Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Gulf War Syndrome
Overlapping Condition of the Week: Gulf War Syndrome
Did you see all the news about Gulf War syndrome (GWS) being officially recognized as a real, physiological condition? It's a huge victory for the 170,000 veterans who've faced disbelief and ridicule since the early 1990s. The impact of GWS is very similar to that of fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS), and a lot of people with GWS also have FMS or ME/CFS as well. Like many of us, these men and women had been written off as liars, malingerers, depressed, unable to deal with stress, etc.
Not only is GWS getting validation, the government is admiting that many cases were triggered by vaccinations and pesticides used by the U.S. military. For those with a specific genetic mutation (also found in those with ALS), those chemicals proved to be life-altering. Along with GWS, FMS and ME/CFS, Gulf War veterans have high rates of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease), brain cancer, and birth defects in their children.
The congressional panel that concluded GWS is real also recommended more funding for research, which could potentially benefit all of us with related neurological disorders.
Learn more about GWS, its symptoms, how it differes from FMS and ME/CFS, and more:
Other Overlapping Conditions:
- Fibromyalgia & Lupus
- Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS & TMJ
- Fibromyalgia & Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS & Interstitial Cystitis (Bladder Pain)
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Comments
I was glad for the news. These men and women served their country and I’m glad that their illness is being recognized and hopeful that they get proper treatment - finally! For all they do for us, we should be grateful and honor them and help them. I do hope that an understanding of Gulf War Syndrome can help a lot of people with other diseases. Thank you for sharing this story. It makes me glad and hopeful.
So I read this article on Friday & was so shocked! This is what I have! I was poisoned by my own government! I am still in shock & what is the most upsetting is that, not once has anyone ever mentioned this being a possibility nor has anyone ever even asked if I was a Gulf War vet when they were studying my symptoms. All these years (until recently) I was sent away as a faker and now I find out that all along I was not the only one. Though I was never deployed, I received the Anthrax vaccine in 1991 which is the suspect for the cause. Thanks for publishing this article. Now I know what to concentrate on.
This is good information. I am one of those… had been written off as depressed.
OIF Vet 2003