European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes sunday april 12, 1992lyme disease disables Man s dreams after years of suffering Soldier finds out cause by Kevin Robinson staff writer Munich Germany a Anthony Wein thought that some Day after leaving the army he would be a state trooper working near his Hometown of Troy . But that was before the 22-year-old army specialist fell victim to Lyme disease. His two year bout with the disease has left his joints stiff and his once Strong 185-Pound Frame withered to 145, hardly the physical attributes of a future state trooper. Wein assigned to the 218th my co in Munich understands the pain that comes from the disease. What he does no to understand is Why it took so Many doctors nearly two years to finally arrive at the Correct diagnosis. Quot army doctors need to be a Little More informed about Lyme disease a he said. Quot but they give you the impression nothing a wrong with you. So you think its in your head. Quot its the waiting that kills you waiting for nine months on a neurology waiting list waiting for three months for orthopaedics waiting for someone to Tell you what is wrong. Or. Capt Albert Duncan an internal Medicine specialist at the 34th general Hospital in Augsburg diagnosed Weinus condition As Lyme disease in january. Duncan said the disease is hard to identify because sufferers often display symptoms similar to those linked to multiple sclerosis Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Pinpointing the problem takes time he said. Duncan also said doctors who rarely treat Lyme disease patients Are often unfamiliar with its symptoms. Because the disease left Wein with arthritis in his feet and elbows he remained in Germany when his unit deployed to the persian Gulf in december 1990. His condition limits him to working As a unit armorer and Driver. He has been medically restricted for almost two years prohibiting him from taking the army physical fitness test. That prohibition killed his promotion chances. A my army career is Over a Wein said. Sgt. Wayne Weigel Weinus supervisor said Weinus condition should have been detected before Wein was assigned to a unit such As the 218th. Quot someone somewhere should have asked if he was fit to serve in a combat support unit a Weigel said. Quot Wein has a physical profile or problem. He a one step away from being an physically incompetent  what remains of Weinus army career is in the hands of a medical Board in fort Gordon a. Board members Are reviewing his medical records duty performance and the recommendation of his company commander. They will decide whether he can stay in the army until his sched Lyme disease How it is spread a Cleer tick attaches to a human and feast on its blood for 12-24 hours before depositing a Corkscrew shaped organism called a Spiro Chete into a capillary. The Spiro Chete not carried by All Deer ticks causes the disease. Removing a tick before the Spiro Chete is deposited can prevent the disease. Peak months for the infection Are june and july. Where the disease is found the disease has now been reported in 43 states with the highest incidence in some Northern Midwest and Northeast states. Highest Light re none note in Illinois 12 cases were reported in 1988, double the six cases reported in 1987. There have been no cases reported so far this year. The Deer tick about the size of a Small freckle or comma it thrives in wooded and Grassy areas. It is a parasitic creature which feeds on medium sized mammals and humans during its Nymph stage. As infected hosts move from one area to another they carry the ticks and the disease. The ticks Hatch in the Spring and live for two years. Symptoms of the disease Early stages fever headache extreme fatigue stiff neck. A characteristic rash which looks like a Bull s Eye with an expanding red Circle surrounding a lighter area May also develop. Advanced stages visual Distri trances facial paralysis tingling and numbness arthritis irregular heartbeat and seizures. Chicago Tribune graphic by Dennis Odom sources Illinois dept of Public health Newsweek May 22,1969news reports How to reduce the risk of infection a Wear Long pants and Long sleeve shirts if possible. Tuck pants into socks and shirt into pants Malimit accessibility to skin. A use insect repellent containing deet on open skin. Spray per Methrine sold As per Manone on clothes particularly pants legs and socks. A Check children and pets for ticks if they be been exposed to infested areas. A remove ticks using tweezers making sure the insect s head is completely removed. Used july departure or he is retired with disability benefits. Wein believes he contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite in late 1989 or Early 1990 at either Basic or advanced training at fort Mcclellan ala., or at fort Gordon his first permanent duty station. According to his army medical records Wein complained of ankle pain at fort Gordon in March 1990. Because he was about to go overseas Wein said his doctor at Eisenhower medical Center deferred treatment for what the doctor thought was Flat feet or bunions. After he arrived in Germany two months later he continued to see different doctors with the same result a another physical profile. Duncan made his diagnosis after conducting blood tests. Quot Wein has chronic arthritic manifestations of Lyme disease a Duncan said. A a his is a permanent condition. The illness does go into remission. When it flares up we can give him medication to make his joints More  some Days Are better than others Wein said of the Dis ease. Snapping his fingers or squeezing something is a Chal Lenge. Waiting a mile is a Triumph. A when i joined the army i loved lifting weights a sait Wein who used to exercise regularly using his $1,500 weigh machine. Quot now my weights Are  the unmarried Soldier spends most of his non duty time a Mcgraw Cavern working on his personal computer or Doin physical therapy a stretching rotating his Ankles and lifting 10-Pound weights. Wein wants to use his i Bill and attend College perhaps Ai Syracuse University. He is considering a career As a collection agent for a Bank or an insurance investigator. Weinus platoon Leader 1st it. Greg Coates said the 218th�?Ts company commander capt. Denise Bredesen pushed for a medical Board so that Wein would not be without medical benefits or disability compensation. The Board requested confirmation of Weinus condition before proceeding. A we in a not a complainer. That might have been his downfall a Coates said. Quot ties a Model Soldier. Maybe looking Back he should have jumped up and Down on my  disease difficult to pinpoint doctors say by Kevin Robinson staff writer Lyme disease is known As a the great pretenders because it leaves false trails and makes it difficult to diagnose medical officials say. Spec. Anthony Wein an my assigned to the 218th my co in Munich Germany was diagnosed with the disease in january. In the two previous years army physicians diagnosed his problem As chronic fatigue a spinal tumor and multiple sclerosis. Or. Vol Michael w. Benenson a preventive Medicine consultant at 7th medical come said Weinus Case is not unusual. A Many patients done to remember being bitten by the tick carrying the disease a Benenson said. A and Many never develop the rash which is a telltale sign of the disease in its Early  it. Col. David Ward an epidemiology consultant with the 7th medical comas 10th medical Laboratory said Lyme disease victims present few dues to physicians trying to diagnose patients. A a it a not hard to diagnose if someone has the characteristic rash. But 50 percent of the cases May not have the rash. They May have the flu like illness and fatigue in the initial stage. But in the secondary phase it could take months or longer before symptoms appear. The disease is 100 percent curable with antibiotics if it is detected Early Ward said. But there a a catch Quot if patients Are tested too Early in the Progress of the disease it wont show a he said. Doctors should be suspicious when dealing with possible Lyme disease infection he said testing until their diagnosis is confirmed. According to the american Council on science and health if the disease goes untreated facial paralysis cardiac rhythm disorders and arthritis can occur. Weinus physician or. Capt Albert Duncan of the 34th general Hospital in Augsburg said Wein suffers chronic arthritis because of Lyme disease. Duncan said Weinus condition is permanent but treatable using Medicine and physical therapy. Wein said he did have the telltale rash but that was first diagnosed As Poison Ivy by a doctor at Eisenhower medical Center in fort Gordon a. From March 19, 1990, to Jan. 28, 1992, Weinus medical records show that he was seen by at least 17 different doctors american and German in 25 appointments. During that period he received these diagnoses a May 14, 1990 possible bunions and Flat feet were diagnosed at det a army clinic in Munich. A nov. 18, 1990 a possible prorated Ankles were diagnosed at 34th general Hospital in Augsburg. A april 22, 1991 possible nerve damage was diagnosed at the army Hospital in Nurnberg. A May 13, 1991 blood tests first led doctors to suspect Lyme disease. A sept. 3 1991 or. Capt Albert Duncan picked up the Case and followed up on Lyme disease theory. A Jan. 28, 1992 a a Duncan confirmed Lyme disease with Lyme arthritis. Looking at the time it took to diagnose Weinus condition Duncan said doctors want to be Quot sure they done to miss something potentially fatal. A Lyme disease truly mimics other illnesses a Duncan added. Quot because of that you done to want to miss illnesses like Lupus or multiple  doctors who have More experience dealing with cases of Lyme disease Are More Likely to pinpoint the problem he said. Quot even though the disease has been around awhile it still Hasni to been popular in medical literature a Duncan saw a the actual test for Lyme disease was Only perfected within the last two years so that you done to get a lot of false  Duncan said doctors find it easier to target Lyme disease if they get the Nam a clinical  this picture includes a history or possibility of exposure the characteristic rash and neurological Ana arthritic symptoms