Beckie99

Sorry I failed to reply in time for your tests: Chemical exposure is not what you're looking for.

Rashes as I have researched them come from three sources: Yeast sold by the U.S. to Iraq; fungus sold to the Iranians before the Iran-Iraq war by the Russians; and naturally occurring fungus in desert sand filled with feces and decaying animals.

The V.A. tries to veil the rashes as some chemical exposure, but they can't explain why so many people here in the United States suffer the same symptoms once we come in contact with the soldiers who served over there.

Senator Donald Riegle, Senate Banking Committee, 1994 produced a report that listed the weapons the U.S. sold to Iraq from 1985 forward. The report lists Candida Albicans, non-specific species (there are no less than three species, all of which can be treated with prescription medication). Treatment comes in the form of a "cave-man" diet with prescription strength Mycelex troches, Diflucan pills and Sporanox capsules.

I have read articles about the Red Fungus the Russians sold to Iran. I have no idea what the treatment is, but I'll bet it's the same, because no deaths (outside of stillborne babies) have been directly linked to Red Fungus in particular. Endocarditis, heart failure due to fungus infection, has been reported at great length since the Gulf War. But, no one seems to know which kind of fungus it is. And once the victim of endocarditis is dead, no one except me seems to care.

The naturally occurring fungus in the Persian Gulf may be remedied by another medication as well. But don't quote me because I cannot get a clear picture of the difference between all the funguses as long as our government refuses to acknowledge that us veterans suffer from a combination of the three. But, if metronidazole (generic form of Flagyl) works, then you should proceed post-haste. It's a harmless drug that works well if you avoid alcohol, rots your liver if you don't.

Don't waste your time with the V.A. on this one. Find some money and find either a really good gastroenterologist (gut doctor, believe it or not) or an allergist/immunologist. You'd be surprised how cheap the prescriptions are and how few office visits you'll have to make just to feel better and get rid of the rashes once and for all.