June, 1994

Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends: I attended the MDL Steering Committee Meeting during the end of April in Ft. Lauderdale as well as the court session with Judge Pointer. I also attended a meeting in West Palm Beach Florida where Dr. Pierre Blais was one of the guest speakers. I spoke at a meeting in Merritt Island while I was there also. I had a very busy trip. The biggest problem was that I had pneumonia the entire time I was in Florida and still had it when I saw my own doctor in Boulder two days after I came home. I am much better now!

COMPUTER FUND: We have collected about two-thirds of the funds we need to repair and update the computer. We will be replacing the hard drive first along with the controller card, and also adding the memory chips. The monitor will have to wait until we have more funds. We appreciate all the donations that you have sent. NOT JUST FOR COLORADO, BUT ESPECIALLY OF LOCAL INTEREST: An article entitled ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODIES AND BREAST IMPLANTS by Henry Claman, MD and Alastair Robertson, PhD. from WJM, March, 1994. If you would like a copy, please send $1.00 and a SASE requesting Claman article. INNOVAL, LTD., DR. PIERRE BLAIS requests that we not send all breast implants and scar capsules at this time. Because of the class action lawsuit, your implants may not need to be sent to places such as Innoval. Dr. Blais has been inundated with cases, as have other experts. There will be a minimum fee of $50.00 for every person who sends specimens to Innoval. If there is a need for documentation and a written report, the fee could be as much as $600.00. Because of the heavy demands on his time, Dr. Blais is unable to deal with telephone or written requests for information. Innoval is unable to give priority to individual cases at this time because of the tremendous volume of cases and samples sent to Dr. Blais. There are new guidelines for sending samples to labs such as Innoval, Ltd. Please send $1.00 and a SASE for these guidelines that were written by Dr. Blais.

The settlement packet and the claims forms are available from COSS. If you are unable to get them from the MDL 800 number, please send us $5.00 and request the settlement packet and claim forms. The settlement packet plus questions and answers is about 40 pages long. The claims forms are 6 pages.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Our large group meeting in Colorado this month will be on Saturday June 11, 1994 1:00 P.M. at DU Law School, Lowell Thomas Building, Room C-85. It will be a question and answer on the proposed class action for breast implants. We will have all different attorneys. If you are undecided or still have unanswered questions about this proposed settlement, you will have time to have them answered before you make the final decision to opt-out. I do recommend that you mail any opt-out form or registration form by certified mail.

COLORADO SUPPORT FOR WOMEN WITH IMPLANTS: HELPS (Healing, Education, Love, Patience, Support): This new phone network has been set up by three women who wish to be of help to other women whose lives have been affected by implants.

Call Barbara Craft ( 303 238-4169), Ann Ives (303 934-2533) or Deborah Lyon (303 697-0697). If you wish to join them and become another support person, call them with this information also. Sometimes group leaders have so many women to try to help that they cannot possibly give them all the support they would like to be able to, so this is a wonderful option for many women who need more support. We congratulate these women for opening their hearts to others.

SALINE IMPLANTS: The FDA Hearings on Saline-Filled Silicone Breast Implants is being held in Washington, DC on June 2nd. I will be attending. I have requested permission to testify. You may file written comments with the FDA until July 2nd, 1994 and they will become part of the official record. The address is: Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, Rm. 1-23, 12420 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20857. Dr. Rahim Karjoo of AMDL Immunopath Labs will be the speaker at the June 11th meeting, 1-4 P.M. in Irvine, CA at the South Coast Community Church, 5120 Bonita Canyon Drive. Call Melody Mello at (714) 645-9680 for more information. The June Conference in Cincinnati, OH will be held at the Sheraton-Springdale, Route 4 and I-275 on June 18th, 8:00 to 5:00 P.M. Rooms are $68.00 and phone # for reservations is (513) 671-6600. If you have the Entertainment Card Package, the rate is $47.50 (limited # of rooms). Cost of conference is $25.00 for consumers and $15.00 for spouses (significant others) and $35.00 for professionals, which includes a continental breakfast and a lunch. Speakers are Dr. Pierre Blais, Dr. LuJean Feng, Dr. Aristo Vojdani, Dr. Britta Ostermeyer Shoaib, Dr. Daniel Hoffman, Dr. Thomas Osborn, Dr. Mary Lou Logothetis, and Dr. Stephen Pomeranz. This is a medical symposium and Nursing CEU's have been approved. For more information on the conference, write to Susan Boone, 18 Hollow Tree Court, Hamilton, OH 45013. Notify us of your SPECIAL meetings by the 23th of the month and we will try to include them in our newsletter. LEGAL INFORMATION: The phone number for the National Implant Settlement Hotline. We hear that well over 300,000 women have already called this number. One of the proposals I heard from the MDL Committee was apparently submitted by the ASPRS. The proposal was that Surgeons would be protected from lawsuits if they would provide explantations free of charge (between 5 and 12, depending on the number of breast implants they have placed). This would provide approximately $2 million more in funds in the MDL if women did not have to apply for funds for explantation. In some states, it is virtually impossible to sue a Surgeon. In some states there are strict statutes of limitation for lawsuits against MD's. There are not many states in which it is easy to sue a surgeon. How many plastic surgeons would take advantage of this offer? And would you want a plastic surgeon who is worried about being sued operating on you? Would the surgeons that would be most likely to be sued be more likely to try to buy their way out of a potential lawsuit by offering to do explantations? How many surgeons are any of the group leaders recommending and these the surgeons who would be offering free explantations? There are many surgeons who have treated women very badly. There still seems to be some confusion about what you have to do by June 17th. If you do not plan to opt-out, you need do nothing by this date. You must register for the Disease Compensation Categories by Sept. 16th. If you intend to opt-out, you must file with the court by June 17th. I recommend certified mail. Again, deadlines for the global settlement, now known as the Lindsey lawsuit: Opt-out deadline is June 17, 1994. If you opt-out, your statute of limitations resumes, so be prepared to move forward on your individual lawsuit if you intend to file suit against the manufacturer(s) of your implants(s). If you join the class action (do not opt-out) then you have to qualify for a Current Disease Claim by September 16, 1994 or preserve the right to make a claim by registering with the settlement trust no later than December 1, 1994. The fairness hearing will be held in Birmingham, Alabama on August 18, 1994. If you wish to attend this hearing, you must advise the court in writing by June 17, 1994. If you wish to make written comments about the settlement plan, they must also arrive by June 17, 1994. You may only comment if you do not opt-out. The address to send this information is: MDL 926, P.O. Box 11683, Birmingham, AL 35202-1683. If the court approves the Lindsey class (and you know they will!), any appeals of the class with then begin as will the claims funding process. If you do not have a disease that fits the Disease Compensation Categories, then you may apply for monies from one of the Designated Funds, which are Fund I - Medical Evaluations, Fund II - Explantation expenses, Fund III - Re-implantation (both before 6/1/93), Fund IV - Implant Ruptures, and Fund V - Other Expenses. 12% of the total of the settlement funds will be available for claims in these categories. Probably 50% of the women will fall to these categories. They may later qualify for monies from the ongoing claimant funds if they later become ill (or worsen).

If a mother of a child who was damaged (or potentially damaged) by the mother's implants does not join the Lindsey Lawsuit, then the child will not qualify either. Of course, there is no real provision for funding for children in this fund (and little money for anyone), so I do not think this should be a major concern of amy woman in her decision to join or to opt-out.

The two manufacturers who remain the most financially solvent are Baxter Health Care/Baxter International (Heyer-Schulte) and Bristol Myers Squibb (Surgitek). If you are quite ill, have an excellent case (well-documented), and have no problems with anything that the defendants can exploit, then perhaps you should speak with an attorney about opting out of this class action. If you have any other manufacturer, then you should seriously discuss with your attorney what your options are. If you had Cox-Uphoff, BioPlasty, Mentor, McGhan (especially post-1984), or any of the other numerous implants that were only a small share of the market, you may be wise to join to see what your settlement would be. You should make every effort to have yourself placed on the highest level of the grid for which you qualify. Persons with minor damage were not intended to collect a lot from this class action. The highest amounts will be reserved for the most injured.

No-one will receive the amount listed on the grid (barring a minor miracle wherein the manufacturers have a sudden change of heart and add about $50 billion). Expect to receive about 20% or less of the listed amount. This will help you to be more realistic when you find out what is offered to you. We have heard of women looking at the homes they plan to buy with the money they receive. This is very unrealistic. Funds will be paid out over a period of several years (at least three, maybe four or more). No-one on the grid should expect to receive their money in a lump sum.

Many women believe that they will be receiving money from this settlement by next Spring or Summer. This probably will not happen. We know of no place in the proposed settlement which limits the amount of time the claims persons can take to sort out all the claims. This could mean a long delay in processing the claims and in getting any settlements out to the women. It will, we hear, be at least December of 1995 and perhaps longer before anyone on the grid receives any $$. Women in Funds I-V may receive some $$ a little sooner than women on the Disease Compensation Grid, but probably not much sooner. They will also receive very little, as 12% of $1.2 billion is not much money and as many as half of all women entering this settlement may fall into these categories. Checks will probably be made out to the women, but sent to their attorneys (providing they have an attorney). This is because many attorneys have asked MD's to take a lien on any settlement and they have guaranteed those liens.

As of the middle of June, there had been approximately 300,000 calls to the 800 number for the class action. I haven't called, nor have half of the women I have polled in our groups. What does this tell you?

If you file a claim that purports to show that you fit a certain place on the grid and you don't have adequate documentation, you will be bumped to a lower category. In many cases, this would mean to Funds I-V, in which there is little $$. Your MD will have 30 days to re-submit the claim to rectify the problems with the classification. I hear this question all the time: What if I don't opt-out and there is not a ratcheting down on the grid? Can I opt-out then? The answer is NO! If there is not a ratcheting down, no-one will be able to opt-out once they join. If you are unwilling to accept the amount stated on the grid, you should not opt-in. What are the chances that there will be a ratcheting down? I believe that the odds are about 99.99% that there will be a ratcheting-down. What are the odds that the manufacturers will put another $30 billion into this fund? I believe it is about 0.01%. It would take about this much to even bring women near the grid amount. Another question is: If I am in Funds I-V, since there is not a ratcheting down in these funds, will I be able to opt-out when I find out the amount I will receive. Answer: The Plaintiff's Steering Committee, to a person, has stated that if there is any ratcheting-down of any member of the fund, that any member of the settlement class can then opt-out. Question: What about the 6% that will be assessed against any case that is settled outside the class action? Why should I pay 6% of my settlement? The answer to this is that every attorney can utilize the information and testimonies collected by attorneys in the MDL to help win their cases. Because this testimony benefits all women who file suit, all women should pay for it, not just women who agree to settle their cases within the class action.

The age portion of the grid is not too well understood. Many have shared concerns about this and some have called it discriminatory. You need to provide documentation of when you initially became ill because of your implants. The age factor will be calculated at the age that you have enough symptoms or tests to show the diagnosis you are claiming in the Disease Compensation Categories. The age factor is calculated on productive years (working years) and it is figured that a 25 year old woman with a 90% disability deserves more $$ than a 55 year old woman with a 90% disability because she will have longer to support herself. Workmen's Compensation also uses this type of age grid. We may not like the age factor, but it is here to stay. Insurance companies are trying to attach monies from this settlement to repay medical costs that they have paid for their subscribers. In a way, this is a joke because the majority of us have been unable to find a way to encourage our insurance companies to pay for our blood tests, explantation surgeries, etc. There may be a ruling to prevent any mass settlement with insurance companies, since the monies in the settlement will be allocated for pain and suffering only. If they were allocated for medical expenses (past or future) the insurance companies might be able to attach these funds. Amounts in Funds I-V will be mostly allocated un-reimbursed medical expenses, which will prevent any wholesale insurance attachments. Insurance companies may try to collect on an individual basis, but this is expensive and participation in the class action is confidential. Insurance companies will not be given the names of participants by the courts. Some states may have laws that allow insurance company subrogation, even with the stipulations of the class action. Some think that if there is any insurance recovery that the insurance companies should be forced to pay any legal expenses expended by the women to try to receive insurance coverage for their medical costs. In any case, insurance company subrogation was not allowed in the Dalkon Shield class action.

REMANDING CASES TO FEDERAL COURTS: Judge Pointer has remanded a few cases to the Federal Courts on an emergency basis. He does not plan to remand most cases until he tries several of them himself. This will probably take at least until the end of the year. If you opt-out, do not plan on having your court date set up any time soon. It could take two years before any cases are heard, depending on how long Judge Pointer holds on to them.

OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENTS THAT WERE REACHED WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY AND WERE LESS THAN $15,000: Judge Pointer has ruled that these many be reopened and that these women may participate in the class action. Any amount received in these settlements will be deducted from any amount already received. Women who have received over $15,000 may also be able to participate. Judge Pointer has ruled that the defendants must turn over the names of women who have settled out of court (without benefit of attorneys) so they can be sent notice of the settlement. We will know more about this later. Judge Pointer ruled that there will be no more questionnaires given to women plaintiffs (or depositions taken) until they make the decision to opt-out of the settlement. He also issued a moratorium on defendants receiving client's medical records until after they opt-out. In some cases, state courts are proceeding with depositions because their cases are not affected by the Lindsey Lawsuit. MDL Depositions are still under way. This information can be used by any attorney preparing a case for court. The MDL team received over 100 boxes of new information in April. Foreign claimants who are permanent residents in the US must opt-out by June 17th in order to file an individual suit. According to the PSC of the MDL, they should not let the June 17tth day pass because they will be included in the class action with no later opt-out privileges. If they wish to be part of the class action, they should file claim forms by Sept. 16th.

We have the new global settlement proposal summary (March 1994) of the class action along with unanswered questions. It is 54 pages long and is available for $5.00 plus $1.00 postage ($6.00 total). It lists the requirements for some diseases. We still have the handout on the diagnosis categories for atypical neurological, rheumatological, MCTD, etc. available for $1.00 plus SASE. Please do not send an envelope if ordering both the global settlement proposal and the diagnosis categories. We have copies of the settlement packet, the questions and answers provided by the MDL committee and the claim forms (opt-in or opt-out). If you wish copies of the settlement packet plus the claim forms, please send $5.00 to the address at the top of the newsletter requesting settlement packet/claim forms. Many women are unaware that the proposed class action includes saline implants as well as silicone implants. We need to let all women with any form of breast implant (pre-April 1993) that they are included in this class action. JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION: France has an embargo on breast implants. Germany and Switzerland are considering embargoes on them also. Does this tell you anything about the politics in the USA if these other countries take the problems of breast implants more seriously than the USA does?

HANDLING/MISHANDLING THE EVIDENCE: If you are not planning on being a member of the class action, then you must be aware of the "Chain of Evidence". You should not handle your breast implants at all. In fact, they should be sent for evaluation by the hospital or picked up by your attorney or an agent of your attorney. You break the chain of evidence when you handle or take possession of your implants or any of your tissue. This is a very important point in law, so discuss this with your attorney.

MEDICAL INFORMATION: To find out if a particular MD is Board-Certified and in what specialty, the year they were certified and/or how many years they have been certified, call (800) 776-2378. They will ask you for your zip code and area code. They will only give you information on one MD per call, but you can call back as many times as you wish.

I have heard that the drug Imitrex, which is used for migraine headaches, can help with the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Last month we printed a statement that The American College of Rheumatologists has decided to recognize the diagnosis of Silicone-Related Disease (SRD). Apparently they are still considering this and just how they would define this illness. It is not yet a reality. We apologize for the prematurity of our announcement.

FUNGAL INFECTIONS: Also called Systemic Mycoses, there are a number of systemic fungal problems that create problems for individuals whose immune systems have been compromised. Fungal diseases which occur as primary infections generally have a geographic distribution. Coccidioidomycosis is generally confined to the Southwest, histoplasmosis to the East and Midwest (Ohio and Mississippi river valleys), Blastomycosis is restricted to North America, Cryptococcus is found throughout the world, Aspergillosis is common throughout the world and is commonly found in the home environment, Sporotrichosis is found most commonly in gardeners and farmers, Candida is found in everyone's system at some time or another, and Dermatophytes (Athletes's Foot Fungus) is very common. Coccidioidomycosis is thought to be caused by inhalation of the fungus Coccidioides immitis, prevalent in the San Joaquin valley of California. A fever develops with a non-productive cough and the patient starts to lose weight. Pain upon breathing may develop (pleurisy) and lumps on the legs may show up. Fungi may be found in sputum, pleural fluid, or other specimens. Most patients recover without treatment (primary coccidioidomycosis), but if the disease becomes progressive (progressive coccidioidomycosis), it can lead to a dangerous form of chronic meningitis (A chronic, diffuse, acute, subacute, or granulomatous disease with various degrees of fibrosis that may involve any part of the body. Lesions may show central necrosis because they are surrounded by lymphocytes and by plasma, epithelioid, and giant cells. When the fungus dies in the center, there is a cavity formed.) If it is acute, it must be treated with Amphotericin B, which must sometimes be administered via a special chamber implanted in the head. The progressive form of the disease is often found in immune compromised patients, such as AIDS patients. Histoplasmosis is often caused by the inhalation of a fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum. In 80% of cases, it is benign, self-limiting and marked by headaches, chills, fever, and sometimes lumps on the leg. There may be a cough and chest pain. Usually a virus is suspected. If it progresses, antifungal medication can cure it. In the region of the country where it is prevalent, many persons who have never suspected they have had a fungal infection show lung lesions. In severe cases, there can be fever, anemia, enlargement of liver and spleen, leukopenia (low white blood count), pulmonary involvement (lung), adrenal necrosis (death), and ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract. This can be fatal. Treatment is IV Amphotericin B.

Blastomycosis (Gilchrist's Disease) is an infectious disease caused by Blastomyces dermatitides which primarily infects the lung and occasionally spreads through the blood to the skin. It has been reported to follow a dog bite. Histopathologic characteristics include inflammatory lesions of the skin (cutaneous form) or lungs or a generalized invasion of skin, lungs, bones, central nervous system, liver kidneys and spleen. Symptoms are usually slow and may show a dry hacking or productive cough, chest pain, fever, chills, drenching sweats, and dyspnea (labored breathing accompanied by pain). Treatment is with Amphotecerin B or ketoconazole. Cryptococcosis often causes a simple form of pneumonia that clears up by itself. In a few individuals, chronic meningitis can develop. Any organ of the body may become involved, but the brain and meninges (the three membranes encircling the spinal column and the brain) seems to be most vulnerable. Individuals with Hodgkins Disease are most vulnerable. Symptoms include chronic headaches, afternoon fever, personality changes, and blurred vision. Cutaneous lesions (of the skin) appear like acne pustules or granulating ulcers (with the texture of grain). Blood tests may show elevated protein and cell count (generally lymphocytes) and decreased glucose may be seen in 50% of patients. Antigens may be detected by latex agglutination test in up to 90% of patients. Diagnosis is generally made by examining the spinal fluid and treatment is with Amphotericin B. Aspergillosis is caused by the Aspergillus fungus. It is generally a lung disease (aspergillus fumigatus) with occasional spreading throughout the blood, although other manifestations may be caused by different species of the fungus (aspergillus niger-ear infections, aspergillus flavus, aspergillus nidulans). Aspergillus infections occur most often in immune-compromised persons. Aspergillus fungus is opportunistic and may appear in the bronchi (small branches of the bronchial tubes) after treatment for bacterial or other fungal infections. The fungus ball (aspergilloma), a characteristic form of the disease, is composed of a tangled mass of hyphae (a filament of mold), fibrin (a whitish filament of protein), exudate (accumulation of fluid in a cavity), and a few inflammatory cells. Not usually invasive, it does gradually enlarge in most cases. The principal symptom of a fungus ball is hemoptysis (expectoration of blood arising from the mouth, larynx, trachea, bronchi, or lungs) which is frequently recurrent, occasionally severe, and rarely fatal. In the invasive disease (septicemia) the tissue reaction at sites of fungal impaction and multiplication is usually suppurative (pus producing). Lesions are most often found in the brain and kidneys. In the invasive, septicemic (septicemia is the presence of an invasive bacteria or fungi in the blood, sometimes called blood poisoning) form of the disease, the symptoms include fever, chills, shock, skin lesions, and multiple organ failure. Itraconazole appears more active in vitro against more of the fungus isolates and may be the best drug to treat aspergillosis.

Sporotrichosis is an infectious disease caused by the plant saprophyte Sporothrix achenckii and is characterized by the formation of nodules, ulcers, and abscesses, usually confined to the skin and lymph channels but occasionally affecting the lungs or other tissues (synovial membranes). It is found in gardens and lives in soil and decaying vegetation. Persons may become infected by being pricked by rose thorns, from sphagnum moss and on splinters from rotting wood. A painless but non-healing, gradually expanding sore or ulcer (which becomes pink and later necrotic) appears at the puncture site and infection spreads to the nearest lymph nodes. Similar lesions appear along the course of the lymphatics draining the area. Local pain, heat, and symptoms of fever, chills, malaise or anorexia are absent. Pneumonia may develop when the fungus is inhaled. Symptoms are usually mild and the disease is chronic.

Bone, periosteum (the fibrous membrane that forms around bone), and synovium is involved in 80% of such cases; muscle and eye in others. Diagnosis can be confirmed by a laboratory examination of a pus sample or by other cultures, and treatment of the cutaneous (skin) form is with potassium iodide. Treatment of the septicemic form is with Amphotecerin B. 30% of persons with this illness die. Itraconazole is under evaluation as a treatment form. Candida (Monilia) is generally caused by Candida Albicans or Candida tropicalis in immunosuppressed patients, although there are other members of the candida family that may cause problems. The disease is often called Thrush when it is found in the mouth or vagina. It can be an invasive disease with manifestations such as septicemia, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining membrane of the heart), hepatosplenic disease (inflamed condition of both liver and spleen), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord or brain), of rarely, osteomyelitis (inflammation of the bone, especially the marrow). Patients receiving anti-bacterial drugs are prone to candida infections. The disease should be confirmed by a clinical lesion and histologic evidence of tissue invasion. Culture from blood. CSF (Cerebro-Spinal Fluid), pericardial fluid, or tissue (liver biopsy) establishes infection and supports the diagnosis. The disease should be considered serious, progressive, and potentially fatal. Treatment is with Amphotericin B IV. Flucytosine can be used for some strains of candida in some individuals. Ketoconazole is preferred for mucocutaneous (mucous membranes and skin) infections. Topical treatments of clotrimazole, miconazole, or nystatin are indicated for superficial candida infections.

Dermatophytes come in several forms: Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton. It causes a dry scaling and fissuring (grooving or splitting) of the skin, especially of the feet between the toes and on the arch. It may also produce scaling and thickening of the soles of the feet. Secondary bacteria infections are not uncommon. The best strategy is to keep the area dry. Anti-fungal medications may be necessary to treat difficult cases. Griseofulvin is one medication, but less severe cases may respond to miconazole, clotrimazole or Whitfield's tincture. (This is probably the type of fungal infection many silicone women have on their hands and feet.)

There are many other forms of fungus, but these are the most common. Undoubtedly, some of them can come into our bodies on breast implants. The fungus may flourish in the cavity between the implant and the scar capsule. In saline implants, fungus may grow in the medium of the saline solution. Since fungus is in our environment and our systems are often immune-suppressed, we are especially susceptible to fungal infections. The information on fungal infections comes from Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, The Merck Manual, and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide. IMMUNOSCIENCES LAB: For purposes of qualifying for the proposed class action, Immunosciences offers an Immuno-Serological Panel for $350.00 that will cover testing needed for these purposes. For more information, call them at (800) 950-4686.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: Two women have told me that they use a product called melatonin to help them with their sleep disorder. It is available from health food stores in 3mg. and 5mg. dosages. Melatonin is naturally produced by the pineal gland and is utilized by the body for hormone balance, helping with stress receptors, and for inducing sleep. As many Naturopaths, Wholistic Doctors, and Nutritional Therapists know, negative dietary habits cause many problems for the immune system. The most problematic dietary negatives are sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. Sugar causes impairment of the bodies immune system to function in an effective manner. White blood cells are adversely affected by excessive amounts of sugar in the bloodstream. This causes the white blood cells to become ineffective against bacteria (and probably other invaders). The inability to fight invaders lasts up to five hours after sugar is consumed. In one study, the equivalent of two cans of soda caused a 92% decrease in the body's ability to fight off staph bacteria. Other deleterious effects of sugar are blurred vision, kidney and lung damage. This does not even take into consideration the fact that eating sugar when your immune system is already suppressed and is highly susceptible to fungal infections can really wreak havoc. Sugar feeds fungus. Fungus is opportunistic and invades any organism when the immune system is suppressed. People who cut back or quit eating sugar often experience withdrawal symptoms.

Sugar can act like a drug. It is probably best to quit sugar (as well as lactose, dextrose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, corn syrup, honey etc.) cold turkey and then the symptoms will go away within a few days. You must carefully read food labels in order to achieve this goal. Sugar is in a great number of processed foods. Caffeine is in soda, chocolate, aspirin. Caffeine impedes the body's ability to heal because it blocks the cells' ability to regenerate its energy resources. It leaves you needing more and more coffee after the first cup wears off. Within a week of discontinuing coffee completely, most people have more energy, not less.

Alcohol poisons every system in your body. It depresses the nervous system, inhibits the bone marrow's ability to regenerate blood cells, depletes B vitamins, and helps to dehydrate the body. Alcohol contains yeast and sugar. Taken in combination, these three dietary negatives can have very harmful effects on the immune system. Avoiding them completely gives you the best chance to help your immune system recover from the damage it has suffered from breast implants or from other problems. FORMULA 1 PROTEIN ENERGY CAPSULE: Some women are using this product to boost their energy. From Alliance, USA, 990 N. Bowser, Ste. 860, Richardson, TX 75081. (214) 783-4994. Aloe Vera capsules are helpful to many with interstitial cystitis. Symptoms of this illness include frequency of urination, urgency of urination, pain with urination, etc. Be sure that you get a very pure product. I recommend getting your products from Aloe Division, ProType, Ltd., P.O. Box 49552, Colorado Springs, CO 80949-9552 or call (800) 766-1699 (ext. 4960). Mention COSS and we get 5% of any sales.

ARMAX Enzymatic Therapy may help with the joint pain according to one woman who stated that it took away 70% of her pain. IMPORTANT: A TIMELY REMINDER: Any time you say something negative about a lab or an MD that is helping the women, you harm the women affected by silicone. We continue to hear that Emerald Biomaterials Lab is denigrating other labs. This, if it is happening, is inappropriate. It harms all of us. If you hear of this happening, confront it. You will suffer the damage if this continues. The same is true for putting down group leaders. If you believe something negative without checking it out with the person being talked about, then you are as guilty as anyone of doing harm. We need to be together in our efforts. Some harm has been done by the gossiping that is occurring. While it may, it does not necessarily hurt the group leader. It hurts the women in the group and in the movement. This is not about persons or personalities, it is about being harmed by defective products and deceived by manufacturers and also some doctors. Let's get it together. Don't listen to gossip and don't spread it. Even better, don't believe it. You'll be doing the whole movement a favor. There is strength in numbers and the old adage is true, United We Stand, Divided We Fall!!

BEWARE OF HOUSEHOLD CLEANING SOLVENTS: It is Spring cleaning time and many of us breast implant survivors have multiple chemical sensitivities. Beware of mixing ammonia products with chlorine products. Oven cleaners contain toxic fumes. Furniture polish can contain toxic fumes. Mix 2 parts olive oil with one part lemon as a substitute for furniture polish. Instead of using a commercial window cleaner, use equal parts of vinegar and water. Instead of oven cleaner, make a paste with baking soda and water, apply to oven, let set and then scrub clean. Keep doors and windows open and use fans for ventilation if using any toxic product.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: Sumahsil, of Crossing Press, is writing a book called A SILENT SISTERHOOD, which will discuss "the legacy of silicone breast implants". She would like to include your story. Write it up in 15 pages handwritten or 6 typed pages (maximum) and send it along with a signed release giving her permission to edit it. Send it with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Sumahsil, 3433 Redwood Drive, Aptos, CA 95003. It must be submitted by July 15th. You will receive a free copy of the book if she uses your story. If you don't think you are a good enough writer, don't worry. That's why we have editors. A LITTLE HUMOR: From a woman in Florida: Implants are like boats--the best days of your life are the day you GET them and the day you get RID of them.

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION: Previous issues of newsletters are available for $2.00 each U.S., $3.00 Foreign, and $8.00 Professional. January 1993 is the first available issue. Please indicate months' desired and enclose $2.00 (US), $3.00 (Foreign), or $8.00 (Professional) each. Some subjects covered have been: Sjogren's (4/93); Testing (3/93): Vasculitis (4/93); Arthritis (5/93); Lupus (7/93); Chronic Fatigue (6/93); Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Inflammatory Bowel Disease (8/93); Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (1/94); Fibromyalgia (2/93); Auto-Immune (1/93); Insurance (8/93,9/93); Miscellaneous Medical Information (9/93,2/94); Multiple Sclerosis (10/93); Spasmodic Torticollis (10/93); Hypoglycemia (11/93); MDL 926 (9/93-5/94); Antibodies (12/93); Scleroderma (3/94); Costochondritis (4/94); Peripheral Neuropathy (4/94); Class Action (5/94) & Legal (most issues).

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed here 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.

COPYRIGHT: Our purpose is to disseminate information and provide support. This material is copyrighted so that we may retain control over content. You may reproduce this document as long as it is not done for profit and as long as no material, including copyright and subscription information, is changed.

DONATIONS: The Coalition of Silicone Survivors is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation with over 4000 members world wide. Our editor, Lynda Roth, is a survivor having heard the dread word 'cancer' followed by the reassuring 'will look like a normal breast'. In addition to having helped start many support groups, Lynda has appeared before the FDA, congress members, national TV in the US and other countries and lectures internationally. Your donation will definitely help others receive information about the dangers of implants. IF READING THIS NEWSLETTER HAS HELPED YOU, AND YOU THINK OTHERS SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO RECEIVE OUR MESSAGE, WE URGE YOU TO GIVE GENEROUSLY. Donations are tax deductible in the United States. Yes, I want to help

As a member you will receive a highly informative information packet and this newsletter, including the CURRENT ISSUE for the next 12 months. Remember in the US it's tax deductible. Your help is critical.

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