There is a type of anemia, hemolytic anemia, that is cause from a chemical in many cleaning and degreaser products used extensively in the USA over the last 50 years; part of the symptoms, per YAHOO definition is

These are symptoms of hemolytic anemia  *
Chills 
Fatigue 
Pale color 
Shortness of breath 
Rapid heart rate 
Yellow skin color (jaundice) 
Dark urine (indicative of blood in urine - never dismiss this! Stop exposure immediately!)
Enlarged spleen

AND, then it targets the kidneys and liver and there is
Central Nervous System  damage showing up sometimes as
Loose your temper easily? 
Short term memory loss 
Difficulty concentrating 
Personality changes to 'grumpy' - Extreme Irritability 
All the time Depression 
Suicidal Tendencies 

People share about a dizziness and collapsing and as soon as they are given oxygen, they are ok. 

The chemical is 2-butoxyethanol and it is also called ethylene glycol monobutyl ether.  Doctors don't seem to recognize it as the primary source of harm, but many, many times treat the secondary problems related to endocrine disruption and the above ... should it be grouped together with what has come to be known as 'gulf war syndrome'?  Is our military particularly harmed by it? These chemicals have been identified by the Govt as solvents troops were exposed to in gulf war; (& most likely today, too) but they don't know how harmful it is. It is in paint, varnishes, automotive products, cleaners and degreasers in general.

To find more info search on the internet. Just put in 2-butoxyethanol and the pages go on and on and on. When you see MSDS that stands for material safety data sheet. You have to memorize the warning signs, because they are in many every day cleaning products, and the chemical is not named, only the warnings given.

It is the red blood cells that are damaged. Ask for the Retic ratio and ask for a lab tech to comment on the red blood cells. And realize 2-butoxyethanol causes:

Narcosis 
Damage to the kidney 
Damage to the liver 
Present an abnormal blood picture showing: Erythropenia 
Present an abnormal blood picture showing: Reticulocytosis 
Present an abnormal blood picture showing: Granulocytosis 
Present an abnormal blood picture showing: Leukocytosis 
Likely to Cause Fragility of Erythrocytes 
Likely to Cause Hematuria 

  • from Hemat = blood and 
  • uria = of urine 

  • Hematuria simply means blood in the urine

http://www.associatedurologists.com/hematuria.html

Causes Central Nervous System (CNS) DEPRESSION   *
Loss of taste 
Headaches and Stupor. 

Causes skin irritation. 
Causes severe eye irritation - damage to tissue possible 
Irritating to mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract

 

Sincerely,

Margaret

PO Box 233

Valdez, AK 99686

907-835-5333

 

If you feel you have been harmed by this chemical, please contact me as I hope to work with a study on effects on PEOPLE  because

 

Your doctor can get in depth info on the organs affected & long term effects:  http://www.valdezlink.com/organs_affect_list.htm

 

Gather this information to help

1-20-04

 

Go over this questionnaire  -  Share this info with your doctors

 

 
Examples:

A furnace man said he should NOT have diabetes, but came down with it about 8 years ago, he works for a fuel co repairing and installing furnaces, etc.

He mentioned that he had a bone that had not healed in about 3 years, and doctors wanted to operate & cut off he end of the clavicle bone that was not healing.  That reminded me of a captain on the MV Columbia ... same job that Capt Richard had  www.valdezlink.com/rdn.htm  who was very badly harmed by the 2-butoxyethanol ....

 
Anyway Capt Charles had the best bone doctor in his area.  DR did not understand why his broken finger did not even start to heal after TEN MONTHS!