diabetes Peripheral Neuropathy Causes

[Guest allanopie]

Peripheral Neuropathy Causes

(Thanks Brenda)

Most of you have seen my postings on this Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) issue with Vietnam Veterans and the VA’s stand on this disorder as it relates to any of the toxic chemicals associated. That VA stand, being that diabetes is the only cause of the 10’s of thousands or more of Vietnam Era Veterans with PN, which of course is totally unscientific.

Vietnam Veterans are “hoping they get diagnosed with diabetes” so they can be compensated for their real crippling disorder; which is a sad statement indeed. Yet, I get those types of statements all the time. Give me diabetes so I can get covered for the actual crippling disorder that has me disabled. Not only that but there are other disabling issues associated as you will see that goes hand in hand with PN and its’ causes, completely void of a diabetic involvement.

Many dioxins cause autoimmune disorders that can also be associated with PN of varying degrees and type and/or types. No, it is not in the Veteran’s mind, as some doctors would have you believe.

One of the problems is the doctors of our nation have not been kept current on what our toxic chemicals (plural) legacy did to us in long-term (continuous) damages.

Nutritional problems at sub clinical levels or testing error is one of these issues that have gone neglected in national information.

Yes, I blame our government, the VA, the DOD, the VACEH, and the NAS/IOM.

One of the issues associated to dioxin damages in the effects of dioxin exposures is the uptake of essential vitamins and minerals. One of these is vitamin B-12.

Now I am not a cellular microbiologist. How the dioxin does what it does, or where it does what it does (liver or small intestines), or from some autoimmune disorder as part of that scenario is irrelevant as far as I am concerned. We do not need to know for example that the dioxin is causing or creating cell receptor blockage at the cell receptors in the small intestines that is slowly causing these issues as well as gastrointestinal issues. Only that the result is associated to the dioxin and/or Service in Vietnam in a toxic chemical environment. How it does it, I do not think one Vietnam Veteran or widow really cares about such things, nor should we; certainly above of our pay grade.

Dr. Birnbaum of the EPA: “Biochemical Effects: Dioxin causes a wide variety of changes in enzyme levels and causes biochemical effects. There has been some discussion about whether these changes represent adverse effects or just biological responses. I think many of them can be considered as biomarkers of the potential for other effects to happen. These changes in enzyme levels, including increases and decreases in the synthesis, leads to alteration in metabolism of both endogenous and foreign compounds. For example, it affects the way we handle glucose metabolism, induces cytochrome P4501A1 and P45OlA2 (detox enzymes), and regulation of other kinds of enzymatic activity.”

Do we really care how dioxin created one of these detox enzymes to become corrupted? I think the answer is no. We only care about the infinitesimal amount of different outcomes that will be produced by the cell corruption that can vary in each one of us.

What do we know?

The liver plays an important part in storing vitamins and converting them to usable essential vitamins and minerals. The liver is our toxic chemical filter.

The small intestines, especially the first two or three inches, are where most of the Vitamin B12 is cellular absorbed. The other issue is that is common with this small intestine damage, which seems to be common. If there is damage or blockage to the cell receptors in the first few inches, then there may be obvious Celia damage. These Celia are where the enzymes for milk digestion originate. Therefore, if you are a Vietnam Veteran that has developed a digestive problem for milk products, which also seems to be a common issue {and by the way that can wax and wane as to the reactions to dairy products} in our Veterans you may have a similar issue.

Some of these issues are caused by lymphocytes that are the same lymphocytes associated to the already presumptive lymphoma cancers. We can have lymphoma cancers but not the lymphocytes associated to autoimmune neuropathy that have not yet become malignant or a form of lymphoma cancers. {Not very scientific - nor plausible.}

Anyway, here is an article sent to me by one of our Veteran wives that is constantly on the look out for such medical pronouncements and I appreciate it so much.

I would add to the below article that symptoms also not only vary but do not seem to have any “order of precedence” in the order of manifestation - within the disorder.

Symptoms vary tremendously:

One of the problems B-12 deficient people can develop is Peripheral Neuropathy (PN). However, when B-12 deficiency is not eliminated while damage is minor, the spinal cord is commonly damaged. Eventually, if still untreated, irreversible damage to the spinal cord and other parts of the central nervous system is likely to result, and the patient may die of heart failure and/or with Alzheimer's-like symptoms. A small number show dementia or even psychosis early.

Here are SOME of the symptoms (from the Goldman: Cecil textbook, page 865) that sometimes occur due to B-12 deficiency. As the writer notes, the fact that other symptoms occur, or the fact that these do not, does not rule out B12 deficiency damage. The variety of symptoms and damage is remarkable.

My added legend:

XXXXX = Those physical disorders I have found prevalent and common not only in toxic chemical worker studies going back to the 1940’s but also in our Vietnam Veterans.

XXXXX = Those mental disorders I have found prevalent and common not only in toxic chemical worker studies going back to the 1940’s but also in our Vietnam Veterans.

TABLE 163-4 -- NEUROPSYCHIATRIC ABNORMALITIES * THAT MAY BE CAUSED BY COBALAMIN DEFICIENCY

Paresthesia

Depression

Impaired vibration sense

Paranoia

Impaired position sense

Listlessness

Impaired touch or pain perception

Acute confusional state

Ataxia

Hallucinations

Abnormal gait

Delusions

Fatigue Insomnia

Memory loss

Apprehensiveness

Disorientation

Psychosis

Obtundation (A dulled or reduced level of alertness or consciousness.)

Slow mentation

Decreased reflexes

Paraphrenia (A disorder similar to paranoid schizophrenia)

Weakness

Mania

Decreased muscle strength

Panic attacks

Romberg's sign

Personality change

Increased reflexes

Suicide

Spasticity

Babinski's sign (A positive Babinski's sign is indicative of an upper motor neuron lesion affecting the lower extremity in question.

Lhermitte's sign (Flexing of the neck produces electric shock-like sensations that extend down the spine and shoot into the limbs.)

Urinary or fecal incontinence

Urinary urgency or nocturia

Impotence

Abnormal smell or taste

Decreased vision or optic atrophy

*These abnormalities may be present in any number or combination in a given patient. They are seen frequently with or without any of the hematologic or other abnormalities listed in Table 163-3.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency, whether related to nutritional or gastrointestinal disorders, remains an important cause of neurologic complaints. The deficiency may present with a variety of manifestations, including effects on any aspect of the nervous system.

Diagnostic:

Unfortunately, VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY MAY PRESENT A DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGE in that SERUM COBALAMIN LEVELS MAY BE NORMAL. Thus, THE DETECTION OF METHYLMALONIC ACID [MMA] MAY ADD SENSITIVITY TO THE DIAGNOSIS.

Haas and collaborators [8] evaluated cobalamin and MMA levels in patients with a neurologic cobalamin deficiency syndrome. Both levels were measured in 37 patients before replacement treatment. In all, 34 patients (91.9%) had normal cobalamin levels (> 200) and 44.7% had levels > 300. Of the 34 patients with normal cobalamin levels, 26 (76.5%) had abnormal, elevated MMA (> 243 nmol/L). Another study by Rao and colleagues [9] showed that MMA was of especially high yield in patients with cobalamin levels below 300.

THESE STUDIES UNDERSCORE THE NEED TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF COBALAMIN DEFICIENCY AND THE SENSITIVITY ADDED BY MEASURING MMA.

Kelley

Source: http

://www.2ndbattalion94thartillery.com/C...peripheral.htm

[john999]

Allan

That is exactly how I had my PN service-connected was through DMII. I think the PN predated the DMII but I pushed hard to get the PN and DMII connected since I am a Vietnam vet. It was difficult to say the least.

[Guest allanopie]

here's another fwd on PN John,

allan

********************************************************************************

Hi to all,

This e-mail is also posted at http://www.2ndbattalion94thartillery.com/Chas/morePN.htm

Here is a link to a 1st Cav Combat Veteran that was also duped by the VA published "less than truthful presumptions" on Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) as many of us Veterans have been taken in. I would like to think the VA also misled Congress but I reserve judgment on if they were actually duped or actually participated in "the duping" of our Veterans.

http://www.1stcavmedic.com/agent_orange.html

Notice his remarks about the fact he was also misled. Moreover, the cost of PN must have been considered since the less than truthful VA put first a 10-year proposal and then a one-year after Vietnam to manifestation.

"There must have been a significant number of veterans out there suffering from peripheral neuropathy for the VA to cut the manifestation time period down to one year."

I think we all know by now it is all about the VA budget control money, not the scientific and statistical facts.

This is one of the issues I tried to fix in DC. When I indicated this was VA exclusion, I was told it was congress that did the dastardly deed in proposing a 10-year exclusion and then going to a one-year exclusion. In which my comment was, why not a 678 and one half day exclusion, which makes about as much sense. In fact, I have letters of some scientists addressing this issue with the proposed time gate that were addressed to Secretary Derwinski not congress.

The issue of dioxin reentering the blood stream from cell attachment later on in life possibly from his wound. Although, this soldier was worried about the injury being a cause. When it might very well have been the shock from the accident. Not mental shock but the actual physical shock he might well have sustained during the accident.

Some scientists, including one on the presidents Gulf War council, have put forth that yes it is possible for the cell attached toxic chemicals to reenter the blood stream and travel upon extreme physical activity or shock.

We must remember that unlike some toxic chemicals that are expulsed from the body in nails, skin, hair and such. Dioxin remains to some levels in the body attached to more lipid cells, which can in fact be the central nervous system.

While this Combat Soldier is trying to get at the proposed gate to meet the requirements. The bottom line is there should be no gate for this, in some cases, crippling disorder and I might add painful 24 hours a day 7 days a week and can be very painful at times.

The sad part about this sick VA and/or Congressional ruse is the Vietnam Veteran is now saying, "I cannot wait until I develop diabetes so I can be compensated for my real toxic chemical disability."

Sad state of Veteran Affairs to say the least.

Kelley

[Pete53]

I have been using a new med for neuropthy called Lyrica at 50 mg x 3 a day with some very good results. It has taken away the pain and most of the numbness and stinging. As I understand it is an expensive new version of gabapentin or neurontin. It is also called pregabalin. When I run out of the sample I have a decision to make as it is not on my formulary and costs about 200 bucks a month.

[john999]

Peter

Would medicare part D pay for the new drug?

[Pete53]

Peter

Would medicare part D pay for the new drug?

I have Medicare Part D and that would be the cost I already checked.

[john999]

$200 a month is way too much when I bet the drug is produced for a few pennies. I understand about the payback for the research but a lot of that research is funded by taxpayers. I guess the VA does not want to pay for a new and expensive drug.