Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
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Agent Orange and Neurological Disorders
I just read a post from a veteran who discussed the effects of Agent Orange and Parkinson’s Disease. It made me wonder if there are others who have had similar experiences? If so, is there anything you have learned from your medical team and/or the VA regarding this? Please feel free to share your story.
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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
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I’ve read that Chiari Malformation could be the result of my dad being a Veteran and exposed to agent orange and lots of other chemicals, then when he came home could have passed this horrible brain disorder on to me.. has any one else heard the same?
Plus he has Dx of agent orange, seizes, neuropathy in all extremities, chronic headaches sleep apnea and others
@macbeth That certainly represents a lot of illnesses. How difficult for you.
ajgray
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I’ve read that Chiari Malformation could be the result of my dad being a Veteran and exposed to agent orange and lots of other chemicals, then when he came home could have passed this horrible brain disorder on to me.. has any one else heard the same?
Plus he has Dx of agent orange, seizes, neuropathy in all extremities, chronic headaches sleep apnea and others
Thank u, he also has sleep apnea
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ajgray
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My dad had shrapnel removed from his head that had been there for 30 yrs +. But still wakes with a headache every morning
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RETAIRFORCEMAN
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Good questions Teresa with respect to Agent Orange and neurological disorders. I’d like to bring @mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman and @Robert43DAP into this conversation as they have experiences to share.
@DeptVetAffairs i am very ill with AGENTORANGE HERBICIDES related diseases which are all autoimmune classified diseases which Admiral ZUMWALT warned our leaders about in 1991 but the VA, DOD, CONGRESS AND THE WHITEHOUSE CLASSIFIED HIS REPORT AND TESTIMONY SO THEY WOULDNT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE OR RESPONSIBLE. I am fighting severe Parkinson’s like symptoms and severe cancers. I am sure i will be dead soon. Our medical community failed US. THEY FAILED TO LISTEN TO US. THEY FAILED TO STAND UP FOR DYING VETERANS AND THEIR GENETICALLY AFFECTED CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN. I AM SO SAD AND SO HEART BROKEN AS I MURDERED 1000000S OF UNBORN BABIES AND COUNTLESS THOUSANDS OF VETERANS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDES ON GUAM WHERE I PERSONALLY HANDLED IT FOR 10 YEARS. I AM VERY VERY VERY SAD MAYO CLINIC HAS NOT STOOD UP FOR US TO DEMAND ANSWER’S. GOD FORGIVE ME AS I CONTEMPLATE MY LOT IN LIFE AND MY CHOICES TO END THE RELENTLESS PAIN.
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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
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Joined: Mar 28, 2016
My dad had shrapnel removed from his head that had been there for 30 yrs +. But still wakes with a headache every morning
@ajgray I find it incredible when I discover how many veterans are dealing with such serious injuries.
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macbeth
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Good questions Teresa with respect to Agent Orange and neurological disorders. I’d like to bring @mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman and @Robert43DAP into this conversation as they have experiences to share.
I certainly do not hold any of this against you. You were following orders, and certainly, at that time, could not have foreseen the future problems that have been caused by Agent Orange. The responsibility lies with the government and with the manufacturers. They knew this would make people sick or kill them. To add insult to injury, they keep slithering away from their responsibility.
My heart goes out to you.
Macbeth
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Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator
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Good questions Teresa with respect to Agent Orange and neurological disorders. I’d like to bring @mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman and @Robert43DAP into this conversation as they have experiences to share.
Dear @retairforceman,
Although I have never experienced combat, I want you to know that you and every soldier, in our eyes, is a selfless, valiant hero, deserving of so much more.
War is horrible, but remember, as @macbeth and @johnjames, and other members have said: you were following orders; you were like a sheepdog, protecting your herd. You may not know how to feel about what you’ve seen and done, but you should know that ALL of us matter; we need each other. Even the strongest of us need someone.
There are thousands of supporters who can learn from you, from all the hidden wounds that you bear, and from your strength to “do or die.”
@retairforceman, we will never experience what you have gone through, but, for what it’s worth, there are people here on Connect who care enough to try and provide some comfort, to show you the light when you cannot see it yourself.
You deserve to be safe, healthy and happy now.
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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
@hopeful33250
Posts: 10712
Joined: Mar 28, 2016
Good questions Teresa with respect to Agent Orange and neurological disorders. I’d like to bring @mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman and @Robert43DAP into this conversation as they have experiences to share.
@kanaazpereira What a great message of appreciation!
ggopher
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@mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman @Robert43DAP @johnbishop I just posted under the Mental Health category information about a film called, Thank You For Your Service. Since many of you (or all of you) are veterans I wanted you to have an opportunity to view the trailer and start a discussion about it. I value your input! Also, please pass this information on to others who might be interested as well.
I found the trailer quite depressing and can’t wait to avoid the main release.
Steve
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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
@hopeful33250
Posts: 10712
Joined: Mar 28, 2016
@mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman @Robert43DAP @johnbishop I just posted under the Mental Health category information about a film called, Thank You For Your Service. Since many of you (or all of you) are veterans I wanted you to have an opportunity to view the trailer and start a discussion about it. I value your input! Also, please pass this information on to others who might be interested as well.
@ggopher,I appreciate your thoughts. I can understand why you might feel this way. It is bound to evoke memories that are not pleasant. There was a group of Veteran’s in Lansing Michigan that attended a showing and found aspects of the message of the movie encouraging. Best wishes as you work through these memories and experiences, Steve.
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johnjames
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Good questions Teresa with respect to Agent Orange and neurological disorders. I’d like to bring @mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman and @Robert43DAP into this conversation as they have experiences to share.
Post62- I also remember very clearly seeing agent purple in Viet Nam- not that many times, compared to agent orange- but it’s something you can forget- purple sprayed over such a large area of green jungle grass.
johnjames
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@colleenyoung
@hopeful33250
All I know is that it has been recognized as related to a host of diseases in Vietnam vets, including Parkinson’s, diabetes, some cancers, and ischemic heart disease, among other conditions. The vet who helped us file a claim, at a nearby VA regional office, (and a comp doctor there) also believe it may also be connected to dementia/early onset dementia, which makes sense, due to the relationship to Parkinson’s and ischemic heart disease (the higher rate of ischemic build-up around the heart is bound to be happening elsewhere in the body – such as in the brain), but, that not enough veterans or their families are making the connection and filing claims. More claims filed = more attention from the government. Also, I am being told that it will take many more years of research before the connection is officially recognized between AO and dementias, in general. I realize that not everyone who gets a disease has a family history of that disease, but my husband’s family has no history of dementia, and I began to notice symptoms or wonder about him, as early as in his early – to – mid sixties, and maybe before that, looking back. But I was in denial. He also has the AO related ischemic heart disease. One of my brothers (Vietnam vet) had an AO related carcinoma, and had to have his leg amputated. It can wreak havoc decades after exposure. I know that many children of Vietnam vets have had problems that are being traced back to the AO exposure of a parent.
All you have to do, is begin to research this stuff on the net. There are a lot of very sad, very frustrating experiences related there.
I know that there is strength in numbers, and that being civil is very important, but that being tooooo polite does not get a job like this done. Vietnam veterans and their families need to be heard about these facts and overwhelming coincidences. They need to file claims. They need to write letters. They need to get louder. They need to push. They need to extend the support to Vietnam veterans that they rarely or never received for their service.
O. K. Now I’ll dust off my hands and get off my high horse. Can you tell I’m a little passionate about this?
P 59. Yes, I was diagnosed with agent orange parkinson’s almost 3 years now and it’s progressing at a much faster pace. I was diagnosed last week while in the scottsdale- in Scottsdale, with ” Aspiration Pneumonia ” which is very serious and over time can be fatal. all because of Parkinsons and agent orange. JJAMES
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
@hopeful33250
Posts: 10712
Joined: Mar 28, 2016
@colleenyoung
@hopeful33250
All I know is that it has been recognized as related to a host of diseases in Vietnam vets, including Parkinson’s, diabetes, some cancers, and ischemic heart disease, among other conditions. The vet who helped us file a claim, at a nearby VA regional office, (and a comp doctor there) also believe it may also be connected to dementia/early onset dementia, which makes sense, due to the relationship to Parkinson’s and ischemic heart disease (the higher rate of ischemic build-up around the heart is bound to be happening elsewhere in the body – such as in the brain), but, that not enough veterans or their families are making the connection and filing claims. More claims filed = more attention from the government. Also, I am being told that it will take many more years of research before the connection is officially recognized between AO and dementias, in general. I realize that not everyone who gets a disease has a family history of that disease, but my husband’s family has no history of dementia, and I began to notice symptoms or wonder about him, as early as in his early – to – mid sixties, and maybe before that, looking back. But I was in denial. He also has the AO related ischemic heart disease. One of my brothers (Vietnam vet) had an AO related carcinoma, and had to have his leg amputated. It can wreak havoc decades after exposure. I know that many children of Vietnam vets have had problems that are being traced back to the AO exposure of a parent.
All you have to do, is begin to research this stuff on the net. There are a lot of very sad, very frustrating experiences related there.
I know that there is strength in numbers, and that being civil is very important, but that being tooooo polite does not get a job like this done. Vietnam veterans and their families need to be heard about these facts and overwhelming coincidences. They need to file claims. They need to write letters. They need to get louder. They need to push. They need to extend the support to Vietnam veterans that they rarely or never received for their service.
O. K. Now I’ll dust off my hands and get off my high horse. Can you tell I’m a little passionate about this?
@johnjames I’m so sorry to hear of your aspiration pneumonia diagnosis. Someone in our group mentioned that Botox injections had helped her husband with the aspiration pneumonia. Have you been told about that? If not, you might ask. Best wishes to you in your journey!
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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
@hopeful33250
Posts: 10712
Joined: Mar 28, 2016
Good questions Teresa with respect to Agent Orange and neurological disorders. I’d like to bring @mivy @johnjames @ggopher @macbeth @retairforceman and @Robert43DAP into this conversation as they have experiences to share.
@johnjames I had never head of agent purple before. Thanks for your post, it helps to educate us all.
@macbeth
@ajgray
This is interesting. My husband, Vietnam vet, in addition to the AO related heart disease, and in addition to early onset dementia, which I believe to be AO related, also has seizures, chronic headache, and sleep apnea.
Macbeth