fortheimperium2003
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Joined: Dec 2008
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Mon December 01, 2008 6:13 AM
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I was in 2nd ACR during Desert Storm, Spent most of my time in Dharan (Khobar Towers 'scud city'), with regular runs to the desert chasing down 2nd ACR running parts and supplies to the front. I had taken the Nerve Agent pills, and had the full barrage of shots before we left Germany. crawled in and out of iraqi equipment, and had to pull over numerous times to clean the windshield of my truck from all the soot from the oil fires. I would blow my nose and it would be black soot in my nose. Also, I was directly under more than a few scud explosions. we drove past herds of dead sheep and camels.
I got some really BAD intestinal problem while over there. Uncontrollable diarrhea, nausea, sweating, weakness, mild fever. This went on for about a week. Nobody could stand to be around me because my sweat smelled like sewage, and I had to wear my gas mask when using the latrine, others would hold their nose and walk out, telling me I needed to get checked out. That seemed to have cleared up, and a few times in later years, i had a few recurring bouts, but not in the last few years.
About a week before leaving, my eyes began to itch and ache. I thought it might have been the sand, irritation from the oil fires, or somehow my eyes got 'sun burnt' from the intense Saudi sun. Within a week after I got back to Germany, my eyes were completely swelled shut, with a discharge, and it felt like ice picks behind my eyes. I was sent to the hospital in nurnberg, and was told i had some sort of chemical burns to my eyes.They asked me if I had gotten sprayed with battery acid. I told them i had just gotten back from the desert, then all of a sudden my diagnosis was changed to severe reaction to the pollen in Germany. I was stationed there for 9 years and never had a problem....
Not long after that, I had bad skin rashes on all the exposed parts of my body (neck and lower arms), itching to the point of scratching until I bleed. Among the grocery list of problems are: SEVERE recurring headaches, Glaucoma AND cataracts, Astigmatism, Degenerative spinal disease, tinnitus, and restless leg syndrome, (VERY severe), i have to take Valium on a nightly basis. I have not had a decent non-drug induced sleep in years. Severe degenerative arthritis in my feet. When I am in intense sunlight, my skin feels like it is on fire. I have hypertension.I had been told told seek psychological help because of severe panic attacks when around fireworks. Have not seen fireworks since crawling under a truck on the 4th of July while back home immediately after Desert Storm. i had no idea it would happen and it was very embarrassing. This affects my job since I work on sydney harbor, and they have fireworks every friday night in the summer. i work on the boat and have to hide in the engine room. Also, hearing air raid sirens (even on TV) fills me with dread, and brings on panic attacks. Thinking about it makes me shake.
There was a unit in Jubail, not far from where I was that had some really bad documented problems after the war. From what i heard, most are dead now.
After retiring from the army, I got 10% disability for my headaches. Since then, I have been trying to get re-evaluated without much success. i have been told now that the VA hospitals are flooded with Iraqi Freedom vets who are doing rehab from traumatic injuries, and have been told by a few VA hospitals that it could be years before I can get evaluated. I am currently living in australia, and you cant believe the red tape involved in dealing with TWO bureaucracies. I feel the only reason i am alive today is my aussie wife works at a medical center and has me constantly poked and prodded, and pumped up with drugs.
Gulf War Syndrome wasnt even a term when i started having medical problems, so i dismissed it. Is there anyone else that has had multiple symptoms like this? This is the first time i have mentioned this online, as I was worried i would be dismissed as just another loon.
If you have the same problems, or have any idea on how to defeat all the bureaucratic crap and get real HELP, please let me know.
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