I was on active duty for 6yrs prior to being Reserves 1yr. I met my husband (now ex) while stationed in Landstuhl, Germany. He had already been to the Gulf and had not been back long. He had rashes for which he received shots for from the Dermatologist. He also had memory problems and some erectile problems. Shortly after he went to Bragg.

About 8 months later I noticed my back starting to bother me. Didn't think much of it at the time. I was in EXCELLENT shape. ...but it persisted. Then my shoulders started next. Then my shin bones were starting to hurt. That was bothersome to me. It was not normal.
 

I saw the doctor there and was just put on a profile for a bit. It didn't really help. I then saw Ortho and had an MRI. ..shortly before PCS'ing to Bragg. It showed Degenerative Disk Disease. I didn't think much of that at the time either. Well now I have several other disabilities that I can't work and I'm pretty much confined to my house. Most days I don't know if it's going to be my neck pain, my back pain or both. Or something else. We also had Surbs, Croatians and Bosnians camped out in our Gym when I first arrived at Landstuhl because our hospital was overcrowded. I'm wondering if I didn't pick up something from them or from a patient in our hospital. Or from my ex who was there. He did take the nerve pills and something else they had to take.
 

My disabilities and problems are as follows:
 

DDD of T9/10, L2-4, L5-S1, Multi level DDD of C-Spine with bulges at C3-6, Nerve degeneration of C6/7 with axonal neuropathy, ulnar neuropathy of left arm, DJD bilateral shoulders, Osteo Arthritis in left shoulder with impingement syndrome, Sacroiliac Dysfunction (due to narrowing of sacro joints bilaterally), Fibromyalgia, Myofacial Pain Syndrome, Neuralgias, SEVERE Migraines, Gerd, Spastic Bladder, Spondylosis in spine and neck and Osteopenia (low bone mineral density) L1-L4 and hips.
 

My lupus panel at Bragg was also borderline and another one has not been done by the VA in several years. I'm ANA positive, HLA-B27+ ...yet my RF is not. My ESR...sed rate is sometimes high. At first I was thought to have Anklyosing Spondlysis. All my problems started in 94 and since being medically discharged in 98, I've had shoddy care from the VA. I'm now awaiting total disk replacement of my L-5 because mine's almost completely desiccated due to DDD. Also I'm getting ready to have a scope on my shoulder to clean out the OA to keep it from pinching down on my bursa. So that I can move my arm. I'm still fighting to get my 100%!!! I was told I could seek gainful employment. I WAS LIKE, WHEN?!!?? BETWEEN MY NEUROSURG, PODIATRY, ORTHO, PAIN CLINIC, PSYCHIATRY, GP, GUI AND RHUEMATOLOGY....WHEN AM I GOING TO HAVE TIME? I AVERAGE 5-7 APPOINTMENTS A MONTH SOMETIMES.

PLUS I DON'T FEEL GOOD MOST OF THE TIME. With this you just don't know how your days are going to be from the time you get up to the time you doze off. I've been told by so many docs that I'm too young to have these kind of problems. Well no s***!!! Try being 36 and feeling 80!!!
 

Sorry so long BUT PLEASE IF ANY VET CAN RELATE OR THINKS IT COULD BE POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS AND MY EX-HUSBAND'S TIME IN THE GULF...PLEASE CONTACT ME!!!

zephyrqueen  12-20-2005  healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=350390

Doctors need to consider that very high white blood cell counts for the military syndrome groups & those with CFIDS, CFS, FM

would be an anemia sign ... not just the possibility of an infection, or a lymphoma.