At a Congressional hearing, Representative Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, said that the use of dispersants “could result in thousands and thousands of people getting sick or dying as a result of the cleanup, not of the original disaster.”

Gulf Spill Workers Complain of FLU-like Symptoms

http://www.valdezlink.com/re/gulf/health/w...

Glycol Ether in Dispersants is what causes flu symptoms NOW and at other times

It is urgent that dispersants spayed from airplanes and added to oil at the source of the oil leak CEASE!

Why dispersant use is a big mistake

It is like adding massive amounts of anti freeze (ethylene glycol) to the oil

The worst component of dispersants is often glycol ether such as 2-butoxyethanol. It will add a lot of carbons & hydrogens to the water, too and maybe suffocate the sea life eventually. But first it will cause the immune system to turn autoimmune. This is the worst possible thing to do. For sick workers doing cleanup look for blood in urine as one of the signs of hemolytic anemia. These may die if it is not realized that the red blood cells are dying off too soon (cause of weakness) & there is risk for organs shutting down. Any time you hear of 'flu symptoms' suspect glycol ether poisoning (not a virus) http://www.valdezlink.com/re/gulf/health/5...

Worse than the oil spill is the use of the dispersants that are so strong in glycol ether. Not yet recognized, it is glycol ether that causes flu symptoms Exposure to glycol ether + anemia signs  (NOT a virus). It is the cause of most military syndromes, CFIDS, CFS, FM. It causes a body to turn autoimmune and the weakness sick workers are describing is the red blood cells dying off prematurely. There will be blood in urine, if so. AIHA is the fatigue doctors are looking for in the CFS type symptoms. Too many things start going autoimmune at once, and the numbers don't mean what doctors think they do. Please pass this on to any doctors in the area, and hope the wind doesn't blow in your direction. http://www.valdezlink.com/re/gulf/why.htm All ingredients should be disclosed, and doctors must be told, if they suspect it is a cause of a patient's illness. There are laws that need to be changed, by the way.

http://www.valdezlink.com/re/gulf/health/a...

You are so right; how can we blame BP for using a dispersant that was on the EPA and Coast Guard approved list for oil spill cleanup?

These chemicals should be banned and some day they will be. Right now all we can hope Congress will do is to legislate that they be disclosed in all products (Not safe in many home cleaning products, either)

You also have to be concerned about the wind blowing the vapors of butyl ether (2-butoxyethanol) in Corexit towards the population centers. Primary route of exposure is vapors in one's eyes. People will probably notice their eyes burning and stinging.

Not only that, but MSDS info on 2-butoxyethanol says, "This substance may be hazardous to the environment; special attention should be given to the water environment and aquifer."

And I think such chemicals contribute significantly to global warming. Note what is formed when glycol ether 'breaks down'

http://www.valdezlink.com/re/gulf/dispersa...


http://www.valdezlink.com/re/gulf/waters.h...

2-butoxyethanol, a glycol ether, is common to both EVOS and this Gulf cleanup.
AND may I add, the biggest mistake made during both the Exxon Valdez Oil spill cleanup & NOW!

What I would say to fishermen sick:

Taking care of your family could also mean NOT working on the cleanup. The most hazardous component of the Corexit is 2-butoxyethanol (an often used glycol ether) at 38% by one account. Those you love can be exposed second hand. As you breathe out the molecules of glycol ether in your respiration, it gets into the eyes of your loved ones & they become exposed also. What to look for when someone is harmed by dispersant of oil spill (Glycol ether exposure): is there blood in urine? Are red blood cells ragged and beat up? Is there elevated retic rate at 2.5 days after first flu symptoms?

http://www.valdezlink.com/re/gulf/health/5...

First of all, what does it feel like? You feel TIRED!

"Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition that starts with flu-like symptoms and lasts for 6 months or more. All other possible causes of fatigue are eliminated before this diagnosis is made. Little relieves CFS fatigue, including rest."

Exposure to 2-butoxyethanol could be the cause of this fatigue. In the literature it is reported to cause acute hemolytic anemia (I suspect autoimmune) It can affect anyone at any age: military, such as the 'gulf war syndrome' vets and housewives, too

Here is an example of what an acute exposure could look like: www.valdezlink.com/gwv6-14.htm#9 (& besides this type of fatigue, there is Central Nervous System damage with resultant depression and severe grouchiness AND more)

CDC's statement regarding CFS and a possible autoimmune connection and this is what they had to say: "One thing is certain at this juncture: there are no immune disorders in CFS patients on the scale traditionally associated with disease. Some investigators have observed anti-self antibodies and immune complexes in many CFS patients, both of which are hallmarks of autoimmune disease. However, no associated tissue damage typical of autoimmune disease has been described in patients with CFS." www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/info.htm

I found the Mayo Clinic's list of possible causes to be interesting as it relates to the AA theory. They state: "The cause of CFS may be an inflammation of the pathways of the nervous system as a response to an autoimmune process, but with nothing measurable in the blood like in other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus." www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=A02...

The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) has CFIDS listed along with more than 60 other AA diseases. They state:

"Chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) is a chronic inflammatory illness of undetermined origin. It is suspected but not proved to have an autoimmune component, as many of those diagnosed with CFIDS have circulating antinuclear autoantibodies."
http://www.aarda.org/patient_information.p...

they continue, "Another thought that I have is the fact that endometriosis is prevalent among CFIDS patients and is by all means a progressive disease. While there are still no clear answers as to the cause of endometriosis, current research is leaning towards a possible autoimmune response there too. Endometriosis.org has this to say about that theory:"

Immune System Dysfunctions

"The most recent studies seem to be considering evidence that might classify endometriosis as part of a larger immunological disorder. (J.A. Hill) Women with endometriosis seem to suffer disproportionately to a number of other immune system disorders such as lupus, thyroid-related problems, allergies, and candida albicans. Women with endometriosis have also been found to carry cells with reduced ability to fight off "bad" cells (Dmowski, M.P. et al.), and high levels of autoantibodies that attack their own healthy cells (El-Roiey, et al.)." http://www.endometriosis.org/html/causes.h...

One thing that every one agrees on is that our bodies are in a continual state of response to SOMETHING. If that "something" turns out to be an actual virus that has yet to be discovered then perhaps it won't turn out to be an autoimmune disease. If that something is really nothing and our bodies are engaging in "friendly fire", then it seems that there would be a case for that.

A 3rd possibility is that CFIDS starts out as a viral assault but an autoimmune condition results. That is one theory behind MS and other AA diseases


My thoughts, YES, if from this chemical exposure:

http://www.ragereport.com/phpbb/nfphpbb/vi...

Some would say, "fibro 14 years ago. I'm also hypothyroid and have osteoarthritis"

This is part of the pattern of a chemical I have studied ... 2-butoxyethanol (also known as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether). 15 years ago was the Exxon Valdez oil spill. By any chance were you one of the workers? Many were exposed to too much of this chemical at that time. www.valdezlink.com/1989photos.htm

Help your doctor pinpoint whether or not this chemical is the cause of your FM & thyroid, and dizziness: www.ragereport.com/phpbb/nfphpbb/viewtopic...

I suspect the fainting could be from not enough mature red blood cells or not enough volume of blood. There will be trace blood in urine for years after this fatigue hits... (from immune system prematurely destroying your red blood cells); and the red blood cells will be immature. www.valdezlink.com/why_fatigue.htm I suspect many 'heart attacks' are from the affects of this chemical on the blood, too. Some comment that they have thick, dark blood.

With CFS, CFIDS, 'gulf war syndrome' www.valdezlink.com/cfid_share.htm The fatigue doesn't show up as expected in the regular blood work, thus the doctors don't look further, and that's why they say they don't know. Do you have these signs of this anemia? www.valdezlink.com/generic.htm#8

Chills
Fatigue
Pale color
Shortness of breath
Rapid heart rate
Yellow skin color (jaundice)
Dark urine
Enlarged spleen

Now this is the dictionary definition of what the signs of hemolytic anemia would be; and I suspect they are giving an example of an extreme, very obvious case; however, for most people it is all shades of gray ... and these symptoms come and go in a mild form. I share them here for you & your doctor to consider whether or not they might be a clue to hemolytic anemia's 'hiding out' & more things to go over here: www.valdezlink.com/health_survey_for_docto...

www.valdezlink.com/check_blood.htm#retic Keep track of this number

AND the Best Research I Found
www.valdezlink.com/2-bmsds03.htm & there is extra info that doctors can pull up for free ... with more explanation ...

And more info www.ragereport.com/phpbb/nfphpbb/viewtopic... including a 1975 example of acute acquired autoimmune hemolytic anemia

Some patients won't show any evidence of this in the blood counts, the hemoglobin, hematocrit; but the red blood cells should decline over time. And for one of the workers of the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup (where I learned about this chemical in the first place) who has noticeably low red blood cell counts and low white blood cell counts and low hemoglobin, this is in a very serious state. Yet, to date, he has not been diagnosed with this condition. I wonder whether the bone marrow is having difficulty making enough red blood cells? I wonder whether the immune system is 'tired' of making those white blood cells after 15 years of 'overworking?' In the beginning, however, his red blood cells would have been ragged, and beat up. It seems one's immune system is prematurely destroying your own red blood cells. I wonder whether 15 years later, there is still trace blood in urine www.valdezlink.com/psa.htm or is it too minute to calibrate?

What are the size and shape of the red blood cells ... what are the cell membranes like (loosing elasticity? so fragility of red blood cells?) www.valdezlink.com/rbc_size_shape.htm It is very important to know whether or not your red blood cells are predominately premature. Because if they are, other medical tests don't read right: like white blood cell counts will read too high; liver counts will read too high. Hmm, maybe the hemoglogin is reading higher than it is?

I am not a medical person, but I have studied this chemical and talked to many people with known and suspected exposure to it. I have been very frustrated to know that this hemolytic has to be there from day one ... and that since it doesn't leave, it still has to be there ... but why isn't it being found? Well, it fools the tests, that's what I think.

Why did I study this chemical? www.seattlepress.com/features/forum/viewto...

I personally believe our nation has a pandemic, unrecognized health crisis on their hands