Zoa Poison Real?!?

S

SaltyScotty

Member
I dont know if it is related or not, but I fragged my first zoa last night and woke up this morning feeling like I got hit by a bus. Sweating profusely, hot and cold flashes, nausea, you name it...I feel like junk!!

Anywho, I know I didnt ingest or getting any into cuts or what not. I was breathing kinda close to it maybe? Really confused and would like to make sure I dont do it again if this is the case...

Any advice/knowledge would be great!

Thanks
 
Some people are allergic to zoas. Make sure to wear latex gloves and don't get to close when fragging zoas.
 
How are you feeling now?!? Palytoxin is what you may want to research more, but a hospital trip might be wise. Nothing splashed into your eye? It might have been on your fingers or something you touched. You weren't drinking a soda or something (beer :) ) while you were fragging, were ya? Poi had a bad bad experience with palytoxin and thankfully, he recovered, but he knows all about your pain.
 
kinda like the flu symtoms ??? sounds like you ay have gotin some palytoxin poisoning. never had or eperienced it but just from what im reading one is what you describe flue like symptoms and the other seem to be faint breath chest pains and fw others google it and try and match up found a interesting one on rc
 
Polytoxin poisoning is very real, happens all the time. I know quite a few people personally that it happened to.

Usually you feel better after a day or two with some benadryl/asprin (not sure which is best).

Allergic reactors or other severe reactions (getting a ton in your bloodstream) can have you in the hospital for a week.
 
Yes I still feel like crap...I havent vomitted but sure feel like I could. Dizzy/light headed so far...not horrible, but def dont feel like I'm on top of m
 
Or could be coincidental food poisoning, did you eat out yesterday? If you think it's real, bring info with you to hospital because it's likely they haven't dealt with it a lot.
 
Before I even think about going to the hospital...this could all happen from just breathing near the zoa? Like I said I dont believe I got anything in my eyes, I know I didnt ingest it. I have a cut on one of my thumbs, but I super glued it shut a few days ago, so I doubt anything got in that way...
 
Do you have any cuts on your hands? Even the tiniest can get the toxin in there. I have had severe issues with cuts & also my eyes, even after washing my hands thoroughly 3x. Maybe it was on your hands & you ate something afterwards? Or, it could just be a coincidence...
 
SaltyScotty said:
Before I even think about going to the hospital...this could all happen from just breathing near the zoa? Like I said I dont believe I got anything in my eyes, I know I didnt ingest it. I have a cut on one of my thumbs, but I super glued it shut a few days ago, so I doubt anything got in that way...
Click to expand...

Sure can breathe it in.
A bit extreme case here from reefbuilders, but it does happen:
http://reefbuilders.com/2012/03/04/palytoxin/
Some subspecies of zoa/paly are alot worse than others.
 
I was once poisoned back in 2008 and thought that I had just "caught the flu", after the 3rd day of symptoms and extreme headaches, my ex wife and mom took me to the hospital where I spent 4 days in there. The doctors checked me for everything and even did a spinal tap, and couldn't find anything. Another one of my reef buddies knew that I had been playing with my tank/fragging zoas days prior to getting sick and advised me to tell the doctors. Once they put me on another type of medication I started feeling better. So it is definitely real. Good luck and feel better.
 
Always frag zoas under the water line (even in a bucket, tupperware....) to keep from splashing and wear protective gear.

If you decide to go to the hospital, call and see if they have ever dealt with polytoxin. It will give them a heads up before you go.

I burnt my eye a few years ago fragging some zoas. Woke up in the morning and looked like someone kicked my a$$! The ER had no idea what I was talking about and neither did the poison control people they called. They told me I had pink eye...... UMMMMK!

Anyway, I went to a specialist with a printout of what the toxin is and he said I was lucky to not hit my pupil. It looked like a chemical burn. So... meds in the eye for a week or so and all good now. Needless to say, I do most of my fragging wearing a face shield.

Always use precautionary measures when fragging your corals.
Never boil your rock... you never know what you are releasing into the air...
Use gloves and always cover any cuts.

On the upside of going into the hospital... you'll be hooked up to all their monitors, and piece of mind is priceless...
 
dang i forgot they toxic . i always have hands in tank and always have cuts im a machinist and always working on cars also guess ive been really lucky . hope u get better bud
 
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