Ciguatera poisoning

[Noiseworks]

Hey guys, bit distressed right now. Just been outside projectile vomitting. Does anyone have an first hand knowledge of Ciguatera poisoning? Just finished eating some Golden Trevally and about an hour later.........whoa. Rest of the family are fine, i haven't been drinking anything but coffee. Friend dropped of a big Trevally about a month ago and curiously i have had pins and needles constantly in my left thumb for about 3 weeks. Coincidence? What should i do?


Noiseworks

[blackjack]

Hey guys, bit distressed right now. Just been outside projectile vomitting. Does anyone have an first hand knowledge of Ciguatera poisoning? Just finished eating some Golden Trevally and about an hour later.........whoa. Rest of the family are fine, i haven't been drinking anything but coffee. Friend dropped of a big Trevally about a month ago and curiously i have had pins and needles constantly in my left thumb for about 3 weeks. Coincidence? What should i do?


Noiseworks

dear noiseworks

i hope you aren't at home reading this because you have already left for the doctor! i am sure the best advice is to go immediately to the nearest hospital or doctor's surgery to seek urgent assistance.

please let us know when you are well enough about your ordeal. whether ciguatera or something else. good luck.

Quote from this excellent link about ciguatera poisoning:
http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache...lnk&cd=8&gl=au

"Following the onset of any of the aforementioned symptoms, immediate medical treatment should be sought. The most effective treatment at present is an intravenous injection of mannitol which in most cases provides a fairly rapid improvement to most symptoms as long as it is started early enough.
Mannitol functions as an osmotic diuretic that essentially flushes the body’s cells of the toxin (Lehane)"

jenny

[Lancair]

Theres some good information thats worth reading here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciguatera

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/goodhea.../ciguatera.asp

And on the following page, watch the instructional video.
http://cigua.com/index.php?option=co...d=66&Itemid=35

I hope your seeking some help too.
Though it would seem that like a common cold, all yoo can do is ease symptoms, only time will heal.

Andrew

[Noiseworks]

At this stage I'm sticking it out sitting at the computer with a bucket between my feet. Still feel very crampy and ill, but haven't been sick for about 3/4 hour

I have done some research while sitting her and alot of the symptoms are true, where as others aren't. I understand that everyone doesn't display the classic range of symptoms..........but it would make it easier. Just strange that the rest of the family are fine.

Cheers for the well wishing
Noiseworks

[mik01]

could be a range of things mate.
I remember about 3mths ago going out to dinner with the family and returning to wake up vomiting quite violently early next morning. went on for hours - was not nice.
I was the only one, and it was hard to blame any one thing in particular. might just be 'one of those things'

drink heaps of water, as vomiting dehydrates you, and it also flushes your stomach out.

good luck mate - there's nothing worse i reckon...

[blackjack]

morning noiseworks, nurse jenny here

just give us an update when you can on your condition

really hope things have settled down

take care

[Local_Guy]

on a positive note..... throwing up is probably one of the best abdominal workouts you can get... they'll be rock solid when your better.

serously though, hope your feeling better and this hasn't put you off eating fish.

[Nic]

My uncle got ciguatera from a big coral trout that everyone was sharing. He ate more of it than everyone else did, which may explain why no-one got sick but him.

Anyway, it really knocked him around so I hope you don't have it! Go to the doc and get an anti-spew shot I reckon.

[the gecko]

It can be the cumulative effects of eating it over time that gets you. If you have eaten more seafood from the area than your family has over the last 12 mnths, that could explain it. They can be storing small amounts of it without ill effects.

Your body can store small amounts of it, and once youve reached the limit, then thats it for life!

What area are the fish from? Maybe Hervey Bay?
Theres been a few cases up that way.

[Noiseworks]

Hey everyone, thanks for the posts. Tried sucking it up and went into work today....damn work ethics.......lasted until 2pm. Nausea was just getting to much. Went to the Mackay Base Hospital and at this stage they are calling it Ciguatera until proven otherwise. Stomach is still very upset and sore, but not vomitting anymore. It's a matter of wait and see. Being the biggest palooka in the family I do eat more than the others so this may have contributed as to why i got crook and nobody else. All I had to eat that day was some bacon (shared with my daughter) at about 9am, coffee, went fishing about 1ish, caught fish about 3pm, home and filleded fish, wife cooked fish at about 7:30 to 8, started vomitting around 9:30 through until about 12:30. Only ate bread and butter with the fish which my wife tried to batter..... another story. Nothing else was consumed by me apart from a couple of more coffee's throughout the day. Cheers to everyone for their responses, looks like I will be able to catch the fish, just not eat it. If you have a look at the saltwater forum I posted an article about catching the Trevally....was still in high spirits then.... hadn't eaten it yet.

Ta to everyone, keep you posted on updates/prognosis
Noiseworks

[blackjack]

i am sorry to hear you have not recovered quickly. AND i am glad you've sought medical advice.

i was searching thru' some old posts on here, and came across one from Spaniard King from April 2006

here is the link:
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...ighlight=cigua

WOW. i am constantly amazed at the things i learn on this forum. And if you happen to be reading this Spaniard King, i for one would love to know how things are for you and your family and friends, some 2 years down the track. i am going to try to PM him to ask him to reply. mission accomplished.

blackjen

[Foxy4]

Mate be very careful. If it was Ciguatera poisoning, you will get it again one day and it will be worse then the first time. Take it from me as I did have it once and being a mighty big tough fella, it really knocked me for a six. Then the added insult of being told that I will get it again sooner or later has stop me eating any form of seafood for ever.

Now i have the great pleasure of Barmah Forest Virus which is as bad only last a whole lot longer. Have had it since October last year and still got it today. Mozzies and Fish hate me for sure

[Braddles]

Your tougher than me... I would be at the emergency dept at the first sign of it...

What you said is correct, you may have consumed more of the fish, but you may have also consumed more meat from specific areas of the fish than other members of your family, such as accidently part of the fishies liver, or close to the gut cavity or gills. You also may have more of a genetic predisposition to be sensitive to the toxin.

Main thing is your on the mend. Next time, go to hospital and save us all worrying about you :-P

[disorderly]

I

Your body can store small amounts of it, and once youve reached the limit, then thats it for life!

I have heard different theories on this...wonder if anybody really knows if it is dissipated from our bodies over time or remains there in the same level...keen to hear more about this.

And if you happen to be reading this Spaniard King, i for one would love to know how things are for you

blackjen

Oh, its a sad thing indeed Blackjen ..but it appears to have affected his brain...the poor guy now thinks that Honda's are actually better motor's than evinrudes......it's such a shame but I do try to humour him.

Scott

[Spaniard_King]

Noiseworks,

As Jenny has shown you, We had it 2 years ago.

Firstly, there is no cure for it.. you have to treat the symptoms ie diarea and vomiting.

Most defining after effect is senses reversal. I felt it was more a heightening of skin sensitivity. When you put your hands in cool water to me it feels like you are putting them in the freezer (freezer burn) rather than a hot burn. This lasts for about 1 month Most symtoms will subside after a week

here are a few guidelines wich you really should follow

No Alcohol for 3 months.. thats not 2.5 months.. thats 3 months... it will come back twice as bad
No fish for 3 months and no warm water fish for 6 months( no that you will feel like it anyway)

No nuts and eggs, also you should avoid chicken and pork (these are fed fish pellets)

You are basically on a red meat diet.

to improve your recovery you should take 4000mg of vitamin B12 daily.. not easy to do but worth it IMO.. take for 1 month

After 6 months we all went back to eating fish.. no problems at all

When I bring home a suspect fish I will taste test the fish imediately by cooking a good size sample eating.. after a 6 hour wait the fish is then cleared for consumption by the rest of the family.. normally the next day.. so far so good

I see myself as the guinea pig.. wont put my family through that again.. I have eaten my fair share of fish.. don't want to put my kids or my wife through that again.