By Rebecca Drew
THIS MUM cried for months after learning that her beloved breast implants were causing joint pain so severe, she’d spend DAYS IN BED – but since having them removed she feels great and is on a mission to prove women aren’t defined by their boob size.
Home-schooling mum of three, Heather Romero (27) from Lafayette, Louisiana, USA, always felt very ‘young’ because of her 32A bra size which didn’t make her feel feminine or sexy.
Heather and her husband Josh (28) have three children together, Gracie (6), Parker (5) and Everett (3) and after Parker was born she decided to have implants put in in July 2015 in order to regain some control over her body, Heather went up to a 36B size bra.
Out of fear of being judged for having implants, Heather kept her decision to go under the knife a secret to everyone apart from her husband. After the operation Heather felt amazing, sexy and confident and was pleased that she could finally wear tops that she used to avoid.
This buzz Heather felt from her implants started to fade as two years after having them fitted, she started to feel unwell and experienced unexplained yeast infections, digestion issues, anxiety, depression, acid reflux, kidney stones, eczema, hair loss, extreme fatigue, mood swings, joint pain, poor sleep and dry eyes.
Heather’s symptoms escalated and she wasn’t able to be actively present in her children’s lives as she would be in so much joint pain that she couldn’t walk so had to rest in bed or on the sofa.
After going to three different doctors to find the cause of her health problems she was diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, in August 2019.
Having heard about breast implant illness at the start of the year and being fearful of parting with her implants which gave her confidence she hadn’t experienced before, Heather’s endometriosis diagnosis and declining health was the final straw so she booked in for an explant on October 14, 2019.
The explant has changed Heather’s life for the better and she noticed her symptoms improving within days of surgery, she no longer suffered from dry eyes, her complexion looked healthier and her nose became smaller and her confidence only grew.
“I didn’t feel very feminine or sexy before implants. I always felt very ‘young’ for lack of better words. I never wore bras, but I was around a 32A before the implants,” said Heather.
“I got the implants put in in 2015. I was a new mum of two and I wanted to regain some sense of control over my body after birthing and nursing two children.
“No one knew except my husband. I kept it to myself for fear of being judged for being fake. The implants were small, so it wasn’t a big noticeable difference.
“When I got the implants, I felt amazing. No health issues at that time, I felt sexy and confident and could finally wear all the cute tops.
“I was mortified by the side effects I experienced at the two-year mark. I had no idea they were from the implants at that time.
“I had candida, digestion issues, anxiety and depression, acid reflux, kidney stones, eczema, hair loss, extreme fatigue, mood swings, hormonal imbalance, joint pain, body temperature issues, poor sleep, low libido, mood swings and dry eyes.
“The hardest part was the fact that it took so many years away from me being a present mother. I spent a lot of time in bed, on the couch, not feeling well, or with joint pain so bad I couldn’t walk.
“I was told by the third doctor I’d gone to that I had endometriosis in mid 2019 and I knew I needed to take action. I learned about breast implant illness in early 2019 and I finally decided after the endometriosis that it was time to remove them.
“It was so hard. The very things I’d come to love, the things that made me feel sexy, accepted, confident, I’d soon have to say goodbye to. It was so hard for me. I cried every day for months.”
Following her explant surgery, Heather is now a 34A bra size and she is so pleased with the decision she made to remove her toxic implants.
After hearing stories from other women who experienced similar symptoms to her, Heather feared that one day her implants could cause cancer and now she’s sharing her inspirational journey on Instagram under the handle, @barefoot.momma3, to help others.
“I was definitely afraid of cancer or other diseases. Since so many women had been suffering and my health was depleting daily, I was definitely really scared before,” said Heather.
“Now I feel the most confident I’ve ever felt. Even with small boobs, I’m so happy I made this choice.
“Do your research. Look at the warnings from the many women stepping up about this industry and the toxicity in these implants. That one decision, to get implants, has forever changed my life and has taken so many years from me.
“You are not your boob size, you are so much more than that.
“Sharing my story has absolutely helped me. I feel so free of this, I’d carried this around for so long in the dark out of fear and now, there is nothing hidden and I’ve been able to help so many.”
For more information see www.instagram.com/barefoot.momma3