Community Q & A on Hands on Health
with
Jeff Winkler and Dana Woods
on Episode 174
at 9pm Eastern, 8pm Central, 7pm Mountain and 6pm Pacific
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“Gulf War Syndrome is a reaction to the vaccine shot of anthrax into the body when a soldier is not compatible with animal made protein vaccines.”
” . . . I was treating a soldier who was given the diagnosis of Gulf War Syndrome, he was a young soldier . . . he had never left the states but was charged with Gulf War Syndrome
and he never left the state of Georgia . . . ”
“ . . . we’re not even told what the vaccine is. As a medic, my job was not to ask questions. My job was to vaccinate . . .”
A mother of seven talks about her two adult children who were vaccine injured as young children and then further harmed by military vaccines…
“They’re using us as guinea pigs to see what works and what doesn’t…In the military, you’re given a direct order. As long as it is a lawful order you will go take this shot or else…you can be kicked out with a dishonorable discharge…that’s like walking around with a felony over your head which makes it impossible to hold any sort of employment…The word has got to get out …something has got to happen…Yes the VA is bad…the VA and the Military are two completely separate organizations. This is not a VA problem. This is a Pentagon Department of Defense problem and you know who they’re in bed with.”
A retired army sergeant gives advice to current members of the military.
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after the Veteran experiences a traumatic event. During this type of event, the Veteran believes his/her life or others’ lives are in danger. She/he may feel afraid or feel that they have no control over what is happening. Note: this information is described as applying to Veterans, but is applicable to any individual. Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD. These events can include:
Combat or military exposure
Child sexual or physical abuse
Terrorist attacks
Sexual or physical assault
Serious accidents, such as a car wreck
Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado, hurricane, flood, or earthquake
After the event, the Veteran may feel scared, confused, or angry. If these feelings don’t go away or they get worse, the symptoms may disrupt the person’s life, making it hard to continue daily activities. All Veterans with PTSD have lived through a traumatic event that caused them to fear for their lives, see horrible things, and feel helpless. Strong emotions caused by the event create changes in the brain that may result in PTSD. Most Veterans who go through a traumatic event have some symptoms at the beginning. Yet only some will develop PTSD; the reason for this is not clear. How likely someone is to get PTSD depends on many things:
How intense the trauma was or how long it lasted
If someone close was lost hurt
Proximity to the event
Strength of the reaction to the event
How much the Veteran felt in control of events
How much help and support the Veteran got after the event
Many who develop PTSD may improve, though about 1 out of 3 with PTSD may continue to have some symptoms. Even with continued symptoms, treatment can help; symptoms don’t have to interfere with everyday activities, work, and relationships.
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Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not occur until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than 4 weeks, cause great distress, or interfere with work or home life, the individual probably has PTSD. There are four types of PTSD symptoms:
1. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms):
Bad memories of the traumatic event can return at any time. The Veteran may feel the same fear and horror as when the event took place. He/she may have nightmares or may feel like he/she is going through the event again. This is called a flashback. Sometimes there is a trigger — a sound or sight that causes the Veteran to relive the event. Triggers might include:
Hearing a car backfire, which can bring back memories of gunfire and war for a combat Veteran.
Seeing a car accident, which can remind a crash survivor of his or her own accident?
Seeing a news report of a sexual assault, which may bring back memories of assault for a woman who was raped
- Avoiding situations that are reminders of the event:
The Veteran may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event, and even avoid talking or thinking about the event. For example:A person who was in an earthquake may avoid watching television shows or movies in which there are earthquakes.
A person who was robbed at gunpoint while ordering at a hamburger drive-in may avoid fast-food restaurants.
Some people may keep very busy or avoid seeking help. This keeps them from having to think or talk about the event. - Feeling numb:
The Veteran may find it hard to express feelings. This is another way to avoid memories. He/she may not:have positive or loving feelings toward other people and may stay away from relationships
be interested in previously enjoyed activities
be able to remember parts of the traumatic event or be able to talk about them - Feeling keyed up (also called hyper-arousal):
The Veteran may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. This is known as hyper-arousal. It can cause:Sudden anger or irritation
Difficulty sleeping and concentration
Fear for personal safety and a constant need to be on guard
Overreaction when something surprises him/her.
Other common problems
People with PTSD may also have other problems. These include:Drinking or drug problems
Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
Employment problems
Relationship problems, including divorce and violence
Physical symptoms
Treatment
When a Veteran has PTSD, dealing with the past can be difficult, and feelings are generally kept “bottled up”. Treatment must be provided by qualified hospice or VA staff. See PTSD Related Resources for additional information.PTSD Related Resources
VA’s General Benefit Information Hotline: 1-800-827-1000https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/mentalhealth/PTSD/index.asphttps://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/ptsd101/ptsd-101.asphttps://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/ptsd-and-family-support
“I’d rather have caught a bullet from an AK 47 than gotten injected with this stuff.
At least I would have known what my fate would have been.”
Federal regulators approved a plan by biotechnology company, VaxGen to test its experimental anthrax vaccine on about 100 people. The human volunteers were injected with the experimental vaccine to see if it’s safe and produces the desired immune response. VaxGen was awarded a $13.6 million federal contract to begin work on the anthrax vaccine. The company applied for two more anthrax vaccine contracts. The contracts were awarded for advanced testing and manufacturing of 25 million doses. In the last few years, a number of published studies have linked anthrax vaccination to the development of Gulf War Syndrome, among them a study in the British medical journal The Lancet. Hundreds of soldiers have refused the shots after evidence emerged that the vaccinations are connected to a variety of illnesses.
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First released in 2003, Direct Order is a powerful, award winning documentary by Scott Miller (narrated by Michael Douglas) that tells the story of members of the military who were ordered against their will to receive the controversial anthrax vaccine.