Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:

You may renew your newsletter, order articles, and also order the Social Security Disability or Immune System books, Silicone-Gate, The Silicone Breast Implant Controversy, Beyond The Myths, the Lab Rat, SISTER, or Why T-Shirts, the Releasing Toxicity guided meditation tape, etc., by credit card. Minimum order $25.00. Call (303) 499-2765. Please don't call the regular COSS number to charge items. If you are ordering literature articles, please list them by their entire name as well as their number, as many articles have similar titles.

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I have very grave concerns about the class action, some of which I have described below. One which I have not detailed is our failure to cover women from other countries who have U.S. made implants. Most of these women are barred from even filing their own class actions here in the U.S. where their implants were manufactured. I cannot believe that we are so callous and indifferent to our silicone sisters from everywhere in the world that we would support any settlement that does not include all women with U.S. made implants. I feel a great deal of pain for our sisters everywhere and hope that this situation is rectified.

If you know a publisher, Marion Koch and Patti Scher are almost ready to publish a revision of " The Untold Truth" . If you are aware of someone who would be willing to publish this at a reasonable rate, please call Patti at (704) 366-4708.

Since some of you have asked, the phone number for the Curves product is (800) 5-CURVES. This is the product featured on the Mark Walberg show on which I appeared in October. It can be used in swimwear, bras, etc. Call them for free information.

The videotape, " Getting Better" , on healing from silicone will include information from the conference in Denver as well as the conference in Hot Springs, AR that was held on Nov. 18, 1995. This will delay the tape's release by at least a month. Check with Baxter Gentry about the middle of December to see if the tape is ready (800) 449-8143. If you mailed payment and had it returned because the tape was not ready, hold onto the check because you may be able to just resend it very soon. Some very exciting speakers presented at Hot Springs, AR, and their information is on the tape.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Check the February issue (available mid-January) of Options, a British Magazine, for a story on breast implants. It will be about someone you know. You can find it at large magazine outlets and perhaps at larger libraries. We will have it available to order after it is published.

There will be a conference on December 16th in San Diego, CA, sponsored by Silicone Scene. It will be held at the Mission Valley Hotel, cost per room is $95.00 (for one or more), call (800) 842-5329. The conference is called " New Grid Criteria" or " Litigating and Winning Your Breast Implant Case With Medical Causation" . Speakers include Dr. Nachman Brautbar, Dr. Britta Ostermeyer-Shoaib, Dr. Aristo Vojdani (all medical), and Joseph Dunn (PSC Atty. for Claim Fraud), Andrew Albert, Geoffrey White, a jury consultant on trials (all these are legal), and John and Colleen Swanson who will be there and will be signing their book " Informed Consent" . Cost is $50.00 for consumers prior to Dec. 1st, then $60.00 after, couples are $75.00 prior to Dec. 1st and $85.00 after, and it will be $250.00 for medical or legal professionals prior to Dec. 1st and $300.00 after that date. Contact Silicone Scene for more information at (619) 484-8716 or by fax at (619) 283-9617. If you have questions on legal issues surrounding opting-out, filing an independent suit, or the new format for the class actions, this is the place to be. California is beautiful this time of year, so take time for a short vacation if you go to this one.

In February, there will be a two-day medical conference as well as a one- day women's conference in Sydney, Australia. A number of U.S. and Canadian specialists will be presenting.

LEGAL INFORMATION: By now, I assume that most of you have heard about the almost $14 million win in Reno, Nevada against Dow Chemical by Charlotte Mahlum and her husband. It breaks down this way: $10 million was punitive damages, $3.9 million in compensatory damages, and $200,000 to her husband. Dow Chemical will undoubtedly appeal the decision, but it makes me wonder if Dow Chemical would now be open to helping fund a class action for Dow Corning consumers. That would go a long way toward relieving the burden, not only on the women, but on Dow Chemical, who will undoubtedly have many more lawsuits like this one.

Baxter International doesn't just have breast implant problems. They face litigation over contaminated Gammagard, their form of immune globulin. The FDA failed to impose the step (a virus-killing step) that could have prevented the infections of Hepatitis C that the lawsuit charges were caused by Baxter's Gammagard. While the FDA recommends this step, it is not mandatory. Baxter's Gammagard S/D now has gone through that virus- killing step and should be safer for recipients. We have been notified of several breast implant women who apparently received the Hepatitis C virus from the old Gammagard product. Baxter's profits increased 9.4% last quarter. They have set aside $56 million, untaxed, for legal reserves for " plasma-based therapy liabilities" . This is for both the Gammagard and the Factor VIII products, which apparently also have had problems.

In another lawsuit-related topic, Kali Korn, who won her lawsuit against Dow Corning and had received only part of it, has sued her attorneys. She has, at this point received $1.8 million while they have received $4.2 million. Her last two payment installments from Dow Corning have been put on hold because of the bankruptcy. Her attorneys made sure that they received payment well ahead of the last two installments due her. Although Sal Liccardo is a party to her lawsuit, he states that he is on her side. It was a Minneapolis law firm, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi who received $3 million of the total amount. Sal Liccardo did not benefit from any of this amount. Korn states that she felt coerced to sign the agreement that gave these attorneys the additional $3 million. It was part of the agreement that allowed her to collect her first portion of the payments. The lawsuit charges that the law firms put their interests ahead of the clients. Sounds that way, doesn't it. It seems that Kali should be entitled to at least half of this $3 million, don't you think???

If you haven't seen the information on Dow Corning and Dow Chemical and their huge profits lately, you should check it out. From the Wall Street Journal of 10/26/95, Dow Corning's profits jumped 36%. Part of their increased profit was due to higher interest income, of which part was attributed to interest on high cash balances which included money received from insurers for implant liabilities that has not yet been paid out. Hopefully, the women will receive the benefit of this higher profit eventually, but don't hold your breath.

In the Canadian Bristol-Myers Squibb class action, you must register by February 8, 1996. There will be no late registrations and no excuses. If you choose to bring your own action, you must opt-out of the Canadian class action. Contact your attorney for information on how to register or contact your support groups in Canada. If you need a Canadian contact, call me.

Please write or fax the Plaintiff's steering committee, the defense attorneys and the defense counsel for the Plaintiff's Steering Committee to complain about the unfair changes in the new proposed settlements. Women will reportedly have to have new, updated medical reports by board- certified rheumatologists only. As many of you know, Internal Medicine doctors are, in many cases, better qualified to diagnose our illnesses (this is not always true, but try to find more than a handful of rheumatologists that will even write a report). This will mean a new round of blood tests as well as expensive travel for many women. Many attorneys will not again pay for reports (if they did before). Atypical categories may be eliminated, and, as you know, probably 90% of the women are in these categories. The highest compensation category is now $250,000, and I know women who have spent twice that in treatment alone. If you don't know all the manufacturers of your implants, your award will be cut in half. Documented ruptures will increase award amounts. The addresses and phone numbers of the people to be contacted are included with this newsletter.

On opting-out in December of 1995, if it was me, I would hold off (because we have plenty of time) until we have a better picture of what is really happening. Dow Chemical is vulnerable because of the lawsuit win in Nevada and other court cases pending against them. It is possible that we may all decide to opt-out en mass to force the manufacturers to treat us fairly. This will take time to determine, and you must take action within 30 days of opting-out. Finding attorneys to handle these cases could be nearly impossible, so we must have a plan of action before opting-out. To opt-out and then try to find an attorney would be foolhardy. We would have to have a few strong attorneys willing to take our cases before making any decisions. It is also possible that, by opting-out, we could force more manufacturers into bankruptcy. This decision must be weighed very carefully before any action is taken.

MEDICAL INFORMATION: Havrix, a new vaccine and booster shot of gamma globulin, utilized for travelers, is available, costs about $120.00 and lasts for years. Globulin injections cost about $30.00 and last only about 3 months. Havrix is licensed by the FDA.

SLEEP DISORDERS: There are a number of sleep disorders and there are a number of causes for these disorders. To understand these disorders, we must first understand the stages of sleep. There is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep (also called S stage sleep), which is divided into several stages. Each night normal sleepers have 4-5 periods of REM sleep which is about 25% of our night. NREM sleep stages: 1) relaxed wakefulness, 2) light sleep, 3& 4) deeper sleep (also called delta sleep). Most of our deepest sleep occurs in the first few hours. As we age, we continue the same amount of REM sleep but decrease the amount of NREM sleep. We are more likely to have wakeful periods during the night.

The first sleep disorder is insomnia. This is characterized by inability to go to sleep or to stay asleep. It can also be characterized by a sleep- wake cycle throughout the night, or any combination of the above. It can be short-lived (a few weeks or months) or long-term. Factors that can cause insomnia are stress, diet (including food intolerances, of which we are often unaware), caffeine (even a few cups of coffee in the AM can interfere with nighttime sleep), over the counter medications (cold and cough preparations especially), lack of exercise, physical discomfort, daytime napping, medications (prescriptions), environmental factors (electromagnetic fields, such as electric blankets, alarm clocks, water bed heaters, stereos, etc.), too early bedtime, or illnesses (including immune and neurological problems as well as respiratory distress syndrome and asthma). Insomnia can be related to psychiatric disorders (which doesn't mean the same as your doctor telling you that your symptoms are all in your head). Alcohol abuse can trigger insomnia, as can heavy smoking. Heavy use of sedative-hypnotics (such as valium, xanax, halcion, etc.) can have a different impact on sleep, decreasing needed REM sleep cycles.

Treatment can be anything from relieving stress through counseling to working on a more consistent bedtime, a cool bedroom (which is far preferable to a warm one), avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and/or tobacco products, discovery of food intolerances (fatigue may be one of the first symptoms), avoidance of bedtime snacks, removal of electromagnetic fields, avoidance of naps during the day (including dozing in front of the TV), no food after dinner (and often a lighter dinner meal), avoidance of excess liquids if getting up in the night to urinate is a problem, and avoidance of excess physical activity shortly before bedtime. Watching the clock or trying to force sleep are often contributors to insomnia. Restless bed partners can create a problem. Worrying about the lack of sleep often contributes to the problem. For the sleep-wake-sleep-wake cycle, niacinamide (Vit B3) can be helpful. Half a gram of chlorella or other blue-green algae at bedtime may be helpful for insomnia as can Calcium, B Vitamins, Chromium, phosphatidylserine, natural hormone therapies (natural progesterones), melatonin, etc. Medications are used as a last resort because of the disruption of the type of sleep (REM vs NREM) that can be affected. When medications are necessary, they are usually for short-term sleep dysfunctions. Benzodiazepines are often used. Antihistamines such as Benadryl are often effective for short-term problems. Antidepressive drugs may be necessary when the sleep disorder is the result of an underlying problem, such as fibromyalgia or other immune disorders.

A second sleep disorder is called hypersomnia. This is when you want to sleep all the time. This is considered a more severe problem than insomnia. This sleep disorder may also have some related problems such as sleep apnea (cessation of breathing for 10 seconds and for at least 30 times a night). This condition most often occurs in obese middle-aged (or older) men and is often associated with high blood pressure and also heart problems. Symptoms include snoring, restless sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, memory impairment, and depression. Even a moderate alcohol intake near bedtime can produce this problem. Patients need thyroid evaluation as well as a complete check of their nose and throat. Sleep studies should be done to record sleep, heart rate, and respiratory movement. Oxygen saturation studies may also be done. Treatment includes weight reduction. Administration of air under high pressure during sleep through the nose sometimes helps. Surgical treatment has been successful in some cases. Some drugs have helped.

Another hypersomnia disorder is narcolepsy (sudden brief sleep attacks occurring anywhere and at any time and sudden loss of muscle tone involving specific small muscle groups [cataplexy] or a generalized muscle weakness), sleep paralysis (generalized loss of muscle tone with full consciousness in the semi-awake period when first waking) and hypnagogic hallucinations (visual or auditory hallucinations which may precede sleep or occur during the sleep attack). When narcolepsy attacks occur, they are characterized by an abrupt transition into REM sleep (which, in normal sleep, occurs 80- 120 minutes after falling asleep). This disorder usually begins in early adult life, occurs in both sexes at about the same rate, and usually levels off in severity after age 30. A daily stimulant such as amphetamine sulfate can help. Imipramine is not effective in narcolepsy, but is effective in cataplexy.

Another hypersomniac disorder is nocturnal myoclonus, which is diagnosed by periodic lower leg movements during sleep with daytime sleepiness, anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment. Clonazepam is sometimes helpful.

Parasomnias (abnormal behaviors during sleep) are another category of sleep disorders. These include sleep terrors, which are abrupt, terrifying arousal from sleep. This disorder is distinct from panic attacks. Symptoms are fear, sweating, tachycardia and confusion for several minutes, with amnesia for the event. Nightmares are another parasomniac event. Sleepwalking is another. Enuresis (bed-wetting) is another problem and is more common in children. Confusion during the event and amnesia after the event is often common. Treatment for night terrors and sleep-walking is with benzodiazepines. Enuresis may respond to Imipramine.

Bruxism (teeth grinding) is another problem that often occurs during sleep. Seeing the dentist is the best recommendation for this problem. Symptoms often include cracking, breaking teeth as well as jaw soreness.

Sleep disorders occur often with women who have had breast implants, both silicone and saline. Various remedies have been tried, including exercise, anti-depressants, melatonin (the kind that dissolves under the tongue is apparently most effective), magnesium, calcium, blue-green algae, chromium, sleeping pills (which I don't recommend), spending more time in the bright sunlight (providing you don't have lupus), herbal medicines, Ayurvedic medicines, and traditional Chinese medicines. Biofeedback tapes can be very helpful (I have used these for years).

This information is from The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide, 1994; Current Medical Treatment and Diagnosis, 1994; and Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide, 1994.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: Avoid sun-tanning booths, especially if you have had any lupus-like reaction to breast implants. For scars, rub on aloe vera and vitamin E to promote better healing.

Aspartame (Nutra-Sweet, Equal, etc.) may cause neurotoxic effects, according to some medical studies (I know that it gives me a headache). According to these studies, it has lowered the threshold for chemically induced convulsions in children, has triggered seizures in previously non- convulsive adults, can increase the risk of human systemic damage when heated, and has induced neuropsychiatric symptoms like panic attacks. Aspartame has been indicated as one possible cause of migraine headaches and has also been linked to the onset of severe headaches in persons without a medical history of migraines. In animals, brain cancer and brain damage have been linked to aspartame ingestion. Long term, high dose aspartame usage may lead to serious neurological consequences such as blindness, seizures, cognitive and behavioral changes. In diabetics, aspartame may adversely affect the capacity to control glucose metabolism. For those with PKU (phenylketonuria), aspartame is a severe hazard. Instead of working toward weight loss, aspartame may actually cause weight gain because it increases the motivation to eat and decreases feelings of fullness. It even has appetite-stimulating properties.

The adverse effects reported by consumers are in five areas: 1) neurologic/behavioral 2) gastrointestinal 3) allergic 4) menstrual 5) other. Complaints include headache, mood alterations, anxiety, irritability/depression, dizziness, insomnia, fatigue, and seizures. Fatty tumors have been reported, urticaria (severe itching), changes in levels of brain neuro-chemicals, and liver disease. It may also be a contributor in Alzheimers Disease and chronic neurodegenerative diseases (ALS for one). Aspartame contains 10% methanol by weight and this is a poisonous substance associated with blindness. This information is from Our Toxic Times, Nov. 1995.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Q. In these new settlement proposals, will I be discriminated against if I still have my implants in my body? A. It sounds as though that may be the case, because the manufacturers don't believe that women who are ill will keep remain implanted. We are still waiting for the final draft of what these last settlement proposals will offer all women with the implants from these three companies.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE: I have five copies of the " International Journal of Occupation Medicine and Toxicology that you may purchase for $35.00 plus postage ($3.00). This is an entire journal on silicone disease. You will find a tremendous amount of information in it. I just received these journals. I had a few that I paid a much higher price for, but I did not pay as much for these, so I can sell them at this greatly reduced price. Please order them as soon as possible, as I expect they will not last for long.

Marion and Patty have a few copies of The Untold Truth available at $24.95. Contact Patty at (704) 366-4708 to obtain a copy. If anyone has any unsold copies of this book, please contact Patti or myself, as we would like to make them available. You would be reimbursed for them.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: If you have had only saline implants and have any neurological problems from them, Jean Pearson would like to hear from you. Write to her at P.O. Box 495, Whiting, IN 46394 or call her at (219) 932- 7160.

IMPORTANT: The FDA privately advised the Human Milk Banking Association (HMBA) to start screening for women with implants, and, in March, 1994, the HMBA issued a policy stating " Mothers with silicone breast implants will not be accepted as (breast milk) donors." We understand that women with breast implants (and women who have had breast implants) are advised not to give blood.

I have again heard comments and complaints about group leaders who decide to quit to take care of their own lives and loved ones. Please, let's respect them and thank them for the work they have done and give them our blessings. We love them and hope they can put their lives back together and have some degree of normalcy. They are entitled to their private lives. They have selflessly given of themselves to help others. There is a time to serve and a time to grow into a new way of being. The time will come for all of us to pass the mantle of leadership on to others. Please, when we find it is time to go, let us go with love and gratitude instead of criticism for not remaining beyond our endurance.

Did you know that Barbie dolls contain PVC, one of the most toxic compounds on the planet? Two of the hazardous chemicals involved in PVC production are ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer. Dioxin and other toxic by-products are often created in the production of PVC. Every Barbie you buy harms our planet. Most of us, if we had our dioxin levels checked, would exceed the level known to be safe. (This information is from Our Toxic Times, Nov., 1995.

What Manufacturer's Don't Want You To Know About Breast Implants by Susan Boone, R.N.

In response to Dow Corning's recent full page ad, here's what the company doesn't want you to know about breast implants.

Dow Corning was found guilty of fraud in a recent breast implant case that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Dow Corning was also under investigation by the U.S. Justice Dept., but the Justice Dept. cannot indict them because the statutes of limitation have expired.

The 17 studies which Dow claims show " no link between breast implants and disease" were bought and paid for by Dow and other manufacturers. None of these studies looked at sick women. They looked at records (mostly old records) and/or did telephone interviews at random.

The proclaimed prestigious Mayo study was actually done by " trained nurses" looking at old records and the study was hopelessly flawed. Dow Corning did not reveal the implant makers' connection with the Mayo Clinic (the millions paid by manufacturers for the study). Both of the proclaimed Harvard studies were done by doctors who are paid as expert witnesses for Dow in implant cases. Not only do they buy the researchers and pay for the studies, they help fund studies by channeling money into the plastic surgeons' education fund which also finances studies.

In the second Harvard study, the principal researchers recently " stepped down" because they were exposed for their conflict of interest by also being in Dow's pockets as consultants and expert witnesses making $300 an hour to testify against breast implant victims. (Need I mention that Dow had contributed $7 million to the hospital where the research was taking place?)

These are not isolated incidents. Dow is buying science by using its money to buy key individuals to control what is published, including having a former employee (who still gets a small Dow pension) on the board of the scientific council of the AMA.

Dow's media campaigns are designed to influence potential jurors, deceive physicians, and mislead the public. Recent articles by the associated press proclaimed, " Two studies presented to rheumatologists show no connection with disease and breast implants" . What the article failed to say was that 17 other studies which were presented looked at silicone-sick women and found numerous connections between implants and illness.

Note that Dow carefully worded its statement to cover " studies involving women" . Call Dow and ask for its studies involving rats, dogs and rabbits. Dow won't give you studies before 1992 because its own documents show that the company knew since the 1950's that silicone is dangerous.

Dow won't tell you the other toxic chemicals that are in implants such as benzene, formaldehyde, vinyl chloride, toluene, acetone, urethane, phenol, xylene, aluminum, platinum and many other chemicals that are banned in such things as nail polish and are known to be toxic carcinogens.

What Dow doesn't want you to know is that its silicone attracted and killed cockroaches. It shrank the testicles of laboratory animals. Dow knew from the 50's that silicone is biologically active in the body, has hormonal effects and crosses the placenta with biological effects in animal babies.

Dow ignored warnings from doctors and its own employees for the last 30 years. The list of what this company hid is all in court documents stored in Cincinnati. There are boxes of studies they forgot (oops!) to give to the FDA under the guise of corporate secrecy.

Hundreds of studies that actually looked at women who were sick found immunological problems from head to toe. Often, these are problems unique to implanted women and are not found in other populations. Auto-antibodies are abundant, neurological problems abound and deaths are occurring while scientists and doctors fight to get real studies published.

A recently published study by Dr. Shanklin in Tennessee shows that the breakdown of silicone to silica is wreaking havoc in our bodies. Silicone has even been found in the brain (on autopsy) of an implanted woman.

A March conference at the National Institutes of Health showed connections to cancer, arthritis, lymphocytic infiltration and other problems. There is no proof of safety in any implant, and no implant is FDA approved, as some doctors offices report!

This is a national cover-up that only money can buy. Women who have been harmed by implants cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars for national coverage to discount the lies. But as founder and leader of a support group for hundreds of women, I can only do my part by trying to get the real truth to doctors and women.

BOOKS: For a free catalog of household & personal products for those sensitive to fragrances, chemicals, preservatives, and dyes, contact SAFER ALTERNATIVES, 546 Olympic Street, Redding, CA 96003. Phone & Fax (916) 243-1352.

Staying Well in a Toxic World, by Lynn Lawson (foreword by Dr. Theron Randolph), $15.95 per copy, Staying Well, P.O. Box 1732, Evanston, IL 60201.

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.

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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