KEN HUTTO
Tom Zweydoff; I would say yes to answer your question as to whether you could have GWS without having been in the gulf. I was in the gulf and several years after returning I had some of the common symptoms that many vets had. I found out in late '97 that I had a blood disease. Mycoplasma Fermentans(incognitus)they called it. I'm active duty but a civilian physician found the problem. The military wouldn/t help. We were told we could give blood. I gave in "93 and "96. So the blood I gave was contaminated. The Army Physicals I took never detected the problem nor did the Red Cross. So that means somewhere between 2 and 4 people have received contaminated blood. This same bacteria or virus can be found in the saliva of the infected person and transmitted that way. So does that give you a warm and fuzzy? I think not. It didnt me. I spent a total of 8 weeks in a New Orleans hospital in a research program. Fortunately for me I'm doing fine now, just taking periodic blood tests to monitor the situation. Contact me and I will give you more information.Like where to go on the web to check out the possibility of what you may have. Indeed your symptoms are some that I had. Good evening and God Bless.