Comments for Bluebottles - Unexpected Danger at http://www.surfski.info , comment 0 to 11 out of 11 comments http://www.surfski.info Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:12:48 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_555 Thanks for your comments,Barry. Allergex is an antihistamine which would work against the histamine response provoked by the bluebottle sting. I doubt it would do much for the sting itself, but as you correctly point out, it helps with the systemic reactions, such as swollen glands, throat swelling etc. It seems you are allergic to behaving those reactions. Allergex is only one of many different anti-histamines, which all work pretty well, so I'm not going to endorse it specifically, but it is an older generation of drug and the newer ones have less side effects, such as drowsiness. - Gary Kroukamp Wed, 28 Mar 2007 17:10:43 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_554 I am acute asthmatic and don’t react well to blue bottle at all! Can’t confirm weather I am allergic but it is most likely. In my experience and cream like stingo's works only on the outside to handle pain but didn’t help with my glands and throat from swelling. My doc gave me a tablet to help fight the poison instead, think it is called alerjex. I keep them on me when i do downwind paddles. Maybe the doctors can comment on what it does but it works much better for me. In my experience to carry on paddling made the glands swell even quicker so stopping right away is best. To carry on with a sessions is not a great idea. It was explained to me that the blood pumping to your muscles pumps the poison around your body quicker so you need to stop any physical activity. Ice is the best as it numbs the pain and localises the poison. The blue bottles in Cape Town are nowhere near as bad as in durbs. I have been stung on the cape point and millers runs, the blue bottles around the point etc are small and have little effect compared to the big boys we get here in Durban when the east wind blows. Their string is much thicker and harder to brake so if one gets tangled around you its almost impossible to get it off. We have had some serious incidents here recently with at least 1 person being hospitalised with major blue bottle stings. - Barry Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:27:48 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_552 The symptoms would get worse only if you were allergic, or if more of the tentacle was in contact with the skin, and for a longer period of time. Most people would not get worse with each subsequent sting if they were not allergic - Gary Kroukamp Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:19:25 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_551 Gary's article seems to suggest that ones reaction to blue bottle stings is cumulative and can get worse over time. I was stung a few times as a kid without too much reaction. Since then I have been stung only once (at Batsato rock on the same day as Rob)and again the reaction was limited to a burning localised pain that lasted 30mins or so. Is it reasonable for me to assume that I have a higher than average tolerance of this type of poison and that this is likely to last? - Dale Lippstreu Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:07:51 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_550 Ok, I volunteer in the name of science. - Alain Jaques Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:22:25 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_549 Kip, you are correct about the epinephrine (adrenaline) buying time. Oral antihistamines probably do the same until you can get medical attention, including IV fluids and IV steroids to counteract the allergic cascade. - Gary Kroukamp Wed, 21 Mar 2007 08:34:28 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_548 Those are fairly common in Hawaii too. If you guys do the test please post the results. If the Stingoes stuff works I want to put it in my safety kit. Scott - Scott Wed, 21 Mar 2007 04:08:01 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_547 I'm not a doctor, but I am a certified Wilderness First Responder. It is my understanding that in an allergic reaction that may be heading towards anaphalaxis (and the dangerous swelling and closing of the airway)an epinepherine injection only buys time to get in some oral antihistamines. So if you have a known allergy to insect or jellyfish bights I would recommend having both on hand (somewhere). I also recommend that people with known allergies wear some kind of identification tag. I have an anklet I wear that is reflective (good for running and cycling) and has a metal plate with my "condition", name, address, and contact information for my wife. - Kip Koelsch Tue, 20 Mar 2007 22:50:51 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_546 I do have personal experience of being stung by a box jellyfish (Sea Wasp) at Boulders Beach, Cape Town. It was far more painful than the bluebottle, but fortunately a kind (prepared) soul on the beach had a bottle of vinegar which immediately soothed the stings and reduced the welt to a red mark that vanished after a day or so. Perhaps we should run some tests at Fish Hoek the next time we have bluebottles. Group A: no treatment, group B: Stingoes, group C: vinegar, group D: ice, group E: hot shower. In order to reduce inaccuracies due to individual responses, each person should undergo all the treatments being stung afresh each time... Any volunteers? - Rob Mousley Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:44:08 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_545 The reports on the efficacy of Stingoes are a little contradictory, with some recommending it and others not. See http://www.realsurf.com/shealth/blue.htm I'd still recommend it if you don't have access to ice packs or hot water (>45 deg C for 15 minutes)which are proven to help. - Gary Kroukamp Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:25:44 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/381/155/#pc_544 Does anyone have personal experience of the efficacy (or otherwise) of Stingoes on bluebottle stings? A google search of stingoes results in a bunch of websites that recommend it. I've been carrying a tube of the gel in my PFD but I have no idea whether it really works. The last time I was stung (before I bought the Stingoes), I scooped a bluebottle onto my neck. A few minutes later I scooped another one on the other side of my neck. The lymph glands on both sides immediately swelled up & I was in agony for about thirty minutes. It happened at Batsato Rock, about 15km from Fish Hoek at the furthest point of our paddle. After half an hour the pain gradually receded. Nasty little swines. Note that the stings do NOT penetrate the relatively thick skin off your finger tips and it's possible to pick the tendrils off yourself without getting stung further. It's important to get the tendrils off asap. - Rob Mousley Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:50:21 +0100