Gulf War Syndrome is real!! (IOM had denied it for years)

[Guest guest]

Gulf War Syndrome is real, science panel concludes

By Engel and H. Maugh II

Los Angeles Times

Article Launched: 11/17/2008 06:49:33 PM PST

A congressionally mandated scientific panel has concluded that Gulf War syndrome

is real and still afflicts nearly one-quarter of the 700,000 U.S. troops who

served in the 1991 conflict, according to a report released Monday.

 The report broke with most earlier studies by concluding that two chemical

exposures were direct causes of the disorder: the drug pyridostigmine bromide,

given to troops to protect against nerve gas, and pesticides that were used —

and often overused — to protect against sand flies and other pests.

 

" The extensive body of scientific research now available consistently indicates

that Gulf War illness is real, that it is a result of neurotoxic exposures

during Gulf War deployment, and that few veterans have recovered or

substantially improved with time, " according to the 450-page report presented to

U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Peake.

 

The report bolstered the hopes of thousands of U.S. and allied veterans who have

struggled to have their varied neurological symptoms, including memory loss,

concentration problems, rashes and widespread pain, recognized by the

government.

 

" I've had vets go to ... (Veterans Affairs) and be turned away and told that

this is something that doesn't exist, " said Schwertfager, vice president of

the National Gulf War Resource Center, a veterans advocacy group.

 

But some scientists were not convinced that the new report had found the

long-sought smoking gun.

 

" Even though we know that the Department of Defense did ship pesticides, it

doesn't mean that the people who were exposed to them were the ones who ended up

having symptoms, " said Dr. Lynn Goldman, a professor of environmental health

services at s Hopkins University in Baltimore who has worked on previous

reports on the illness. " We felt that there needed to be better records of where

people were, what they were exposed to and their prior health status going in. "

 

The new report is the product of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War

Veterans' Illnesses, which was chartered by Congress because many members felt

that veterans were not receiving adequate care. The 15-member committee

appointed in 2002 was made up of about two-thirds scientists and the rest

veterans.

 

Several reports had been issued by the prestigious Institute of Medicine, an arm

of the National Academy of Sciences, blaming stress and other unknown causes for

the soldiers' symptoms.

 

" There's something about going to the gulf and serving in the gulf that has

caused something bad and persistent and real, but we have not found any evidence

for a specific cause, " said Dr. Harold C. Sox, chairman of a 2000 institute

study and editor of the journal ls of Internal Medicine.

Veterans blame the institute's reports for the difficulties they've faced in

getting treatment.

 

" Everyone quotes the Institute of Medicine documents as meaning nothing's going

on here, " said a F. White, associate dean of research at the Boston

University School of Health and the congressional panel's scientific director.

" Some people feel that the IOM reports have been permission to ignore these

guys. "

 

The new report cites dozens of research studies that have identified " objective

biological measures " that distinguish veterans with the illness from healthy

controls.

 

The major causes of the disorder appear to be self-inflicted. Pyridostigmine

bromide was given to as many as half of the troops in the fear that the Iraqis

would unleash chemical warfare against them.

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_11008573

[Guest guest]

This is an interesting article, & thanks for posting it!

I was just talking to my (disabled) urologist yesterday, & he asked me if I'd be

open to the idea of helping out at the VA center in Cleveland.  Seems they're

doing a study (on vets and NON-vets like me), who are neurologically damaged

from the level of T -7 down.  My damage (from MOLD!) is at the level of  L 1-2. 

Anyway, I guess they're using a neuro stimulator of sorts, to study patients

like myself...and then, in turn, to help vets returning from active duty, who

are injured.  I look forward to helping with the study.....!!

 

Only thing is, I still have MANY health issues myself.  Because my spinal cord

is VERY damaged with transverse myelitis, I have NO bladder control, & my AUS

has now broken, after 10.5 yrs of use.  That has to be surgically reimplanted, &

that'll happen December 3rd.

 

Also, I'm just continuing to recover from breast cancer, & the resulting chemo &

hair loss, and the reconstruction.....it has NOT been a good year for me. 

 

Take care, all, & God bless.

From: <brianc8452@...>

Subject: [] Gulf War Syndrome is real!! (IOM had denied it for

years)

Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 4:03 AM

Gulf War Syndrome is real, science panel concludes

By Engel and H. Maugh II

Los Angeles Times

Article Launched: 11/17/2008 06:49:33 PM PST

[Guest guest]

, sorry to hear you are having such a rough year.  It's good to know

there are some doctors who understand and acknowledge the brain damage caused by

our exposures. 

________________________________

From: Frohna <vafrohna@...>

Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:42:31 AM

Subject: Re: [] Gulf War Syndrome is real!! (IOM had denied it for

years)

This is an interesting article, & thanks for posting it!

I was just talking to my (disabled) urologist yesterday, & he asked me if I'd be

open to the idea of helping out at the VA center in Cleveland.  Seems they're

doing a study (on vets and NON-vets like me), who are neurologically damaged

from the level of T -7 down.  My damage (from MOLD!) is at the level of  L

1-2..  Anyway, I guess they're using a neuro stimulator of sorts, to study

patients like myself...and then, in turn, to help vets returning from active

duty, who are injured.  I look forward to helping with the study.....!!

 

[Guest guest]

thanks, ....things HAVE to get better, though.  and yes, thank GOD there

are some docs who recognize all this damage!!  

 

take good care,

victoria

, sorry to hear you are having such a rough year.  It's good to know

there are some doctors who understand and acknowledge the brain damage caused by

our exposures. 

[Guest guest]

Has anybody tested GWS syndrome sufferers for Valley Fever or a

relative? Just wondering if they might be the same thing. Microbes,

spores, can be carried around the world by winds..

Tanks, etc, stir up a lot of dirt.

In the US, moto cross racers, archaeologists, residents of the endemic

areas, who live or work near construction or during windstorms, etc.

are at extreme risk for Valley Fever..

The endemic areas seem to be growing, too.