Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 21:38:57 -0700

Hi Ilena

I read about this gentleman and a his statement on how he couldn't

understand why any of the manufactures of implants would even consider settling because implants did not cause any illnesses. This was my reply to him and I would appreciate if you would please share it with my sisters.

Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2000 9:02 AM

Subject: The Safety of Breast Implants and the "truth"

Dear sir: It has been brought to my attention via my support group that you cannot understand "why" manufactures are under attack and being sued to settle damages against woman with implants.

Well, first let me bring some light to the resent studies that were done ultimately stating that implants "do not" cause any harm to us woman. First, many of these studies have been heavily funded by the "same" manufactures who are under attack. Right there a light bulb should come on to the validity of these studies. Secondly, the studies I have heard have been only for a couple of years. One must think that any study on a product that has a potential of being dangers "must" consist of many years of studies as well a large number of women who have/had implants. There are over 400,000 of us out there and there "is" a very large number of us such as myself who were at ground zero when these so-called "miracle devices" that would "last a life time" were introduced and presented to doctors and woman as "safe". Knowing this such women as myself who were implanted back in the mid 70's and even earlier than that were "not" used in these scientific studies. Right there the mistake was made. The medical and scientific people "had" their studies right in front of their faces, but they didn't use it.

Instead the big boys (manufactures of the implants) Paid "big bucks" to have studies (outside from the hidden and tampered studies done within their origination) to have "short term" studies done "their way". Why not have these studies done the way they wanted? Good way to come up with a speck of information regarding the real truth. Please keep in mind that many of the illnesses that we women have didn't happen over night. Many of the symptoms we had didn't make sense nor did we even think to put two and two together. After all our doctors felt it was all in our minds anyway.

As for me it took over 24 years to finally accept what was happening to me. The many years of unexplained pains and sickness and doctors looking at me like I was nuts because they couldn't find out where or why the pain was there. It even took me 6 years to finally break down in tears because one part of my pain became so worse I was ready to end it all. I had such pains in both my breasts that hiding it was something I could no longer do. I'm sure you are asking yourself "why did she want to hide her pain". Well, I was tired of being treated like a hypochondriac or a mental case so I found a way to put mind over matter in order to continue with my life. Sorry to get off track, getting back to the extreme pain I was in. It was so bad that I even contemplated taking a knife and cutting them out.

I couldn't sleep anymore at night. Laying on my back was impossible because I could not breath. It felt like someone sitting on my chest. I couldn't raise my arms above my head nor put them behind my back. I had lost all nerve feeling in my breast as they hardened like rocks. My right breast began to change. The rest of my body began to deteriorate as well. There were times I could hardly walk due to the pain in my back. I have developed arthritis in my neck, spine, hips, knees as well as FM (a form of arthritis in the muscles and tendons attached to the bones). I have so many health problems that it would take to long to write about. I am only one person sir, but let me assure you that there are hundreds of thousands of us with the same medical problems and some are worse than me. There are also some who have already died and I know in my heart if I had not had my implants removed (this past July) I too would have died.

Oh, just to let you know what happened during my ex plantation the so-called piece of cake surgery my PS told me turned into a 3 1/2 hour major surgery with me almost going into shock and dyeing. When he opened me up I had silicone pouring out. The shells that held the silicone as well as the silicone had crystallized in the scare tissue and embedded into my chest muscles. The implants are gone...now I am faced with the final years of my life extremely deformed. I still suffer from many health problems, but I hope to at least live a little longer. Don't trust everything you read...you need to talk to the horses mouth to hear the real truth. Thank you for listening to me. I know that you have or will receive many e-mails from other like myself.

Best Wishes