Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 18:30:05 -0800

Dear Ilena 

First I want to thank you for all the information, you have helped me and so many others. My name is Jessie, and I had my silicone implants removed in February, 1999. I had one ruptured for who knows how long...I have been so ill that I could only read about half of the information. I had to leave my job, I have serious problems with my hands and arms. I have to elevate myself to sleep at night. When I lay down flat at night or if I have held my hands up during the day for driving or writing on the computer, my arms feel like they are getting very full and will explode. They throb and hurt and I lose all feeling in my hands. My rupture was on the left breast, my problems with my arms are worse on the right side. I have therefor lost the ability to perform my job, drive, etc. I am on full disability at the moment, if my status doesn't improve before March, I will resubmit and remain on full disability. 

Two years ago I was having serious problems with my lower back: degenerative disk disease. I was going to have surgery for the problem, until the Dr. looked at my arms and told me to fix that problem first...sent me to a rheum. specialist (The problems I had then in the arms were not at all related to my back problem). 

This is a long story, as with all women whom have lived through the nightmare of silicone implants. To shorten this up, after visiting many Doctors, (all of them told me my problems were not related to implants) I had pretty much ruled out anything else. I knew it was my implants. I had them out as fast as possible. What a nightmare...I was told that I would be deformed upon removal, and therefor opted for saline replacements. My silicone implants had me so sick that my system would not take further implants, my health did not improve and continued on a downward spiral. I ran (within three weeks I knew) back to the surgeon and requested removal of the saline. I am gradually improving now almost a year later. I have been through so much. I was horribly sick and had not even the energy to get out of bed. I would get up and eat and go back to bed. This kind of life leads to weight gain. I've gained 50 pounds that I need to lose and I am currently trying very hard to be healthy. I read recently the email from the gal who was disgruntled because of her disfigurement upon explantation of saline implants...wish I was in her boots! I would be happy about that if I had my health back. She should consider herself lucky she got them out before her system started shutting down on her like so many of the others of us who have been so sick. 

I am living near Reno, Nevada. There is no support group here from what I have learned. I need desperately to find Doctors in the area who have treated these sick women. I can't find anyone who has helped women like me. I need to because there is no diagnosis for me. I turned up negative to them. Arthritis and osteo, which is what most closely matches some of my symptoms. I have serious problems with all my joints, painful, my bones are popping all the time and I live in pain on a daily basis. I finally quite crying everyday a few months ago and realized that I did have my life. I am not dying. 

I just hurt all the time and I lost my job because of it. I also need info on what to do to try to recover some $ in the lawsuit area. I heard that Reno did have a support group of about 90 women some time ago (disbanded now), and I've been to a lot of Doctors here who do not have a clue as to what to do for me. They are helpless. I can't find anyone who knows how to help me. I would be very grateful for any information. My rheum. Dr. has diagnosed me with fibromyalsia. I know I have a lot more than that, I have such problems with my joints.  

Thank you. 

Jessie