Help

[chaoticgirl]

I really hope someone can help. My husband had a work related incident where his work vehicle was dumping raw diesel fuel on the engine block and he was breathing in the fumes for days. His symptoms tingling extremities, vomiting, weight loss, weakness, TIA's, full rightside numbness, problems with balance and walking. This is now going on for 60 days. His GP has no clue what to do!  He has had 3 CAT scans, MRI, ecg;s, Ekg's, brain stem. Every thing comes back normal no heart damage, no brain damage, there is obviously a problem. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Philip D Parks, MD, MPH, MOccH, FACOEM]

Hello,

When did your husbands exposure to diesel fumes end?

Have your husband's symptoms improved in the last thirty days? If so, which symptoms have improved and which symptoms have not?

Does he have any other chronic health conditions: diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.?

Does he have difficulty with speaking (finding words) or with talking or concentrating?

There are many components to diesel fuel including:  (1) carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide; (2) nitrogen oxides; (3) sulfur oxides; (4) hydrocarbons; (5) unburned carbon particles (soot); and (6) water.

Several of the components of diesel fuel are toxic to the central nervous system (balance) and the peripheral nervous system (numbness and tingling).

~•~ Dr. Parks

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical or legal advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

[chaoticgirl]

The diesel fumes ended Mar 13th. He still has full right body numbness and his balance is off causing him difficulty walking. The hospital here did not do a tox screen for any components of diesel fuel, I asked them to check for even one component but they said they couldn't. We have been beating our heads against the wall trying to get help. He says he notices when he is talking that sometimes he finds him self not making sence, but only once in a while. This has been going on for over 60 days now. He stopped vomitting and the tingling in his extremities has stopped. He is in fear that he will be permanently numb on his right side not being able to work again.