| Gulf War Illness Article | |
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RESOURCES - Lupus Foundation of America, 202-349-1155; www.lupus.org - Lupus Foundation, Greater Florida Chapter, 800-684-9276; www.lupusflorida.org - Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America, 704-365-2343; www.cfids.org - Gulf War Veterans Resource Pages, www.gulfweb.org - Department of Veterans Affairs, www1.va.gov/gulfwar |
PIERRE DUCHARME/THE LEDGER Bobby George, a Gulf War veteran, sits with his dog Milo at home near Auburndale recently. George suffers from Gulf War Illness. <<BACK |
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Published Monday, April 2, 2007 Gulf War Veterans' Time Leaves Lasting Impact on Their Health By Gary White
George, an Auburndale resident, says he was a healthy man when he headed to Saudi Arabia in 1990 as a member of the Florida National Guard's 325th Maintenance Company. Upon his return 10 months later, George's body began breaking down. Now 57, the former runner and karate instructor has been confined to a wheelchair for years as a result of myopathy, a condition that makes his legs weak and rubbery. He also has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, forcing him to use a respirator. George's lungs are so sensitive he can't even bear to wear aftershave, and he hasn't been able to work in years. George ascribes his many medical problems to Gulf War Illness, sometimes called Gulf War Syndrome, the names for an array of ailments reported by veterans of the first Gulf War. George and several other Polk County residents in the Lake Wales-based 325th Mai ntenance Company served during Operation Desert Storm, the military name for the action directed against Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Gulf War Illness has been a source of controversy since shortly after the 700,000 servicemen and women started returning from the Middle East more than 15 years ago. Their medical complaints range from breathing problems, dizziness, fatigue and joint pain to Lou Gehrig's disease and cancer. Federally funded studies have found a 150 percent higher rate of illnesses among Gulf War veterans than soldiers not deployed, but the latest Institute of Medicine report found no evidence of a cluster of particular symptoms unique to those who served in the Persian Gulf. George, a former mechanic at a hospital, blames his health decline on several experiences in the Persian Gulf. Shortly after its arrival, his unit was assigned to paint military vehicles a sandy color to match the desert conditions. George and fellow guardsmen say they were not given the necessary protection against breathing fumes from the carcinogenic paint. He also cited exposure to exploded chemical warheads on Iraqi missiles and to weapons detonated after they were discovered by American troops. Auburndale's Myron James, another member of the 325th, talked of passing oil wells set afire by Iraqis. James, now 49, described seeing the carcasses of sheep and camels, their deaths unexplained, during a mission in Saudi Arabia. Scott Harrison of Bartow, who also served with the unit, said he wonders about the pills the guard members were given at the start of their mission to protect them in case of chemical attacks. Harrison said he and many other guardsmen became lightheaded, dizzy and nauseated after taking the pills. The unit, like thousands of other troops, also received injections of anthrax vaccine. Some have blamed subsequent health problems on those vaccinations, though the military has denied such a connectio n. Whatever the causes, James and Harrison have endured medical travails since returning from the Persian Gulf. James is on 13 medications and requires a ventilator to help him breathe at night. He continues to work as a landscaper but worries his frequent medical absences could endanger his job. Harrison, now 42, said he began noticing physical problems soon after his return in 1991. He lists his ailments as asthma, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, joint and muscle pain, and recurrent bronchitis and flulike symptoms that interfere with his job as a certified nursing assistant. Like George, James and Harrison say they had no health problems before their time in the Persian Gulf. In addition to their physical ailments, all three men report psychological disturbances resulting from their service. Harrison said he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and endures flashbacks to a scud missile attack that occurred while he was on guard duty. James said he is subject to panic attacks. The Department of Defense acknowledges that members of the 325th Maintenance Company were exposed to hazardous paint known as CARC (chemical agent resistant coating) without proper protective gear. "CARC paint is a unique situation," said Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, deputy director for Force Health Protection and Readiness for the Department of Defense (DOD). "It certainly was an occupational exposure, and individuals of that 325th Unit have been identified and I think if they were to show up at a VA (clinic) … with medical problems the response should be very supportive for them because they rushed to do a job without the proper protection." George, James and Harrison say they have had difficulties getting the military to recognize their medical woes. George said he was denied service-related disability payments through the Army for four years. George and other veterans say they had to go outside t he system to get confirmation of their ailments from private doctors. Harrison, for example, said it took 12 years before the VA determined his medical ills were related to his service. "I didn't really get a lot of help from the VA in the beginning," Harrison said. "They said there was nothing there. That's when I had to go outside to a non-VA doctor to get proof. … It makes it harder. You're feeling isolated and alone, that nobody cares and I'm just in the world by myself trying to work through this problem." Another member of the 325th, Bill Carpenter of Frostproof, has endured problems with breathing, muscle function and memory loss since returning from the Gulf. He worked for a while with the Desert Storm Justice Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocated for veterans with health problems and now works informally to help fellow vets pursue VA claims. The group has since been dissolved. George now keeps himself occupied communicating with other v ets by phone or on the computer and puttering around in his shed. He said he has given up hope of ever getting out of his wheelchair, let alone running or practicing karate again. "I won't walk again until they get the chemicals
out of my system, which won't happen," George said. "It still
gets to me sometimes." [edit] Accepted Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a form of encephalitis caused by an autoimmune reaction and typically occurring a few days or weeks after a viral infection or a vaccination. Addison's disease is often caused by autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex. Ankylosing spondylitisis a chronic, painful, progressive inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting spine and sacroiliac joints, causing eventual fusion of the spine. Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) affects the blood-clotting process. It causes blood clots to form in veins and/or arteries. Aplastic anemia is often caused by an autoimmune attack on the bone marrow. Autoimmune hepatitis is a disorder wherein the liver is the target of the body's own immune system. Coeliac disease is a disease characterized by chronic i nflammation of the proximal portion of the small intestine caused by exposure to certain dietary gluten proteins. Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. Major symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhea. Diabetes mellitus, when it is characterized by a deficiency or absence of insulin production (Type I), is often the consequence of an autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing beta cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. Goodpasture's syndrome is a disease characterised by rapid destruction of the kidneys and haemorrhaging of the lungs through autoimmune reaction against an antigen found in both organs. Graves' disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism, and is caused by anti-thyroid antibodies that have the effect of stimulating (agonist) the thyroid into overproduction of thyroid hormone. Guil lain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acquired
immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system
(i.e., not the brain and spinal column). It is also called acute inflammatory
Hashimoto's disease is a common form of hypothyroidism,
characterised by initial inflammation of the thyroid, and, later, dysfunction
and goiter. There are several characteristic antibodies (e.g., anti- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is an autoimmune disease where the body produces anti-platelet antibodies resulting in a low platelet count Kawasaki's Disease is often caused by an autoimmune attack on the arteries around the heart. Lupus erythematosus is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disease wherein the immune system, for unknown reasons, becomes hyperactive and attacks normal tissue. This attack results in inflammation and brings about symptoms. This is a "Non-organ-specific" type of autoimmune disease. Multiple sclerosis is a disorder of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) characterised by decreased nerve function due to myelin loss and secondary axonal damage. Myasthenia gravis is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission
leading to fluctuating weakness and fatigue. Weakness is caused by circulating
antibodies that block (Receptor_antagonist) acetylcholine Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve that may cause a complete or partial loss of vision. Ord's thyroiditis is a thyroiditis similar to Hashimoto's disease, except that the thyroid is reduced in size. In Europe, this form of thyroid inflammation is more common than Hashimoto's disease. Pemphigus is an autoimmune disorder that causes blistering and raw sores on skin and mucous membranes. Pernicious Anaemia is an autoimmune disorder characterised by anaemia due to malabsorption of vitamin B12 Polyarthritis in dogs is an immune reaction severely affecting the joints of dogs. Although rare and of unknown cause it can render a dog immobile even at a very young age. Treatment includes cortisone- type drugs. Primary biliary cirrhosis appears to be an autoimmune
disease that affects the biliary epithelial cells (BECs) of the small
bile duct in the liver. Although the cause is yet to be determined, most
of the Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body's immune system to attack the bone joints. Reiter's syndrome seems to be an autoimmune attack on various body systems in response to a bacterial infection and the body's confusion over the HLA-B27 marker. gren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells attack and destroy the exocrine glands that produce tears and saliva. Takayasu's arteritis is a disorder that results in the narrowing of the lumen of arteries. Temporal arteritis (also known as "giant cell arteritis")
is an inflammation of blood vessels, most commonly the large and medium
arteries of the head. Untreated, the disorder can lead to significant
Wegener's granulomatosis is a form of vasculitis that affects the lungs, kidneys and other organs. [edit] Suspected Diseases suspected to be linked to autoimmunity are: Alopecia universalis is a suspected autoimmune disease in which the body's white blood cells attack hair and result in total baldness. Behçet's disease exact cause is unknown in this multi-system condition, where the immune system, predominantly overactive, produces inflammation in bodily tissues, primarily causing vasculitis Chagas' disease in the chronic phase is believed to result
from homology of a T. cruzi antigen to body tissue, resulting in a delayed
autoimmune reaction leading to Chagasic cardiopathy (cardiomegaly), Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disorder whose primary symptom
is usually intense fatigue. Though the syndrome likely has multiple causes,
some maintain that autoimmune damage to the brain stem is the Dysautonomia is a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, including such disorders as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Though dysautonomia appears to have multiple causes, post- viral autoimmune damage appears to be a frequent cause. Endometriosis is a common medical condition wherein the
tissue lining the uterus (endometrium) is found outside of the uterus,
typically affecting other organs in the pelvis. The condition can lead
to Hidradenitis suppurativa is a rare skin disease in which apocrine sweat glands become severely inflamed. Researches have found an improvement in case studies with Remicade and other biologics. Interstitial cystiti s is a urinary bladder disease characterised
by any of the following symptoms, though symptoms vary greatly from patient
to patient: pelvic pain, urinary frequency (as often as every Lyme Disease Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia
burgdorferi and is Neuromyotonia i s spontaneous muscular activity resulting
from repetitive motor unit action potentials of peripheral origin. It
develops as a result of both acquired and hereditary diseases. The Psoriasis is a skin disorder in which rapidly-multiplying skin cells produce itchy, scaly inflamed patches on the skin. Sarcoidosis is a disease wherein granulomas can form anywhere in the body but particularly in the lungs. Schizophrenia is a mental disease characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality and by significant social or occupational dysfunction. [6] [7] [8] Scleroderma is a chronic disease characterized by excessive
deposits of collagen. Progressive systemic scleroderma, the serious type
of the disease, can be fatal. The local type of the disease is not Ulcerative colitis is an in flammatory disease of the
bowel that usually affects the distal end of the large intestine and rectum.
It has no known cause, although there is a genetic component to Vitiligo is the spontaneous loss of pigment from areas
of skin. The pigment-free areas have few or no melanocytes. Researchers
have detected anti-melanocyte antibodies in some cases of vitiligo, so
it Vulvodynia is used to describe pain in the vulva, often severe, of unknown cause. "Vulvar vestibulitis" is a related term. [edit] Reference Aaseng, Nathan; Franklin Watts Library Edition: Autoimmune Disease ISBN 0-531-12553-X
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