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RE: Being Bit By the Big One
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by willy on August 24, 2004
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This guy is really lucky to be alive given the time it took to get him on antivenom, just goes to show the slightest slip up or over confidence and your dead!! Or close to it.
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RE: Being Bit By the Big One
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by blacktara on February 17, 2005
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I am a physician in Georgia who has dealt with a few Crotalid bites over the years (tho never any envenomation approaching the severity of the one in this case) I have some thoughts on this whole thing
It does seem odd, and is disturbing, that medical personal in an area where these snakes are native would have no clue what to do and that anyone would think that black widow antivenom would help. That said, there is a big difference between incompetance and inexperience. I myself who has experience in minor copperhead and rattler bites would be challenged by treating something as severe as this bite - but in life threatening situations, you apply basic principles of critical care and you get the help you need - be it calling a zoo, a poison center, or getting consultation with a snakebite specialist by phone if you have to
Now the part I am sure isnt gonna be popular, but it's gotta be said. ANYONE, and I dont care if you've been handling hot snakes twenty years, I dont care how much you think you know, I dont care if you're Steve Irwin or Jeff Corwin or whoever - ANYONE, and did I repeat ANYONE, who picks up a seven foot long diamondback freehand - is plain and simple a JACKASS
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Being Bit By the Big One
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by Joyia on February 21, 2005
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Don't you hate it when they fight back.
I got bit when I was 2 after trying to chase a western diamond back. It didn't like being stepped on.
I still love snakes and own 6
Glad to hear the snake got to slither away with its life. They are killed far to often.
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RE: Being Bit By the Big One
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by Scott7590 on August 10, 2005
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If you live in venomous snakes' territory, you should check area hospitals to see which ones have anti-venom. It's very expensive, so don't think every hospital has it. You should also ask about each hospital's experience in treating snakebites. An inexperienced physician may not really know what to do. Pumping you full of anti-venom may not be a good treatment. You need to be tested for any allergic reactions to horse serum. Some anti-venom is made from chicken blood, but good luck in finding it.
You need to consult an expert to try to avoid future problems, which seem to be affecting you. You may have to hunt one down, but it will be well worth it. I know of some snake bite victims who have developed terrible arthritis in joints near the bite site.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
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RE: Being Bit By the Big One
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by Scott7590 on August 10, 2005
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Why would you think your comments would be unpopular? Look at the guy's hand. He almost died!
I took a friend copperhead hunting some years ago. I caught, as I recall, five of the snakes by lifting them with a snake stick and putting them into a bag. My friend decided to pin the snake and pick it up. He, of course, got a fang in the thumb. It wasn't life-threatening, but was a very painful experience.
Free-handing venomous snakes is, for most people, a thing of the past. There's no need to do it. Tube them (but be careful in puting them into the tube!).
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Being Bit By the Big One
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by longtooth on November 9, 2005
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bret wow man you are lucky glad ya still got the hand and your life.I was bit in 2003 by a cane, a young one only one fang but envenemated enough sometimes health care people make me so damn mad they have no traing at all for this type of event, anyway after three hrs i got 14 vials of crofab 2 and a half days in icu and a 90,000 dollar bill thank god for good insurance like you i still love em and still have them i just pay a lot more attention to what iam doing.I try to tell newbies to think really hard about keeping these animals i been doing it 20 yrs and i got lax once and paid for it so did you.Any way thanx for the story man take care stay safe later coy beck j.r.
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RE: Being Bit By the Big One
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by keyz on March 5, 2006
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One Serious bite! I'm kind of glad we don't get them in England as the temptation would be a terrible thing for me!
I can't say that I know any better but I have learned alot from reading this article and must thank you for sharing the story with us all, Hope the hand is still there,
Be safe,Keyz.
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Being Bit By the Big One
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by edv7028 on June 12, 2006
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Hi, and Congratulations on still being, not only alive; but with all your extremities intact ! This may not be the exact place to place this post; but I was wondering what your hospital bill was for this incident. I saw once on the series "Rescue 911" or some show about snakebites and antivenom where they mentioned that antivenom injections cost about $20,000.00 per series. I'd sincerely like to find the actually current cost of such a series. Thanks !
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Being Bit By the Big One
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by Bitisthebigone on March 3, 2008
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I feel for you on that one. In the late eighties I was tending to a four foot atrox and was bitten in the soft flesh of the left hand. Thankfully only one fang took hold but I instantly knew it was a hot bite. Blood streamed from my hand and would not coagulate. I watched each finger and my hand swell till it resembled an inflated medical glove. My skin turned yellow and the pain could best be likened to having ones skin on fire. Any brush of cloth or slight breeze lit the nerves up. My arm swelled to the shoulder before I was k.o.'d with morphine. Once the pain subsided I was shamed by all my herp friends for screwing up and to be honest, it worked. Have never been bitten since and do not intend to in the future. And that reminds me, shouldn't those oreganus be waking up right about now?
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Being Bit By the Big One
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by Bitisthebigone on March 3, 2008
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I feel for you on that one. In the late eighties I was tending to a four foot atrox and was bitten in the soft flesh of the left hand. Thankfully only one fang took hold but I instantly knew it was a hot bite. Blood streamed from my hand and would not coagulate. I watched each finger and my hand swell till it resembled an inflated medical glove. My skin turned yellow and the pain could best be likened to having ones skin on fire. Any brush of cloth or slight breeze lit the nerves up. My arm swelled to the shoulder before I was k.o.'d with morphine. Once the pain subsided I was shamed by all my herp friends for screwing up and to be honest, it worked. Have never been bitten since and do not intend to in the future. And that reminds me, shouldn't those oreganus be waking up right about now?
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