Gulf War Syndrome Forever

Gulf War Syndrome ForeverApril 3, 2009: Over two years ago, the American National Academy of Sciences (NAS), acting at the behest of Congress, completed its study of the "Gulf War Syndrome" and found that the condition does not exist. What does exist is a large number of illnesses resulting from Americans visiting an area containing many diseases and dangerous conditions that are unfamiliar to science and American medical practitioners.

Similar situations occurred every time U.S. troops went to exotic locales in the past. It happened during the Spanish-American War (1898) and World War II (for troops in the Pacific, North Africa, the Persian Gulf, India and so on.)

Research continues, because the region is rich in toxic materials (both natural and manmade). One of these recent efforts, after doing brain scans of 21 Gulf War vets with the Syndrome symptoms, found that there appeared to be brain activity changes as a result of exposure to three chemicals (Sarin nerve gas, insect repellent, and anti-nerve gas pills) in the Gulf. Some troops were exposed to very low levels of nerve gas, when shells containing the substance were destroyed.

The insect repellent was found in flea collars that some troops wore to deal with the sand fleas. The anti-nerve gas pills were given to most troops to counteract the effects of nerve gas (if they were exposed.) In various combinations, these three chemicals apparently an produce the most common Gulf War Syndrome symptoms. But this was a small sample, and it’s known that the Persian Gulf is full of nasty stuff.

Over thirty years ago, the Department of Defense did a medical study of the Persian Gulf area, as part of the effort to form a Rapid Reaction Force for possible intervention in the region. In addition to a large number of known diseases and potentially dangerous bacteria, there appeared to be a lot of unknown ailments out there.

Local medical personnel were treating a lot of diseases, never seen outside the Persian Gulf area, with whatever medicines they could get their hands on. Historians can point out a similar situation when U.S. troops went into North Africa and the Pacific during World War II.

While many of these local diseases are of academic interest back in the United States, little is done to develop cures or preventive measures. The treatments developed during war time are filed away. Many have since been hauled out of storage, as some American troops served in the Persian Gulf during World War II. Even though many Americans have been there since 1991, new ailments are constantly being discovered. The Persian Gulf area is not only rich in oil, but in disease as well.

The 2003 invasion of Iraq exposed more U.S. troops to this unhealthy climate, and generated more complaints about a "Gulf War Syndrome." The problem is that, when medical records are examined, no single disease or condition can be found. Instead there is the same, somewhat unpredictable, array of little know diseases. When several of these hit someone at once, they produce more unfamiliar conditions.

The "Gulf War Syndrome" controversy is driven largely by the media. Unfamiliar with the past history of such diseases, or simply unwilling to pay attention, editors and journalists instead go with unsubstantiated, but headline grabbing, inventions. There is a "Gulf War Syndrome", but it’s got more to do with bad journalism, than with medical mysteries.

RESPONSE TO ARTICLE BY DENSIE NICHOLS, RN

I suggest everyone ACT and make comments loud and clear

This is total and complete hog wash!  I am so very tired and not feelin well today.  The Brain Fog and fatigue is at a 10 today!
And to read this continual government denial of our illness just is infuriating!
 
Does the government not want to help Veterans that are ILL from multiple exposures?
I would rather have an injury like a leg amputation and then I could go up the mountain and ski like I always dreamed of doing if I got to ever live in Denver!  Yes all the disabled Veterans annual ski events.
 
I want to cry today and I am one tough lady former nurse officer, critical care nurse, flight nurse, combat nurse, university college of nursing prof.
 
There are people that treat poisoning and environmental exposures but VA has ZIP !!!!
They are practicing 60s medicine!
 
When you are exposured to toxic agents you need detoxification!  You need to really see the results of viral loads we are carrying, the hypercoagulation, the abnormal liver values that are NOT CAUSED by DRINKING but by damage by poisoning.
 
Vaccines started this mess and then it was like the avalanche with pb tabs, pesticides, sarin, DU, particulate material from oil fires, the sand itself………….and a witches brew!
 
The VA gives psychotrophics like candy but this will not help the illnesses the gulf war veterans have!
 
I read this article after I spent a large part of the day yesterday putting the obit report together yesterday!  DID you really look at the data for the month, did you read the obits….as I search out this data I have to weed through WWII, Korea, VN obits….and I shutter to look at the ages at which the gulf war veterans are dying!  The government/emperor has no damn clothes!
 
Do they have a brain in their heads?  Do they interview the family members how are the veterans of the Desert Storm OPS truly functioning?  And the GOVERNMENT Lies and Denial have destroyed family network and support!
 
How many DS vets do I know that tried to continue working and make a living.  The ones that turned to truck driving and their wives calling me to tell me how the hubby vet was ill and trying to push on!  Then they get disoriented and the wives then take to being their shotguns on the trips.  Do you understand that the exposures we had destroys good brain functioning…cognitive skills go down to stupid!  IQ measure prior to and after the war in 1990, darn college profs saw this in 91-92!
 
Do they think to take an arterial and venous blood gas simultaneously and look!!  WE have adequate oxygenation in arterial system but then when you look at Venous O2 it should show deoxygenation….well it doesn’t!!!  Our Oxygen is not able to get to where it needs to go and be used as normal!!!  Is not that a biomarker????
 
Also look at coagulation!!!  Hypercoagulation is a reality and tied into this lack of ability to utilize oxygen!   AHH another biomarker!!!!
 
WEll you but those two things together and yes you are going to complicate the neurological system and every other system in the body!
 
I ask you why haven’t they done complete viral panels, and venous oxygen levels, and coagulation workups.
 
AS A CRITICAL CARE CARDIAC NURSE I AM SCREAMING HELP US NOW!
 
Sorry today is just not a good day for me to be PC!!!  AND YES I WILL PUSH still!
MR CHAIRMAN CRAGIN words of getting on me for using the word PUSH I will never forget!  MR CRAGIN I hope when you need medical help you dont end up with Desert Storm Medical Professionals that know the truth to care for you! 

 

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Denise Nichols can be reached at [email protected]

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