This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Please if you are a veteran with MS or know a veteran with MS send me a message. I was just granted disability from the VA and while I was up at the VSO office I met another veteran just being diagnosed with MS. It seems that veterans have alarmingly high rates of MS and ALS. Thanks for the help.

Scott

I am a veteran as well. I was just diagnosed Nov 09, after about 7 years of issues. I am still waiting to hear from the VA about adding this to my disability. I wonder if all the shots have anything to do with this ???
Tami

You might find this earlier discussion interesting:

http://www.thisisms.com/ftopic-3884-days0-orderasc-0.html

I don't want to get anyone off track here, but I felt compelled to add this.

My husband spent 11 yrs in the Marines, and was dx'd with MS about eight yrs after seperation. He has found out about a number of Marine Corps colleagues who have also been dx'd with MS or ALS. As it turns out, we think he (and a couple of other guys) were misdiagnosed and actually have late stage lyme disease. With treatment he is improving immensely, others are as well.

He spent a lifetime in the woods as well as two summers during college and 6 months training at Quantico, Va (listed as having "Extreme Risk" for lyme disease by the government...yes, there is a document listing lyme risks at all U.S. Bases).

He was tested for lyme during his original evaluation for MS and it was ruled out. The only problem with this is the tests are quite unreliable, and long term undiagnosed lyme can masquerade as many other illnesses. It is frighteningly similar to MS in all aspects including the relapsing remitting nature, lab tests, lesions........

There has long been a link between military service and MS, and recently I'm beginning to think that link might not be vaccines, chemicals etc, but little tiny ticks that service members pick up during field training, never realizing they have been infected, the infection smolders undetected for years, finally, neuro symptoms rear their ugly head and BINGO, one gets an MS diagnosis.

Something to think about.

Granted 30% disability for DX of MS for service connected disability. The only problem I see with the Lyme Disease factor is, I don't think there are many ticks in the Ocean. I am not saying this is not possible, in some cases, probably not applicable to myself though. I lean more towards the vaccine theory if anything.

I've also been tested extensively for Lyme Disease, blood test as well as Western Blot test. My DR and I were really hoping it was the culprit, to no avail, not to mention we've ruled out every other disease.

Were you tested at IGENEX labs in California? If you were tested at Quest or LABCorp or similar CDC affiliated lab, you are at a high risk for a "False Negative"! ELISA and Western Blot tests at those labs do not check bands 31 and 34 which are the most specific bands for borellia. Igenex operates under the ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases) group criteria for testing for Lyme. They check not only according to CDC criteria, but they also check "reserved" bands 31 and 34.

For ACCURATE testing, you MUST be tested at IGENEX. I can't stress it enough!!!

Also remember....Lyme hides and many people's immune systems get so compromised by the bug that they can't generate the appropriate antibodies, or enough of them, to show up on the normal ELISA or WB.

Before being tested at IGENEX, I highly encourage you to try a 4 - 8 week regiment of Samento TOA-Free Cat's Claw (Google it), or a 4 week course of Doxycycline (100mg/2xday) to see if you Herx (i.e. Feel worse due to bacteria being killed off in your system).....THEN get tested. You'll need the IgM and IgG Lyme Panels offered by Igenex....it will cost you out of pocket $200 - 250 as Igenex doesn't deal with Insurance companies.

Wishing you the best.

KenC.