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This topic I have started is for those of us that do not fit their A-Typical description of who is supposed to be infected with this problem no matter what u choose to call it Gulf War Syndrome, Gulf War Illness, Chronic Multi-symptom Illness or just plain F.U.B.A.R.ed..... I for instance wasnt deployed to the Theater until 97. I am still considered in the original classification. I was in the Air Force stationed in Germany and was deployed to Prince Al-Karsch Airbase in Saudi. Not near any of the suspected contamination sites and nothing for many many miles. I was 1 of 3 in my shop to show immediate symptoms, which was Fuels, of a total of I think 20-30 persons which I only know of I think 5 that were deployed to this base within the 2 years I was stationed in Germany. I elected to get the then optional but recommended shot for Anthrax I cant speak as for the other 2 one was A1C Tatum the 3rd member I cant remember the name of but have his face burned into my memory. Tatum a healthy African American came back and within no time had patches of white skim all over his uncovered skin (hands and face) the other guy was white and had the reverse. I within 3 weeks of arriving on station went to work with w scratchy throat one morning and by that evening had a lump the size of a gulf ball in the place of my Thyroid which had begun to make it difficult to breathe, I was told I was mistaken that the lump protruding from my throat was there all alone prior to my deployment and would have taken weeks-months to develop to such a stage (it took a staff of I believe no less than 5 Dr. to make this discovery as each time they increased in rank. You would think it would have been questioned at the flight physical that I for some unexplained reason was requested to have done even though I was not in a job where I would be placed on flight status. Anyway they immediately removed me from the duty roster and told to take it easy for a few days. The following morning I was awoken by a SSGT to tell me to get ready to be evacuated out as the medivac was somehow 2 days early and could take me now strait to Laundschtuel Med hosp. G.E.. To try to abreviate this already too long story after 2 months and several attempts to figure out where and what this was and remove it (some rather painful) they finally removed it surgically and sent it in for a Biopsy which was supposed to take 2 weeks ended up taking 2+ months for them to say it was benign claiming that specimens were lost or inconclusive or one reason or another. It took about 5 years before my other symptoms started to develop which so far I am matched to everyone of the primary conditions.
My situation brings to light the lack of exposure to DU unless inhaled from the barrel of an A10 or splitting open of my head by a U2 in theater. Also I didnt take any Pyrogestamine Tabs nor did I ever leave the base it was simply a couple of weeks of exposure to Fuels, Anthrax Vaccine (ONLY 1)as well as all the other typical vac. relative to service, and the area area I was deployed to same sands air etc. The timing of this is also key or I believe they had just made the Anthrax shot optional due to all the debate around it and in such a small shop to have 3 with immediate symptoms seems high even though I dont know the ratio of served members to current ill Vets. Anyone has any questions to narrow this down I would be more than happy to answer them. I hope we get several others who might be able to share their exposures or lack there of to try to help.
[ March 23, 2010, 03:05 AM: Message edited by: GWI Guy ]
Posts: 131 | From: Kansas | Registered: Dec 2006
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Everyone must know that just the vaccines alone are a possible cause of some health problems in veterans. I had a doctor tell me that just with the smallpox vaccine i recieved in the army in 1990 had statistics like this; 1 in every 10,000 vaccinated will have an adverse reaction which could cause life long consequences 1 in every 100,000 could be a fatality
I am sure there are stats similar for every vaccine
my great aunt recieved a pneumonia vaccine back in Nov. 09 and was paralized the next day she regained mobility but had to relearn to write, walk, etc... but as she is 78 it is very hard on her. For those that was exposed only to vaccines I would research this area extensivly as to what are the stats. I am sure i recieved the anthrax plague and another vaccine before deployment for Desert Storm but none are in my records and I am listed as being at the khamisiyah demolition so that is my only link-though I am not so sure the shots wasn't a cause. I had a bad reaction to the smallpox vacine in Basic and ran fever and had my arm, shoulder and under my arm half way down my side swollen and red for a week but did not go on sick call as i was afraid to be recycoled. so that reaction was not documented. Keith
Posts: 546 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jul 2005
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GWI Guy, Please contact Dr. Meryl Nass, Bar Harbor, Maine. I am a patient of hers. I also served on a commission in the State of Maine with her when I resided there. She is knowledgeable about the vaccine and has treated many veterans that suspect the anthrax vaccine made them sick. She might be interested in your thyroid issue, or have had other patients that experienced the same. In any regard, you will not feel alone if you contact her.
I personally handled over 800 VAERs reports. These are the reports that get filed when someone has a reaction to a vaccine, with the CDC and the FDA. In the first 50 alone, more than a dozen serious disablements. This is very real.
I don't know if you made a joking reference to the A10 gun - but I was also in an A10 squadron and the guys from the gun and engine shops are by far the most ill from my previous command.
There are many, many ill from my former command, but so many dispersed after deployment it is hard to know exactly how many of us there now are. I was the engine manager and there were 6 "mental health" discharges from the engine shop alone when we got back. This was an 18 man shop, and I knew these guys well, for years before we got sick - it just doesn't make sense. Now they are stoned on narcotics and disabled. Very sad.
I too had a severe reaction within 24 hours, it was jab three. BUT - I do wonder about DU, we did use the rounds, and the fanblades in the engines would be caked with gun cresote???? I just can't imagine we totally escaped exposure.
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I was in theater in '92 and '94 and floated offshore the whole time. I handled 20mm DU rounds every day and picked up discarded sabots after every live fire event. I took the malaria pills, got the antrax shot and breathed in fumes from fuel exchanges (JP5 and what ever the choppers onboard used). My symptoms developed slowly over a ten year period then exploded in 2005. I know there are lots of possible causes and that each one can have different effects on each individual. I believe it is the very nature of those differing reactions that makes all of this so easy for the DoD and VA to deny. Its too complicated and the connections are too difficult for most folks to see. The only reason they can't ignore us completely is that SO many of us are sick, SO many of us have complained, and SO many of us are continuing to pursue outside documentation for the same variety of reactions and causes. Maybe we'll never get one solid answer, but we all have to keep the pressure on or the suits and top brass that are hiding on the golf courses, sipping mai tais and smiling about how great life is will keep doing this (intentionally or not) to anyone who puts on the uniform and swears the oath.
Posts: 239 | From: Ottumwa, Iowa | Registered: Jun 2006
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