OIF Exposure

2/1Marine

2/1Marine

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Hi everyone,
It's been a long time since I posted to this forum, have still been lurking though. I recently got some shitty medical news but thought I would share on here in case it is related to my time in Iraq in 2003. My thoughts are, if I can help another vet by sharing, then why the hell not. A little background. I'm 38, up until now healthy, and spent 4 years in the Corps, 99-03 as an 0341. I did one combat tour in Iraq during the initial invasion of 2003, floated over with Wpns Co. 2/1; 15th MEU.

Now on to the medical stuff.

Just got back from the Thoracic Surgeon. While the news I got is not what I wanted to hear, it could be worse. I have what is known as a carcinoid tumor in my upper right lung. This is a slow growing cancer and by the grace of God it was caught early. I will have surgery the end of this month to remove a section of my right lung and to make sure it has not spread to the lymph-nodes. The prognosis looks good. The doctor also mentioned that this type of cancer is not caused by smoking, I can't help but wonder if it is due to some type of exposure in Iraq. He asked me about 4 or 5 times about exposure to nerve agents and Sarin gas (this is a non VA doc). I told him that I honestly have no idea what I may have been exposed to.
This tumor was found by chance during a neck CT for an unrelated sore throat.
On the bright side, my sore throat is now gone. LOL

To my fellow Marines out there and anyone else who spent time over in the suck, you may want to consider getting a chest CT just to be on the safe side. In my opinion this is from some type of exposure, i.e burn pits, chemical agents, cooking off munitions, burning vehicles/buildings, depleted uranium, toxic sand/dusts, etc... who the hell knows.

I probably wont have much time to be on here over the next few weeks/months (spending as much time with my wife and kids as possible) but wanted to get this info out there.

Semper Fi!
 
Do a quick google search for lung issues OIF. Article a couple of months ago about a metal in the soil IVO Camp Slayer/Camp Victory that's causing lung issues including tumors.

Aloha
 
Good luck with your surgery and thanks for posting this. Most men are reluctant to get "things" looked at.
 
I'm pretty sure the only camp I was ever at was either Coyote or Bullrush in Kuwait prior to 3-20; after that it was various holes in the ground and then a patrol base we set up in An Nasiriyah.p[o
 
Good luck bud, I hope things go well for you and a speedy recovery.

I doubt it was GB though since the agent is non-persistent and any exposure to it would have immediate effects even in low doses, most likely by evaporation since contact with liquid form would kill you.

Again, you never know all shit our military encountered there.
 
When they take it out, make sure to get the genetics on the tumor. It will tell you what type and possibly what caused the cells to flip. The reason he was asking about exposure, as certain chemicals as well as heavy metal particles can cause chronic irritation/abnormal cell growths/cancers. It also sounds like an isolated tumor/growth pattern, and you should not get a second.
Wish you a speedy recovery.
 
Damn man, I hope things turn out for the best.

A buddy of mine was in Iraq the same time as I was (09-10) and he found out that he had polyps in his lungs from the burn pits. They're still digging to find out how severe. Lately I've had a hard time breathing, and I'm wondering if it's the beer, this cold I've had, or the same thing as him.


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2/1Marine said:
Hi everyone,
It's been a long time since I posted to this forum, have still been lurking though. I recently got some shitty medical news but thought I would share on here in case it is related to my time in Iraq in 2003. My thoughts are, if I can help another vet by sharing, then why the hell not. A little background. I'm 38, up until now healthy, and spent 4 years in the Corps, 99-03 as an 0341. I did one combat tour in Iraq during the initial invasion of 2003, floated over with Wpns Co. 2/1; 15th MEU.

Now on to the medical stuff.

Just got back from the Thoracic Surgeon. While the news I got is not what I wanted to hear, it could be worse. I have what is known as a carcinoid tumor in my upper right lung. This is a slow growing cancer and by the grace of God it was caught early. I will have surgery the end of this month to remove a section of my right lung and to make sure it has not spread to the lymph-nodes. The prognosis looks good. The doctor also mentioned that this type of cancer is not caused by smoking, I can't help but wonder if it is due to some type of exposure in Iraq. He asked me about 4 or 5 times about exposure to nerve agents and Sarin gas (this is a non VA doc). I told him that I honestly have no idea what I may have been exposed to.
This tumor was found by chance during a neck CT for an unrelated sore throat.
On the bright side, my sore throat is now gone. LOL

To my fellow Marines out there and anyone else who spent time over in the suck, you may want to consider getting a chest CT just to be on the safe side. In my opinion this is from some type of exposure, i.e burn pits, chemical agents, cooking off munitions, burning vehicles/buildings, depleted uranium, toxic sand/dusts, etc... who the hell knows.

I probably wont have much time to be on here over the next few weeks/months (spending as much time with my wife and kids as possible) but wanted to get this info out there.

Semper Fi!
Click to expand...

You are paying a high price for protecting us as you did. Be safe and all the best for a full and speedy recovery. Thank you sir!!
 
2/1Marine said:
Hi everyone,
It's been a long time since I posted to this forum, have still been lurking though. I recently got some shitty medical news but thought I would share on here in case it is related to my time in Iraq in 2003. My thoughts are, if I can help another vet by sharing, then why the hell not. A little background. I'm 38, up until now healthy, and spent 4 years in the Corps, 99-03 as an 0341. I did one combat tour in Iraq during the initial invasion of 2003, floated over with Wpns Co. 2/1; 15th MEU.

Now on to the medical stuff.

Just got back from the Thoracic Surgeon. While the news I got is not what I wanted to hear, it could be worse. I have what is known as a carcinoid tumor in my upper right lung. This is a slow growing cancer and by the grace of God it was caught early. I will have surgery the end of this month to remove a section of my right lung and to make sure it has not spread to the lymph-nodes. The prognosis looks good. The doctor also mentioned that this type of cancer is not caused by smoking, I can't help but wonder if it is due to some type of exposure in Iraq. He asked me about 4 or 5 times about exposure to nerve agents and Sarin gas (this is a non VA doc). I told him that I honestly have no idea what I may have been exposed to.
This tumor was found by chance during a neck CT for an unrelated sore throat.
On the bright side, my sore throat is now gone. LOL

To my fellow Marines out there and anyone else who spent time over in the suck, you may want to consider getting a chest CT just to be on the safe side. In my opinion this is from some type of exposure, i.e burn pits, chemical agents, cooking off munitions, burning vehicles/buildings, depleted uranium, toxic sand/dusts, etc... who the hell knows.

I probably wont have much time to be on here over the next few weeks/months (spending as much time with my wife and kids as possible) but wanted to get this info out there.

Semper Fi!
Click to expand...

There is growing evidence to suggest burning our own feces with JP8 and trash in burn pits causes health problems. Given the entire ****ing country smells like burning garbage, yeah, I'd make sure the VA knows.

They're tracking it but so far refuse to acknowledge a definite problem.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/PUBLICHEALTH/exposures/burnpits/index.asp
 
OfficerObie59 said:
There is growing evidence to suggest burning our own feces with JP8 and trash in burn pits causes health problems. Given the entire ****ing country smells like burning garbage, yeah, I'd make sure the VA knows.

They're tracking it but so far refuse to acknowledge a definite problem.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/PUBLICHEALTH/exposures/burnpits/index.asp
Click to expand...


History repeats itself! The VA might be tracking it and refusing to acknowledge that there are any related problems. Much like they did with Agent Orange, Agent White, and Agent Blue in Vietnam. It's all about money.

Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery. Thank you for posting this information and stay on the VA!!!
 
dustoff22 said:
History repeats itself! The VA might be tracking it and refusing to acknowledge that there are any related problems. Much like they did with Agent Orange, Agent White, and Agent Blue in Vietnam. It's all about money.

Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery. Thank you for posting this information and stay on the VA!!!
Click to expand...


Exactly! I hope it doesn't take them 40 ****ing years to acknowledge it.

Good luck, soldier and a speedy and successful recovery. We VN Vets are here for ya too.
 
Good luck with the surgery and for a speedy recovery.

As some others mentioned, sign up on the VA's burn pit registry.

I would also strongly recomment starting a VA disability claim. Get a Veteran's Service representative to help with your claim. This is not a process that you want to take on by yourself. VSR's can be found at most veterans organizations, American Leigion, VFW, DAV, etc. There is no charge for their assistance, if they tell you different they are trying to extort money from you and they should be reported to the VA.

Any monitary compensation goes to when you initially file. So the sooner you get started the more money you will recieve when your claim is settled as it is done retroactively to the date you file.

Check out www.ebenefits.va.gov for information on filing a claim.
 
Good luck and best wishes to you for a successful surgery and speedy recovery.
Besides the surgery I would do some research on the Ketogenic diet and also look at other natural ways of boosting your immune system.
 
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Surgery is scheduled for the 29th at 0845. here is exactly what i am dealing with, the white mass in the upper left of the CT scan, that is my right lung. Crazy to think this never would have been found if it wasn't for a sore throat and a nagging wife, lol.

EXP0189 no DoB.jpg

EXP0299 no DoB.jpg
 
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Hi everyone, just want to let you know that my surgery was a success. I even got the good news that the doctor’s initial diagnosis of a carcinoid tumor was wrong. What I ended up having in my lung was not cancer but a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. I guess in some ways this was even more dangerous than cancer since it could have caused me to die without warning and could have cause abscess to develop in my brain. Thank you for all the thought and prayers, I never would have made it through this without them.
 
Thank God it wasn't cancer and an insidious health time bomb was averted!

Wishing you a speedy recovery, and many, many, many, many years of health, happiness and memory making with your family!

Thank you so much for your selfless service...blessings!
~MD
 

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