4 Ways To Find Military Exposures A O/ G W S

[pacmanx1]

Years ago when I was doing my own research on my medical health, I contacted the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for as much information they could help me with and this is what they sent me. I was just cleaning my PC and thought that this may help other veterans. Of course there is a lot more on the site but I think this is a good start.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/vaccinations-medications.asp

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/sources/vaccinations.asp

Hope this helps

Edited February 15, 2015 by pacmanx1

[camidonHP]

Not trying to sound ungrateful, these are excellent posts with grand research. In my case, I've had more exposure being a tank rat with my Air Force federal employee career. However, in Iraq I and others were breathing in that burn pit smoke for at least 9 months. Trying to find a doc to put it in medical terms with the bridge to tie it to service has been an insanely difficult task. In my particular case I believe it's a combination of both, however, skin exposure to jet fuel I totally feel and believe that would be more likely to be related to my time as a kc135 tank rat. Unfortunately in DOL there is no benefit of doubt.

I will defend definitely look at those. Both my hand and ITP claims are headed to DC. Might be fun, and maybe it will time out to be in DC for both my appeals. VA and DOL. Haven't seen the White House in quite a few years.

Also look at smoke from Oil Well fires. Burn pits and oil well smoke, especially in combination, are like the perfect storm of chemical exposures. I mean, there's just so many chemicals that are plainly harmful to so many systems, from TCDD (the Agent Orange contaminant) to vinyl chloride. I mean, there's just so many.

Not exactly sure on what you're trying to get service connected, but as far as hypothyroidism:

-Sometimes, the closest cohort to study with regards to burn pit exposure are firefighters, as burning household good are supposedly what's burning in burn pits (I'm sure in reality, there's way more toxic stuff in burn pits.) This study found a nearly two-fold increase in the incidence in thyroid cancers in firefighters. Same researcher, this time studying cause of death of the firefighters found a nearly five-fold increase in deaths from thyroid cancer than what we'd expect.

Benzenes are shown to be toxic to the thyroid.

You could also try and connect your thyroid problems with PTSD. There have been studies that show a high correlation between PTSD and thyroid dysfunction.

Edited June 16, 2015 by camidonHP

[camidonHP]

My opinion has been that the culprit is TCP from my limited research. It is heavily present in hydros, it is also in pesticides and I believe has been indicated in both AO and GWI and I see no possible scenario where it was not present in the burn pits we both got "used to" during our time there. Here is the problem I keep running into though, stated on MSDSs and here directly quoted from the UN report: "There is no direct information on absorption via the inhalation route." Herein lies a problem for vets trying to claim burn pit issues. My opinion of the reality of the burn pit registry? We are the test group because...(Again, UN report quote) "There is wide interspecies variability for the various toxic end-points (e.g., acute lethality, delayed neurotoxicity) of TOCP exposure..."

In reality, they don't know and by not knowing and not giving benefit of the doubt they have made themselves inculpable. I am fortunate (I guess), in that I had diagnostics done for many nerve issues on AD and they are all in my SMRs. I am expecting the government to be in a position where they cannot try and force an impractical Nexus. That seems to be their #1 way to screw people out of their disability awards for issues like ours. If I had gotten out when they wanted to medically retire me, I would be in a bad place with a lot of difficulty proving connections, like you, and if I come across anything I think may help, I will share it. I feel they know more than they let on (I believe there is a similar thread thru AO/GWI/Burn pits, etc and we are the confirming or refuting data that will be used by doctors and scientists in the future to prove or disprove varied lofty hypotheses, mostly to the betterment and defense of corporate enterprises and not individuals. But, heck, what do I know? It's probably just the PTSD, right? It's not like there is a long history of these things happening, even predating the industrial revolution. Man, I sound like some conspiracy theorist!

I honestly don't know enough about TCP to be able to state for sure, but I plan on doing some research on it now that you've brought it to my attention. As far as a common thread between AO and Burn pits, there is definitely evidence that there was/is TCDD (the dioxin contaminant found in AO) in burn pit smoke as well.

I think the VA tends to pick and choose which data they use to make decisions, or else maybe use a magic 8 ball of some sort. They don't acknowledge salivary gland cancers as being caused by AO, but yet there are studies showing that vets exposed to agent orange had seven times higher risk of salivary cancers than would normally be expected.

I'm really sorry you're going through such hardship. I can't believe how difficult they make this process on vets.

[TALON II FE]

Well, the majority probably don't know how bad it is, the VA I mean. I can honestly say that I figured "my case" is different from "others" because I have most tracked in my SMRs, that maybe people weren't getting help because they were not well connected to AD. I now believe that doesn't matter. It is truly a broken system. I am humbled and ashamed that I felt this way. I feel like humpty dumpty and they can't put me back together again.

I am stressed, frustrated, in pain and I am on day 3 of a non-migraine headache, so I am going to "bow out" for now so my family isn't dealing with me rampaging around the house; they don't deserve it. As I do more "research, I will post what I find on this thread so it is available. With these factors that do not affect the general population, the best source of knowledge we have for now is each other. Thanks for the links, I will review them when I can.

[john999]

I can tell you that if you were to report symptoms of PN for example before you have a dx of DMII due to AO exposure the VA will say that since your PN proceeded your DMII dx then your PN is due to unknown causes. I had this problem because I complained about my upper PN before I had definite DX of DMII due to AO exposure. We are not talking years but months and the VA at first denied my claim for upper PN but granted it for lower PN because I complained about numbness and pain after I was granted SC for DMII due to AO exposure. I had an AO Registry Exam in 2000. It was really a good exam. The doctor said I had three AO conditions. The VA did not like what he said about AO victims because he was gone within months. He said all my nerves from my hands to my neck were affected by my exposure to AO. He said my glucose levels were abnormally high, but did not use the work DMII. That hurt me. The VA held off as long as possible in saying I had DMII. When they finally had to admit it I then filed for PN and for hardening of the arteries which they dx'ed as CAD. I got SC'ed for that before it would stand on its own for AO exposure. All I need now is PD, some kind of blood cancer and being blind( secondary to DMI) and I will be hitting a thousand for AO damage.

The VA claims its doctors are specially suited to take care of vets, 99% of your PCP's don't know anything about AO and the other 1% don't believe AO causes anything to hurt humans. These doctors don't pick up on PTSD symptoms unless you fit every criteria for PTSD and tell them you are seeing Vietcong or Iraqis hiding under your bed.