After Breast Implant Removal Surgery, NASCAR Legend Danica Patrick, 40, Says She Looks & Feels Better– What is “Breast Implant Illness”

“I think the idea of perfection in of itself is a really dangerous goal,” Patrick says in retrospect.

A few years after her implants were placed, Patrick started experiencing fatigue, weight gain and hair loss. Doctors eventually came to the conclusion that she had breast implant illness, or BII a diagnosis that led Patrick to undergo breast implant removal in March 2022.

“My surgery was at two-thirty in the afternoon, so home by five-ish,” Patrick said of the ‘”insanely easy” surgery. “After that, I mean, I took a pain pill when I went to bed, and I think I took one in the morning and that was it for pain pills other than two more Tylenol.”

Danica Patrick on Recovering from BII

Since removal, Patrick has been recovering slowly but surely.

“I think my body is again, still healing,” Patrick told PEOPLE. “It’s been about six months since the implants have been removed. It’s about your lifestyle and mind and just really giving the body a chance to recover.”

RELATED: Mom Of Two, 28, With 'Only One Breast' Endures Post-Cancer Nightmare With Breast Implants 'Falling Out:' Her Battle To Sustain Her Mental Health

She’s used to moving fast, but Patrick has made a point to slow down and give her body the rest it needs right now.

“I actually think it’s more wise for me to give myself a good year or two timeline (to see where) I land after a year or two of allowing my body and my mind to really reach a place of health and balance and recovery really from how much time my body spent fighting for me,” Patrick said. “And it did a really, really, really good job. Now it’s time for me to consciously and actively fight back for it with being smart and kind to myself.”

“I’m trying to be sort of careful with my workouts and doing more walking and not so much high intensity. So, lifting and walking really are the bulk of it.”

And Patrick is happy to see her implants go for reasons beyond her breast implant illness.

“The work in loving yourself just like you are and not falling to the idea of perfection,” she said. “I actually like how I look better after… So, there you go.”

What Is Breast Implant Illness?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, breast implant illness, or BII, is a collection of symptoms that may be related to breast implants. There’s no known cause for the symptoms, but breast implant illness may be related to autoimmune or inflammatory responses.

Symptoms of breast implant illness can include the following:

• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Muscle weakness (myopathy)
• Anxiety and depression
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Trouble concentrating
• Autoimmune condition symptoms or diagnosis
• Chronic pain
• Dry eyes or low vision
• Hair loss
• Skin problems such as rashes

Breast Reconstruction: Implants vs. Your Own Tissue

Treatment for breast implant illness simply involves removing the implants altogether. Many surgeons will offer to remove the scar tissue around your breast implants at the same time as implant removal. Lots of people report that their BII symptoms go away after a surgical removal, but others don't.

As always, make sure your healthcare provider listens to your concerns and performs a full evaluation if you come to them with breast implant illness symptoms. They should be offering ways to help you get better.

Are Breast Implants Safe?

Despite Danica Patrick’s experience with breast implant illness, it important to note that most women who get implants do well with them. But the American Cancer Society suggests that women should consider the following factors if they're thinking about getting breast implants:

• The longer you have breast implants, the greater the chance you might need more surgery to remove and/or replace your implant later.
• You might have problems with breast implants. They can break (rupture) or cause infection or pain. Scar tissue may form around the implant (called capsular contracture), which can make the breast hard or change shape, so that it no longer looks or feels like it did just after surgery. Most of these problems can be fixed with surgery, but others might not.
• Breast MRIs may be recommended every few years to make sure silicone gel implants have not broken. Your health insurance might not cover this. Talk to your plastic surgeon if you have any questions regarding the indication for breast MRIs.

RELATED: The FDA Says Cancer Has Been Found In The Scar Tissue That Forms Around Breast Implants. Here's What You Need To Know.

In a joint statement for SurvivorNet, Mount Sinai's Dr. Sarah Cate, the lead physician for the Special Surveillance Breast Program at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and Dr. Jordan Jacobs, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, took the time to talk about breast implant concerns for breast cancer survivors after a recently released FDA safety communication stated that the FDA had received 10 medical device reports (MDRs) about squamous cell carcinoma and 12 reports about various lymphomas related to breast implants.

Saline vs. Silicone Implants

In regards to this specific FDA release, the two experts said they "personally don't think there is cause for alarm," and insisted that the preliminary data shared by the FDA does not definitively link breast cancer to implants. Still, the "the fact that the cancers were found in the implant capsules is certainly concerning and requires further investigation."

They also mentioned that the FDA required the placement of black box warnings on breast implant packaging and implemented an implant checklist for patients to review and sign prior to surgery in October 2021. Moreover, the two doctors noted that anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, has been "associated with textured implants for several years."

"We do not use these at Mount Sinai," the doctors wrote. "This is a separate issue though, and almost all the implicated implants have been taken off the market."

Additionally, the two doctors wanted to remind readers that implants do require monitoring and adverse events should be reported to the FDA.

"Patients who have implants placed for either cosmetic or reconstructive purposes should have yearly follow-up with their surgeons," Dr. Cate and Dr. Jacobs told SurvivorNet. "And there are recommendations from the FDA for routine (every 2-3 years) MRIs to evaluate the integrity of the implant and the surrounding capsule."

Contributing: Teaganne Finn

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