In 2007, I was 18 years old, and had been healthy all my life, although I had experienced some reactions to anaesthetics, antibiotics and painkillers.
In June that year, I received commercially pure titanium plates in my lower jaw and seemed to have another bad reaction to the anaesthetic. Within two weeks my symptoms had worsened, I was constantly exhausted, lying in bed all day and unable to get up. I had pain and swelling around the site of the implant. I had to stop my studies as a dental nurse.
My health continued to deteriorate. On my 19th birthday, friends and family gathered with a cake and presents but I was unable to get out of bed until late that day. With help, I was able to sit and had to be spoon fed. After 30 minutes I was so exhausted that I had to go back to bed.
My GP diagnosed me with depression. My family was desperate to find what was wrong with me, and finally found out about titanium allergy on the MELISA website. My consultant was initially unwilling to help as he had never heard of titanium allergy.
After three months of increasingly severe pain and neurological disturbances, including feelings of aggression and confusion, the implants were finally removed.
Almost immediately after the implants were removed my symptoms started to disappear. Within one month I got a part-time job, and within three months I returned to my full-time education.
It’s one year later and I am now completely well.
As the surgeons agreed to remove my implants, I did not do a MELISA test until one month after the implants were removed. The results showed an allergy to titanium (SI 2.9) and molybdenum (SI=2.3), both metals found within my implants.