Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:

Check out our new holistic health care site at: http://www2.privatei.com/~coss/dar2care/home.htm We try to provide healthful info.

UPCOMING EVENTS: We will post these as they are scheduled and we are notified. If you are on the internet, check our web site: http://www.siliconesurvivors.net for information on upcoming events.

LEGAL INFORMATION: Dow Corning has moved for summary judgment on its Omnibus objections to the breast-implant disease claims pending before this Court. As detailed in its motion and opening brief, Dow Corning seeks a determination that "t]here is not sufficient scientific evidence or expert opinion testimony-admissible under the standards set in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, 509 U.S. 579 (1993). and its progeny, for the claimants to support a finding by a court or jury, that it is more likely than not that silicone-gel breast implants have caused any systemic disease, or, indeed, that silicone-gel breast implants are even capable of causing systemic disease." As this Court has recognized, a ruling in Dow Corning's favor on this motion, "would result in the disallowance of the tens of thousands of pending disease claims." In re Dow Corning Corp., Opinion on Court's Authority to Decide Dow Corning Corporation's Motion for Summary Judgment on its Omnibus Disease Objection to Breast Implant Claimants.

We sincerely doubt the court will grant this motion, but if it does, it will be appealed to a higher court. This will take some time, so don't be planning to spend any Dow Corning money in 1998.

Currently the Dow Chemical trial in Louisiana is scheduled to start Jan. 26th or 27th. The class action has been dismissed but is being appealed. The trial that is scheduled to go forward is for the 8 women that originally filed.

A mediator has been appointed to help sort out the mess in Michigan. We don't know what will happen next with mediation between the Tort Claimant Committee and Dow Corning attorneys.

Nothing more has been heard about the Dow Chemical class action that was filed in Michigan, but we do know that it does not cover persons with Dow components.

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that the entire tort reform statute passed in 1995, which was the nation's most comprehensive and draconian statute, is unconstitutional! The statute was declared invalid in its entirety!! Don't you just love it??!!

In a move that puts fairness back into civil court decisions, the Illinois State Supreme Court struck down Public Act 89-7, a 1995 law widely known as "the Wrongdoer Protection Act". The law had restricted access to the civil court system by average citizens seeking justice for injuries suffered due to the actions of negligent parties.

"This decision puts people back in charge of our civil courts, instead of politicians and special interests," said Gail Siegel, Program Director of the Coalition for Consumer Rights.

"It assures justice for victims who have suffered unnecessary injury or death," added Siegel. "And just as important, it will prevent injuries and save lives by forcing those who negligently injure innocent people to think about safety first and profits second."

MEDICAL INFORMATION: SCHAUMBURG, IL (July 3, 1996) -- If the risk of terminal illness isn't enough to motivate the hard-core puffer, consider the damage that smoking does to the smoker's outward appearance and other skin conditions. Dermatologists Dr. Jeffrey B. Smith and Dr. Neil A. Fenske, University of South Florida, Tampa, explored the "Cutaneous Manifestations and Consequences of Smoking" in the May, 1996, issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Smoking causes premature aging and wrinkling of the face. Numerous studies have been conducted over the years to confirm this. Prominent facial wrinkling was significantly more common among smokers than nonsmokers even when taking into account age, sex, and sun-exposure. Facial wrinkling also increased with the number of pack-years smoked. "If someone has smoked two packs a day for 20 years, he would have a 40 pack-year history," said Dr.

Fenske.

A "smoker's face" is described as having: prominent lines and wrinkles; gaunt facial features with prominence of the underlying bony contours; the skin appears wasted and gray; and there is an abundance of orange, red and purple pigmentation on the face.

Smoking causes a yellow-brown discoloration of the fingernails, usually of the fingers that hold the cigarette. Abrupt cessation of smoking leads to the development of a distinct line of demarcation between the stained nail and the clear nail physically noting the time that the smoker quit.

Studies have also shown an increased prevalence of psoriasis among smokers, especially in women. Those smoking 20 or more cigarettes per day had the highest risk of psoriasis.

Nicotine causes diminished blood flow in the skin and decreases tissue oxygenation preventing normal healing. Surgical patients that smoke have a greater risk of poor wound healing, tissue death and wider, more pronounced scarring. Smokers are at greater risk of dying from malignant melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer, than nonsmokers. Drs. Smith and Fenske noted that in a study of melanoma patients followed for six years, 34% of smokers died of melanoma whereas only 15% of nonsmokers did. Smoking as a single variable is a statistically significant predictor of death for patients with clinical stage I melanoma. Squamous cell skin cancer (SCC), a less deadly form of skin cancer, was also found to be more common in smokers.

Male smokers are at higher risk for developing cancer of the penis. Studies have shown female smokers have an increased risk of cancer of the external genitalia. Researchers also found cigarette smoking to be significantly associated with anal SCC in both men and women.

Oral cancer has been overwhelmingly linked to smoking (not to mention chewing). Heavy consumption of alcohol acts synergistically with smoking to increase the risk of oral cancer. One study found that a heavy smoker ( >50 pack-years) had a 77.5 times the risk of oral cancer than a nonsmoker. "All forms of tobacco and all modes of its abuse including smokeless tobacco and reverse smoking (placing the lighted end inside the mouth) are known to increase the risk of oral cancer," Dr. Smith noted.

Personal comment: YUCK!! YUCK!!

Helping smokers understand the effects of smoking on the skin may provide the motivation to quit, especially for those who are more concerned about their outward appearance than the potential internal damage associated with smoking.

The American Academy of Dermatology is the world's largest society representing physicians who specialize in treating skin, hair, nail, and mucous membrane conditions.

Trench Mouth, also known as acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), occurs almost exclusively in smokers (but does occur in persons who have severe illness). Trench mouth involves ulceration, pain, bleeding, and fetid mouth odor. Malignancies of the lungs, lip, oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, trachea, bronchus, stomach pancreas, cervix, bladder, and kidneys are significantly more common in cigarette smokers. All of these cancers have been known to spread to the skin.

Biopsies are far superior to ultrasound in detecting serious cases of uterine disease, according to study. Biopsies, in which a piece of tissue is removed & examined under the microscope for signs of cancer or cell overgrowth, have long been the standard means of screening for diseases of the uterine lining. Ultrasound, in which sound waves are used to produce an image, held out the possibility of a method that was less invasive and uncomfortable.

However, ultrasound gives a high number of false positive results, making it a poor screening test, according to a study led by Dr. Robert Langer of the University of California at San Diego.

The uterine lining, or endometrium, gets thicker when women take estrogen after menopause. Greater thickness is associated with a higher chance of disease. Ultrasound is used to measure the thickness.

The study, NEJM, compared ultrasound to biopsies in screening for hyperplasia (cell overgrowth) among women past menopause. Hyperplasia itself is not life-threatening but is often a precursor to cancer. Of the 45 percent of women who had an endometrium thinner than 5 millimeters, none had any disease. And among the 55 percent who had linings 5 millimeters or thicker, biopsies showed that 90 percent of them were healthy, also. The women in the study had no symptoms of uterine disease such as abnormal bleeding.

Ultrasound is more useful in women with such bleeding because it can help find changes in the endometrium's texture, Dr. Arthur Fleischer of Vanderbilt University Medical Center wrote in an accompanying editorial.

Estrogen replacement is controversial. Personally, I use a natural progesterone cream that replaces what I need without greater risk of cancer later in life. It helps eliminate the threat of osteoporosis without the other dangers. If you wish info. about this cream, contact me.

Babies as young as 2 weeks old can exhibit depression. Babies need to be soothed and will show signs of stress, anxiety and depression if parents are unable to comfort them. Young, inexperienced parents are most likely to be unable to soothe an infant. Stressed parents may not always be able to meet an infant's needs either, so it is important that other family members be available to help when parents are young or inordinately stressed. If babies are not soothed appropriately, they will not form an attachment bond with their care-givers.

Antibiotic use can cause more than mutating bacteria. Ruptured achilles tendons are caused by broad spectrum antibiotics, especially in those on steroids (Prednisone) and in the elderly. This injury is hard to heal. Antibiotics should be suspended immediately if tendon inflammation occurs. Other tendon damage has been associated with other drugs, especially Fluoroquinolone treatment.

Effect of Calcium and Vitamin D supplementation on Bone Density in Men and Women 65 Years of Age or Older; NEJM 1997; 337: 670-676 9/4/97,Vol.337,10 Bess Dawson-Hughes, Susan S. Harris, Elizabeth A. Krall, Gerard E. Dallal.

Background. Inadequate dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D may contribute to the high prevalence of osteoporosis among older persons.

Methods. We studied the effects of three years of dietary supplementation with calcium and vitamin D on bone mineral density, biochemical measures of bone metabolism, and the incidence of nonvertebral fractures in 176 men and 213 women 65 years of age or older who were living at home. They received

either 500 mg of calcium plus 700 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) per day or a placebo. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, blood and urine were analyzed every six months, and cases of nonvertebral fracture were ascertained by means of interviews and verified with use of hospital records.

Conclusions. In men and women 65 years of age or older who are living in the community, dietary supplementation with calcium and vitamin D moderately reduced bone loss measured in the femoral neck, spine, and total body over the three-year study period and reduced the incidence of nonvertebral fractures. (N Engl J Med 1997;337:670-6.) Source Information: From the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, where reprint requests should be addressed to Dr. Dawson-Hughes.

I replace my calcium with coral calcium, the most bio-available source of calcium known. I also take a product called Assimilator, which has lots of Vitamin D. These together help prevent many problems persons over 35 have with calcium loss (over 90% of people over 60 are calcium deficient). Most calcium is not well absorbed by our bodies, so we must find a source that is readily absorbed!

Blood Thinner Could Cause Paralysis WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government is warning thousands of doctors to take immediate steps to protect certain surgical patients from a drug side effect that could paralyze them. The problem appears to be giving surgical anesthesia through a spinal injection to patients who also are taking a new type of blood thinner called low molecular weight heparin.

The Food and Drug Administration has received more than 30 reports of patients on one brand of the blood thinner, Lovenox, who suffered bleeding inside the spinal column after the spinal injection. That bleeding builds dangerous pressure inside the spinal cord. All

the patients in the reports suffered at least temporary neurological damage, such as leg weakness, difficulty walking or difficulty emptying their bladders. Those not diagnosed quickly enough to repair the damage suffered permanent paralysis below the waist, Dr. Lilia Talarico, FDA's director of anticoagulants, said Monday. Normally, spinal injections stop bleeding quickly. These patients' extra-thin blood cannot clot and pools inside the spinal cord. In a public health warning mailed to groups of orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists and blood and pain specialists, the FDA warned doctors to consider general anesthesia for at-risk patients.

Lovenox, made by Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, is the biggest-selling brand of low-molecular-weight heparin, but related brands also are risky, including: Pharmacia & Upjohn's Fragmin; Wyeth-Ayerst's Normiflo; and Organon Inc.'s Orgaran.

LABS: Please consider having a multiple myeloma test. Many women are finding that they have abnormal results and if you do have multiple myeloma, early treatment is extremely important. Have your doctor contact Immunosciences Lab for the test which costs $75.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: If you have a family history of osteoporosis, eating more plant-based foods may reduce bone loss. Phosphorus, present in sodas, may contribute tremendously to bone loss. Persons drinking caffeinated beverages excrete more calcium than those who don't drink these beverages. They should increase calcium intakes accordingly. Excessive alcohol drinkage increases bone loss. Men tend to lose more bone with drinking alcoholic beverages than do women and this may be hormonal. It may be the diuretic effect of alcohol that causes the loss of calcium. Too much protein along with too little green leafy vegetables and dairy products can also deplete calcium and contribute to bone loss.

Is fasting good for you? That depends on your body weight. If you are very thin, it may not be nearly as healthy as if you are heavier. Fasting for 24 hours will probably not harm anyone, but very thin people should avoid long fasts where only water is consumed. Fasts cause insulin levels to decline rapidly and then other metabolic effects occur. When we fast, hepatic stores of glucose (in the form of glycogen) break down to release glucose for the brain. As glycogen stores are depleted, body protein is catabolized to release amino acids which are broken down in the liver to glucose and urea. Low insulin levels also cause release of fatty acids which can substitute for glucose. When the insulin levels are low enough, the liver converts fatty acids to ketones and these produce energy and feed the brain. The need for glucose falls and body levels of fat are reduced. A sense of well-being may result because epinephrine increases & serotonin decreases resulting in more alertness and a sense of well-being. Sodium loss will occur as fasts cause loss of body fluids, but will not harm heavier individuals. Very thin people could suffer if losing too much sodium.

In the average person, a one-day a week fast could be beneficial unless some form of binge eating occurs in between fasts. Weekly fasting could be particularly helpful to those with a family history of diabetes, those who are obese, persons with high blood pressure, persons with high triglyceride counts and mildly overweight persons. Persons with low blood pressure, pregnant women and the very thin should consult a doctor before attempting a fast as they could suffer from a loss of glucose and resulting symptoms.

In the elderly, Vitamin A can build up and cause toxicity. Because it is touted as a cancer-preventative, many elderly people consume too much Vitamin A and can have liver problems. Zinc can be toxic if taken in too-high levels. Ginseng can also cause problems in the elderly if too much is consumed. People should use common sense when taking nutrients as too much of anything can be bad for us. A Naturopath or Natural Medicine Practitioner can help guide you to proper nutrient or supplement dosage.

This information is from the Nutrition Post, Fall, 1996.

Could it just be that women are getting breast cancer partly from the deodorants we are using. Think about what is in those deodorants and where we put them (right nest to our lymph nodes). Most cancers occur in the outer part of the breast, right next to those lymph nodes. There are deodorants that do not harm our bodies! Think about it!!

PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: A new group has formed in Pittsburgh, PA. It will meet on the 13th of January, 7:00 P.M. at 2490 Royal View Dr., Allison Park, (412) 492-0440.

IMPORTANT: You will only heal to the extent that you work at healing!! If you do nothing, nothing will happen! If you truly wish to heal, you must be proactive in that process. Educate yourself about healing and find your own path to recovery! Everyone is different, so your recovery may be different than mine or someone else's. It may take one person 5 years and another 2 years. The people I see who are getting better are actively pursuing health, not being passive and hoping health will find them!

BOOKS: An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Cancer, by Burton Goldberg.

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE: If you are interested in good products from an ethical company to help you with your healing path, call Lynca to find out about Coral Calcium, Activin OPC Oxi-genic, Assimilator, Shark Oil and magnetic products. These have helped me tremendously and that is why I am offering them to you!!

ONE WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE: REAL AND EFFECTIVE PAIN RELIEF

Excruciating, stabbing, fleeting, chronic, annoying, obnoxious pain. It might come in the form of sciatica nerve pain, headaches or migraines, frozen shoulder, fibromyalgia, menstrual cramps or crippling pain such as in arthritis. Unfortunately pain is inevitable for all of us as we grow older and especially if we suffer pain related conditions.

My name is Susan Huschle. I am no stranger to pain, four years ago I was in a tobagganing accident where I hit a boulder and fractured my sacrum and my coccyx (tailbone). I literally could not sit for more than 10 minutes in any given hour. For three years I went through traditional medical care of drugs, surgery to remove my coccyx, physical therapy and cortisone injections (right in the butt!). Finally, desperate for pain relief, I turned to acupuncture.

After the first visit I could sit 20 minutes before the pain started up again, after the second visit I could sit 45 minutes without pain. After a total of seven treatments I was finally able to sit again with out pain! To this day the pain in my butt is gone! (I learned the hard way that we really take sitting for granted!) Pain and its effects are a serious problem for many of us. It not only demands our attention and makes us physically hurt, it affects our lives in many ways from our temperament, to our relationships, to our jobs and our fun times. It also costs us in the way of time off work, money for co-pays for appointments and medications and it also costs us our valuable time--time that could be better spent if we were free of pain.

Let's take a look at acupuncture and how it relieves and eliminates pain. To help me describe acupuncture to you I went to my acupuncturist (who is also a family practice doctor), Dr. Hoang Pham located in Garden Grove, California. According to Dr. Pham, the Chinese have used acupuncture for over 500 years. The Chinese view the body as energy called qi, (pronounced chi) when qi is

blocked that's when disease and pain occur. There are 14 meridians that are in our bodies and over 200 acupuncture points. The meridians are pathways in which energy flows over the body. They are linked to each other and to internal organs, various tissue and even the skin.

How do needle treatments work? In the article, "Nod to an Ancient Art" in the U.S. News (May'96) "There is overwhelming evidence from animal studies that acupuncture reduces pain by triggering the release of endorphins (natural morphine chemicals) and other substances by the nervous system."

This is good news in case you are afraid of needles, the needles are as fine as a human hair and penetrate only the first 3 layers of skin! So don't let that scare you.

Why should you choose acupuncture over traditional care? There are several reason's and we'll take a look at them right now. 1. Pain relief without drugs! All too often painkillers are prescribed for pain which can cause more problems. In the Times (Nov'80) "patients may become addicted to narcotic containing painkillers and some are not physically able to withstand the shock of chemical anesthesia". 2. Quicker relief from pain, you can walk out of the office with less pain vs. numerous appointments to family doctors, specialists, tests, etc. before you get any pain relief. 3. Less expensive than traditional care. 4. Your life gets back to normal immediately! Note: Acupuncture can help with many conditions but cannot cure things like a broken bones or cancer.

OK, so you are interested in seeking pain relief through acupuncture. How do you find an acupuncturist? For me, I grabbed the phone book and looked under acupuncture and found Dr. Hoang Pham who not only does acupuncture, he is also a family practitioner. (Dr. Pham is excellent, I have been going to him for 3 1/2 years now for various pain related conditions. He has brought me great pain relief through the years. Dr. Pham eliminated my migraines and headaches, he has treated me for the beginning stages of frozen shoulder and he treats my fibromyalgia and stress pain when I have flare ups.)

If you would like to find an acupuncturist who is also a medical practitioner, call the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (800) 521-2262. Or if you would like to find out more about the training and requirements that all acupuncturists have to go through, call The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (202) 232-1404. Please note that there are just as qualified acupuncturists that are not family practice doctors. I have gone to one and she was very competent.

Insurance companies: According to the Christian Science Monitor (10/96) "Long considered quackery by America's medical profession, the herbal remedies, needle treatments, and mind-body healing methods practiced for centuries by ancient cultures are

gaining respectability in the public's eyes and in doctors' offices nationwide."

Many insurance companies now cover acupuncture! The article continues, "Oxford Health Plans Inc. announced in October that it would become the first HMO to offer a program of comprehensive coverage for alternative medical treatments." If one of the largest HMO's is now allowing acupuncture doesn't that make you feel like there is really something to this type of treatment?

There is no reason to suffer needlessly. Get rid of your pain through acupuncture. Call today. Susan Huschle

Bibliographies: Dr. Hoang Pham, Family Practice, MD/Acupuncturist, Garden Grove; 714/531-8711; Changing Times (November, 1980) page 38 "Acupuncture: Parents pleased with results"; O.C. Register, Accent (February 8, 1995) "Nod to an Ancient Art" in the U.S. News (May 13, 1996); Christian Science Monitor (October 1996)

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ARE THOSE OF THE EDITOR AND ANY CONTRIBUTORS AND ARE NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. ANY ARTICLES OR INFORMATION SUBMITTED MAY BE EDITED BECAUSE OF SPACE, CONTENT OR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.

LYNDA ROTH, EDITOR

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION: Previous issues of newsletters available: $2 each U.S., $3 Foreign. 1/93 is the first available issue. Please indicate months' desired and proper sums. Some covered subjects: Auto-immune 1/93; Fibromyalgia 2/93; Medical Testing 3/93; Sjogren's 4/93; Vasculitis 4/93; Arthritis 5/93; Chronic Fatigue 6/93; Lupus 7/93; Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Inflammatory Bowel Disease 8/93; Insurance 8/93, 9/93; Misc. Med. Info. 9/93; Multiple Sclerosis 10/93; Spasmodic Torticollis 10/93; Hypoglycemia 11/93; Antibodies 12/93; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy 1/94; Misc. Med. Info. II 2/94; Scleroderma 3/94; Costochondritis 4/94; Peripheral Neuropathy 4/94; Class Action 5/94; Fungal Infections 6/94; Hypercalcemia (low calcium) 7/94; Raynaud's Phenomenon 8/94; Fibromyalgia Update 9/94; Sarcoidosis 10/94; Free Radicals 11/94; Porphyria 12/94; Interstitial Cystitis 1/95; Mixed Connective Tissue Disease 2/95; Flap Procedures 3/95; Misc. Med. 4/95; Thyroid Disease 5/95; Stress 6/95; Natural Healing 7/95; Adrenal Malfunctions 8/95; Multiple Myeloma 9/95; DHEA 10/95; Chelation Therapy 11/95; Sleep Disorders 12/95; Meniere's Disease 1/96; 33 Tips to Improve Your Immune System 2/96; Amino Acids 3/96; Enzymes 4/96; Minerals 5/96; Aluminum Toxicity, DHEA Update 6/96; Addictions & Food Sensitivities 7/96; Misc. Med. Info. IV 8/96; Misc. Med. Info. V 9/96; Misc. Med. Info. VI 10/96; Misc. Med. Info. VII 11/96; Transcient Ischemic Attacks 12/96; Symptoms of Breast Implant Problems 1/97; Pap Tests 2/97; Parasitic Infections 3/97; B-Complex Deficiency Syndrome 4/97; Myofascial Pain Syndrome 5/97; Inositol 6/97; Misc. Med. Info. VIII 7/97; High Blood Pressure 8/97; Plaquenil 9/97; Misc. Med. Info. IX 10/97; Misc. Med. Info. X 11/97; Gastroesophageal or acid reflux 12/97; Legal info. and info. on Alternative Medicine is contained in most issues.

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FOR THIS NEW YEAR, WHY NOT START THE YEAR OUT WITH A DONATION TO HELP THOSE WHO STILL SUFFER FROM SILICONE POISONING & NEED INFORMATION? WE NEED YOUR HELP TO HELP THEM AND TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ALL OF YOU STILL SEEK INFORMATION!!

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