just
maybe wouldn't have spent themoney had I known that it's sort
of hard to live with that costfor me personally, of just
knowing all of the other thingsthat I could have spent on it.
(25:44):
But again, hindsight's 50 50,and I think sometimes when you
get sick with something likethis, it's hard to not hold onto
that guilt, but at the end ofthe day, that doesn't serve us
any purpose, but it has tobecome a lesson that maybe we
can help other people.
Candice (25:59):
Yeah, there was definitely the period of me just
crying and feeling so, like,guilty.
I've spent so much money just tobe me.
Like, in the end, I'm just gonnabe me anyways.
And I was really upset about it.
But now I've gotten to the pointwhere I've let that go.
And I'm just glad because now Ican be a voice to help other
(26:19):
women.
Absolutely.
And I think I had to go throughthat to really get it out of my
mind, honestly.
Ashley (26:27):
Well, it is one of those things because then it is the
flip side of it.
It's the kind of always wantingit and always wondering.
That it's like, at least we knowwhen we have our journeys and
everything that way, I thinkdoes have to become a lesson.
Yeah.
And I do really appreciate thatwe are talking about this more
(26:48):
and more so that maybe we canhelp other women.
So I really do appreciate thatyou're brave enough to share
your story about it with us.
Thank you.
If you were going to give yourpre surgery self advice or tell
them something about this.
What would you wish that youknew back?
Candice (27:09):
First, I would definitely Reassure me that I'm
my breast size doesn't determinemy value back then.
I just did not see past that.
And that I could be happier justbeing myself.
Back then I was so nervous aboutgetting the hardness and a
(27:30):
rupture, and I was reassured,like, those two things would
never happen.
My surgeon even said, those areso rare, it's not gonna happen.
And both of those thingshappened.
And so, just being able to tellmyself, You're committing to
maybe that is going to happenand you're going to have to be
okay with fixing that when itdoes, or if it does so with the
health and surgical sense, like,I would tell myself, you know,
(27:52):
it's possible but mainly justhelp myself love who I was and,
and see how beautiful I am,regardless of what my boobs look
like.
That's the main thing.
Ashley (28:08):
I definitely agree with that.
And I think that if you areconsidering surgery, like you
had talked about, if any doctorin any case, whether it's breast
implant illness or somethingelse tells you like, oh, this
100 percent won't happen, pleaseget a second opinion.
If somebody is downplaying arisk to a surgery, that probably
isn't the medical professionalthat you want to get involved
(28:31):
in.
Also question for that, it'slike when you were trusting your
body with any sort of medicalprofessionals, make sure that
they're listening to you andthat you feel safe and secure
and that you don't feel like youhave to, I don't know, maybe not
ask questions or maybe not speakup like you want a doctor that's
a hundred percent going tolisten to you.
There's so much gaslighting andstuff with it.
(28:53):
That that would be my urge.
If you have a doctor like thatrun basically, or if any doctor
tells you that breast implant.
Are 100 percent safe.
That's not the doctor for you.
Candice (29:03):
I totally agree.
My doctor I chose.
He's like, he's a pretty famoussurgeon and his wife is on a
reality TV show of Dallas moms.
I don't know.
So I just trusted him becausehis credibility and When you're
there, I mean, this might not bethe case for everyone, but when
I was there, they made it seemlike just another like spa day.
(29:25):
You're gonna be beautiful.
You're never gonna have to weara bra again.
Just perky.
And then the day of surgery,it's like spa music is playing.
They downplay the entiresituation of any bad things that
could potentially happen.
So yeah, I agree.
It's like if they're onlytalking it up and just so
focused on that, that yeah, runor get a second opinion.
Ashley (29:48):
I appreciate you so much for having this conversation
with me today.
If anybody is looking for youonline to connect with you, can
you tell them where they canfind you?
Candice (29:57):
Yeah.
So I'm on TikTok and Instagramat Candace Diaz blog.
I've been showing my whole storyof explanting.
So check me out there.
Awesome.
Well, thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Thank you so much for joining ustoday for this episode of the
(30:17):
filled up cup podcast.
Don't forget to hit subscribeand leave a review.
If you like what you hear, youcan also connect with us at
filledupcup.Com.
Thanks again for tuning in andwe'll catch you in the next
episode.
Welcome to the Filled Up Cuppodcast.
We are a different kind of selfcare resource, one that has
nothing to do with bubble bathsand face masks, and everything
to do with rediscoveringyourself.
We bring you real reviews,honest experiences, and
unfiltered opinions that willmake you laugh, cry, and most
(00:21):
importantly, leave you with afilled up cup.
Ashley (00:31):
I am so excited today.
I have Candice Diaz joining me.
Candice is the podcast host.
Her podcast is FindingResilience Within.
Thank you so much for joining metoday.
Candice (00:42):
Yeah, thank you for having me.
Ashley (00:44):
Candice and I are going to talk about breast implant
illness and her personal journeywith it.
Just a little disclaimer thatneither one of us are healthcare
professionals, and this isbasically just our shared
experience.
Can you tell me a little bitabout what made you decide that
you wanted implants?
Candice (01:00):
Yeah, so I had always been self conscious of my
smaller breast size all in likemy young adulthood and then It
was kind of random jumping from,being self conscious about it to
actually going through withgetting implants.
My husband had been strugglingwith, a porn addiction, and it
(01:22):
really made me obsessed over mylooks and comparing myself to
all those women.
And so, through my traumamindset and hurt, I was just
like, I'm getting implants.
And from the moment I wasdeciding, it was like, A month
later, I actually was gettingthe surgery.
So I didn't really think about,yeah, I wasn't really logically
(01:45):
thinking.
I was just like, I want them.
I'm getting them.
Ashley (01:47):
Was your husband on board, like bigger is better.
Was there any aside from sort ofcomparing to others?
Was there outside pushes or likea voice that was like, you
should absolutely be consideringthis.
Candice (02:01):
My husband never made me feel like.
My body wasn't good enough.
He was very supportive of mychoice But he also I could tell
felt bad like he didn't want meto go through with it and so I
didn't really even tell anybodyI was doing it So I had no other
voices really like you should doit.
You need it It was all just myown mindset and what I believed
Ashley (02:25):
I guess every situation is totally different where
sometimes it is somebody saying,Hey, bigger boobs are better.
But I think a lot of the timesit's coming within the things
that we tell ourselves and thinkthat they'll solve a problem.
I'll suddenly become moreconfident.
I'll look a certain way.
People will treat me in certainways, but I think that there's
so much psychological thingstied into it that way that as
(02:47):
women, we put so much pressureon these two little bags to
solve all of our problems.
Candice (02:55):
It is crazy to me.
It's like, we put all of ourself worth and our value in our
boobs.
Like, that's crazy.
Just the way society treats itand the way that I was raised,
like, little things, even thoughsomeone didn't.
Straight up say big boobs arebetter.
That's what I internalized.
Ashley (03:13):
I think the media and society really did kind of have
that bigger is better.
And for a long time, it was sortof romanticized as you know,
your clothes fit better.
Sort of the playboy or thebombshell people were sort of
sold to us as this is the beautystandard, which I do like that.
Now that we are having more ofthese conversations, and now
(03:36):
that, I don't know, we canaccess more things on the
internet, it's sort of nice thatwe are seeing more body types,
that it isn't just a one mold.
Yeah.
When you got your breastimplants, how was the after?
Like, did you have any symptoms?
Did you start to not feel good?
Or was it you were happy withthem after and everything was
(03:57):
fine?
Candice (03:59):
It's kind of like a mix of both because I had an
interesting situation with mysurgeon who put them in.
I never tried anything on.
I heard later that a lot ofwomen will, like, be able to see
the implants and, pick a size.
He was just like, trust me, Iknow exactly what to do for your
body type.
And I told him, I don't wantanything huge, I just want,
(04:19):
like, natural.
So he did put a size that wasway bigger than I expected.
So after the surgery, I waslike, whoa, they're bigger than
I was hoping.
But I also was like, I lovethese.
Right after that, it's like,this is what I've been dreaming
of and hoping for.
So I was kind of like cloudedwith that, excitement, but it
(04:41):
was only like a month later thatI started having complications
with one of my implants gettingharder.
I messaged the surgeon.
I was like, Hey, something seemswrong.
And they totally dismissed it.
They're like, it should be fine.
It's only been a month, likeit'll all work out.
And so that was the main thing Ihad.
And also I had.
(05:03):
nerve damage, like my entirenipple and breast was numb.
And that stayed the whole time Ihad them.
Ashley (05:12):
That's so frustrating that you totally got written
off.
Just the medical gaslightingthat can happen in these
situations is just.
So incredibly frustratingbecause any surgeon should know
in any type of surgery the riskof Complications are there that
it's like if I'm telling yousomething's wrong with my body
at least bring me in for a checkin Have more than just a
(05:33):
dismissive conversation so afteryou kind of blew you off in your
initial concerns?
Did you eventually go to see himand have a checkup?
Candice (05:43):
No, I never did because he was I went all the way to
Texas to do it.
So I didn't live there.
So yeah, I just dismissed itmyself.
I'm like, it's probably fine.
And then I also thought it wouldjust get better because they
told me that.
And then all of a sudden yearsstarted going by like, it's not
getting better.
Ashley (06:04):
So other than a capsule constructure then, the scar
tissue just adding up in theone, and then with the nerve
pain, was there any othersymptoms that you had other than
those two?
Candice (06:16):
Yeah, so, at first it was just those two, and I don't
even know when it actuallystarted of me having other
symptoms, because, I also had apregnancy while having them, and
like, just getting older, it waslike, what's just getting older
and having kids, and what's,being caused by the implants,
but now I realized I have such along list of issues that came
(06:40):
from implants, such asdizziness, brain fog just breast
pain, I'm trying to remember allof them.
I have like a whole list ofthem.
Ashley (06:50):
It is really scary because when you really look at
the list, a lot of the things Ithink We do as women that we're
so conditioned to be like, wedon't want to bother anybody.
I'm sure it's all in my headthat we do.
We go, Oh, I'm just a woman.
I'm sure that it's maybe myperiod or being pregnant.
Everybody talks about pregnancy,brain and things like that.
So it's like, I'm sure this isthe brain fog and getting older.
(07:13):
Oh, I'm stressed.
I'm busy.
It's all of these things thatthe frustrating thing about
breast implant illness is thatit isn't medically recognized.
So it's like we are sold to lookat all of these other options
instead of the blaringly obviousone in our mind.
Some of the symptoms for anybodywho isn't aware it can cause
(07:33):
heart palpitations, dizziness.
It can cause early menopause,your hair goes gray, it can
cause anxiety, depression,insomnia joint pain, respiratory
issues.
Cancers, it can cause really badmemory problem, concentration
problem allergies to food, GIsymptoms like rashes on your
(07:57):
face.
Headaches, hair loss, and whenwe talk about brain fog, like,
I'm not sure if yours was thisbad or not, but I literally felt
like I had dementia, I would seelike a pen, but I couldn't
remember what the name of thepen or I know my respiratory
issues got so bad that goingfrom the bottom of my stairs to
the stop top of my stairs, Ialmost felt like.
(08:20):
There was an imaginary rope andI had to sort of envision myself
like forcing myself up.
And at that point, I was in myearly to mid thirties, but it is
kind of really frustrating thatyou feel almost like a senior
citizen trapped in your body.
Candice (08:34):
That's crazy.
Mine did not get that bad yetbecause I just started having
those symptoms early this year.
So it was just starting and itwas like, I would be talking to
my kids and I would say thewrong words.
And they'd be like, what?
And I'm like, oh my gosh, Idon't know what I'm saying.
(08:56):
And that would scare me.
And then like the fatigue,that's what made me, I'm like,
am I just lazy now?
But it was, obviously, I knowit's from the implants.
I was so tired and groggy.
It's crazy that all this iscaused just from the implants.
Ashley (09:11):
Right.
And your body literally rejectsthem.
And a lot of the times too, Ithink something that people talk
about is like, Oh, if you havethem for a long time, but it's
not really the case.
You can almost immediately startgetting symptoms, but not
realize that that's actuallywhat it is.
How did you end up ever hearingabout breast implant illness?
Candice (09:30):
Yeah, so I, started debating on getting my implants
out just because I found a lotof healing.
And me and my husband wentthrough a lot of healing and I
was like, these don't feel likeme.
I want to get them out.
And I was looking into it andthen I realized like all the
breast implant illness and allthese accounts on social media
came up and I was like, okay,now I want to get them out even
(09:52):
more.
This was like.
Two or three years ago.
So it took me a while toactually go through with the
surgery, but that was my firsttime really hearing that it was
common, like I knew you couldget sick from them, but I also
kind of dismissed it becausejust like the medical field,
it's like they dismiss it soeasily.
So that's kind of what I didtoo.
(10:13):
I'm like, it's rare, but it'snot rare.
It's actually way common.
Ashley (10:18):
I had mine all in all for 12 years before I got them
out.
But when I first got my surgeryand I Was basically just told
about scar tissue.
I wasn't told about breastimplant illness or the cancers
or anything.
I was basically said scar tissuewill happen Potentially in heart
and your breasts, but even thenlike I think all of us get scar
(10:39):
tissue from it So it's notreally could happen.
It does happen But I think thatit would be so nice if it was
more transparent of these areall the things potentially could
happen.
And then, like you said, evensometimes if we hear that
something could happen, we kindof all have this like, oh, but
it could happen to other people.
It's definitely not going tohappen to me.
(11:00):
And it is hard because it's likewe do get breast implants for a
whole wide variety of reasonsthat it is kind of hard when
it's something that you'vewanted.
And especially if you are reallyhappy with that afterwards to
have the reality of like.
Okay, not only am I going tohave another surgery, but the
things that I wanted, I don'thave anymore and kind of dealing
(11:21):
with that.
So I think it's really fair thatit did take you a couple of
years to make that decisionbecause it's.
In some ways it's easier to putthem in.
The surgery to get them out ismuch different.
Now I know that you talked abouthow you went to Texas to get
them in in the first place.
Did you go to the same doctorfor explant?
Or how was it finding an explantdoctor?
Candice (11:40):
I definitely did not go to the same doctor.
I actually made a Tik Tok of mystory of how my surgeon didn't
listen.
And now I have issues andsomeone saw it and they actually
work for an explant surgeon.
So they reached out to me andwere like, Hey, the surgeon I
work for is amazing.
And so I went to his page and Ijust Completely trusted them.
(12:05):
He doesn't even do implantsanymore.
He only takes them out.
And so, I wanted to make sure Iwent to someone who knew what
they were doing, who believed inwhat women are saying, and who
would get like, the wholecapsule.
Cause, you know, like, if anypart is still in there, it can
still cause a breast implantillness symptoms.
Ashley (12:27):
Which, for people that aren't aware, Basically, the
capsule is essentially the scartissue that builds up around the
implant and there are differentsurgeries.
So like the explant would bejust getting the implant out and
then it would be a capsulectomythat takes everything out.
And there isn't a lot of doctorsthat are skilled in explant
because it is still a relativelynew.
(12:50):
Procedure that's going on andthat a lot of the times if you
go back to a surgeon and you'relike I'm having issues with my
implant, they try to talk youinto taking those ones out and
re implanting different ones inwhich I think that you're
offering that option, but itshould also be like, let's just
take everything out.
It's frustrating that it's notcommonly both yet.
Candice (13:11):
Yeah, and it's crazy to me that it's so common for
surgeons to it.
Like even make you feel likeyou're going to hate your body,
and they're like, well, you'regonna regret getting them out.
You might as well put a smallersize in or, you know, you're
going to miss them.
Like for a surgeon to say thatit's just blows my mind.
Ashley (13:29):
For a male surgeon to say that it's like, how do you
know what a woman is going tofeel like, Really kind of how
dare you put so much emphasis onmy chest that our life will be
ruined if our boobs are a littlebit more saggy or if I have a
scar like it's not the end ofthe world.
And like you said, for the mostpart, say your husband, he
didn't care if they were big, hedidn't care if they were small,
(13:50):
but it's like, they're going tolove you regardless.
That it's unfortunate to kind ofput those voices in people's
heads that are maybe strugglingwith what their body looked like
before, after, during any of it,instead of really focusing on
health.
Candice (14:05):
Yeah, and that was one reason why I took so long,
because, I knew I didn't wantthem, one, for the health
issues, and also, they wereuncomfortable, I wanted to, take
them off sometimes, you know,like, and I take these off and
put them back on later, butbesides all that.
I was just so nervous about whatI was going to look like,
(14:26):
because everyone, I mean, evenpeople I knew, they're like,
well, you're so small, oncethey're out, they might be like,
completely deflated and I was sonervous about that, that it took
me so much longer.
Ashley (14:39):
Once you had gone to the doctor that was referred to and
had the explant, how was yourexplant surgery?
Did you find that recovery wasbetter than you had thought?
Worse?
Candice (14:49):
It's been better but definitely harder than getting
the implants in.
But it was so...
Amazing, like a really goodsurprise because I actually had
this scheduled for in May, mysurgery, and I got cold feet and
I canceled.
I was like, I can't do it.
I'm just so stressed out.
And then just a couple monthslater, I was like, no, I need to
(15:12):
do this.
And so they fit me in someonecanceled.
And so by the time they calledme and said, I can come in to
having the surgery was twoweeks.
So I like quickly got ready andit was.
So amazing.
They were so nice and caringover there.
And then so you get tubes.
(15:33):
I didn't have tubes when I gotthem in.
So that was a new experience forme.
I'm only three weeks out post opand I feel so much better.
And recovery is not as hard asthey, a lot of people try to
make you feel like it will be.
Ashley (15:49):
I think it really depends.
On the doctor and how skilledthey are and really just how not
what condition your health is inbut really just how your immune
system is going to handle it.
So I think it's one of thosethings like if you had health
problems or you just basicallylike I think so many factors, I
think your age, I think yourimmunity, I think the skill of
(16:12):
the surgeon of how really badly.
Or good.
Candice (16:16):
Yeah, that's definitely true,
Ashley (16:19):
which is good that you're finding it that it isn't
as bad, especially as a mom.
It's so hard to not do all ofthe things that you need to do
and actually like kind of sitback or in my experience, it was
anyways, that it's hard to needhelp.
I think afterwards.
Candice (16:33):
Yeah.
Cause like after you can't liftmore than five pounds and then
10 pounds and right now I stillhave a hard time lifting my arms
up.
So yeah, it's tricky.
Are you driving yet?
Yeah.
I am.
Ashley (16:48):
See, I think that was for me.
I didn't anticipate not havinglike this range of motion,
although I had my implants outand I also had a lift at the
same time and I got a little bitof like the side.
boob area.
Lipo.
So all of that was a little bitmore of the bruising and stuff.
But yeah, driving was the thingthat took me the longest because
it was just awkward to move yourbody.
(17:10):
The things that you don'tnecessarily think of.
Candice (17:12):
Yeah, it's true.
There's a lot of things I didn'teven think about.
Like, I don't know, evenshowering or putting my shirt
over my head.
I'm like, I can't do anything
Ashley (17:21):
Oh, it's, I found the sports bras that had a zip up
front was made like was a goodas saving Grace A.
Candice (17:29):
Long time.
Yes.
Just like you mentioned, like, Idid not get a lift.
So I think that's one thing thatmade my healing easier.
Ashley (17:36):
But kind of like you, I was almost like flat as a board
before I decided to have mysurgery.
And then I went up to a doubleD.
So I think I had 650 cc's.
And so, and then I had pregnancyand things like that too.
So everything kind of shiftedthat I think for me, had I not
had it, it would have made a bigdifference.
(17:57):
But ultimately, my health haddeteriorated so much that for
me, whatever it looked like, itdidn't matter just because my
health had gotten so bad, but Iknow for a lot of people, and
it's okay for people to stillcare what the size is or what it
looks like or things like thattoo, and I guess as technology
changes and as science goesforward, there is also for
(18:20):
people that feel comfortableenough to get fat transfers if
they wanted to, could look intothat if they Did want to do a
lift and change the shape.
I guess it's nice that there arethese options, but ultimately, I
feel like we have to feelcomfortable.
And again, so much easier saidthan done, but it's like, we
have to get to a point where wefeel comfortable within
(18:40):
ourselves, that our body.
Doesn't hold the same amount ofweight, which I think to some
degree kind of gets easier as weget older, but then also doesn't
as things change.
So yeah, women, you just, it'scomplicated.
Candice (18:56):
It is, but I like that you said that.
Cause it's true.
It's like, I did not get a liftbecause I want more kids and you
can't breastfeed after.
But in the future, like I mightwant.
Fat grafting and a lift like tofix after two more kids
Ashley (19:12):
Being post op, was there anything like we kind of talked
about for me, I found it was asports bras.
Has there anything that's beenreally helpful product wise or
helping your healing in the lastcouple of weeks?
Candice (19:22):
I'm trying to think.
I did a lot of like the icepacks and I ate a ton of
pineapple and I think thathelped with swelling and stuff.
I also took a lot of vitamin C.
Other than that, I haven't donemuch.
Ashley (19:37):
I found for me to, you kind of see them with older
people, but you know, those likea wedge pillows, because they
know for me, I lay flat.
Those were awesome because youdon't really roll over on them.
Whereas if you stack yourpillows in the same way,
potentially you can, and thenthose squishy ice packs were
awesome.
Candice (19:55):
Yeah, that's true.
See, right now we have a bedthat reclines, so it's been
saving grace.
When we were in Florida, becauseI went to Florida for the
surgery I had to use 10 pillowsto be comfortable.
Ashley (20:10):
I think that's the hardest part is that we all have
that position that we like tosleep in, or like, that you get
in the habit of sleeping in,that I think it's more...
Challenging the first weeks kindof to try to sleep upright and
to try to sleep in a differentposition while also getting a
good enough sleep that you feelrested and able to do all of the
things that you need to do.
Yeah.
(20:32):
Have you found any of yoursymptoms have changed since your
implants have come out?
Candice (20:37):
I feel like it's hard to know exactly because I'm
also, recovering from surgery,but I do notice that my brain
fog isn't as bad.
Like, after the surgery, I foundout that it was ruptured.
One of my implants was ruptured,and I had no idea.
So it's interesting that thingshave gotten worse this year.
But all of a sudden, my brainfog's getting better.
(21:01):
One of my symptoms, I don't evenknow why, but my heart rate
would jump up so high.
From it'd be like 90 sittingdown and I'd get up and it's
like 130 and I found out thatthat's not normal and that's
what was making me dizzy.
So that has gone away a lot,
Ashley (21:20):
which is amazing.
Yeah.
Well, and I think like talkingabout the ruptures really
interesting too, because I thinka lot of people, if you think of
something rupturing your body,like a appendix, you would think
that there's a lot of extremepain and your body would sort of
tell you it really isn't thecase with an implant rupture.
It could be ruptured forSignificant period of time.
(21:42):
You really wouldn't know that.
I think for people that areconsidering it or have noticed
an uptick in their symptoms,it's a good idea to try to get
like an ultrasound or have acheckup on your implants because
that's also not a thing thatsurgeons do.
Once they're in and they havetheir few follow ups, that's
kind of all said and done.
Nobody really checks on them.
(22:03):
They don't test them.
There's no let's just make surethat they're all intact and that
it is kind of scary because youwould think if you're getting
something that they would wantto monitor it or yeah, he's do
like annual checkups or semiannual.
I don't know.
Candice (22:17):
Yeah, it's true.
And like for me, I'm like, Iknow I need to do that, but I
don't know why I would feelsilly, like, I don't want to go
get an ultrasound on my implant,I don't know why, maybe because
when I got them I was selfconscious that I was getting
them, but yeah, and it's alsoeasy to forget, to like, do your
checkup, I know, I have friendswho have had their implants for
like, 10, 15 years, and they'venever checked them, so I'm like,
(22:42):
Hopefully they're good.
Ashley (22:44):
I think the one thing that we really don't think of,
or if you're somebodyconsidering getting implants, is
that they aren't lifetimedevices.
And the doctors really don'tknow, like, should they be
replaced after four years?
Should they be replaced afterseven?
That it is something that if youare committing to implants, it
really is that you might needtwo, three, four implant
(23:06):
surgeries and switching themover in your lifetime.
So it's kind of factoring in thecost.
Like I, at 22, never everthought about that when I had
gotten them.
That it is sort of somethingthat I think a lot of people do
need to realize that we can'tnecessarily have them in for 20,
30 years, which is kind of crazyto think of.
Candice (23:26):
Yeah, that's something I wish people were talking about
more when I got them because Idid not think about I'm
committing to A life of futuresurgeries as well.
It was, in my mind, like, oneand done.
Maybe I need to do it one moretime.
When I'm older, and to refreshthem.
But that's all my mind wasthinking.
And, now, I guess they've cometo find that after five years,
(23:51):
is when most people get breastimplant illness symptoms that
are starting to get more severe.
So I think they're even saying,like, surgeons are saying, like,
in five years, To maybe replacethem because now implants have a
black box warning, which meansthey're like the worst thing you
can put in your body.
So I'm glad they're starting torecognize that.
(24:12):
And now they're going to have tolegally start telling women.
And I don't know how manysurgeons will because you know
the money, but I'm glad it'sstarting to change.
Me too,
Ashley (24:24):
because I feel like for me, I don't judge anybody who
chooses.
To still get them, but I do wishthat they were going in with as
much information as possible.
I really do think that peopleshould know all of the risks and
then be able to make an educatedchoice instead of it being like,
Oh my gosh, you're going to lookso great.
(24:45):
And yeah, you might need anothersurgery instead of like three or
four.
And it's like the cost of them.
When you think of all of itcombined, like who has a hundred
thousand dollars that they justwant to dedicate to surgery.
For your lifetime for one thing.
Yeah.
I don't know about you, it costme just under 5, 000 to put mine
(25:06):
in, and it cost me 15, 000 toget them out.
Candice (25:10):
Dang.
Mine was, so it was 11, 000 toput them in, and then since I
didn't do a lift, it was 8, 000to get them out.
Ashley (25:22):
Yeah, it's so frustrating in a sense of like,
it's such a big expense thatit's frustrating or I find it
frustrating that it's like, Ididn't get this informed
decision that I was able to knowall of the things that I just
maybe wouldn't have spent themoney had I known that it's sort
of hard to live with that costfor me personally, of just
knowing all of the other thingsthat I could have spent on it.
(25:44):
But again, hindsight's 50 50,and I think sometimes when you
get sick with something likethis, it's hard to not hold onto
that guilt, but at the end ofthe day, that doesn't serve us
any purpose, but it has tobecome a lesson that maybe we
can help other people.
Candice (25:59):
Yeah, there was definitely the period of me just
crying and feeling so, like,guilty.
I've spent so much money just tobe me.
Like, in the end, I'm just gonnabe me anyways.
And I was really upset about it.
But now I've gotten to the pointwhere I've let that go.
And I'm just glad because now Ican be a voice to help other
(26:19):
women.
Absolutely.
And I think I had to go throughthat to really get it out of my
mind, honestly.
Ashley (26:27):
Well, it is one of those things because then it is the
flip side of it.
It's the kind of always wantingit and always wondering.
That it's like, at least we knowwhen we have our journeys and
everything that way, I thinkdoes have to become a lesson.
Yeah.
And I do really appreciate thatwe are talking about this more
(26:48):
and more so that maybe we canhelp other women.
So I really do appreciate thatyou're brave enough to share
your story about it with us.
Thank you.
If you were going to give yourpre surgery self advice or tell
them something about this.
What would you wish that youknew back?
Candice (27:09):
First, I would definitely Reassure me that I'm
my breast size doesn't determinemy value back then.
I just did not see past that.
And that I could be happier justbeing myself.
Back then I was so nervous aboutgetting the hardness and a
(27:30):
rupture, and I was reassured,like, those two things would
never happen.
My surgeon even said, those areso rare, it's not gonna happen.
And both of those thingshappened.
And so, just being able to tellmyself, You're committing to
maybe that is going to happenand you're going to have to be
okay with fixing that when itdoes, or if it does so with the
health and surgical sense, like,I would tell myself, you know,
(27:52):
it's possible but mainly justhelp myself love who I was and,
and see how beautiful I am,regardless of what my boobs look
like.
That's the main thing.
Ashley (28:08):
I definitely agree with that.
And I think that if you areconsidering surgery, like you
had talked about, if any doctorin any case, whether it's breast
implant illness or somethingelse tells you like, oh, this
100 percent won't happen, pleaseget a second opinion.
If somebody is downplaying arisk to a surgery, that probably
isn't the medical professionalthat you want to get involved
(28:31):
in.
Also question for that, it'slike when you were trusting your
body with any sort of medicalprofessionals, make sure that
they're listening to you andthat you feel safe and secure
and that you don't feel like youhave to, I don't know, maybe not
ask questions or maybe not speakup like you want a doctor that's
a hundred percent going tolisten to you.
There's so much gaslighting andstuff with it.
(28:53):
That that would be my urge.
If you have a doctor like thatrun basically, or if any doctor
tells you that breast implant.
Are 100 percent safe.
That's not the doctor for you.
Candice (29:03):
I totally agree.
My doctor I chose.
He's like, he's a pretty famoussurgeon and his wife is on a
reality TV show of Dallas moms.
I don't know.
So I just trusted him becausehis credibility and When you're
there, I mean, this might not bethe case for everyone, but when
I was there, they made it seemlike just another like spa day.
(29:25):
You're gonna be beautiful.
You're never gonna have to weara bra again.
Just perky.
And then the day of surgery,it's like spa music is playing.
They downplay the entiresituation of any bad things that
could potentially happen.
So yeah, I agree.
It's like if they're onlytalking it up and just so
focused on that, that yeah, runor get a second opinion.
Ashley (29:48):
I appreciate you so much for having this conversation
with me today.
If anybody is looking for youonline to connect with you, can
you tell them where they canfind you?
Candice (29:57):
Yeah.
So I'm on TikTok and Instagramat Candace Diaz blog.
I've been showing my whole storyof explanting.
So check me out there.
Awesome.
Well, thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Thank you so much for joining ustoday for this episode of the
(30:17):
filled up cup podcast.
Don't forget to hit subscribeand leave a review.
If you like what you hear, youcan also connect with us at
filledupcup.Com.
Thanks again for tuning in andwe'll catch you in the next
episode.
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