Re: Mestinon and Peggy

[Guest guest]

I was recently prescribed Mestinon for autonomic nervous system

dysfunction by a doctor at Mayo Clinic. I do have CFIDS and MCS.

Peggy I was not aware that it was implicated in Gulf War Syndrome.

Where did you get this information, and how did soldiers get exposed

to it? This is very scary as I was just about to take it! I have

decreased vagal activity and the doctors at Mayo use Mestinon to

increase acetylcholine to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous

system which is needed for people with decreased vagus nerve

activity. They do a tilt table test and breathing test and I am

sympathetic dominant with very little parasympathetic activity. I

really need to see this information you are talking about! Your help

would be very appreciated.

Thanks,

Pointer

[Guest guest]

Pointer,

Most of the recent work on Mestinon and Gulf War Syndrome

was done by Haley in Texas. You can read about his

work at:

http://www.swmed.edu/home_pages/epidemi/gws/gws.htm

Many other researchers have looked into the effects of

pyridostigmine bromide (which is Mestinon, but called " PB " in

most Gulf War Syndrome articles -- however, if you look at the

website for Mestinon you'll see that it IS pyridostigmine bromide).

Most have concluded that it played an integral role in Gulf War

Syndrome, though others point to causes such as

mycoplasmas, etc. The reason PB/Mestinon was used in the

Gulf was that it was thought to have a reverse binding

mechanism on the acetylcholine receptors, and thus would

" block " the acetylcholine-disrupting effects of nerve gas, which is

a potent pesticide (Sarin is an organophosphate). Because the

drug was administered without two other anti-nerve gas pills that

are necessary to produce this blocking effect (atropine and

another) it in fact had the opposite effect -- it synergized with

almost all of the pesticides the soldiers encountered in the Gulf,

creating a combination that was incredibly neurotoxic. If you type

" PB and Gulf War Syndrome " into Google you'll get a ton of

information on this.

The pesticides it synergized with are nearly impossible to avoid

in daily life. They are ones such as organophosphates (used

widely on crops), DEET (in bug spray), and pyrethrins. The

soldiers in fact were using these by label standards. DEET and

pyrethrins are often advertized as some of the least toxic

pesticides.

Since we already have impaired acetylcholine systems, taking

this drug seems like playing with fire, and potentially producing

extreme neurotoxic effects. It is not an innocuous substance.

People don't often associate Mestion with Gulf War Syndrome

because they likely heard it referred to by the name PB. I know

people disagree with this, and I know about the Mayo clinic's

rationale for using it, but I think it's important to get all of the

information first. It DOES synergize toxic chemicals -- the Gulf

proved this.

Peggy

>

> I was recently prescribed Mestinon for autonomic nervous

system

> dysfunction by a doctor at Mayo Clinic. I do have CFIDS and

MCS.

> Peggy I was not aware that it was implicated in Gulf War

Syndrome.

> Where did you get this information, and how did soldiers get

exposed

> to it?

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your response. You said that we already have impaired

acetylcholine systems, I'm sure I read this before but can't remember

where. Was it Cheney that documented this or where can I find the

information that CFIDS has impaired acetylcholine systems. Also,

does anyone know what else has been recommended and helped to improve

the acetylcholine system. As I stated, I have decreased

parasympathetic activity. I've had two open heart surgeries and I

have an increased heart rate, 100-120 standing, 120 and above with

minimal exertion, I can't tolerate any of the beta blockers to slow

the rate down, and the Mestinon was supposed to slow the rate down

and help balance my autonomic nervous system. Sorry to keep asking

questions, but your help is greatly appreciated.

Pointer