McCampbell has had MCS since 1989. She is part of a statewide task force in New Mexico that educates the public about the condition. But among doctors, her viewpoint is in the minority. There's just not a nifty blood test you can measure. McCampbell said MCS is somewhat like diabetes.
Patients have to be careful around chemicals, or they can go into toxic overload.
Those with the condition point out that it took years for doctors to accept multiple sclerosis and Gulf War syndrome as illnesses that were not psychological. The Social Security Administration and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recognize MCS as a disabling condition, as does the Americans With Disabilities Act. But Johnson and most doctors point to research that shows that it looks like MCS is a mind-set. In control-group research, people with MCS often respond to a chemical even if it isn't present. Also, about 80 percent of the people who get it are adult women.