Spouse Support

My Experience and help

Dear Larry and Anna
2. Dr Rea was recommended to Peter by a very respected occupational physician here in Australia who understands aerotoxic syndrome and had Dr Rea's text books (4 volumes) on toxicity. This Australian doctor suggested it might be a good idea to see if there was somewhere that Pete could try the far infrared sauna therapy that Dr Rea uses as part of his treatments.
We then researched on the web etc and decided to go there for treatment. We spent 5 weeks there in Dec 2012. So that Pete did not have to fly there from Australia we went from Sydney to San Diego by ship and then flew from San Diego to Dallas. We had to fly home but by then had bought oil vapour filtering industrial grade 3M masks.
By all means share this information on your website. Dr Rea specialises in environmental medicine, particularly chemical/toxin exposures. He used to be a highly regarded cardiologist but became very ill from the fumes from the anaesthetics in the operating rooms and thus began his journey into environmental medicine as he had to cure himself first!!!!
Pete has since written a very,very detailed summary of his time in Dallas so let me know if you would like to read it and/or have a link to it on your website.
Dee Passon also has a very good website where she shares her healing experiences. David Zaharik has also written extensively about his aerotoxic journey. Dr Sarah Myhill in the UK is also excellent. Maybe you already know about these?
It is important for us all to remember that cabin air exposure will effect every individual differently and symptoms can be very varied and that what has helped one person may not help another, but it is also important for us to at least share what we have all tried and what has improved things, so that others can at least have a headsup on what the available options are and save themselves a lot more ill health and alot of wasted time and money on the endless medical merry-go-round. Jo (and Pete)
Halls Head
Australia

Fellow sufferer

Hi there. My husband has aerotoxic syndrome and after many years of misdiagnosis and chronic ill health he finally went to see Dr William Rea at the Environmental Health Centre in Dallas, Texas in Dec 2012. He has been following Dr Rea's comprehensive protocols for 18 months now and slowly but surely things are improving and his test results are showing massive improvements in some areas. If you would like any more information about our journey please get in touch. Well done on the website. best wishes Jo Wood and Capt Peter Knight Ret., Australia.

RECOVERY RESOURCES

Resources for Health and Sources of Information

True North Health   (Distilled water fast)

    Dr. Alan Goldhamer, D.C.
    1551 Pacific Ave.
    Santa Rosa,CA 95404
    www.healthpromoting.com


 
www.orthopathy.net
    International Hygienic Physicians who Support fasting out toxins

 


Regency Health Spa  (Distilled water fasting and juicing fast)
    Hallandale Beach Fl
    www.regencyhealthspa.com    



Judith Murawski Anderson
    Industrial Hygienist
    Association of Flight Attnedants-CWA, AFL-CIO



www.aerotoxic.org has many resources, including how to purchase a mask for your next flight.



Qi Gong is an excellent source for diet and foods that can aid in ridding the body of toxins.  Their book on healing smoothies is of great assistance for anyone fighting suspected exposure.         www.QiGong.com

 

 

 




Professor Christopher Van Netten
James Mather Building, Room 5
5804 Fairview Avenue
Vancouver, BCv6T 1Z3



Medical contacts
    Through aerotoxic.org
    We may be able to assist with more, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 



Dr. Peter Julu
    http://www.breakspearmedical.com/

 

 

The Environmental Health Center-Dallas

     www.ehcd.com

     A medical fascility whose emphasis is on the relationship of health to environmental factors, including exposure to toxic chemicals and neurotoxicity.

 



 

 

 

WHAT A SPOUSE NEEDS TO KNOW

 IF YOU ARE THE SPOUSE OR LOVED ONE OF SOMEONE  YOU       SUSPECT MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO TOXIC CABIN AIR OR                              A FUME EVENT PLEASE READ THIS                                 

    Being the spouse or a loved one of someone affected by Aerotoxic Syndrome or Toxic Cabin Air can be challenging, at best, and at worst can undermine a relationship.

    Exposure to toxins in the cabin or from an airplane such as TOCP or other tryglycerides is not something  familiar to most people and, therefore, there is little understanding of either causes or effects.

    In reading through this website, hopefully, as a spouse or loved one you can gain some insight into the traumatic and extensive effects that exposure to toxic cabin air can have.  Often, the exposure is either not known or not recognized. Early signs, as we have referred to in this site, often mimic the flu, and can include breathing difficulties, sinus problems, headaches, and similar effects. In dealing with a spouse who has the symptoms most people would simply be supportive and wait until the symptoms were better.  These relatively minor symptoms can develop into more dramatic and serious symptoms and conditions rapicly.   If you recognize that the symptoms could be more serious, as a spouse, you should gather all of the information you can about the possible exposure event and convince your spouse or loved one to seek the help of a doctor and, hopefully, a neurologist who has some knowledge of these effects.  The sooner you can get help the better the chances of some significant recovery.

    The airlines have denied these effects for years. It is amazing how few airline personnel including pilots and flight attendants  are still not aware of  Aerotoxic Syndrome or Toxic Cabin Air.  If you, as a spouse, have heard about these effects and may suspect it has affected your loved one please educate yourself in this website and try to get the help for your spouse that you can.

AFTER THE INITIAL SYMPTOMS - WHAT TO EXPECT    

    After the initial stage of flu-like symptoms a person who has been exposed may progress in to various stages depending on the length or strength of the exposure. Breathing difficulties often occur as well as neurological symptoms.  Personally, my wife began getting so tired that she had to take naps in the early afternoon and could not exercise or do anything of an athletic nature.  One of her hands began to shake uncontrollably for periods of 15 seconds to a minute at intervals with no specific warning.  She thought she had vertigo because she would become dizzy and have  balance problems. She experienced numbness in her feet and arms at times. She even got to the point where one foot was dragging at times.  She became very irritable and frustrated.  She began the routine of seeing numerous doctors and specialists, very few of which had any knowledge of toxic cabin air and attributed many of her symptoms to other causes, with 'treatments' that had little effect.
    These symptoms I mentioned are typical symptoms as the damage from the exposure progresses.  At first you, as a spouse, may  not recognize why these things are occurring. Toxic exposure can and does cause actual brain damage. It is a toxin which attacks the body and the brain.   It can be  discovered or verified through MRIs and pet scans.  It can  manifest itself by a person having  difficulty completeing his or her thoughts or even having difficulty being able to comple sentences.
To people who do not know your spouse it may just appear that your spouse is  just  a little 'scatterbrained' at times, or just slow to pick up ont things. A person's  ability to remember things either long-term or short-term can be minimally or severely  impaired. As a result, emotionally, the exposed person can become moody, depressed, frustrated, and angry at times. The anger and frustration can be misdirected at times.  As a spouse you have to remember that the exposed person does not recognize what is happening or why and just wants to be themselves again.  The natural reaction is anger and even to find blame on others who do not understand.   To a spouse, the reactions may seem inappropriate or over-reactive to what was said or done.  The person may have problems processing what may seem like simple questions or statements.  They may not comprehend what you or someone else is trying to tell them, even if you think you are being of help or comfort.  It can be a long journey, but if you know and understand what is occuring, it is one you can, and must make.


    At one point, while I was at work, my wife called me because she was having difficulty breathing. Paramedics responded and determined, in their opinion, it was an anxiety attack. Thankfully, she had an appointment later that morning with a lung doctor, a pulmonologist, because of her shortness of breath. When she arrived, he sent her directly to the emergency room. She was admitted. The emergency room doctor thought she may be having a heart attack and she was placed in the cardiac intensive care unit.   I sat up with her for what seemed like days, sleeping in the hospital room, she even became unresponsive.  A neighbor later told me that she thought my wife would not make it.  After a series of tests and after two days she was diagnosed with pleuro-pericarditis.  This is a swelling around the heart and the lungs. I found out that it can be caused by toxins in the body and the body 'attacking itself', toxins from the exposure to TOCP or tryglycerides.  As a spouse you must be aware of these possiblilities and demand tests of the doctors.
     Doctors are not universally familiar with toxic cabin air, but many, especially neurologists, are familiar with toxic encephalopathy and toxin poisoning.  Be prepared over  a period of months and even years of seeing doctors, that you may be told that your spouse has lupus like symptoms,  meniers’s disease, fibromyalgia, and various other medical problems that doctors can explain.

    We have discovered through our research and speaking with experts in the area of toxic exposure that toxins such as TOCP can mimic these conditions and other ones. We suspect that over the years many flight crew and probably passengers have been diagnosed with these other ailments when, in fact, their problems may have been due to toxic exposure.

    As a spouse, the most important  thing that you can do is to be aware of the various emotional and physical changes and problems that may be occurring, and why they are occurring, and to try to be understanding and supportive even though the understanding and support may not be recognized or even accepted at any given moment by your spouse. Understanding that frustration, anger, depression, even paranoia (yes, paranoia is a sympton or condition that is caused by toxic exposure), and physical problems are likely out of the control of your spouse. Your spouse's personality may change, temporarily or long term.   Learn everything you can.  Guuide your spouse in the right direction.  He or she will not be of a state of mind to help themselves for a while.  Anger may be directed even at your attempt to help.  Be patient.

    My wife was exposed in 2006. Much less was known or acknowledged about toxic cabin air then.   Over the period of discovering what was going on and trying to determine what was real, and what doctors were saying, until finally discovering the cause and effect, we went through a lot, her much more than I obviously.  My wife has progressively gotten better. If the exposure was enough to cause brain damage permanently or temporarily, be aware that the brain can rewire itself and do amazing things. Knowing the problem and working with it are important.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO HELP YOUR SPOUSE GET BETTER

    One of the best things my wife did was a distilled water fast under medical supervision. Although, I was skeptical at first, the effect on her mentally after she completed it was no less than amazing. Her ability to comprehend and to finish sentences was dramatically increased. A change in diet to more organic foods and foods not grown by using pesticides has also helped.  I am sure that I was not nearly as understanding or supportive as I could have been or even as  much as I thought I was being.  I did not always react or act the way I should have or could have.

    Certainly, professional counseling can be of assistance, however, most counselors are unaware of these toxic effects and I would recommend that you, as a spouse, educate yourself as much as you can on the cause and effect of toxic cabin air syndrome and aerotoxic syndrome.  You will find links and resources on this website to help you. Feel free to contact us for specific information and possibly referrals.

    You should request for your spouse an MRI and a pet scan. These are very helpful in diagnosing toxic encephalopathy as well as vertebropasilar insufficiency.  Toxins can cause ischemia in the brain which is a shrinking of the blood vessels.   This can cause the brain of a young person to look like one of an elderly person, with the same problems of memory loss and confusion.  ONe neurologist prescribed nitro for a period of time to open up the blood vessels.  There is help out there.

    As more spouses and loved ones contact us and allow us permission to exchange contact information, we hope a support group will be made available for the spouses and loved ones of those affected.  Please feel free to send any suggestions you have as well as in the links or information and volunteer to be available if you wish.

    For me, it took a while for my wife to feel that she could travel by air again, of course, only as a passenger not an employee. She carries with her a mask which was purchased on the website www.aerotoxic.org, which may help if, in fact, there is another bleed air incident on an airline on which she is traveling. I carry one to. I have found that most people are very skeptical about the existence of the toxic exposure on airplanes and are also skeptical of the effects. When we share our knowledge and experience with flight crew we find many are still unaware or just assume that the airline would let them know if there could be a problem.  Many people feel that the physical and emotional effects manifested by those who have been exposed are simply things that were pre-existing, or that the behavior may happen for other reasons. They listen and say 'oh yes' but they do not understand.   We, as spouses and loved ones of those who have been exposed need to educate these people and educate ourselves as to how to respond when we are challenged.

    The affects of exposure can be immediate in the case of a significant exposure, or it may occur gradually over time for flight crew who are routinely on aircraft with oil leak or gasket issues.

    I love my wife deeply and am pleased with the progress that she made. I am not sure things will ever be exactly as they were, but they are, once again, good.  We have heard from many people whose experiences have been less dramatic and have had less effect on them, although a large effect, and we have heard from people who had even more debilitating and dramatic outcome. We wish everyone the best and urge you to continue trying to get better and to spread the knowledge about the effects of exposure to TOCP and the toxins from bleed air and the leaking oil which is heated by the engine and which results in the forming of the toxins.

    Be safe and fly with knowledge.

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