Anyone ever been to the ER for palytoxin poisoning?

[Simmy]

This was very informative for me! Although I feel for your pain and suffering I'm glad you were able to post this as a warning to other reefers that haven't fragged before. Thank You!

[jason604]

I too have felt palytoxins wrath but its seem like u got it much worst. I actually got my very first zoas from Scott tang and when moving them into my tank I had gloves on but totally forgot n touched the side of my mouth. I immediately washed it but I guess it got in. Felt like total ****. Heart felt like I was gonna race out my Chest n felt some numbing throughout my body. Now I take extra precautions while dealing with any type of corals n mainly always only moving them with my tongs n I wear a doctors mask and goggles n glove while fragging zoas

[asylumdown]

you are all re-confirming for me why I don't spend much time or money investing in the zoanthid/palythoa clade of corals... The most poisonous thing in my tank is a scribbled rabbit fish, and I don't ever try to pick him up with my hand.

Palytoxin is one of the most poisonous substances on earth, so if you're still alive to type this 5 days later I suspect you will recover. However, if the symptoms are really that terrible a hospital might have better drugs for your symptoms, and I'd deal with -36 if it meant that I might be able to stop feeling like a building had fallen on me. Also, there is always the possibility that the symptoms you are experiencing are being caused by something else, so I'd say it's worth it to just get checked out in general. It would suck if you had an illness whose symptoms just happened to show up at the same time as the eye squirting event and not do anything about it because you thought it was something else.

[LoJack]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

Also, there is always the possibility that the symptoms you are experiencing are being caused by something else, so I'd say it's worth it to just get checked out in general. It would suck if you had an illness whose symptoms just happened to show up at the same time as the eye squirting event and not do anything about it because you thought it was something else.

In the back of my mind, I always think this is what happened with me.

I kept telling myself it wasn't the paly's because I didn't start showing symptons until about 6 hours after the squirt that got me beside the eye (not even in it).

I had also read stories of dogs dying from just drinking the water that zoos and palys had been fragged in. But when I did see a doctor, the symptoms didn't add up, most notably, the extremely acclerated heart rate.

Still ... I tell the wife that it was food poisoning, nothing more ... Can't risk that she'll take my tank away lol

[SanguinesDream]

I hope I live to day 5 because it feels like an elephant sat on my chest and it is only day 4. My chest isn't congested it just feels like my sternum is bruised.

Btw, BC poison control was useless as they has never heard of it.

[Magickiwi]

Can't be that bad if you aren't willing to call an ambulance or at least get a ride to the hospital to get checked out.

[jason604]

Originally Posted by Magickiwi

Can't be that bad if you aren't willing to call an ambulance or at least get a ride to the hospital to get checked out.

+1. We in Canada. Free health care!! Call ambulance dude

[SanguinesDream]

Originally Posted by Magickiwi

Can't be that bad if you aren't willing to call an ambulance or at least get a ride to the hospital to get checked out.

If I had the luxury of living in Calgary, I would have days ago.

But I live in butt####nowhere where there are a couple of old nurses who triage you and decide IF a doctor is necessary. There is no doctor at the "hospital".

Case in point, Grandpa and cousin were in an accident where the horse trailer jackknifed on icy roads, pulling the dually into the ditch and slamming Grandpa against the window.

As everything was still upright, they called for a tow and went home. That was Thursday. Saturday night, Grandpa starts throwing up and has a headache and goes to the ER, where a nurse practitioner diagnosed him with a TIA (mini stroke) DESPITE being told REPEATEDLY that he was in an accident two days later. She never calls the doctor and states that they will continue to do neuro-exams throughout the night.

Monday, a doctor finally sees him, FOUR days after the accident, two days since he was in the hospital. He orders a catscan and lo and behold, he has profuse bleeding on the brain.

Grandpa died because of those nurses.

Take this story and times it by 1000 that is the competency of medical care here.

So if March from Fragbox is in T.O. and it still takes them 8 hours to figure it out, what are my chances here? Hence my question in my OP.

[Magickiwi]

Originally Posted by SanguinesDream

So if March from Fragbox is in T.O. and it still takes them 8 hours to figure it out, what are my chances here? Hence my question in my OP.

So then I would ask you how not seeing them is helping? You've posted on an aquarium forum looking for medical advice. How is this helping you? You mention exposure to an extremely toxic substance so wouldn't the supportive services of a nurse at least be better than staying at home and self-medicating?

Hey it's your life, do what you like but not seeking medical attention at all just seems kinda.... Stupid?

[Madreefer]

Do you not live in Chetwynd? There's a hospital there that was great when I broke my back snowmobiling. I cant see it getting worse since that town is booming with all the coal mines. Plus it's only a 2 1/2hr drive to PG.

And Jason604 where can I sign up for this free health care? Last time I was in an ambulance I got a pretty hefty bill in the mail, but who cares, it saved my life.