CHEST PAINS

Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 14:04:51

From: USSW

Date: Friday, 3 April 1998 00:12

Hi Walt,It occurred to me when I got your forwarded message from the gal who was looking for a remedy for her silicone related chest pains, that I had some ideas to offer. I sent her a nice letter telling her of the things that help me. Suddenly, it dawned on me that it might be something you could pass on to others. So, feel free to pass this on...

The FIRST thing I need to mention, is that this is, of course, my own remedy, and it works for me. It may not work for everyone. But, as Walt knows, I have suffered with these chest pains for over 10 years now. Out of desperation, and lack of any medically sound suggestions from any doctors, I set out to find something to help myself. I have NO medical background, I want to stress, therefore I only offer this as a suggestion. You should discuss this with your doctor, and get a professional opinion.

I'm a 46 year old silicone survivor, who had silicone implants for 15 years, that were found to have ruptures upon explantation 3 years ago. I still suffer with these pains, however, not as badly as I did years before.

First of all, the pain I have been experiencing, as you may already know, is inflammation within the chest wall, caused by exposure of the tissues to silicone. This is my understanding. I finally realized a few simple things, when no one seemed to have any answers:

Inflammation is helped by:

1.) ICE

2.) Anti-inflammatories, such as Advil, Motrin and Ibuprofen,

3.) By homeopathic tablets dissolved under the tongue, for inflammation.

These are 3 measures taken by me whenever the chest pains begin. The Homeopathic remedy I found is "FERRUM PHOS. 6x", which are tablets dissolved under the tongue. (These are prescribed for all forms of inflammation). Take these INSTANTLY, when you FIRST feel the pressure and pain begin. (The doseage for acute pain is 4 tablets every hour, according to the label. I tend to take them more frequently).

Also, I immediately take the equivalent of 4 Advils, (prescription would be better and easier on the liver, if you can get a prescription for 800 mg. Motrin). The ice, I have used at times, may be helping, I can't be sure. If you feel it helps, apply an ice bag to your chest, but not for extended periods, as I'm not sure how safe it is for the heart! I don't keep ice on my chest for more than 15 minutes at a time, and I use a towel or wet cloth

between the ice pack and my skin, just to give it a cooling affect, not ice cold. Someone feel free to correct me, if I am wrong about using ice in this way, or for this purpose.

I can't make any claims or guarantees about my regimen. Just that it seems to help me immensely. Generally, the pain subsides fairly soon and seems to be gone altogether within 45 minutes to an hour. The key is to start this IMMEDIATELY upon the FIRST sign of oncoming chest pains.

I did discuss this with my internal medicine dr., who seemed to find it interesting enough to ponder with me, and write down to possibly pass onto other silicone women. Discuss it with your doctor as well.

I was explanted 3 years ago and still suffer with these pains. They started to rear their ugly heads a few years after I got the implants, but I never made a correlation....neither did my doctors. By 1986, it had become a horror I lived with regularly. The attacks were so acute and so severe, I ended up unconscious at times, being taken the the E.R. by ambulance and paramedics, who saw fit to give me oxygen and morphine. The morphine didn't touch the pain. I guess what I needed was an anti-inflammatory med. After days of testing, each time, no one ever told me what was causing the pain or offered any "cure".

At their worst, it felt as if I was having a full blown heart attack... but I know now that it has to do with inflammation. Certainly, they aren't as severe now as they were then.

I was told my explanting surgeon that I had "nerve tumors", and she removed that she could. She told me that one of them had been the size of a pea, which she stressed was a very large nerve tumor. I believe these were caused by the inflammation from silicone, and that they caused the chest pains. My ussumption is, that as long as silicone is free in my chest wall, I will continue to have these chest pains

I now believe I can manage these pains on my own, and may live with them for a long time. No one else has offered me any type of remedy.

I have noticed that stress seems to bring them on, and being run

down. Try to notice those things, and you may be prepared for them. I won't leave home without my Ferr. Phos. and my ibuprofen.

I have seen the medical abstract on this. What we have is called

"Atypical Chest Pain Syndrome". Dr. Britta Ostermeyer Schoeb wrote it, along with others at Baylor. It really gives no advice for remedies.

I can't guarantee that we all suffer the same duration or type of pain I have experienced. If you know that pain that feels as if an elephant was standing on your chest, you have difficulty breathing, and nothing you do, lying down, sitting up, etc. works to relieve the pain, then we have a similar pain.

By the way, I forgot to mention that it was a cardiologist who

recommended the 800 mg. Motrin for the chest pains. This was years ago, before anyone could make any sense of what was wrong with me. He seemed to have no clue what was causing my pain, after running all sorts of cardiac tests on me, but somehow he knew it might help, and it did. Use your own judgement. Again, I stress I have no medical background.

Let me know if you have any success with this "home remedy" of mine. I'm praying you will, if you have suffered like I have.

Sincerely,

Rhonda in Florida