Stars and Stripes is a trademark of Stars and Stripes Omnimedia, Inc. This web site is separate and distinct from publications under the same name as published by the Department of Defense.
Stars and Stripes: On Toxic Ground: A Soldier’s
Battle to Understand His Illness
Stripes.com - Home
Sauer, right, on blasted vehicle
On Toxic Ground: A Soldier’s Battle to Understand His
Illness
Feb 7, 2001
Dave Eberhart
Stars and Stripes Veterans Affairs Editor
Part Two of a Series:
Sgt. Maj. Frank Sauer (USA-ret.) reported to the United Nations
Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in August 1989 following
graduation from the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy in Texas.
He said he was “probably in the best physical shape of my
life.”
A month later, on patrol in the Sinai Peninsula, he climbed over
a Russian-made Egyptian tank turret that had been hit with multiple
rounds of ammunition treated with depleted uranium (DU).
“Less than 24 hours later, I became deathly ill with projectile
vomiting, spike fever of 105 degrees, delirium and diarrhea,”
said Sauer, who was taken to a hospital on the Sinai Peninsula
where an Egyptian doctor provided emergency treatment.
“That was the onset of my illness.”
Sauer had begun to experience the agonies of classic Gulf War
illness in 1989--two years before the Gulf War began.
A synopsis of his diary:
“I stayed on Immodium for 18 months from constant and unrelenting
diarrhea (black, watery—later to be told it was blood in
the stools).
“Over the next 6-12 months, I started having problems keeping up with physical fitness training. I started to become very fatigued, with difficulties getting out of bed in the morning. I would wake with stiffness in joints, especially my fingers. I started having problems with heartburn and took Tums. I had urinary tract problems and saw a specialist, but the Israeli urologist couldn’t find anything wrong.
I started to have arthritis-like joint pains in the shoulder,
arm, etc. I started having sleep problems.
· Sauer
“In 1991, I returned home, and the vague symptoms persisted.
[T]he watery diarrhea cleared up. But I continued to have intermittent
bowel movement problems. Within a month of returning, I broke
out in rashes. I started to have arthritis-like joint pains in
the shoulder, arm, etc. I started having sleep problems.
“My legs burned from the inside out, and my wife complained
that my legs were actually hot to the touch. I had difficulty
catching my breath at times. I became forgetful. Intermittent
rashes developed over the next couple years. I started to experience
many of the symptoms likened to Gulf War Illness. But I didn’t
make the association.
“My wife was in excellent health when I returned. She participated in aerobics 3-4 times a week. But not long after my return she began to suffer with many of the same symptoms.
Retirement
In early 1994, I retired from the military and reported many of
the vague symptoms on my retirement physical. Again, no association
was made to my assignment to the Middle East.
“In early 1995, I went to the local VAMC [VA medical center]
for medical exams and service-connected determination. They found
high white blood cell counts that they attributed to allergies
by history. I did not have a history of allergies.
“I went to my family doctor and asked for a full physical.
My chief complaints were severe back pain with backache that radiated
down both legs, legs burning with hair loss between the knee and
ankles, severe fatigue, problems with memory, blurred vision and
other problems.
“Tests showed I had an extremely high Epstein-Barr Virus
panel, slightly elevated glucose levels and hepatitis-A antibodies
in my blood. My family doctor sent me to a local infectious disease
specialist.
“In May 1995, I blew a test for Lyme disease off the map.
I went on one month of the antibiotic doxycycline (didn’t
do anything), then 12 weeks of Rocephin by intravenous injection,
which thankfully resolved about 40-50 percent of my symptoms.
Oral Antibiotics
“Then I was placed on a year of oral antibiotics (did little
to improve). By 1997, I had follow-ups which confirmed sleep apnea,
B-12 deficiency, a rare form of diverticulosis, esophagitis and
anemia.
“In 1998, I was enrolled in a limited study by Dr. Edward
Hyman of New Orleans. He received federal funding to conduct a
Gulf War Illness Treatment Study Program on 36 Gulf War vets.
It was a double-blind study.
“I was originally in the placebo group, but didn’t know
it. I did know, however, that the skin pustules, rashes, fatigue,
pains, etc., were not going away. In September 1998, I was notified
I was in the placebo group and asked to return to New Orleans
for the real treatment.
I was hospitalized for 21 days and received super-high doses
of intravenous antibiotics.
· Sauer
“I was hospitalized for 21 days and received super-high doses
of intravenous antibiotics. I was then sent home for 30 days on
super-high oral antibiotics. I returned for another week of intravenous
antibiotic therapy.
“The final diagnosis by Dr. Hyman was ‘Systemic Coccal
Disease.’ He said I had streptococci, a bacterium, in the
blood and urine, causing my problems. I was shedding macrophages
through the urine. He continues to write the oral prescriptions
for me today.
“Since then some of the symptoms have returned in a milder
way. I have also received an operation for the sleep apnea. I
need lubricant for the eyes and take Ibuprofen 800 2-3 times a
day for joint pain. I am on heartburn medication for the esophagitis.
Bones, Kidneys and Lungs
“If DU oxide dust indeed goes to the bones, kidneys and lungs,
you may be interested to know I have scarring in the lower left
lung.
“When looking at my DU exposure, this association of problems and symptoms seems to be more than just a coincidence. The symptoms that have hounded me might suggest an immune system that could not cope any longer because it was hosed by a DU exposure.
“I have also learned that vitamin B-12 remains in the
liver for up to seven years before one starts to become deficient.
My exposure to DU was in late September 1989. It was late 1996
when I tested deficient for B-12.
“When there is a B-12 deficiency, I have been told, it means
there is something causing an anemia-like condition. There are
two different conditions: pernicious anemia and aplastic anemia.
With pernicious anemia, the individual is either a vegetarian
(I’m not) or has had part of their stomach removed.
“Aplastic anemia, which I suffer from, can be caused by exposure
to toxins, viruses or chemicals. Chemicals can include DU oxide
dust. Of course, it could have been another type of chemical
exposure—r a toxin or virus.
“I never received the anthrax shots nor did I take PB pills.
I did receive a series of vaccinations from the U.S. Army and
the UN while stationed in Jerusalem. I also used DEET insect spray
while in the Middle East.
“The bottom line is that the only therapy that has worked
significantly for me is the dramatic dosing with intravenous antibiotics.
Today, I can only report that I am maintaining.”
Part Three: The Stars and Stripes interviews two soldiers whose stories add further mystery to the phenomenon known as “Gulf War Syndrome.”
Copyright © 1999-2000 Stars and Stripes Omnimedia, Inc.
All rights reserved. Read our terms of use and privacy guidelines.
Stars and Stripes is a trademark of Stars and Stripes Omnimedia,
Inc. This web site is separate and distinct from publications
under the same name as published by the Department of Defense.
Last revised: March 2004
