Joe Boom

Hello my fellow veterans, I am trying to conduct a survey as to how many Gulf War veterans have tested positive for Mycoplasmas. The survey at this time will be limited to the first Gulf War veterans (pre 9/11 vets) that tested positive or may not even no that they may have the Mycoplasmas in their system. I have not figured out how to conduct the survey yet but I will be open to any suggestions and responses to see how this all pans out. Back in the mid 1990's the VA conducted Study #475 at Hines Hospital in Illinois. I was one of upwards of 1000 veterans that tested positive for one or more of the Mycoplasma species. I tested positive for three Mycoplasma species. After that I was allowed to participate in the double blind study by either taking a placebo or a Doxycycline medication that was supposed to eradicate the mycoplasmas. However a report was generated from the Annals of Internal Medicine stated later in its findings that the doxycycline medication did nothing to eradicate the mycoplasmas. (See Link for the full 15 page report http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=717633). So I went to my VA in 2008 and asked them if they would retest me to see if they were still in my system. The VA doctor initially refused me and wrote in his notes that I walked out of the consult. I did walk out after he refused to provide the service I requested. There was no point arguing with him, he made up his mind that I did not need to be tested. I am currently trying to get retested by the VA after working with patient advocacy at the VA hospital that I belong. As of this writing the VA has made me do all the leg work. Telling me that I need to order the test results from the original hospital that ran the survey and that I need to find out what lab they used ETC. However can't the doctor order those tests and find out what labs conduct the required tests? Either way I am no closer to getting tested again then I was back in 2008. And here is the kicker. I have a claim pending in Appeal in Remand at the Chicago Regional Office waiting since 2011 since it was kicked back from the BVA because the VARO sent my C file to the BVA incomplete Surprise, surprise.This is a whole other story. More to come. Joe Boom