Defining Gulf War Illness

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/veterans/default2g.htm

In November 1997, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded a study by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to characterize and compare different approaches for defining the medically unexplained illnesses of Gulf War veterans. This study compared the symptoms of two groups of Gulf War veterans at two points in time. The study subjects included Gulf War veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf War Registry who had participated in a previous study conducted by the New Jersey researchers, and veterans who had participated in the CDC Air Force study. Data-driven case definitions for illness previously derived from these two groups of Gulf War veterans were compared with standard or existing case definitions for unexplained multi-symptom illnesses (such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivity) to determine which definition best characterized Gulf War veterans' unexplained illnesses. The study also tried to determine the generalizability of the derived and existing case definitions in a new random sample of deployed and non-deployed Gulf War era veterans and active duty soldiers. The investigators are currently analyzing the data and preparing manuscripts for publication.

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written by Jim, April 30, 2009

Very interesting about the Gulf war illness

So grateful for the soldiers its a shame this happens

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written by janquito, May 01, 2010

This is very interesting. I have fibromyalgia, multi-chemical sensitivity, and many other issues. Many of the symptoms for the Gulf War Syndrome are exactly what I have. Wow, I sure hope with this study that maybe they can find a link and then find out what really is causing all of these thus being able to find a cure! That sure would be great. I would love to be able to do the stuff I was able to do before I got sick.

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written by Kerrie, July 09, 2011

Hello,
I am hoping that my comment here will catch someone's attention and be able to help lead me in the direction I need to go. My ex- husband was in desert storn, he had been directly
exposed to sarin gas and depleted urianium. In 2003, he passed away from adnoid carcinoma of unknow primary. He had been diagnoised with stage 4 cancer in Aug of 02 and about 6 months later he was gone. He had been missed diagnoised for almost 10 years. He was put on the Gulf War registry due to the mulitple symptoms of the illness he had. Chronic fatigue, muscle aches, memory issues, gastrointestinal issues and the list goes on. His death has not been recognised by the VA as being connected to his military service. I have been told that certain critical medical reports are missing from his records. When he was diagnoised with cancer, there was a large cist in his chest, they did remove it and sent it to Washington to have it analysed, that is the report that is missing as well as the chemotherapy reports, how inconvient.
My main problem now is that we have a 16 year old son who is very ill and I know that it is related to what killed his father. My son has many of the symptoms of the Gulf War Syndrome. He has severe gastrointestinal issues, everything he eats just goes right back thru him as severe diahrrea. He has malabsorption problems due to the diahrrea. He also has chronic pain issues with no etiology, which means there is nothing that the Dr's can find. My son is 5"11 and 1/2 and he weighs 106lbs., and I feel as though I am watching him waste away. He has been through so much, they have tested him for everything and of coarse all the tests come back normal and I find that the doctor's are not listening to me in regards the they syptoms of the Gulf War Syndrome. He also does not have military benefits which I am desperatley fighting for. When my husband passed we were told that we didn't qualify for benefits an I found out last year that, that wasn't true.
So, my question here is, are any of the soldiers who are dealing with these symptoms, are their children also dealing with medical issues?????
Please help, very desperate mother in Colorado