Re: Just read your letter

[Guest guest]

Thanks Colleen,

You're right about the children....I added a few revisions...here it is in final form, and it is being faxed now! (I included my personal contact info too.) Feel free to add your stories to back up my letter....she'll get the idea that we aren't ghosts out in the netherworld somewhere, but real women out here!

Dr. Schlesinger

FAX 818-461-5140

Dear Dr. ,

Can you add "getting breast implants" to your list of "10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives"? No doubt, your book covers the major issues, but if you could add just one, I would beg you to add this one to it.

While the safety issue of breast implants seems to have been laid to rest in the minds of many, the truth is that breast implants harm women in ways that are filled with tragedy, pain, emotional turmoil, mental and physical suffering, and financial devastation. I personally have known and corresponded with hundreds of women whose lives have been turned upside down, in very, very terrible ways because of breast implants.

We have a group called Saline Support, (on on the internet) where women can come to get help and healing when they have had implants and have mysteriously become ill and found no help anywhere else. The stories are filled with sadness and pain. Women suffer. Husbands suffer. Children suffer. Families fall apart. Families become practically bankrupt. And yet, almost every one of us has been told by our doctors that our implants have not caused our illness or mysterious symptoms. We are being ignored, Dr. , but right now, there are women all over this country who are suffering and don't know why. The reason may be literally right under their noses.

We would like to ask you if you can help us get the word out that breast implants are not safe. We know that the manufacturers and doctors associations have deep pockets. We know that for the most part, many studies have seemed to suggest that implants don't cause disease. But there are many, many women who have been told that their implants are not the cause of their symptoms, only to have those symptoms disappear and blood tests get better after they make the decision to get their implants are removed. Without our stories being told, women would never know about us. If I had listened to my doctor, I would still believe that my implants weren't making me sick! But because women like us have banded together to tell the truth and help others, women are being given hope. Women are getting their life back. Blood work is improving. Immune function is improving. Fatigue is going away. It happened to me, and it happens for others. Here is a letter that was recently posted on our group (message number 18353):

Hi Kim, I was reading your posts!! You are so doing the right thing by getting your implants out. I too was in the same boat as you. Debating what to do. I had my smooth salines removed three years ago. I remember being so terrified. To boot I was so ill, I could not even walk a half of block. I was COMPLETLEY disabled for almost 2 years. I mean BEDRIDDEN. I could not even pay my bills(couldn't balance a check book) I too was single,and thougth I would NEVER ever meet anyone !! Well now my health has improved SO MUCH.!! Granted I am still not well, BUT I have come such a long way. I have a LIFE. I RARELY need to ask people for help!! AND to boot I have a GREAT boyfriend who is really really compasionate, and understanding. He is cool, funny and cute too!!! So you see Kim...Right now you seem like you are in a rut, but one day you will look back and realize you can improve and will make a good life for yourself. I DID!!! I REALLY thought at one point my life was over, and I would never be able to do anything but lay in bed. BUT I do remember those really nice women who would email me and tell me how there life went on, and there was light at the end of the tunnel. Of course back then, I did not belive them.(LOL), but I know now they were right. I even saved their emails to read, when I was feeling hopeless. It will take time, and some soul searching, but you must be patient. And you know what is funny Kim?? when I had my implants and an awesome body, I never had a boyfriend! Also some women have awesome results after explant, and love the way they look. You may be one of them. Everyones outcome is different. Anyway I hope this makes you feel better. If you would like to write me, feel free. Hang in there. You are not alone. There are more of us out there than you know..xoxoxoxxxo dimonds68

Dr. , we know that taking a stance against the manufacturers and plastic surgeons is dangerous. They don't acknowledge the pain they've caused in the lives of many women, preferring to focus instead on their distorted view of "improvement". They unfairly attack those of us who try to help others. But we are hopeful because we know you are a woman of principle, you stand for moral uprightness, and stand for what is right and good. And it is morally right for us to reach out to women with breast implants who may be hurting and inform all women of their true dangers and give them hope. It is hard to believe that we can't trust what we've been told by our doctors, but the proof is in the women. Implants have made us sick, and we've gotten better by getting them taken out.

If you have any questions about what is really going on with breast implants, I urge you to read our stories. You can find many testimonies in our files section on our website. There are several other websites. We are just one that seeks to help women. You can read some of our stories here:

/files/Implant%20and%20Explant%20Stories/

Here is Kim's story, who was featured on MTV's program, True Life: I'm Getting Breast Implants. She was defending herself against negative posts on a pro-implant message board after her story aired. (Our message post number 18281):

HERE'S MY FULL STORYPosted By: kristi <SAPHIRE435@...>Date: Friday, 15 December 2000, at 11:18 p.m.I know many people are aggrivated with my story and I think alot of it is because people are worried. Tons of you have written me and wanted to know alot of things, so I am going to tell the group my story here so everyone can read it. I had my implants put in May of 1996. I had to [Patty’s note: I think she intended to write “no”] prior medicalproblems and was very active, no allergies or anything. Six months after I got my implants my blood pressure started suddenly dropping and I would pass out. Finally to the point that I was clinically dead for a few minutes. My cardiologist put me on meds which worked for awhile, but I steadily became worse. Eventually I was fainting again. Next the doctors found and ulcer, so I was treated for that. Then my vision started getting really bad and I was having terrible headaches. So my prescription was changing every few months. Well by 1998 I was having seizure like spells and diagnosed with epilepsy. I didnt believe I had epilepsy so I ended up making an appt with one of the best neurologists in the U.S. He saw no epileptic activity. Once again I was told it was my blood pressure. By this point I was seeing doctors all over the south. By the summer of 99 I could not even function. My hair had fallen out like crazy, I could not remember anything. Went from a 4.0 to a 2.0[Patty’s note: reference to GPA], eventually got to the point where I would not even recognize my parents. (I was back living at home by this time) So my parents packed me up and brought me to Houston to a diagnostic center. After many doctors, tons of tests and 18 tubes of blood.. The doctors told me that I had an autoimmune disease caused from silicone and that I needed to have my implants removed. I had them removed about a month later and now a year later I am fine. I have not passed out in over a year, i no longer need glasses. I graduate college tomorrow and I feel great. I left out many episodes in here like the heart attack. I am getting ambushed for telling my story and all I wanted to do was to educate. I don't expect for women to stop getting implants because they are dangerous. I mean smoking kills too, but everyone smokes... I know I am just an unlucky one, but I think people need to stop denying that this is dangerous. Have you ever read the chemical makeup of an implant and actually looked up each ingredient? I have and its horrible! Take time...

Dr. , thank you in advance for taking the time to read of our passion. We want to help women make right choices in their life, and we know that you do too. Can you help us spread the word that even saline breast implants can cause harm? If anything, do it for the children of the moms who can’t take care of them properly anymore.....

Sincerely,

Patty Faussett

Founder of Saline Support on

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----- Original Message -----

From: cricket5641000

Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:32 AM

Subject: Just read your letter

Patty you are fantastic. The letter was great!The only thing I might suggest adding is something about kids born to mothers with implants. Doctor is so pro children.I think there is a post about this. Other wise it was perfect.If your letter doesn't get a respone nothing will.thank you, thank youColleenP.S. Let us know when you are going to fax the letter so we can all keep our ears open.