Palytoxin=OUCH

MrDemonicAngel said:
Marilyn, practice makes perferct. Now that you learned from your mistakes you wont hurt yourself the next time you frag.
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That's right because I won't be fragging zoas or palys again. I'll gladly pay one of you more experienced fellow reefers to help me out. I'm done with this. I'm a klutz with sharp instruments!

tkh said:
Woah, glad this wasn't any worse! Ironically I was reading more about palytoxin poisoning just the other day - there are some true horror stories out there, this isn't a trivial toxin!

On a side note, the mechanism by which the toxin works is ingenious! It disrupts your cells sodium pumps... Which is such an intrinsic and basic function of cells in general that the toxin has the potential of working on any cell! I mean, how cool is that! Hmm, ok, maybe not the thread for marveling at palytoxin....

I really hope you feel better soon! Thanks for sharing a reminder to us all to be careful with our tanks!
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Maybe in a few weeks I'll share your excitement about the amazing ability they have, but for now.... I'm just :fear:

dohc97 said:
Get better, im one of the ones who got an infection from just having my hands in tank. i wrench for a living so im always scratched up, one day my forearm started swelling up, i let it go a few days until it looked like i had a volcano ready to blow on my arm. Doctor visit, they "drained" the wound and put me on antibiotics for about 2 months. i have a crater left over and the memory of the pain when they squeezed my arm like an orange. Looks like you are better than me at getting medical care though so you will hopefully not be scarred up.
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Why do I picture that scene in Willy Wonka where that girl blows up into a blueberry and needs to be squeezed? :noidea:
I'm glad you are OK. That's why I thought it was important to bring this up as a reminder to those of us that have been in the hobby for awhile, but especially for the newbies who may not even know that this could happen.
 
1mg said:
now you got me nervous. I should be getting back to work soon and im a machinist. I don't think there is a day I have worked without at least one cut and metal splinters in my hands. was it a frag tank or just full of zoas Jose. I don't have a lot of zoas so would I still be in danger just putting my hands in the tank. also I always wash my hands and take a shower when I get off work but could the metal chips in my skin contaminate the tank.
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Mike, while it is very unlikely that you would end up with palytoxin poisoning just by sticking your hand in a tank with happy palys and zoas, there is plenty of bacteria and other nasties that can infect cuts you have, potentially at least. Palys and zoas will normally only excrete the toxin in response to stresses, like being attacked by an exacto-knife. As for the metal chips in your skin adversely affecting the water quality, I don't know, I think it would depend on the type of metal, how long your arms are in the water, and how exposed the chips are. The soap and oils your skin brings into the tank certainly can affect your tank, but generally not to a huge extent (that being said, I am paranoid about accidentally introducing anything to my tank).

Regardless, I highly recommend long gloves, or at the very least limiting the amount of times you out your hand in the tank. You can get cheap ones online for under $20. There are a couple of brands, but I have used Atlas Gloves before and like them. Just duct tape that **** hole at the top, lol.
 
1mg said:
now you got me nervous. I should be getting back to work soon and im a machinist. I don't think there is a day I have worked without at least one cut and metal splinters in my hands. was it a frag tank or just full of zoas Jose. I don't have a lot of zoas so would I still be in danger just putting my hands in the tank. also I always wash my hands and take a shower when I get off work but could the metal chips in my skin contaminate the tank.
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im a machinist my hands in my tank every cuts burn but tanks fine I get to find my slivers that way to specially when I touch my light housing with wet hands and a sliver
 
Well, a quick update. Right now I've been an inpatient at the hospital since yesterday morning getting IV antibiotics. I'm so surprised that it turned out this way. It really doesn't look as bad as it was in reality. I also had to see a hand surgeon and may need some surgery to clean out the tendon that follows along the palm side of my finger, but hopefully it won't come to that. :).
 
edsbeaker said:
Well, a quick update. Right now I've been an inpatient at the hospital since yesterday morning getting IV antibiotics. I'm so surprised that it turned out this way. It really doesn't look as bad as it was in reality. I also had to see a hand surgeon and may need some surgery to clean out the tendon that follows along the palm side of my finger, but hopefully it won't come to that. :).
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Sorry to hear that. Best wishes and I hope you won't have a need for the surgeon.
 
Oh Marilyn, I'm so sorry to hear about that. :(

What were to symptoms that led to you needing to be admitted?

I hope you get out really soon.
 
You must have cut yourself pretty good for that infection to reach a tendon. That or the toxin ate away at the subcutaneous tissue and made it's way down there. If that's the case, wow...

By the way, did you spike a temp? What led you to going in?
 
Ya that looks like it hurt. I hope you feel better and everything turns out ok.

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Thanks everyone :)
I ended up in the ER because even on the antibiotics for two days, the swelling and pain was getting worse, and the redness was working it's way down to my forearm. I also could no longer extend or flex my finger. I don't have a primary doc, and I wasn't comfortable with the limited care of a walk in clinic. I just felt that the ER was best.

Funny thing is I've had no fever with this, but the hand surgeon says that since the pain is tracking along the tendon, that the sheath surrounding it is infected and antibiotics probably won't work and it would need to be opened up and debrided? Which I assume is cleaned out. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. I'm still staying in the hobby, though. I just paid Walt for some corals from my hospital bed. :). What can I say, what else is there to do here. But I'll tell you this I will never ever put my hands in that tank without gloves again.
 
Wow, I'm really sorry to hear that you ended up in the hospital! Debrided essentially means taking out dead tissue for the most part. I really hope you get healthy soon.

As for your symptoms, paly toxin is known to cause feverlike symptoms, by not an actual fever. Similarly, antibiotics won't help with the toxin at all, it's not a bad idea due to your cut, but really not much to help with. Did you tell your doctors that it was paly toxin poisoning? Most people, doctors included, are unaware of what that really means. Have them look at the wiki at the very least. There is a toxin website too, and they should have access to a more advanced database, be sure they use it and look up paly toxin. This is the 2nd most deadly and damaging toxin out there - not to be trifled with in the least. I was hoping you had a minor incident, but this is sounding scarier and scarier, and echoes the progression of similar incidences I have read about - it started out mild, but has gotten worse over time! :( I'm so sorry you've got to deal with it this much! I'm hoping everything turns out well from here on out (as it should, so don't worry! :))! Thanks again for sharing your story and reminder for us all! Get healthy and better, and let us know when you get out! Most people might send get well flowers... I'm more inclined to get well frags ;)

Feel better!!!
 
Now thats a dedicated reefer, buying corals from your hospital bed!!

Marilyn, thanks for starting this thread. Hopefully other people will learn from it, I know I have. Does anyone know where I can buy a Hazmat suit? ;-))

Hope you feel better soon!!
 
This just scares the hell out of me. I am so sorry you are going through this. Get well soon!!!
 
Well Marilyn, if you need any tissue to replace what they are taking out, I am more than willing to donate. I have plenty
 
Thanks guys,
Third day in the hospital and still getting IV antibiotics. The good news is that the swelling has gone down, and I have more range of motion when moving my finger. I think I'm getting closer to being sprung, hopefully later today or if not, I don't think they would keep me past tomorrow. So things are looking better. The orthopedic surgeon still wants to see me when I get out because the area surrounding the tendon is still a concern, but not as concerning as yesterday.

My husband has been away in Miami for a trade show, and just got home this morning, so my only other concern is what my tank will look like when I get home.

So again thanks everyone for your good wishes. For those of you that I've watched frag palys and zoas without protection, especially those in the medical field... you know who you are....please be careful!

And to Jay, thank you for the offer of tissue, that's hilarious! LOL
 
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