Eel Bites

salty joe · May 16, 2018

I hope this does it for you.
When the culture comes back, please let us know what that nasty bacteria is.
Good luck.

Eva Rose · May 16, 2018

Hope you continue to heal - best wishes.

cracker · May 16, 2018

JaimeAdams said:
cuts/scrapes/punctures can leave your flesh exposed to the bacteria.

This is good insight. Hope all goes well. So how long has this been going on now?

JaimeAdams · May 16, 2018

Thanks guys. Hand is sore and my head is swimming from the narcotics that I am taking and I really hate taking that kind of thing, just makes me feel all around icky. Right now we are starting with a month supply of heavy antibiotics. I needed to take off work today for surgery and they won't let me be alone for 24 hours so I will also need to miss out on work tomorrow. I need to return to work as soon as I can, because like a lot of people I live paycheck to paycheck and have some bills next week that I don't know how I am going to pay. I've never been one to wear gloves at work or working in my home tank, but I certainly will have that in my head now and I implore everyone reading this that gloves are a smart decision.

JaimeAdams · May 16, 2018

cracker said:
This is good insight. Hope all goes well. So how long has this been going on now?

It has been just about a year give or take since the initial bite.

cracker · May 16, 2018

A Year ! Oh No !

Velcro · May 16, 2018

I got hit by my kole Tang recently which free l Drew blood. Couldn't get the peroxide in that cut fast enough because of stuff like this.

JaimeAdams · May 17, 2018

Here is the finger after the first post operation cleaning. That is a big hole apparently where infected tissue was cut out and there was packing material inside that I had to remove, which was very unpleasant. Once more wear gloves while working in your tanks.

mort · May 18, 2018

Sorry to hear this and really hope it gets better soon.

I had a similar problem when I was stung by a carpet anemone on the forearm when I worked in a lfs. I got a patch of puss filled necrotic tissue develop about 2" across. I've always been sensitive to anemone stings and thought it was just a bad reaction. After about a week I noticed that I had a red line running up my veins in that arm and taking my shirt off it went all the way up the arm and continued around my heart.
At the walk in centre the nurse looked it up on her computer under the scientific name I gave her for the nem and rather helpfully all it said were "stings aren't always fatal". We laughed at that but it was clearly septiacemia and she wanted to admit me to hospital because it had tracked up the veins. In the end I got away with the strongest antibiotics you could get away with outside of hospital but I have a pretty large scar and respect for nems now.

It's hard to believe what can be floating about in even a pristine system,m.

Victoria M · May 18, 2018

JaimeAdams said:
Here is the finger after the first post operation cleaning. That is a big hole apparently where infected tissue was cut out and there was packing material inside that I had to remove, which was very unpleasant. Once more wear gloves while working in your tanks.

That is crazy! I wish you had a nurse in your life because they would have smacked you in the forehead and said see an ortho and ID (infectious disease) doctor. I hope this heals and you never have trouble with it again. Get well soon! Rest your body and that hand.

JaimeAdams · May 18, 2018

mort said:
Sorry to hear this and really hope it gets better soon.

I had a similar problem when I was stung by a carpet anemone on the forearm when I worked in a lfs. I got a patch of puss filled necrotic tissue develop about 2" across. I've always been sensitive to anemone stings and thought it was just a bad reaction. After about a week I noticed that I had a red line running up my veins in that arm and taking my shirt off it went all the way up the arm and continued around my heart.
At the walk in centre the nurse looked it up on her computer under the scientific name I gave her for the nem and rather helpfully all it said were "stings aren't always fatal". We laughed at that but it was clearly septiacemia and she wanted to admit me to hospital because it had tracked up the veins. In the end I got away with the strongest antibiotics you could get away with outside of hospital but I have a pretty large scar and respect for nems now.

It's hard to believe what can be floating about in even a pristine system,m.

Dude, that's crazy. I've seen some nasty carpet anemone stings. I'm glad that you caught it before it killed you.

Victoria M said:
That is crazy! I wish you had a nurse in your life because they would have smacked you in the forehead and said see an ortho and ID (infectious disease) doctor. I hope this heals and you never have trouble with it again. Get well soon! Rest your body and that hand.

Funny you would say that. My mother is a retired nurse and my sister had her pinning ceremony yesterday afternoon.

Victoria M · May 18, 2018

did you ignore a nurses advise??!!! Shame on you.

Perhaps your mom did not thump you in the forehead? I suppose it depends on what kind of nurse your mom was for her career. As an ICCU nurse I have seen too many wounds get really bad to not thump you a good one. But you can only lead a horse to water, you can not make them drink. All kidding aside, get well soon!

norfolkgarden · May 22, 2018

Hope you are doing well and recovering.

JaimeAdams · May 23, 2018

The Doxycycline has me feeling sick everyday, but I'm still taking it every 12 hours as prescribed and I am washing it and changing the dressing everyday as directed. It really doesn't hurt that bad, but the side effects of the meds are killing me.

Victoria M · May 23, 2018

sorry to hear you feeling bad. I was wondering how you were doing. are you takng the medication right after a big full meal? and drinking atleast 2L of water each day? and avoiding sun? Doxycycline is one of those medications that should have these warnings on it.

JaimeAdams · May 23, 2018

Victoria M said:
sorry to hear you feeling bad. I was wondering how you were doing. are you takng the medication right after a big full meal? and drinking atleast 2L of water each day? and avoiding sun? Doxycycline is one of those medications that should have these warnings on it.

I have started taking it with food. I already avoid the sun mostly because I am inside working during the day. I don't drink that much water. I'm more of a coffee and Mt Dew Baja Blast kind of guy

Victoria M · May 23, 2018

doxycycline comes with warnings that I shared with you. Not all doctors or pharmacy properly label the bottle with those warnings. big meals before taking it and more water will improve your experience. get well soon! good job taking it despite feeling miserable.

JaimeAdams · May 23, 2018

Called the surgeon. His answer to my issues with the pills making me sick was basically that fishtanks granuloma aka mycobacterium marinum is some nasty stuff and my only other treatment options are going to be more harsh on my system. So tough it out and DO NOT stop taking it, the last thing we want to do is have it become resistant. He also referred me to the Pittsburgh Center for Infectious Disease, my appointment is next Wednesday.

salty joe · Jun 2, 2018

I hope your appointment went well. What an ordeal, hang in there.

Victoria M · Aug 2, 2018

JaimeAdams said:
Called the surgeon. His answer to my issues with the pills making me sick was basically that fishtanks granuloma aka mycobacterium marinum is some nasty stuff and my only other treatment options are going to be more harsh on my system. So tough it out and DO NOT stop taking it, the last thing we want to do is have it become resistant. He also referred me to the Pittsburgh Center for Infectious Disease, my appointment is next Wednesday.

hey, how are you doing?