Will you participate in my study?

You should ask to have copies of all blood work done and all urinalysis ... & keep in your home medical records ... as recommended by kansasvet.org

Then if you could send me one of each (or your summary of each) & do the short survey of symptoms ... those I ask about & any others you have ... I can tally a quick 'preview' of whether this info will be helpful. If you are going to the doctor, you will want more info on the red blood cells than is usually checked for.  What is the normal range of red blood cells for YOU?  before and after your illness.  Compare yourself to yourself  www.valdezlink.com/check_blood.htm#retic 

I suspect that after a period of time, there aren't enough red blood cells being made; for our troops today, though, those coming down with blood disorders can be checked for 'elevated' new red blood cell production.  www.valdezlink.com/why_fatigue.htm

Kidneys? Fatigue? Has 2-butoxyethanol harmed you?

I believe in my two year study of the chemical of harm of the Exxon Valdez Oil spill cleanup,  I have 'stumbled across' the cause of 'gulf war syndrome' CFIDS, CFS & that of many many people in our nation for over half a century.

Ask people, "What were you doing when the flu-like symptoms happened?

Were there burning and hurting eyes, too?  Are there other symptoms of health damage, too?"  www.valdezlink.com/scenario.htm

I would like to develop a study to find out if much of the diabetes in our nation is actually an indication of one's system being disrupted:  endocrine disruption?  Is there any grant or funding available for such?  Not all in this group will have this, but for those who do, let’s check into it.

Doing this brief questionnaire www.valdezlink.com/health_survey_for_doctor.htm

and a simple blood test & a simple urinalysis - ordered by a doctor who has seen you in your state ... from the lab nearest to where you live, & getting a copy of the results, should be all we need.  And helpers to promote more participants AND tally results & share them.

I heard in 9-9-04 TV CNN news that there was acute leukemia among the 1,000 troops in Iraq who have died.  I think they should have tested for 2-butoxyethanol poisoning first which causes acute autoimmune hemolytic anemia.  One worker of the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup who came across the Inipol EAP 22 unexpectedly said that he had blood show up in his urine 15 minutes later.  THAT sounds acute.  

This chemical can cause leukemias and lymphomas, etc

I think that although this chemical harms many in the general population, it REALLY is an exposure for our troops ... & they don't know what to be careful of.

I want to share with you what I suspect will be the 'tell tale sign of too much 2-buotxyethanol.  Since this is a chemical in many cleaning products, such as Lysol Tub 'n Tile, 409 Cleaner, Simple Green, oven cleaner, etc, it may be something to 'tuck away for those who need it.  Or for those who do a lot of cleaning, like B&B owners! ... & for those who paint, etc

How to find the CFS, CFIDS & 'gulf war syndrome' fatigue:

The chemicals we are concerned with are 'tornado' chemicals.  They come and go quickly, but leave much health devastation behind. 

As I understand, if true, the 2-butoxyethanol leaves the body in 24-48 hours.  Since second hand solvent exposure is so great, that's hard for me to believe, but finding this in a test such as accu-chem laboratory can give .... not probable.  The lab tech there said that they didn't do a test for that.

See attached for my current summary on how we may possibly find this chemical's harm:  blood in urine, always ... to just a trace after a long period of time;  Plus the red blood cell size, shape and age ... and the membrane fragility. The red blood cells must be looked at closely as there should be too many that are immature ... not the normal ratio that would be expected between mature red blood cells and immature ones

(These representative of autoimmune hemolytic anemia - but it won't show up in the regular blood work as doctors suspect it would)

I want to give you this info as it explains 2-butoxyethanol & what it does.

http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/0275.pdf

and

http://www.valdezlink.com/inipol/pages/2-butoxy_msds.htm 

Medical Surveillance:

Consider the points of attack (liver, kidneys, lymphoid system, skin, blood, eyes, respiratory system) in placement and periodic physical examinations.
[Sittig, M. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, 1985. 2nd ed. Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Data Corporation, 1985. 155]**PEER REVIEWED**

2-Butoxyethanol causes acute hemolytic anemia in rats

In F344 male rats, 2-butoxyethanol causes severe acute hemolytic anemia resulting in significant increase in the concentration of free plasma hemoglobin. Secondary to the hemolytic effects, 2-butoxyethanol also caused hemoglobinuria as well as histopathologic changes in the liver and kidney.

*Notes to Physician: Administration of Sodium bicarbonate may be of value to treat acidosis. 

Monitor kidney and liver function and arterial blood gases closely.

Symptoms of chemical exposure in the first place

 ... and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether in particular   http://www.valdezlink.com/inipol/pages/symptoms_print.htm 

 This is very helpful information on the 'retic ratio' being important ... especially when close to initial exposure; something to monitor, for sure:    www.valdezlink.com/why_fatigue.htm

  and here is some more research that should interest your doctor

www.valdezlink.com/generic.htm#research

Share which of these symptoms you have with your doctor,

www.valdezlink.com/health_survey_for_doctor.htm  & with this preliminary survey

What is the difference between CFS, CFIDS, 'gulf war syndrome'?   http://www.valdezlink.com/cfid_share.htm

When there is chemical poisoning, I think it must give a lot of false OKs as there are so many organs & systems affected that the test results cancel each other out & the patient looks OK in 2 areas instead of harmed in 2 areas: blood not ok; liver not ok; but test on one is higher liver counts and the other is lower ... so both look OK? Elevated bilirubin levels are a sign of the red blood cell's dying off early; the opposite would be true for liver concerns?  *

An often overlooked form of fatigue is compensated hemolytic anemia in which the bone marrow compensates for the loss of red blood cells (I believe that one's own immune system is destroying prematurely)  It can lead to paralysis.  Ask the doctor to check for the size and shape of red blood cells and to do a 'retic ratio'  www.valdezlink.com/check_blood.htm#retic