In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
Vietnam Parasite
mcaso
Member Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭
This information comes from a letter in my VVA magazine, July/August of 2007. The woman's (Mrs. Edward S. Harrison) husband died from a parasite contracted during his tour in Viet Nam. The parasite, very prevalent in Viet Nam, did its thing and went away. But left damaged cells in the bile duct of the liver. Around the age of 60 these damaged cells have have become cancerous. Cholangiocarcinoma by name, which is also caused by Hepatitis C. Those of us who were there need to be examined for this. Yes, I still have the page with the letter in it.
Comments
Thanks Smoky
I am writing to inform all Vietnam veterans about a potential health
risk that they may have been exposed to while serving in Vietnam: the
little-known danger from parasites.
My husband, who was otherwise healthy, passed away on January 20, 2006, from cholangiocarcinoma, cancer of the bile duct of the liver. It is very rare in the United States, but very prevalent in Vietnam and surrounding countries. There are two known causes of this type of cancer: from contracting hepatitis C and from ingesting a parasite from the water supply in Vietnam. My husband did not have hepatitis C; therefore, it was determined that his cancer derived from a parasite.
I have received official notification from the VA that his death was service related, which is not something the VA determines without an overwhelming amount of evidence.
This cancer does not manifest itself until later in life, when you are between 60 and 70 years old. Once the symptoms occur, which usually include jaundice, it is very difficult to treat or beat. My husband was 58 years old when he passed away. If he had been informed that there was a possibility that he could have ingested a parasite while serving in Vietnam, he would have taken precautions to have his bile ducts examined, possibly extending his life. The parasite is long gone, but it left behind damaged cells, which developed into cancerous tumors in the bile ducts.
If you spent time in Southeast Asia and are having gastrointestinal
issues for no apparent reason, please have your physician check for damage within the bile ducts; Cholangiocarcinoma.
It may save your life.
Mrs. Edward S. (Pete) Harrison
Horseheads, New York
link:
http://www.vva.org/veteran/0807/letters.html
Since the letter was posted in the magazine I have received numerous inquiries for information regarding the disease and help with proof for VA claims. My claim was the first to be approved by the VA for Cholangiocarcinoma in Vietnam Veterans and now there are a total of 6 with many more in the works. I have permission from those who have received approved claims to share copies of them with anyone who needs them.
About three years after being home I went to a dianostic clinic for some test to find out what was wrong with me. I was still having bowel problems, diarrhea and such. The test didn't show any parasites or other causes for my symtoms. Doctor figured I had stress problems. For those years I continued to have bowel problems off and on.
1989 I went for a colonoscopy exam. that exam showed I had inflammation in the colon. So I got another prescription to try to control the inflammation. Doctor said I had ulcerative colitis. I told him that I was a Vietnam Veteran and if a parasite could have been the cause. He said, no. They don't know the cause, and of coarse there is no cure. The VA doesn't recognize this dianoses as being service related.
And to this day I constantly have problems with it.
Ken
I am sorry to hear you have had so many problems since your time in the service. I can only say to you that until very recently the physicians in this country were not looking for parasite damage in the bile ducts until it turned to cancer in our American guys. Some are still not aware. I can send you a fact sheet with the facts about the parasite which has been found to cause cancer in the bile duct along with a list of symptoms, etc. You can see if any of the symptoms apply to you and if so you can take it to your physician to have him check your bile ducts for any damage caused by a parasite. If you would like the information you can contact me at my email address sharr50529@stny.rr.com and I will send it to you.
Sheila
Ken
Just this past week I finally finished up with a private neurologist regarding the numbness and loss of feeling in my feet and lower legs. I'll get a written medical report from him in about 10 days so that I can go back after the VA to try and get tested for Agent Orange. The last letter I received from the VA basically told me, ...Gee, that's tough buddy, we didn't have anything to do with it. Now after over $2000 worth of medical tests I'll get a doctor's report about my numb feet and legs for the VA.