I served in Gulf War 1 in 90-91. Since then, I have found myself with a skin rash a few times a year. Everytime I've gone to get treated for it, I'm told it's poison oak, ivy, or sumac. As a child, I never had a reaction to any of those, even though I played around them all the time. I know people can develop allergies to them as they age, so I didn't think much about it at first. But in the last two years, I've had this horrible skin rash more and more often and I've just gotten over my latest bout with it. It's been very cold here in the last few weeks and I have spent very little time outside and I can't imagine where there is any poison growing around here at all. There are other times I've gotten it when I know I was not around any poison ivy, oak, or sumac. When I'm given medication to treat those things, it does clear up rather quickly.
In the last two years, I'd say I've gotten this terrible rash about 8 times. That seems like an awful lot to me. I was just wondering if anyone else has had trouble with rashes since serving in the gulf, and what kinds of rashes they are. I've seen on the list of GW illnesses something about undiagnosed skin rashes. Does anyone know if those rashes look similar to poison ivy and such?
Thanks,
Wiredog 3
Operation Desert Shield/Storm
Operation Enduring Freedom
100%
In the last two years, I'd say I've gotten this terrible rash about 8 times. That seems like an awful lot to me. I was just wondering if anyone else has had trouble with rashes since serving in the gulf, and what kinds of rashes they are. I've seen on the list of GW illnesses something about undiagnosed skin rashes. Does anyone know if those rashes look similar to poison ivy and such?
Thanks,
Wiredog 3
Operation Desert Shield/Storm
Operation Enduring Freedom
100%
