January, 1996
Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:
I attended the San Diego conference that was presented by Silicone Scene and Carol Mancini. There were approximately 150 attendees and they were excited by the wonderful presentations. Of note were the remarks by John and Colleen Swanson, the subjects of the book " Informed Consent" . They signed copies of the book for conference attendees. They were wonderful, and I enjoyed having breakfast with them and with Britta (Dr. Shoaib). Britta and I also had dinner the night before and discussed possible conference plans for Europe in May. Many of us had dinner together the evening after the conference and we had great conversations about current events.
I thank Carol Mancini for her hospitality to me and also for her kindness. I also congratulate her as she really worked on this conference and did a wonderful job.
Tapes of her Winter Symposium are available by sending a check or money order for $65.00 to Silicone Scene, P.O. Box 721630, San Diego, CA 92171-1630. These tapes contain a great deal of legal information on the new settlements of Baxter, Bristol, and 3-M.
This newsletter is a little late because I caught the flu on Christmas day. I am doing much better, but could not motivate myself to do a newsletter until I had improved somewhat. I still have a cough and have some fatigue, but am much better. I also was out of town until just before Christmas, so had exactly 3 days to prepare for Christmas, including cooking for 9 adults and 4 children. Next month's newsletter will also be a little late because I will be out of town until the 29th of January. March's newsletter may be a little late because I will be at the conference in Sydney, Australia and will not return home until February 27th (with jet-lag).
Equipment: If you have an IDE (200 megs or better) hard drive for which you have no need (since you have up-graded your equipment), please make a tax-deductible donation of it to C.O.S.S. We need it for our Internet access (for the newsletter). Please call before shipping, as I would only like to have one. I would really appreciate this type of donation as it would make it easier to make our newsletter and other information available to a broader range of consumers. I also need a new I/O board for our access to the internet, so need funds to purchase this (about $225.00 wholesale).
ANOTHER LOST WOMAN: Gail Bryzinski of Minnesota died in December of ALS as a direct complication of her breast implants. Just a few years ago the Mayo Clinic diagnosed her as suffering from depression.
HELP NEEDED: We made a plea for donations last month. We received about 6. I know that many of our women are ill and have no funds, but there are some individuals who could contribute. The future of the Coalition is at stake, so if you feel that we are doing good work and you want to see it continue, please make a donation. We desperately need $5000 right now. I'm not sure how much longer we can continue if we do not receive some donations from our wonderful readers and their families and supporters. I'm sure that many of us become callous with all the charities and individuals who are in need of funds, but please consider that there is much work to be done on the silicone issue and it is difficult to do this work even when the funds are there. Without them, it is almost impossible!! You may charge your donation to MC or Visa by calling (303) 499-2765 (501-C Newsletters). You can also help by renewing your newsletter.
UPCOMING EVENTS: A medical conference and also a forum for women will be held in Sydney, Australia in February. If you are interested in attending the women's forum, contact Lorriaine Williams at (02) 610-5289. From outside Australia, the number is (01161) 2-610-5289. Seven US and Canadian experts will be traveling to Australia to participate..
There will be a healing conference in Shreveport, LA on March 9th. Contact Sherry Henderson, 140 Lucky Lane, Bossier City, LA 71112 (318) 742-5669 for more information. The place and speakers were not confirmed when I last heard about this.
PBS-TV, Frontline, will air a 90 minute in-depth special on breast implants February 27th (unless the manufacturers get to them also and stop it by threats to remove advertising, as we hear has happened with other networks). Check your local TV guide for time in your area. If we receive any updated news on this we will let you know in the February newsletter.
Judge Pointer will appear on Court TV on January 24th to explain the forms and notices of the new settlement and also the opt-out rights of Option 2. This will obviously be pre-recorded. It will only be on cable TV and on those cable services that offer Court TV, which mine does not. Check your cable service for the time that Court TV is on in your area. Expect a media blitz on the safety of implants from the time the opt-out notices come out (mid-January, we hear) until the end of the opt-out period. It will be designed to keep women in the settlements. Fear, intimidation and questionable information on the safety of these products will be the tactics utilized by these manufacturers. (So what else is new?)
LEGAL INFORMATION: As many of you know, the class action, for the majority of women, is no more. The big three, Baxter, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, and 3-M are still working out details for their individual class actions. Union Carbide may be joining the big three. Cox-Uphoff has been silent, so we have no new information. Dow Corning's bankruptcy is still moving ahead, but if past bankruptcies have been any indication, it could be years before anyone sees any funds from this process. Dow Chemical is vulnerable in most states, but California courts (also some other states) have ruled that Dow Chemical is not legally liable. These rulings seem to be under appeal in all applicable states.
The current status of the Lindsey Class, the old MDL-926, is that Mentor and Bioplasty implant survivors are still included in this action. It unknown at this time how many women had viable claims for damages under either of these manufacturers. Apparently the old grid would still be utilized to establish these claims and funds would be distributed proportionately to the degree of illness. Stay tuned for more on this.
I know that none of you have received opt-out notices (they were going to be sent in late Nov. and early Dec.). We understand they are now final. They are trying to put together an informative packet that has understandable forms and information to help you interpret them. The second week of January is now the projected date for the mailing of these packets. It will take at least a week for all the packets to be sent out, as there are over 500,000 of them. It you are not registered, call (800) 600-0311 for a packet. For updated information, call the Breast Implant Settlement Line at (800) 887-6828.
If any of you are aware of any saline breast implant cases that have been progressing toward trial or that have been settled out of court in the last two years, please contact me with the name of the company settling (or being sued) and the attorney.
In Canada, in British Columbia, The Canadian Supreme Court upheld the settlement of Susan Hollis, who had Dow Corning implants. It had been on appeal for two years. The judgment was against Dow Corning of Canada. This is a precedent setting case for Canadian women with Dow Corning implants. My question is: Does this mean she now receives the money? Does the US bankruptcy affect Canadian settlements? It is my understanding that Dow Corning Canada is a separate firm.
Many of you have heard that two women lost cases in Texas in December. Another case ended with a hung jury and was declared a mistrial. We win one and lose two. However, do not give up hope. These manufacturers only take cases to court that they think they have a chance of winning. They settle many out of court under secrecy agreements so that the information is not released. We are not aware of a single saline breast implant case going to court so many of these must be settling out of court. Bristol Myers Squibb has settled a number of cases, probably including saline.
There is a case coming up very soon for trial in Florida. Let me know if you hear how this case goes, as I heard that it is against 3-M. It would be the first 3-M breast implant case ever to go to trial.
Beware of scams: There have been at least one attorney trying to get the women to organize into a corporation and sue as a unit to evade limits on punitive damages and product liability laws. Each woman would pay a nominal fee of perhaps a dollar a month to participate in this scam. In the first place, you would have had to have been a member of the corporation prior to any injury that was incurred. Since most of us already have claimed injuries, this would disallow all of us who already have an illness. In the second place, if this was a viable option, don't you think that some reputable attorneys would have already done this? It is incredibly naive to think that this type of proposal would work. I know many women are desperate for justice and for reimbursement (and for compensation for future medical care expenses), but we need to follow accepted legal remedies. Don't be revictimized by scams such as this. I know that most of us are unhappy about what has happened with the class action and with many lawsuits, but reaching for straws in the wind will not solve our problems. If you have a lawsuit or an attorney, it is illegal for anyone else to negotiate for you. If you are in the class action, it is also illegal for you to participate in any such scheme. Caveat Emptor!
NEW SETTLEMENT INFORMATION: Opting-In: If you previously opted-out of the Global Settlement, you can re-enter under the program for other registrants. You must withdraw your exclusion and register by 12/16/96. Children of breast implant recipients are not eligible in these individual class actions but all rights to pursue legal remedies for the children remain intact.
Opting-Out: Discuss this with your attorney on a very serious level. It may be the only way women are ever going to receive any real funds from some of these manufacturers, but the risks are there and, in many cases, they are great. If too many women opt-out, one of three things will happen. Either these manufacturers will also take out bankruptcy, they will renegotiate the individual class actions, or the class action will become mandatory. In any case, if you opt-out you must know that they will exploit any weakness in your case and it seems that, in many cases, they will stop at nothing to try to find out information about you and your family. Be prepared for this if you make this choice. Please, please, please, under no circumstances, opt-out without an attorney who you have faith in to handle your case. Don't opt-out on the assumption that you will find an attorney. We have heard of attorneys trying to dump all their cases on other attorneys because the promise of easy money is no longer there. Be very certain that you have an attorney behind you before you make any decisions as important to your future as this one could be. You will have only 45 days for the Claims Office to receive your opt-out form (not to mail it) after an offer is made. Advance payments can be expedited by a waiver of opt-out rights.
Late Registrants: There will eventually be a deadline for registering, but for now, you can still register. Foreign claimants cannot register. Late registrants must register by 4/1/96 if they wish to have later opt-out rights. You can register up to 12/16/96 as a late registrant, but you will not have opt-out rights if you register after April 1st.
Advance Payments: A non-refundable advance payment of $5,000 will be paid as soon as the Claims Office determines that a woman has not opted-out (faster payments to those who have signed waivers of opt-out rights), who is a current claimant, and who has sufficient manufacturer identification information. Payment will be made without regard to the status of any appeals and without regard to the existence of any deficiencies in the claim. For persons who have deficient claims or do not have ample evidence of disease to qualify, I fear that this is all the payment they can expect to receive under these new class action settlements. This amount will be subtracted from any later settlement. Other registrants, those who registered by 3/1/95 and have not opted and those who formerly opted-out but withdraw their exclusion by 12/16/96, will be eligible for a $1000 advance fee.
Option One: These figures apply to 3-M /McGhan prior to Aug., 1984, to Bristol Myers Squibb, and to Baxter. A fixed amount (which will not be decreased or increased based on later condition improvements or a worsening condition) based on disease definitions and severity/disability categories in the original Disease Schedule (Global Settlement). There must be an appropriate documentation of a rupture for these amounts to possibly be doubled. You must be able to prove that the rupture existed prior to explantation. Disability Level A: Base Amount $50,000. May be increased by $50,000 if a proven rupture exists. Disability Level B: Amount $20,000. May be increased by $30,000 if there is a proven rupture. Disability Level C-D: Amount $10,000. May be increased by $15,000 if a proven rupture exists. A claimant that has only qualified for the base amount (Disease Categories A-D) will be paid the rupture supplement upon proof of rupture by 12/16/96. Payments of $25,000 or less will be paid in a single lump sum; payments of more than $25,000 will be paid in two equal installments. If you have had a post-August 3, 1984 McGhan implant and none others, you can participate in this new settlement. You are not eligible for the rupture fund. If you had a post 1984 McGhan and only a Dow implant, you are not eligible to participate. If you had a post 1984 McGhan implant and also a covered implant (Bristol, Baxter, and 3-M), you are eligible for 3/4 of the settlement amount (including the rupture fund). Saline implants by covered manufacturers will be included but there will be no access to rupture funds. If your implant is removed after 1/1/96, you must save the implant (or make a bona-fide effort to do so) and may have to provide it to the Claims Office or to an examiner designated by the Claims Office to resolve or report on the issue of rupture. Make sure you have it removed with the scar capsule intact so that the defendants may not claim a rupture occurred during explantation.
Option Two: Current Claimants may choose this option under a much more severely restricted disease category grid. This program lasts 15 yrs. I cannot emphasize enough that it will be tremendously difficult to qualify under this option. You must have scleroderma, lupus, (SLE) connective tissue disease (not atypical), Sjogren's Syndrome, Polymyositis or Dermatomyositis. You must have Category A or B disease qualifications. Other diseases are not covered. A rheumatologist must make the diagnosis. Persons qualifying under option two would be able to seek additional funds if their condition worsened during the 15 year period of time. This applies to current claimants only. Persons choosing option two, may, at any time during the 15 year period, return to option one, but any award they would have received under that option would then be reduced by 25%. Payments in option two would be paid out in annual installments of $100,000.
The maximum obligation of the defendants under this program is $725,000,000. Bristol's is by far the highest, with Baxter being about half of Bristol's, and 3-M being about a fourth less than Baxter's If, in any given year, any of the settling defendants do not have enough funds to pay all obligations, claimants can choose to have the amount carried over to the next year or opt-out. Punitive damages would not then be allowed. You would also have to return any amount of funds you already received (except explantation funds or advance payments). Non-binding mediation would be also be available in this situation to resolve payment issues. Late registrants will be allowed benefits only as funds are available after satisfying current claimants. Late registrants may not opt-out if they fail to receive the full amount of the claim.
Multiple Implants: As discussed before, Dow or post-1984 McGhan implant recipients who also have had any implant from one of the settling companies, will have their settlements reduced by 1/2. Union Carbide is rumored to have joined the big three as a settling defendant. Having implants from 3 other manufacturers would not reduce your award any more than having implants from just one other manufacturer. If you have an unidentified manufacturer, you award would also be reduced by 50%. Your claims against any other manufacturer would not be voided by participation in this settlement. You could still be part of the Dow Corning bankruptcy or sue Dow Chemical and participate in this settlement if you have at least one implant by the settling defendants. If, for instance, you had a set of Mentor implants (or one), a set of Baxter implants, and a set of Bristol implants, Bristol and Baxter would each be liable for 1/2 of the total claim. You would not have your total claim reduced because Mentor is not part of this settlement.
Explantation expenses: Settling defendants will pay $3000 to current claimants and other registrants, who, after the date of 4/1/94 and during the 15 years of the program, have a Bristol, Baxter, or 3-M implant removed (you cannot replace it with silicone gel). If you have litigation outside these settlements, any future judgment would be decreased by this amount. If you later decide to opt-out, you would be expected to reimburse this amount. The payment of this amount would not reduce any benefits under the current settlement. Late registrants would not be allowed to receive this explantation amount.
Attorney Fees: Under these settlements, you would, with a contingency fee agreement, have to pay any percentage agreed to between you and your attorney. The court may set some other standards, but has not done so yet. (I recommend that you write and ask that they restrict the amounts paid to attorneys. While I don't begrudge attorneys who really did some work for their clients, we all know that some attorneys did very little. Mine excluded.) Explantation funds may be excluded from any attorney fees at a later date. 6% of the amounts under this fund will be paid to a fund for attorneys. The court will decide if this is too much to be reasonable.
Documentation under option two: Current claimants, other registrants, and late registrants may submit documentation on implant identification, medical conditions, and disability over the 15 year period. The court may later restrict the amount of time that any of these claimants has to submit these documentations. Initial documentation of manufacturer must be presented by 12/16/96 as must rupture documentation. The defendants agree to provide reasonable assistance (including access to their records) to claimants who have difficulties identifying the implant manufacturer.
Processing of Claims: The Claims Office will send each participant a notification of status indicating whether proof of manufacturer is satisfactory, whether any documentation submitted in support of a rupture supplement under Option One is satisfactory, whether the claimant is entitled to any Option One payment (and, if, so, the amount of that payment), whether there are any deficiencies in the submission, and whether there is a deadline for submitting supplemental documentation regarding deficiencies. This notification will be sent to the last available address with a copy to the identified attorney. Please keep the claims office and your attorney, if you have one, updated on your address and phone number. The claims office will continue to search for fraudulent claims. The claims office may require, without expense to the claimant, an examination or review by a physician or laboratory selected by the Claims Office. There is no time schedule, as of yet, for any payments under these new settlements. We hope the advance payments will be paid in 1996. We also hope that Mentor and Bioplasty claims will be paid this year.
If a claimant is deceased or is incompetent because of serious illness (brain damage, etc.), a personal representative may act on their behalf.
And, as always: Establishment of these settlement programs does not constitute any admission of fault, liability, or damages by any of these manufacturers. The information that there is a settlement is not allowed as evidence in a court of law.
Insurance Subrogation: As of now, insurance companies may subrogate, or recover, any expenses paid to you for medical treatment of implant related problems, including removal, from this settlement. You do not have the rights you had under the global. In many cases, you may negotiate with them the amount you owe. Please have an attorney if you attempt this. Insurors will be provided records from the Claims Office to assess these amounts. Settling claimants have a legal obligation to inform their insurers of their settlement if their health insurance policy so states.
Appeals: There may be appeals of this agreement that will alter or suspend it. If any appeals court finds that provisions cannot be upheld, the entire agreement may be canceled.
At this time, this is the best available information about the settlement we have. It is subject to change, but we have been told that it will not change much. Negotiations are continuing on attorney fees and subrogation as well as on some remuneration for Cox-Uphoff implant wearers.
Lindsay Class: This class action is still available for women with Mentor and Bioplasty implants. Eventually, we are told, we will receive a small settlement. There are limitations on attorney fees for women with these implants (members of the class) There is no current word on Cox-Uphoff (CUI). We hope that they are still negotiating in good faith. Unless Union Carbide or others who had some relationship with CUI decide to compensate survivors, there is no provision at this time for any women who had Cox-Uphoff implants.
For those of you who have called to ask, Simiplast implants were manufactured in France but distributed in NY State. There may be a claim through the distributor. NY State attorneys may have information on this.
We are unsure what foreign claimants are doing at this point. I hope they are pursuing class actions for individual countries. Manufacturers need to be held responsible for these implants as well. I think our foreign sisters deserve the same type of settlement that any of us receive (which will be very little at best).
MEDICAL INFORMATION: Meriere's Disease, including tinnitus: Meniere's disease is generally caused by a serious fluid build-up in the inner ear. It affects balance and can cause bouts of dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The most common effects of Meniere's disease are vertigo, tinnitus and sensory hearing loss.
Vertigo is the sensation of moving around in space or of having objects moving around you. It can seem like a sensation of motion when there is no motion or an exaggerated sense of motion when you are moving. You may seem to be spinning or falling backward, forward, sideways, etc., or have a sensation of having the ground rolling beneath your feet. Vertigo is caused by several things including middle ear disease, toxicity (from alcohol, salicylates, etc.--maybe toxins in silicone?), sunstroke, hypotension, or toxemia due to food poisoning or infectious diseases. Nystagmus (constant, involuntary, cyclical movements of the eyeball) may occur. Vertigo is not lightheadedness or dizziness. Not all physical imbalances are from vertigo.
Tinnitus is a continuous ringing or hissing in the ear and can be also accompanied by pain. There can be a number of causes, including blocked or impaired Eustachian tubes, dysfunction of the auditory nerve or even excess ear wax. Aspirin (a salicylate) can cause tinnitus. Other drugs or toxins, sustained exposure to loud noise, electrical stimulation, smoking, trauma, and Meniere's disease can also cause tinnitus. TMJ problems can be a cause of tinnitus. In the elderly, decreased circulation may be a cause. You can have tinnitus and not have any apparent systemic disease. Anemia, atherosclerosis, labyrinthitis and high blood pressure can cause tinnitus, so these should be ruled out.
Sensory hearing loss is common in adults and results from a deterioration of the cochlea and loss of hair cells in the inner ear. Causes are aging, trauma, injury from high-frequency noise (long-term exposure), infections, metabolic disorders (high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems), and toxic exposure. Caffeine, tobacco, aspirin, certain diuretics, and chemotherapy can cause this problem. Vascular damage may also cause this problem, and we know that many women with implants have some form of vasculitis. Sudden sensory can be from a viral infection or a vascular occlusion.
In Meniere's disease, the tinnitus, sensory hearing loss, and vertigo come and go. Often symptoms progress until there is total deafness and they subside. One ear may be affected or both may have symptoms.
Diagnosis is generally by audiometry (measurement of how well the patient hears sounds of various frequencies both through air and bones in the head), through description of symptoms, and through medical witnessing of symptoms. Treatment medically is not well-defined, but low salt diets, diuretics, and, ultimately even surgery is common. Surgery decompresses the fluid sac so that it automatically drains and takes pressure off the nerves in the inner ear. Selective destruction of the balance mechanism or the nerve of balance is also sometimes done. If all hearing is gone, the entire inner ear mechanism can be destroyed to end the dizziness or vertigo, if any remains. Dramamine or Antivert may be given to help with nausea and dizziness. A newer drug, scopolamine, which can be placed in a patch behind the ear, may be a possible treatment.
Less drastic treatments should be attempted first. Environmental allergies, fungus, smoking, and salicylates (aspirin, oranges, and other foods) should be eliminated. No alcohol should be consumed. Avoidance of excessive chlorine (swimming pools) should occur. A great deal of work should be done to find if there are food allergies that contribute. Milk, cheese and dairy products are often highly suspect. Cut down on fats in the diet, especially animal fats. Wheat is another common allergen. Sugar must be kept to a bare minimum. Caffeine must be eliminated completely. Acupuncture may have some specific help to offer Meniere's disease sufferers. Try alternative medicine treatments to see if there is a reduction or resolution of symptoms before trying anything as drastic as surgery.
This information is from The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide, Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment, and Alternative Medicine, the Definitive Guide.
LABS: Dr. Vojdani of Immunosciences Lab will be one of the presenters for the Sydney, Australia Conferences. We look forward to having him present in this upcoming forum.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: Estrogen Replacement the natural way, or, why replace estrogen at all?: When we reach the age of menopause (which can come much sooner with illness, chemotherapy, etc.), we need to make a decision on whether or not to replace estrogen. There are several ways to do this, but should we try other things before we take prescriptions? Why should we replace estrogen anyway?
Let's start with the why. Loss of estrogen can have detrimental effects such as vaginal atrophy and dryness (within 5 years of menopause 25% of women suffer this), decrease in the urethral lining (affects urination), loss of sexual arousal and desire, dry skin, hair, and nails, and more susceptibility to infection in the urethra and vagina.
How can you do this naturally instead of by taking prescriptions? How can you naturally increase your estrogen levels? There are several things you can do. The first is to eat the right foods and avoid foods that dehydrate your body. This includes alcohol and caffeine-containing foods. Sugar has a vasoconstricting effect which impairs blood circulation so you should avoid this also. Eat foods rich in phytoestrogens (natural plant estrogens) such as soy beans and soy flour, beans and peas (legumes, including garbanzo beans and lentils), many fruits and vegetables, and whole grains (avoid white rice). The more vegetarian your diet, the less you will probably suffer from post-menopausal symptoms.
Take good, natural, nutritional supplements: Betacarotene (75,000 to 100,000 I.U. per day), necessary for growth and support of skin and mucous membranes. Vitamin C (1,000 to 5,000 mgs. per day). This maintains the skin, including mucous membranes. If taking higher doses causes diarrhea, cut back. Bioflavonoids (500 to 2000 mgs. per day). These are especially necessary if you don't eat soy bean products because bioflavonoids are important for relief from vaginal symptoms. Vitamin E (400 to 2400 I.U. per day). You can even use it vaginally to relieve atrophy. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or bleeding problems, take only 100 I.U. per day of Vit. E. Essential fatty acids (EFA's) (2-8 capsules per day). This is especially important in early menopause to prevent the drying of vaginal tissues. Your body cannot manufacture these essential oils so these are very important. Raw seeds and nuts are high in these acids. Whole-ground flax seeds are excellent. Purified oil in capsule forms are often the easiest way to obtain these fatty acids. Evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant oil can all be taken in capsule form.
Estrogen-containing herbs, taken daily, will help build up mucosal tissues. These include fennel, anise, dong quai, black cohosh, blue cohosh, unicorn root, false unicorn root, and sasparilla. If you have vaginal irritation and susceptibility to infections, try goldenseal, uva ursi, blackberry root and wintergreen.
Increase your levels of DHEA. Progesterone cream that contains a natural form of progesterone can be applied to your skin twice daily and will be absorbed into your body. There are seldom side-effects. Make sure that the cream you use contains 400 mgs. of progesterone. Wild Yam does not contain enough of this to help much. Progesterone converts into estrogen and can help with problems with libido (sex drive).
Exercise: Poor blood circulation and muscle tone (especially in the pelvic area) can be part of the problem with vaginal symptoms or bladder symptoms. Sexual activity is one of the best ways to exercise this area. This stimulates vaginal lubrication, blood circulation, and rhythmic movement of the pelvic muscles. Aerobic exercises promote better muscle tone and blood circulation in these areas. Walking, swimming, bicycling, etc. are good. Some yoga exercises can be helpful.
Be positive in your thoughts about your body. Love yourself, love your body. Do affirmations such as: I love my body, I love to nurture myself, My life gives me pleasure, My female system is strong and healthy. Acupressure treatments, done by yourself, can help relieve symptoms of vaginal dryness and problems with lubrication. Check this out with any acupuncture professional.
Aromatherapy can help set the mood if you want to help increase your libido. If you are severely allergic to many things, you may wish to test this in a safe environment before trying it at home. Sweet almond oil is a good one, but there are dozens.
Estrogen cream can be used in the vagina if the atrophy is severe. This can have some minor side-effects until the walls of the vagina are thickened, but they usually go away after a short period of time. This works for many women.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Q. If I opt-out of these new settlements now, can I still pursue my claim against Mentor in the former global settlement? A. You may be able to. The consensus by attorneys is that you would still be able to do that, but any amount you would receive in the Mentor settlement would probably be subtracted from any settlement you would later receive from any other manufacturer, except perhaps the Dow Corning bankruptcy (and that is not for sure). In some states, this type of set-off may not be legal, but it depends on the wording of the Mentor settlement, the state you live in, and other factors. Consult your attorney for more in-depth information. . PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: We would like to hear from any woman who would like to have her story told in our newsletter. We can do approximately one page (maybe a little more) on each person. We are thinking of doing this once a month on a different woman. We would do everything possible to conceal your identity, if that is an important factor. If you would like to have your story included in our newsletter, please write it up in legible form (preferably typed, but good handwriting is ok) and send it to the address at the top of the newsletter. We may have to edit for space or content, but we will do everything possible to keep the story intact.
BOOKS AVAILABLE: We have the books on obtaining social security disability available for $10.00 plus $2.00 P& H. We also have the books on the Immune System for $8.00 plus $2.00 S& H. We have Dr. Vasey's book, The Silicone Breast Implant Controversy for $23.95, which includes S& H. We have the International Journal of Occupational Medicine & Toxicology for $35.00 plus $3.00 S& H.
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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