Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:

I will be in Europe from the 11th to the 23rd of April. I will return messages and fill orders upon my return, so please be patient.

We are now on the Internet. Our E-Mail address is coss@siliconesurvivors.net

Our newsletter address on the Internet is: http://www.siliconesurvivors.net

E-Mail subscriptions to the newsletter are available for $25.00 per year at softed@501cnews.org.

I have just completed the C.O.S.S. income tax form for 1995. I wondered why we were struggling so much to make ends meet, and now I know. Our income is down about $15,000 from last year and we tried to do more. Our total income was $41,874.62, which may sound like a lot, but it is really less than the minimum needed to stay afloat.

Income: Total Subscriptions $11,625.00, Book/Tape/T-Shirt/Literature Sales/Donations $30,249.62.

Disbursements: Copies/Postage $17,123.95 Phone/Fax $2832.28, Office Equip./Supplies $2576.86 Books/Tapes/Etc. (for sale) $4907.93 Subscriptions $115.00 Travel$9865.79 Insurance $2150.55 Miscellaneous $1734.46

Balance in Account at end of year was $367.80.

You can see that we are struggling to continue to provide information to all women who need it. Please send your tax-deductible contributions so that we may continue our work. Without your help, we will not make it past 1996.

UPCOMING EVENTS: S.I.A.S.T. of Shawnee Mission, KS still holds monthly meetings on the second Monday of each month, 7-9 P.M. at Johnson County Christian Church, 10150 Antioch, Shawnee Mission. Call (913) 752-4036 for more information.

There will be a demonstration in Midland, MI on May 9th. Women should meet at the Midland Center for the Arts in Midland at 2:00 P.M. Wear your purple ribbons with your angels!!! For those who will be flying in to the area, Saginaw, MI is the closest airport, Detroit is a little over a hundred miles away and Chicago is maybe 200 miles or so away. It is far cheaper to fly to Chicago for most women so if you can arrange a group, you could rent a car in Chicago and drive to Midland and save a lot of $$. Contact Suzy Cunningham at (419) 531-3768, Kay at (708) 629-2735 or Melody at (219) 825-3625 for more information. If you are frustrated and want to have an opportunity to show it, this is your opportunity. Make a difference. Come to this demonstration. Have a voice in this issue. The more times we get this issue before the media, the more women are informed and the more Dow and their counterparts squirm. The only reason they are working so hard to get out the good information about implants is because we are having an impact. Let's keep on making them work hard to try to prove their products are safe!!! They have made us suffer; let's make them suffer!!!

The National Breast Implant Task Force will hold a meeting in Houston on May 17th, 18th, and 19th. It will be held at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza--Galleria Area. You may make your reservations starting April 5, 1996 for $84.00 per night (two double bed rooms) by telling them you are with the N.B.I.T.F. Call (800) 327-6213 or (713) 961-7272. From Houston Hobby, there is a shuttle one way for 11:50, from Intercontinental it is $16.75 (per person). If you have been wanting to be involved with the task force, contact them. Contact Kathryn Johnson @ (713) 427-1225 or Janice Ferriell @ (407) 791-2625 for more information. We need your help to make our cause unified. Together we stand, divided we fall.

Awareness Medical Conference in Nashville, TN at The Marriott, 600 Marriott Dr. on May 24-25, 1996, sponsored by AWARE. Speakers are Dr. Britta Ostermeyer, Dr. David Smalley, Dr. Saul Puszkin, Dr. Douglas Shanklin, Dr. Aristo Vojdani, Dr. Lu-Jean Feng, Dr. Andrew Campbell, and Dr. Jonathan Dora. Special guest speakers are John & Colleen Swanson, subjects of the book, Informed Consent. You may register by sending a check or money order for $40 (consumer) or $70 (consumer and significant. other) to AWARE, P.O. Box 1744, Madison, TN 37116-1744. For hotel reservations call (615) 889-9300 or (800) 778-9290. Tell them you are with the AWARE Conference. You may call Linda @ (615) 865-1760 or Cheryl @ (615) 484-5818 for more information. Activities in Nashville include: Opryland Theme Park, Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and tours of the stars homes. The shows that will be playing that weekend include Nashville on Stage (at the Opryland Theme Park) with Billy Ray Cyrus, the Grand Ole Opry (performers decided upon the Thursday prior to show), and, at the Ryman, the production Lost Highway, The Hank Williams Story. Call Nashville On Stage at (615) 889-6611 early for tickets or more information. For other activities, contact Tennessee Tourism Information at (800) 468-6882.

Conferences in Europe for April will be held in Paris, France; and in Geneva, Switzerland. Several U.S. doctors will be participating, including Dr. Ostermeyer, Dr. Puszkin, Dr. Jenny, and Dr. Blais. These were a joint effort of several persons, especially consumer groups in those countries and Dr. Henry Jenny.

LEGAL INFORMATION: As many of you have heard, the entire group of attorneys (and also Sybil Goldrich) negotiating for the plaintiffs in the Dow Corning bankruptcy have been fired by Judge Specter. He stated that there were too many conflicts of interest among the attorneys. He also stated that the committee was improper because it had to consist of plaintiffs only. He complained that the attorneys were not negotiating, they were warring. Judge Specter also stated that Sybil Goldrich was not representative of the claimants since her case had been rejected in court. I don't understand his position on Sybil, but would like to know more about his action in firing the attorneys.

A new committee will now be appointed by the trustee and will have the power to negotiate a settlement with Dow Corning. This committee would have the right to hire experts, including attorneys, to guide them in the negotiations. We need consumers who are articulate, educated, not easily bullied (assertive), willing to work together, and who have a claim against Dow Corning. We also need consumers who are dedicated to this work as it will be long and physically as well as mentally demanding. It will entail travel and being away from home for periods of time. We need strong consumers who will hang in there to negotiate a fair settlement.

Whomever is appointed for this will undoubtedly come under a lot of criticism because of any decisions made. Some will think they have sold out, etc. It will not be necessarily rewarding work. People will view these negotiators with suspicion if they do not get what they think they deserve. However, I do not think any of us could ever get what we truly deserve. We will have to negotiate the very best deal that we can get and then get on with our lives. In the end, that is all we can ever do.

The Judge in this case is The Honorable Arthur Spector. The court is at 111 First Street, Bay City, MI 48708. For information on this bankruptcy, call the court at (800) 222-7198. If you wish to register for the bankruptcy, ask them to send you a form.

Judge Pointer has remanded all the opt-out cases that were in Federal Court back to their own districts. That means that those trials can now go forward. I hope the attorneys are ready. Apparently he has also set some limits on the amount of time that defense attorneys can depose women and their doctors. There are also some other new requirements and provisions. Talk to your attorney about these!

Breast implants that had GE Silicone are more numerous that I ever suspected. From 1971 to 1975, everyone of the following except CUI was buying GE gel. CUI indirectly purchased GE gel through middlemen. Roger Klein, Simaplast, EuroSilicone, Surgitool, Surgitec Corp., 1973-76--90% GE gel, Heyer Schulte 1972-1975 100% GE gel, American Heyer Schulte (Edwards Div.) 1975-1979 might have used GE gel in a mixture (chemical analysis would be able to determine this), Cox Uphoff (through the purchase of surplus goods), McGhan (some GE gel 1974-75, then bought up someone else's inventory and used mixtures of GE and DC silicone gel). Silicone Specialties & SilFab were both jobbers buying up lots of the gel for resale. It's difficult to track the business records, but the gel can be identified through chemical analysis. In 1984 when McGhan left 3M, NewSil sold GE type silicone. From 1977-78 McGhan/3M used GE formula purchased through NewSil which was sold to Union Carbide. McGhan/3M breast implant survivors of those years may have a case against Union Carbide. During these same years, Koken may have been a minority gel supplier. This information originally came from Dr. Pierre Blais.

If you don't have the funds to have your implants removed, Alice Cooke is trying to get a motion before the Dow Bankruptcy court called the Breast Implant Removal Financial Assistance Request through the assistance of attorney Ann Ferazzi. Write to Alice Cooke, 3925 North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45211-4814, (513) 487-7171.

National Breast Implant Task Force: On Tuesday, March 26th, the task force, represented by Janice Ferriell, was invited to the White House. Jama Russano of CATS was also present. Leon Panetta, Chief of Staff to President Clinton, was a participant as well as other consumer groups, including Joan Claybrook of Public Citizen. The topic was President Clinton's upcoming veto of the Product Liability Bill. Apparently corporations are bombarding the President and members of the Senate and the House of Representatives with requests to overturn a veto if there is one. President Clinton has asked for our help in a letter writing campaign to our Senators and Representatives to ask them to support the veto of this irresponsible bill. We need to write immediately. Call your local Republican or Democratic Party if you do not know the number or name of your U.S. Senators or Representatives and call, fax or write them immediately and let them know that this Product Liability Bill victimizes the victims of defective products. If we do not have an aggressive letter writing campaign, our Senators and Representatives may over-ride this veto. Tell them your story, briefly, and tell them how defective products have harmed you. Tell them you need your government to protect you from manufacturers of defective products. Tell them you don't wish to end up on Social Security Disability and have the taxpayers support you, but that is what limiting punitive damages on these products will do to you and to others. We must demand to have the right to a full recovery in court if we are damaged by a defective product. Remind them that punitive damages are seldom awarded, and, when they are, they are seldom very high. Remind them that the majority of punitive damages awarded are in suits between corporations and that less than 1% of all product liability suits are from individuals. Justice demands that we have the right to seek full redress in our courts. Have other members of your family, your friends, etc. also write. Please send a copy to Janice Ferriell, NBITF, P.O. Box 210503, W. Palm Beach, FL 33414. Fax (407) 791-4419.

MEDICAL INFORMATION: Have you heard this one yet? They are now doing lip implants with Gore-Tex. These are little plasticized tubes that they are placing inside the lips, 4-5 in each side, top and bottom, to make the lips look pouty. The featured surgeon was Dr. John Padilla of Santa Barbara, CA. These implants are not approved by the FDA and anyone desiring them must sign a release before they have lip implantation surgery. Do we never learn about having foreign objects placed in our bodies? Should not the FDA be regulating this type of surgery? I should not have been surprised, but this one caught even me off guard!!

In Canada and other countries, they have a product called The Sensor Pad that is a marvelous break-through in diagnosing cancer of the breast. You can get it through a prescription from your doctor, but only after she/he has certified that you have been instructed in BSE both with and without the pad before a prescription can be written for you. The Sensor Pad has been known to find lumps before they are palpable (large enough to feel). The FDA states there is no proof that The Sensor Pad saves lives. (They won't take breast implants that kill us off the market; they won't let us have this device that could save lives.) For a copy of the story on this device, send $1.00 and a SASE. Foreign women, please send $2.00 in U.S. funds.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) is still stating that they doubt chronic fatigue exists as a disease. At least, that is the official position. They discount the areas of the country where there have been epidemics caused by a virus or retrovirus and they discount the myriad of symptoms. They state there is no viral problems, no autoimmune problems and no clusters of disease. They still refer to it as psychological. There are some within the CDC who do not accept this position and believe that there is a severe problem with this disease. So, as the debate rages on, sick persons lives are still being destroyed. There is still no treatment except to treat the symptoms that are present.

From Central Florida Silicone Support Group: A study by Dr. Vasey found that 78% of women do not improve if they have silicone implants replaced by saline implants. In our experience, some women improve for only a short period of time and then again worsen. Be wary of promises by doctors that these implants are safe, as there has never been an FDA approved breast implant, including saline implants. They have silicone shells and will cause all the same problems as silicone gel implants.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Never doubt the power of a single intervention. You never know just what impact you have had. It could be years before your input is utilized, but the seed has been planted. Have faith that it will bear fruit. Be sure that you give a positive message, as a negative message may well bear rotten fruit.

A Little Humor: From S.I.A.S.T.: Sign over the entrance door to the I.R.S. Watch Your Step. Sign over the exit door. Watch Your Language. I thought this was a great joke for April.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: A woman in Colorado Springs who has suffered with progressive MS has found that if she rides horseback three times a week, her symptoms lessen dramatically. Others have found that they are somewhat better just riding once a week. More than 25,000 people with disabilities ride for therapy and for pleasure. While it may seem astounding that riding a horse can heal, I recall that children who are ill improve dramatically when they swim with dolphins. While we may not know why these miracles happen, we know that they do.

ENZYMES: What are they and what do they do?? Enzymes are found in all living plant and animal matter. They aid in proper function of the body, digesting food and repair of tissue. They are made from protein and thousands of them play a role in virtually every bodily activity. Without enzymes, there would be no life. Scientists are unable to manufacture enzymes, so all supplements must come from live sources.

Each enzyme has its own special function in the body. Each enzyme is shaped differently so that only certain substances will react with it. When the substance it reacts with is altered by that reaction, it is called a substrate. The enzyme grasps, holds, and binds this substrate with other molecules, thereby increasing its rate of reaction with these substances. Reactions in cells are initiated by these essential proteins and their mineral component allows reactions to take place. We cannot overlook the importance of enzymes because they are necessary for so many bodily functions. The body produces some enzymes but it may not produce enough for all functions. If it has to produce too many for digestion, it may then not produce enough for metabolic functioning.

Enzymes are extremely sensitive to heat. Even low degrees of heat will destroy enzymes. Foods must be eaten raw to obtain all the necessary enzymes. Those who eat only cooked foods or do not supplement their bodies with enzymes put a great strain on the enzyme supply in their bodies. Enzymes are the only nutrients that can supply the body with needed energy for many activities so overuse of enzymes can impair the functioning capacity of the body, making it susceptible to cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses.

In order to ease the burden of the body to produce enzymes, eat raw foods. Not only will this help supply the body, but it will reduce the amount of enzymes the body must produce to digest cooked foods. Thus, the body's enzymes can work at a higher capacity. Bananas, avocados, and mangos are high in enzymes. Sprouts are the highest of all. If you eat cooked foods with raw foods, take 1-3 enzyme tablets with each such meal.

What do enzymes actually do? They assist in almost every bodily function. They break down food particles for storage in the liver or the muscles. This energy is later converted by other enzymes for use by the body as fuel. Enzymes also use food particles to construct new muscle tissue, nerve cells, bone, skin or glandular tissue. They aid in the elimination of toxins by the colon, kidneys, lungs, and skin.

Enzymes decompose poisonous hydrogen peroxide and liberate healthful oxygen from it. Iron is concentrated in the blood due to the action of enzymes. Enzymes help promote oxidation, the process in which oxygen is united with other substances. This creates energy. Enzymes protect the blood from dangerous waste materials by converting them to substances that the body can excrete.

The majority of commercially available enzymes are digestive enzymes. The rest are metabolic enzymes, which all the body's organs, tissues, and cells need to survive. They build the body from proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The three types of digestive enzymes available are amylase, protease, and lipase. Amylase and protease are the two most effective digestive enzymes that are secreted in high concentrations by our bodies. Amylase is found in saliva and breaks down carbohydrates and protease is found in stomach juices and helps to digest protein. Pancreatic and intestinal juices contain both enzymes. Lipase aids in fat digestion. It is most beneficial when it is allowed to work in successive stages. Lipases are found in good fats and work in a more acidic environment. Lipase works in the area of the stomach connected to the esophagus.

A healthy body produces nearly 5 million units of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and its partner catalase on a daily basis. It revitalizes the cells and reduces the rate of destruction of these cells. It removes the most common free radical, superoxide. This antioxidant also aids in the body's utilization of zinc, copper, and manganese. With aging, free radical production increases and SOD levels decrease. If you take SOD in a pill form, you must make sure that it is enteric-coated (coated with a protective substance that allows it to pass into the intestines intact). The supplement should provide 5 million units or higher. SOD naturally occurs in brussel sprouts, broccoli, wheat grass, barley grass, cabbage and most green plants.

Plant enzymes are substantially different than animal enzymes. Pancreatin (another enzyme), which is derived from secretions of animal pancreas, functions at its best in the alkaline section of the small intestine. This enzyme has been an important subject of cancer research.

Unripe papaya, pineapples, and the aspergillus plant are great sources of enzymes. Papain and bromelain are extracted from pineapple and papaya. These are proteolytic enzymes. These exclusively work on proteins, breaking them down into smaller peptones (smaller particles).

Other proteolytic enzymes are pepsin, trypsin, rennin, pancreatin, and chymotrypsin. Pepsin is found in gastric (stomach) juices and is responsible for the breakdown of proteins into smaller peptides.

Proteolytic enzymes have been utilized as anti-inflammatory agents for sports injuries, diseases of the respiratory tract, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, viral diseases, cancer and most types of degenerative diseases. Aspergillus plants have different strains that allow protease, amylase, and lipase to be extracted from them, which then assures proper digestion. If you take enzyme supplements, make sure they contains all enzyme groups to ensure maximum benefit in digestion of cooked food.

One brand of enzymes that contains all of these is Inflazyme Forte, from American Biologics. These can be taken before meals to aid digestion or after meals for other purposes. The recommended dosage is 1-3 per meal.

I take Juice Plus Enzymes. The dosage is two fruit enzyme tablets in the morning (one hour before breakfast) and two vegetable tablets mid-afternoon (between meals).

I credit my food supplements (vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants, etc.) with my healing. I am so much better off today than I was in 1991-2. There were some who thought that I would not survive my severe disability during that time, but I beat the odds by detoxing my system and taking my food supplements and vitamins.

Check with your Naturopathic Doctor, Nutritional Counselor, Homeopathic Doctor, Chiropractor, Health Food Store, Holistic MD, etc., for information on enzymes. For Juice Plus Enzymes, contact me for information. This information is partly from Prescriptional for Nutritional Healing, by the Balchs'.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Q. Can I still join the revised class action now that the April 1 deadline has passed? A. Yes! You will be classified as a late registrant. Call (800) 600-0311 (lots of luck getting through, but keep trying). You must register by Dec. 16, 1996. Q. I have not yet had my implant removed. How do I prove (for the revised settlement offer) that it is ruptured? A. You must have it removed and you must save it in case it is required for evidence to prove a rupture. You must submit proof of rupture by Dec. 16, 1996 in order to qualify for the additional funds for a rupture.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE: We have a list of 811 articles that you can order. For a copy of this list, write us at P.O. Box 129, Broomfield, CO 80038-0129 or call us at (303) 469-8242 or fax us at (303) 466-4084.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: In Colorado, Women Seeking Empowerment (W.S.E.) through non-violent alternatives is a program for women only who need support and direction with divorce, self-esteem, incest, anger, domestic violence, drugs, and alcohol. This program is for both victims and perpetrators. Court-ordered evaluations and presentations on domestic violence, testimony for court, etc. Sliding fee scale available. Contact Sharon Huntoon at (303) 851-4571 (pager with voice mail). Sharon holds a BA in Psychology, is a Master Addiction Counselor with a CACII, is Domestic Violence Certified, and is a Certified Justice System Specialist.

For men against silicone, a new group has formed entitled Men Against Silicone Substances, and their address is M.A.S.S., P.O. Box 17112, San Diego, CA 92177.

If you have been told that you have silicone in your spinal fluid, please contact Kathy Keithley-Johnson immediately at phone (314) 445-0861 or fax (314) 445-8539.

If you have true Scleroderma (not Scleroderma-like disease), please contact Dr. Norman Anderson, Dept. of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21206. Also, please contact BILG (Breast Implant Litigation Group) at (617) 557-7177.

If you have had cancer after implantation, including multiple myeloma or leukemia, contact Dr. Charles Rabkin at the National Cancer Institute, (301) 496-8115. He is an epidemiologist. You may also write to Dr. Michael Potter, National Cancer Institute, Bldg. 37 Room 2B03, Bethesda, MD 20892-2580.

If you have any information on radiation after implantation, please contact Donna Schloss at (619) 944-0557 or write to her at 157 Grandview St., Encinitas, CA 92024.

If you have any information on chemotherapy and breast implants, please contact me (Lynda) at (303) 469-8242 or send articles to C.O.S.S., P.O. Box 129, Broomfield, CO, 80038-0129.

The Multinational Monitor is on to the real powers of the time: Global corporations. Dedicated to providing vital information about what these giant companies are up to, the magazine also reports on how citizens here and abroad are joining a new awakening against multinational injustice. Quote by Ralph Nader. Multinational Monitor, P.O. Box 19405, Washington, DC 20036. To subscribe, send them a check for $25.00 Personal; $30.00 non-profit institutions; $40.00 business institutions; Canada-Mexico add $10.00 more in each category; other foreign add $15.00 more. Single issue $3.00 in U.S. Call (202) 387-8030, Fax (202) 234-5176. E-Mail: monitor@essential.org

A message from Lynda: I just received the word that a woman from Delaware has been busy sabotaging the European meetings. She effectively got the woman from Nottingham, England to cancel the entire conference there (with over 200 women registered) and she also has been speaking with the women in Switzerland and Paris (along with help from our old troublemaker from Dallas) in an effort to keep me from speaking there. I cannot believe that we are still doing this to each other in this movement. I have now been accused of not following through with what I say I will do, especially in setting up conferences. I'll bet that surprises a number of women whose conferences I helped set up, including the Australian women. I can tell you that I have never failed to come through when I have told women I would help. I think this breach of ethics and this dishonesty must continue to please (to no end) the manufacturers and their defense attorneys. If you hear this rumor, please let me know or do what you can to help our women understand that by trying to destroy each other, we destroy our own cause. Maybe we can all set these two women (The Delaware-Dallas Connection) straight before they do any more damage. It is amazing to me the lengths that people will go to when they are trying to discredit another (or trying for illegitimate power?), even when it harms others who are not involved. Whoever said it was fun to be a leader? I certainly don't know some days why I even try, since people like this set our cause back by light years. This is the very reason most of our good leaders have quit this effort. It will probably be what causes me to decide to quit. I have always believed that we must support each other and have a unified effort. I simply cannot deal with dishonesty, back-stabbing, lies, deceit and power-hungry persons when it harms everything we are fighting for.

IMPORTANT: Remember, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift That's why they call it the present.

The International symbol of the breast implant movement is the purple ribbon. It is worn to tell all that we hold the manufacturers of these implants responsible for their actions. Wear it in public so that people will ask you what it is for. That way you can give out more information on the movement.

In 1995, Greenpeace reported that chlorine-based Dow Chemical products--including pesticides, solvents and PVC plastics--constitute the world's largest source of dioxins.

If you do not receive the Fair radio program Counterspin in your area (it is a consumer friendly show), contact your radio stations and ask them to carry it. They can call CounterSpin at Fair from Wednesday through Friday at (212) 633-6700.

I have been hearing from a lot of people who have had other silicone devices, including root canals, tubal ligation clips, toe and finger joint replacements, noses rebuilt with hard silicone, silicone putty placed in cheekbones or foreheads, etc. All these people are having problems. There is silicone in so many medical devices that it is incredible. We need to spread out our focus to include every type of silicone that is implanted in humans.

IVALON SPONGES: Some women have had implants that were not even silicone at all. Ivalon Sponges were used for years. These were implanted from 1949 to the mid-sixties (and maybe even later, as we have had a few reports of this). Women who had problems immediately were explanted, but we are still receiving reports of women just now having these removed. They must be removed en bloc as they have tissue infiltration, at least in the perimeter if not interwoven throughout.

This sponge was composed of polyvinyl alcohol (don't ask me what that means!!!). The material could be hand-carved to the proper shape. It was soaked in saline for 24 hours and then had the consistency of a rubber sponge. It's porous structure was supposed to have the potential for infiltration by connective tissue and blood vessels, uniting it to surrounding tissue. Upon removal, it was found that the surrounding tissue only infiltrated the exterior part of the sponge in most cases. Some of the sponges disintegrated. Many physicians claimed that infection was not a major problem.

This device was utilized extensively for augmentation during the 50's. It was used to fill soft tissue defects, reinforce aneurysms and for other surgical procedures. Within three months after implantation, these implants would stiffen. They tended to become as hard as wood as their volume decreased from 20% to 50%. They often became quite painful. Overall, they were not a success as devices for implantation. That's why they invented the silicone breast implant, and the rest is history!

More information on Simaplast Implants: These were manufactured in France and distributed by Roger-Klein in New York State. Contact: White & Luxemborg, 40 Fulton St., NY, NY 10038 (212) 720-7200 for information as I understand they have Simaplast clients. If you had them placed in Canada, you may be able to file against the Canadian distributors.

A word of warning comes from one of our readers. You cannot be on COBRA (health insurance) and on Medicare at the same time because COBRA is a work-related benefit. Even if it is your husband's COBRA, it will not fly. A woman in Minnesota called to say that she has to repay $20,000 because she did not know this.

BOOKS: Betrayed by Gloria Bywalec & Anna Marie Rzeppa, will soon be available. Betrayed is described as one woman's tortuous journey through uncertainty, denial, anger, grief and willful determination as a result of having had breast implants. It contains pictures and heart-wrenching accounts of silicone victims, their fearful children, worried husbands and walk-away lovers. It is a book of truth, hope, help and understanding. A portion of proceeds from the sale of each book will be donated, in your name, to Silicone Implant Follow-Up Service Clinic in Memphis, TN, under the direction of Drs. Smalley & Shanklin. Order forms available soon.

Betrayed, P.O. Box 87203, Canton, MI 48187-0203 (313) 981-6775.

Our Stolen Future by Theo Colburn, published by Penguin USA/Dutton, $24.95 in hard back cover. This is about what chemicals have done to our world! BETTER LIVING BY CHEMISTRY!! Ha Ha!

Osler's Web by Hillary Johnson.

The Silicone Breast Implant Controversy, by Dr. Frank Vasey & Josh Feldstein, available from COSS for $10.00 each plus $2.00 S& H. Order two and save $1.00 postage on the second book.

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE: For information on colloidal minerals, contact JoAnne Carden at (909) 679-9308, Jill Wood at (208) 345-1972 or Roselyn Dozier at (619) 747-4162. This product is from New Visions and sounds like something I will definitely take. Ask them for the tape Dead Doctors Don't Lie. It is hysterically funny (we all need a good laugh) and makes a great deal of sense. I think these colloidal minerals are just what I have been needing. They also have other wonderful products.

For information on Colloidal silver, contact Silver Mountain Mineral Company, 1420 NW Gilman Blvd. 2777 Dept. 16, Issaguah, WA 98027- 7001. Some women are reporting good results with this product.

Boycott: For information on how you can help with the boycott, or for info. on products made by these manufacturers, contact Margaret Melvin in Florida at (407) 298-3517.

Women relate their problems with breast implants: One day, five years ago, I awoke to find a painfully enlarged lymph node under my left armpit. This was the beginning of my silicone nightmare. It throbbed so badly that I had trouble using my arm. I went to my dermatologist but he could not find a cause. He gave me antibiotics and suggested that I see my plastic surgeon. My P.S. told me that the rash on my waist under the node was probably a reaction to the material in my pants, yet I did not have any other areas of irritation on my waist or legs.

I knew enough about inflamed lymph nodes to know that they occur very close to inflamed or infected areas. When I asked if my swollen node and the terrible fatigue that accompanied it could be related to my silicone implants, he told me, in a condescending manner, how I should not get swept up in the media hysteria. He ordered a mammogram but I was made to feel like an unstable hypochondriac and got the distinct impression that he was doing it to humor me. The mammogram was normal.

Within a few weeks, the lymph node swelling subsided and I felt fine up until 18 months ago. I suddenly found I was more susceptible to colds and other infections (a new phenomenon). I was constantly sick. I developed a sinus infection that wouldn't go away. One day, when I awoke, I couldn't even lift my left arm. It ached very badly. An MRI was normal. My hair began to fall out. My rib cage under my left breast continually burned. This spread down my left arm. I was constantly exhausted. I began getting frequent yeast infections and developed a bladder infection. I now have to urinate so frequently that I cannot sit through a 2-hr. movie. I get up several times a night. Lately I have begun to forget the names of things that should be familiar to me. I hope this is from stress, but I am afraid. The list of symptoms goes on and on.

I spent a year going from doctor to doctor being verbally abused and patronized. None of these men had any idea what could be causing my symptoms, yet they were all certain it was not my implants. They were eager to take my money and order tests, yet when I asked them to order an MRI of my breasts, they each gave me the line that it could not be my implants. They got very nasty and asked if I was involved in a lawsuit. How could I be involved in a lawsuit when I couldn't even get diagnosed!??

It got to the point where I believed my own family was questioning my sanity. But I never for a moment believed that this was all in my head and my sed rate backed this up. I was becoming very depressed. In desperation, I made a trip to the public library and read about Jenny Jones and her wonderful Image Foundation. They sent me the information I needed to start education and helping myself. When I saw the list of symptoms that women with implants were reporting, the very same symptoms that I had been describing to my doctors for a year, I nearly fell off my chair! Through them and the list of organizations they provided, I have found a doctor who ordered an MRI. There is no conclusive proof of a rupture, but there may be one.

The change in my life in the past 18 months has been enormous. I can no longer work in my chosen profession as it demands a great deal of physical stamina and the full use of my arms. I must make a new career choice when I am feeling at my worst both mentally and physically. I no longer have the energy for a social life as I fall asleep at 8-9 P.M. I shy away from people as I do not know how to explain my constant, all-consuming fatigue. I have run out of excuses.

My implants are ten years old and I know that ultimately I will have to face explantation surgery. This terrifies me. Cosmetically I have always been happy with the results of my surgery and now I face potential disfigurement. I am single and I worry that if the results are bad, no-one will want to look at me. Will I want to look at myself? If I become so depressed at the results of the surgery that I cannot function, how will I be able to fully enjoy the life that this surgery will hopefully return to me?

A doctor I recently visited told me that my implants were definitely making me ill but I should keep them in! He said he has had patients with implants that are just fine and they have been seeing him for 20 years. If these women are in such good health, why in the world have they been seeing a rheumatologist for 20 years? I have not heard good things about explantation surgeries on the Internet, yet my other choice seems to be to progressively become sicker and keep a lot of rheumatologists in business. I feel that the only choices I have are bad and worse.

I know that in comparison to some of you that cannot get out of bed, I am lucky. But I don't feel lucky. I wake up every day and go to bed every night feeling scared. I have finally found the answer to why I feel this way, but it is not the answer I wanted. I do not know where to find a psychologist experienced in helping women with implant problems and I have even read that I should not seek such help as it can be used against me if I decide to sue.

Throughout all of this, one of the things I find most disturbing is the general public's tendency to blame the victim. If I had purchased a car that was defective and caused an accident that harmed me, everyone around me would be blaming the manufacturer and urging me to sue. Yet somehow these same people blame the breast implant recipients themselves. We should have known better and we did this to ourselves. I believed my doctor and the implant manufacturers just as that car owner trusted and believed the car dealership and manufacturer. Yet when we decide to sue, the media portrays us as money hungry women looking to drain the life out of some of these poor companies, when, in actuality, they have drained the life out of us.

I hope that I have not been too negative. I sincerely hope that there are some happy stories out there, some positive reactions to explantation.. If there are, I hope that you write in also, as I'd love to hear about it. I need to hear about it. Only my best wishes to all of you. A Survivor in NJ

Editor's Note: If you would like to share your good stories with my NJ Survivor, please send them to me with a stamped envelope enclosed and I will fill in the address and mail them. Please, I know so many of you who look wonderful after explantation by a good surgeon (the key to a good result) that I would like you to share your stories with this woman who is suffering a great deal.

THIS MONTH'S POEM: By request from a very special woman, I am including my poem that will be published later this month in Muse. Although this poem does not deal with silicone issues, it does deal with feelings. I share it with you so that you may understand that I, as all of you, have many sides. Often we do not share the softer side of ourselves.

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION: Previous issues of newsletters are available for $2.00 each U.S., $3.00 Foreign. January 1993 is the first available issue. Please indicate months' desired and enclose $2.00 (US), $3.00 (Foreign) each. Some subjects covered have been: Auto-immune (1/93); Fibromyalgia (2/93); Medical Testing (3/93); Sjogren's (4/93); Vasculitis (4/93); Arthritis (5/93); Chronic Fatigue (6/93); Lupus (7/93); Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Inflammatory Bowel Disease (8/93); Miscellaneous Medical Information (9/93); Multiple Sclerosis (10/93); Spasmodic Torticollis (10/93); Hypoglycemia (11/93); Antibodies (12/93); Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (1/94); Insurance (8/93,9/93); More Miscellaneous Medical Information (2/94); Scleroderma (3/94); Costochondritis (4/94); Peripheral Neuropathy (4/94); Class Action (5/94); Fungal Infections (6/94); Hypercalcemia (low calcium) (7/94); Raynaud's Phenomenon (8/94); Fibromyalgia Update (9/94); Sarcoidosis (10/94); Free Radicals (11/94); Porphyria (12/94); Interstitial Cystitis (1/95); Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (2/95); Flap Procedures (3/95); Even More Miscellaneous Medical (4/95); Thyroid Disease (5/95); Stress (6/95); Natural Healing (7/95); Adrenal Malfunctions (8/95); Multiple Myeloma (9/95); DHEA (10/95); Chelation Therapy (11/95); Sleep Disorders (12/95); Menieres Disease (1/96); 33 Tips to Improve Your Health (2/96); Amino Acids (3/96); Legal, including updates on MDL-926 (most issues); & Alternative Medicine (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.

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.

Email us the following information:

lake-atitlan.com

Do you have an online publication? ezine/newsletter hosting service