anbosu
New member
Wow ... I'm glad you're better now. That's a horrible experience. I had one when swallowing (accidentally) an aitapsia.
We have to be careful when handling saltwater things ...
Thanks for telling us.
I'm sorry you did what?
Infection from Live Rock - Personal Experience
- Thread starter HeavyWater
- Start date
I'm sorry you did what?
Glad to hear you're still on the mend!
ghostman
New member
I had a mycobacterium marinum infection a while ago. I never knew what triggered it, didn't get a scratch or anything, but I may have had an open cut or hangnail. I had 3 surgeries and 9 months of antibiotics-rifampin and sulfa. Absolutely miserable. The antibiotics are rough on the stomach, and may cause permanent GI problems in the future. Needless to say, I now wear gloves!!!!
Mysterion
New member
^^^^^^ Thats nuts!
Never asked how long, had to of taken weeks at the least. Started from the finger going up his arm the next morning.
Never asked how long, had to of taken weeks at the least. Started from the finger going up his arm the next morning.
tylersarah
Member
Wow, this hobby is scary. Deadly infections, palytoxins and electricity + water, why do we do this again?
HeavyWater
New member
Lol, yes the dangers of reefing!
When it comes to preventing infection, here is my public service announcement:
1) Wear gloves when possible
2) If you do get a scrape or cut, PROPERLY CLEAN THE WOUND RIGHT AWAY
HeavyWater
New member
Sounds eerily similar. I hope he is doing well now!
HeavyWater
New member
Thanks for sharing your experience, 9 months of antibiotics had to be ROUGH. I took these medications for three weeks and they where pretty brutal on my stomach.
What was the deal with the surgeries? Did the infection get deep into the tissue?
ghostman
New member
I didn't know what it was at first, so when I had lumps under my skin I had it biopsied. The granular tissue was wrapping around my tendons and causing some discomfort. Mycobacterium is supposedly hard to culture, and it took weeks to get a diagnosis. I didn't respond to the rifampin right away, the granulomas actually continued to grow for several months. I was a bit worried, but it did turn around. Never stopped reefing
I guess I'm an addict.
HeavyWater
New member
Lol, I was wondering that too. I would be interested in hearing the back story on this one
HeavyWater
New member
I was a bit worried, but it did turn around. Never stopped reefing
Ghost, I am glad you are doing better, but that sounds like it was a pretty rough experience! I am glad that I did not end up needing surgery for the infection that I dealt with.
I know what you mean about being an addict. After I got the infection and had my tank crash while I was in the hospital, I told myself that I was done... I was so bumbed out that I lost the fish and so many coral colonies that I just did not think that I could go on. I drained my tank and dried all of my rock and sand.
After the tank was drained, I REALLY started to miss my system. Its almost like I did not realize how much I loved looking at my tank till it was broken down.
Now, I cannot wait to get everything set back up and running. I am trying to wait for my arm to fully heal before getting it around salt water again, so I am hoping to re-boot my tank in the next week or two
Digitalelectric
New member
I think it has a lot to do with your immune system and how healthy it is. Being a Floridian 15 minutes from the ocean/marshes Ive cut myself many times on oyster bars and glass from those damn rednecks that throw their beer bottles on the rocks. Our water is disgusting and warm (bacteria haven) and Ive never had anything like this.
Duna_
New member
Lol, I was wondering that too. I would be interested in hearing the back story on this one
Maybe someday I'll open a thread with the whole "amazing" story about that ...
sorry about my english, but to sum up, the nightmare started one day when I was scraping four aitapsia off the glass of my empty sump, took them out, cleaned the tools and somehow (I really don't know how) one stuck to my arm and I didn't realise it.I didn't wash my arms, only hands, and still didn't see the brown little ball. I sat watching tv, having a nice relaxing time with a delicious chocolate icecream
(yes, yes ... you're guessing it right) I saw the tiny brown drop I thought it was from the chocolate icecream, licked it (I dropped some chocolate also on the shirt) ... BUT WASN'T. :facepalm:It took to me only half a second to realise that the brown little drop on my arm wasn't chocolate, and was instantly followed by such a violent cough attack that I was even unable to breathe between coughs, fall to my knees, fighting for breath ... I finally managed to get to the bathroom, just to watch my face (I still remember it) and thinking I should call for help (I was alone) ...
... but when the cough was less strong, I started to slobber, mouth half open, an incredibly amount of saliva ... and if wasn't enough, together with a horrible nausea and started vomiting ... So I spent more than half an hour feeling really sick, on my knees, grasped to the toilet, slobbering saliva as a river; I had nothing more in my stomach, everything had gone out earlier but the nausea was still a torture.
But the nausea slowly ended and I could stand up, I felt my stomach as if I had eaten fire, throat the same, mouth was better. I was relieved and didn't go to the doctor. At night I was ok.
That's when I discovered why aitapsia are so irritant to other corals. I know it's a very strange story that may never be repeated
but just another experience to be careful with your tank.And wash your hands and arms very well ...
glstine1966
New member
That's pretty scary, glad you are about healed. I'm pretty careless about putting my hands in the tank, although I do always wash them off right after (I don't like the stickyness saltwater causes). I've thought about gloves, but don't have a clue what kind are good, I'm always concerned about contaminating my tanks. I saw some shoulder length pvc gloves, would something like that work?
cubiclewarrior
New member
Same happened here dropped a very large piece of live rock on my foot and thought nothing of it! I worked as a auto tech most of my life and cut my self wide open all the time and never had an issue until I dropped some live rock on my foot.. 6 days in the hospital with iv vancomycin! broke out in what they call redman syndrome from the vanco but it saved my life/leg .. they don't call it live rock for nothing!
I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I just cleaned my saltwater tank yesterday, and might have knicked a knuckle on a rock. That wouldn't be the first time it's happened, HOWEVER, this particular issue is. Curious if I've got what the OP has, or something less/more annoying? It's concentrated around the knuckle area, and spread a LITTLE down the hand towards the wrist. It's sore/tight feeling, maybe a little burn feeling too. Any ideas?
gprdypoo04
New member
I'm sure i saw those photos on google somewhere.. hmmm.
I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I just cleaned my saltwater tank yesterday, and might have knicked a knuckle on a rock. That wouldn't be the first time it's happened, HOWEVER, this particular issue is. Curious if I've got what the OP has, or something less/more annoying? It's concentrated around the knuckle area, and spread a LITTLE down the hand towards the wrist. It's sore/tight feeling, maybe a little burn feeling too. Any ideas?
Edit UPDATE:
Went to a carespot (urgent care) and the PA recommended I go to the ER.....long story short (5+ hours there), they gave me IV antibiotics and a script for 10 days of antibiotics.
Dont let it get to my point, if you think you cut yourself in the tank, WASH it out, and if it gets red, get it taken care of ASAP...
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