European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 4, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Implant controversy terrifies women by Lisa Levitt Ryckman a National writer at the heart of the argument Over silicone breast implants pulses powerful anger the collective rage of women terrified of limited options or incomplete information. Quot i think my life is ruined. I done to think my body s going 1o get Back to Normal Quot said Ann Jeanne 52, who decided to augment her breasts after she was widowed 10 years ago. She has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis an Auto immune disease she believes was caused by her implants. Quot i understand the women who Are sick god knows i be been there Quot said Helen Seferovich 44, who lost a breast to cancer six years ago. Quot in a sorry for them. But Why do i have to justify what i be done they be made their Choice and it did no to work for them. So take the implant out but done to Tell me i can t have them Quot on Jan 6, the food and drug administration announced a moratorium on silicone breast implants pending a 45-Day study an estimated 1 million to 2 million women have had sacs of silicone gel implanted in their bodies in the last 30 years 80 percent to enlarge healthy breasts and about 20 percent to replace cancerous ones the Fra was Given authority to regulate implants 15 years ago but Only recently demanded that manufacturers prove their safety i is unknown How Many women have experienced problems with breast implants. The Fra s medical device reporting system however has received 3,397 reports of problems with silicone gel implants and 2,995 reports of problems with Saline filled implants in the last seven years the Story of breast implants is one of women about what it Means to be female in a body conscious male dominated society about women s images of their own bodies about How doctors treat their female patients. Quot we Don t exist. We Don t have these problems Quot said Janet Van Winkle founder of american silicone implant survivors inc., or As is. Her health history fills five typed pages augmentation cancer reconstruction rupture surgery and More surgery. Quot i had to fight Lor it Quot Sheila Propheter 57. Said of the reconstructive surgery she had after her left breast was removed in 1976. At that time she was Given a 50 percent Chance of surviving five years. Quot the surgeons All Pooh poohed it. They said i was being vain and silly and All that Quot Propheter s implant has been replaced twice once Lor hardening and once for rupture both known risks. Others include pain loss of nipple sensation numbness gel migration and delayed cancer detection still she has not seen any serious implant related health problems among the breast cancer patients she counsels As a psychotherapist in the san Francisco Bay area and she believes that Lor most women the Joy of being whole Quot again far outweighs suspected risks Quot you can t believe the panic that happened among women in my support groups when they fell these things might to pulled from the Market Quot she said Quot the immediate thing i saw was this tremendous Rush to Hur Ryann Jeanne has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis an Auto immune disease she believes was caused by her breast implants. Up and get implants out of fear they would t be  Lois greens breast cancer was detected in her first Ever Mammogram at age 44. Her doctor proposed immediate reconstructive surgery and she put her Trust in him. Like Propheter she has never regretted it. Quot when i woke up after losing my breast i Felt like a survivor Quot said Green a nurse who counsels cancer patients. Quot that does not mean i was in denial about what i d been through. That was not the breast i had. I will always Grieve that breast. But it looked pretty  surgeons Are often unaware of How important reconstruction can be to a woman s recovery from cancer Green said. One woman she knows asked her doctor about reconstruction Only to be told that Quot women should just put their bras Back on and get on with  she knows Only one woman who had serious implant related problems that woman s condition improved after her implants were removed. Green is intrigued and worried about reports of serious health problems. She desperately wants the facts. Quot it s not fair to put out scare tactics and not Back that up Quot Green said. Quot i gave up my natural breast to save my life. It makes no sense to me to put in an implant to endanger my life. I am looking for information and i am not seeing that presented Quot soon after Brenda Friday had her cancerous right breast removed and reconstructed two years ago she began suffering from joint pain swelling and rashes. She had difficulty walking and her hands stiffened so severely that she could t turn a Doorknob. Her plastic surgeon told her the symptoms were related to her chemotherapy. Her oncologist told her he had never seen anything like them. Quot i discovered that i could find out More about a tire to put on my car and the safety and risks associated with that product than i could about any implant Quot said Friday 31. When she finally was Given the package insert that came with her polyurethane coated implant she Learned that it should not be placed in an ulcerated area that has had major surgery or history of breast tutors she confronted her doctor. Quot the manufacturer is Only required to inform the user of the risks and complications of this product Quot he said Quot you re not the user a you re just the  Naomi Woods was just a woman trying to be the Best she could be when her sister in Law a Happy augmentation patient talked her into buying a new figure instead of a new car Woods attractive proportions could be absolutely perfect her sister in Law said. Quot i asked the doctor what Are the chances of a leak a busted implant a deflated breast he said of none. Implants Are very Safe i was led to believe the Only thing that could happen to me was hardening of the breast Quot Woods said. Quot nobody Ever told me my breast was going to end up almost under my armpit. Nobody told me when i hug children it would Leel like two hard balls on  when it rained her joints screamed with pain her nipples burned. She could not sleep on her Side or stomach because the Rock hard tissue around the implant dug into her Chest like a Lump of Cement. Her surgeon recommended that she and her husband push Down hard on her implants an excruciating procedure that manufacturers now warn can cause rupture Quot this is like a passive death nobody is killing you but you re dying Quot said Woods who has considered suicide. Quot you go to doctors and at first they re very sympathetic but then they become puzzled on the one hand i m very sick but on the other hand there s no treatment. When there s no treatment they Don t want to hear about  last month Woods had her implants removed a a in be gone through hell and come Back Quot she said. Quot i would t wish this on my worst  newly widowed Ann Jeanne had loved being married and the singles world filled her with trepidation the implants helped her feel better about herself she was thrilled with the results Quot no one Ever told me there was anything going to be wrong with me except the possible hardening Quot Jeanne said. Quot i figured if that happened i could live with  she was unprepared for what did happen. Subtle symptoms at first aging kinds of things not the sorts of ailments to take to a plastic surgeon joint pain fatigue visual problems a breaking Down of her body. By 1987, she tottered when she walked. A neurologist diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis. Quot i can hardly walk. I walk with a Cane. And i receive regular treatments of steroids Quot Jeanne said. Quot it s just something i wish id never done. The plastic surgeons As far As in a concerned Are so guilty and so Money hungry. They should have never been allowed to get in that a position to say a prove us wrong they should have been there proving they were  after her implants were removed in september her doctor instructed her to enter his office through a door that bypassed the waiting room. She believes he wanted to prevent her from talking about her experience to other patients if this were god s will i could accept it Quot she said but this is the will of corporate America a a readers action Lin trip to fort Dix not required to ets it a have been informed through our Pac personnel and administration Center that a Soldier who wishes to remain in Europe after his ets expiration of term of service must return to fort Dix n j. At the government s expense to out process. After the out processing is completed the person must return to Europe at his or her own expense would it not be More Cost effective to give personnel and their families wishing to remain in Europe the Opportunity to ets at their european station please find out if this is really the Only procedure that can be used. Staff sgt. Richard a. Paris bad Hersfeldt Germany Enorman d. Angie chief retirement separation Branch personnel actions division 1st personnel come he Usa eur replies i appreciate the Opportunity to provide information regarding overseas separation the information the writer received was incorrect All soldiers who receive approval Lor overseas separation in accordance with Usa eur regulation 635-200 will be separated at present duty station to write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers a action line co the stars and stripes. Unit 29480, apoae09211 ail letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers