PiP Implants support thread - Irish petition in post #1

MORE than 30 women who received breast implants that contained industrial silicone are to sue in the Irish courts.
About 1,500 women received cosmetic breast surgery at private Irish clinics using implants from the French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).
The implants were banned after it was discovered that PIP had been using unauthorised silicone gel, such as that found in mattresses, instead of a more expensive, medical-grade silicone gel.
The French firm is in liquidation and is under criminal investigation for alleged fraud.
It is understood the women will sue several private clinics where they had their surgery.
They will sue under defective product laws and EU regulations that oblige producers, including suppliers, which may include hospitals, to only place safe products on the market.
If the number of women suing increases, the courts may decide to deal with them together, in class-action style.
At the time the implants were used, they were approved by the relevant authorities including the Irish Medicines Board.
Of the 1,500 women, some 878 were patients of the Harley Medical Group.
Another 200 were patients of Clane General Hospital, Co Kildare, and the remainder were patients at the Shandon Street Clinic in Cork.
Irish women treated in public hospitals for post-breast cancer reconstructive surgery were not implanted with the PIPs.
The Government has so far ruled out free removal of the implants for women who had surgery in Irish clinics not funded by the HSE.
Last night, Avril Scally, medical negligence solicitor at Dublin law firm Lavelle Coleman, said many women had expressed concern over the implants.
"There is still some ambiguity surrounding the health risks associated with the implant," said Ms Scally.
Some women were only informed by letter last Thursday that they had received the PIPs.
Clane Hospital is offering any women who have suffered ruptures or leaks free replacement surgery. It has replaced implants in less than 20 women so far. The hospital said that for women who were not at risk from ruptures or leaks but who wanted the devices removed, they would charge €1,800, less than half of the original implantation cost.
Clane chief executive Sean Leyden has warned of "massive problems" if litigation is waged in Ireland.
"These devices were approved," he said. "The French company has gone into liquidation and no insurer will want to touch a company under criminal investigation for fraud."
The Harley Medical Group said the PIP implants had full approval from the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) and the UK's Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
"The IMB is not recommending ex-plantation of the PIP implants," said a spokesperson, who added that all its Irish clients had been written to.
Cork solicitor John McCarthy, who is representing some of the women, said that while compensation was an option, the priority for most women was safe removal of the implants.
- Dearbhail McDonald Legal Editor

concerned pip wrote: »

Hi, can i just ask how u no u have a ripping in your breast what dose it feel like as i can feel what i think is a air bubble its there years and has never gotten bigger but now i can feel one in my other breast i never was concerned about it as it never gave me trubble and i read that these type of things can be from plastic surgery and not to be worried but now i think its cos they are pip and damaged going to the doc tomorrow will no more then i guess

Hi concerned Pip,

rippling- when i run my fingers over the inside of my breast it feels like speed bumps, also I have a huge dip in one of them. To be honest I ve had it there a while I went back to <snip> about pain in one breast two years ago and they did a quick check with a surgoen and gave me pain killers and told me I'd pulled a muscle. Now though I feel myself i need to get it checked again, maybe i'm just being paranoid but still need to be sure.

Also girls found this last night
<snip>
This surgoen has a big page about PIP implants, he is offering free consultation to discuss pip implants with patients. I don't know if it will help but maybe a second opnion would be good before we get to see our own surgeon. Also he will know more of what he is looking for ie leaks rather than a GP. Don't know if I could ever trust <snip> ever again after all this.
I'm going to call now and see if I can get an appointment for this week I'll let you know how I get on.

For the girls that are awake all night worrying unable to sleep, I know how you feel it's so wrong there should be councellors provided for us all cause god know this has scared the life out of me.

saulite wrote:

What about if all of us do the strike outside <snip> ???
We can't keep quite , we need media more to get involved !!!
Please we need to do that !!!

Hi Saulite you can count me in I think we need to do something more about this
I am so annoyed, I spoke to <snip> in <snip> this morning and am off to the GP today. I have 4 small children and I can't afford to let them away with this.

im in same boat as you no information about what to do in our case
have e-mailed imb to see if they know anything will keep you posted if i hear anything

saulite, spamming the same post five times is completely unnecessary.

I appreciate you are all upset and annoyed but all threads and posters must respect the rules and charters that govern this site/forum if they wish to remain active - that includes not spamming the thread, not using text speak, reporting problem posts only and not shouting (ie not using all capitals).

If you haven't already done so please read the guide to posting ettiquitte on this site HERE and the charter pertinent to this particular forum HERE.

Many thanks.

Marguerite1 wrote: »

Hi Everyone,
Can I ask a question about the legal firms please?
What exactly are the legal firms offering/suggesting in relation to this horrible matter?

Like everyone here my head is completely wrecked, I feel confused and very, very vulnerable. In addition I am in shock (possibly naively), that I paid so much, and put my trust in a clinic that purchased cheap implants.

Anyway, without wanting to go on and on, can I ask what the legal firms hope to achieve?

Thanks to you all for your support and help.

Hi Marguerite,

I spoke with Lavelle and Coleman and their first aim is to get medical records for those that have asked for them, Then hold clinic responsible for each individual, I honestly don't know if that mean asking for corrective surgery or compensation. I'm meeting with them on friday so will give you all feed back then. I have to say I feel a million times better after speaking with Avril this morning.
I also have an ultrasound in <snip> on wednesday so I will finally have an answer at to what the ripples are that I can feel.
I also have an appointment with another surgeon on Wednesday also as I mention on another post here in relation to removal, replacement etc. Not sure I ever want to let <snip> near me again. Will also update you all on how that goes.

Son252 wrote: »

Hi there,

I also had pips implanted by <snip> in Sep 2008. They called to confirm last week. I have my consultation with them in 2 days in <snip>.

I actually had the surgery done in their <snip> facility and I wonder if this effects my legal rights in Ireland if i did go down the road of compensation.

However like most women on here, all i want is to get them removed and replaced with a quality and approved product, which should have been done in the first place!!!! I am disappointed to hear that they are going to charge for the replacement!!! There is no way in hell that i am paying for their illegal and morally disgusting decisions!!! I wonder did they ever ask the question of how these pips were being made so much cheaper then their competition!!!! It is the responsibility of the company(not the surgeon) to ensure the quality of the products used!!!! These things were put into our bodies for god sake!! We trusted these people to perform these surgeries with our safety as well as their bottom line in mind!!!! Whether or not mine have ruptured.....there is a non-medical grade silicone in my body and they put it there!!!! I have started to be completely aware of what im doing i fear that they will rupture!!!! I have no intention in waiting around for the day that they put two and two together and decide this silicone does actually cause cancer!!!!

Come on girls......lets stand up together and hold these people accountable for their actions!!!!

Hi Son252,
I too had mine done in 2008, and I also have my appointment with them on Wednesday. If you were to go down the legal route, it shouldnt really affect your rights in Ireland as they are an english and Irish company, you attended all of your pre/post ops in Ireland and you paid your money to <snip> in Ireland. It shouldnt matter where your surgery was performed as all of your payments, consults etc were done here.
I have contacted 2 seperate breast augmentation clinics in ireland (<snip> and <snip>) and I have a free consult with each of them. Both of these clinics have NEVER used the PIP implants. I specifically asked them why they didnt and both replies were along the same lines 'They were far too cheap and they had safety concerns about them'. I have also found out on the IMB website, The IMB issued a Safety notice to all clinics in ireland on the 05/10/2010 regarding PIP implants and they were advised to identify and contact patients with PIP implants for reassurance. I'm absolutely furious!! this is a little snippet of the notice:
Target Audience:
Medical directors
Plastic surgeons and all surgeons involved in breast reconstruction
Directors of surgical units involved in breast construction
General practitioners
Practice managers
Practice nurses
Private Cosmetic Clinics

Issue:
A recall of silicone gel filled breast implants manufactured by the French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) was initiated in Ireland on the 30th March 2010. The recall follows a manufacturing site inspection in France which identified unauthorised silicone gel being used in the product.
Action to be taken:
The IMB recommends that:
Implanting surgeons / Implanting centres
• Identify women who were implanted with PIP silicone gel filled implants after 01 January 2001.
• Reassure them that there is no current evidence of health risk associated with the implants.
• Advise them that further information about the testing is available on the IMB, Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia, Medicines And Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in UK and French Regulatory Agency AFSSAPs websites. (web addresses provided above).
GPs
Advise patients who are concerned about their PIP implants to consult their implanting surgeon/ implanting centres

Pippy12 wrote: »

....
Kyra you mentioned something about rippling? I felt something was off with one of my implants a year after my surgery, so I had to return to <snip> to get it checked. They informed me there was no problem, but to this day I still feel something is off with one of my implants. Since I still have not received any corrospondence from <snip>, I'm beginning to wonder if they are a pack of cowboys. Out to make as much money as possible with no regard for the safety, health or well-being of their customers!

Hi Pippy,
I went back to <snip> about this before I think about 2 years ago (maybe 3 not sure) I had pain in one breast and the implant felt loose i could feel the edges of it and put the tip of one finger behind one, also only had a tiny bit of what felt like rippling. So like you know i am starting to wonder, was it a pulled muscle at all.
As for the scan, a scan centre in <snip> will do a scan for 145euro or 95 with a medical card. If you decide to go legal this will be part of the costs you will look for back for you.
Like you I can't get any correspondence back from <snip> and i call and mail them almost every day