Desert Storm vet here and yeah I was diagnosed early for PD. VA calls it The Desert Storm Syndrome. I heard it’s caused by some of the shots we got before being deployed ect ect and what we were exposed too also.

Do you know what triggered your PD? I know that the Vietnam Vets that have PD got it as a result of Agent Orange. Before diagnosis, I was certain that it was lingering effects of mefloquine taken to prevent malaria. I had nightmares, night terrors, hallucinations, and REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams) while taking mefloquine. I didn't know at first that the sleep issues were being caused by the mefloquine (I was only 22 and thought maybe I just was too soft and couldn't mentally handle a deployment) so I remained on the drug for months. When I was finally told that it was a "side-effect" of the mefloquine, I was switched to doxycycline and the sleep issues improved but did not fully go away. When I returned home and was still having the occasional sleep issue as described above, I looked up info on the internet about mefloquine and there was nothing. It has since been relabeled as a drug of last resort because it does cause brain issues, but not specifically PD. But there is also the burn pits and going out with EOD and blowing up ordinance that could have exposed me to some toxins. Even the water we drank could have been contaminated since it was only filtered local water.

I am working to raise awareness of this very issue. I'm USAF veteran deployed to Afghanistan w/YOPD. I am trying to get an idea as to how many others of us there are. I have found several others. Do you qualify for VA disability? Working to try to figure out how change current legislation for patients with PD from Iraq and Afghanistan. Do you know of any others?

I also want to thank you for your service and sacrifice, although I’m very late. I have a number of friends who served in Desert Storm who have had ongoing health problems - a variety and some still undefined.

I have young onset of Parkinson's disease. I was diagnosed in 97. I want to thank you for your service. I come from a military back ground. If you want to talk I'm on here everyday.