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Long term effects of Rattlesnake bites?
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by Naity on September 22, 2012
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Hello.
I'm trying to gather together some information, because I haven't been able to find much solid information on the true long-term effects of rattlesnake bites.
The reason I am asking is because I was bitten by a Western Diamondback when I was about 3 years old, and I was fully envenomed.
Since then, I've had all kinds of health issues crop up that I'm certain are results of my snakebite. I'm only 22 and have chronic phlebitis (swollen legs), arthritis, nerve pain/twitches, and muscle pain that have all slowly developed since then. I'm also beginning to suspect possible heart issues.
Unfortunately, its difficult to find any detailed articles or accounts that specify possible long-term effects. I've also never met another rattlesnake bite survivor, so I've been unable to ask them if any of these problems are typical, even of someone who was envenomed at a later age.
That being said, I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could link me any articles or tell me about their own long-term health problems from rattlesnake bites.
Thank you very much!
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RE: Long term effects of Rattlesnake bites?
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by Peter84Jenkins on September 22, 2012
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This question could probably be best answered by a medical doctor specializing in snake envenomation. Perhaps try getting in touch via email with Dr. Sean Bush at Loma Linda University in Southern California, or Dr Bryan Grieg Fry of the University of Melbourne, Au.
With that said, I was bitten in 2007 (as an adult, and a different species) and I do not have any lingering issues from it.
It's likely that you will need to divulge quite a bit about your medical history to rule out other issues, though. Good question, and I hope you find some answers.
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RE: Long term effects of Rattlesnake bites?
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by AshRN on December 19, 2012
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Hi, I too was bitten by a rattler when I was 10 and have since been experiencing numerous issues. I had a full recovery at the time-I was told i was injected with more venom than should have in relation to the amt of anti venom I recd. As only one fang hit the center of my right hand(was huge and its head covered my whole hand) it is believed the other hit the rock below and was stunned for a moment and it was one of the first bites of the year 1992- and the snake may hav been just awaking from hibernation. I went through a long recovery which included intense physical therapy as I had to relearn to move my hand, elbow, arm and had swelling past my shoulder. I am now 28 and the last 6-8yrs hav been increasingly difficult filled with seemingly endless medical bills and issues. Most of which have centered around right shoulder pain, neck and back pain with numbness down both arms and fibromyalgia that affects both legs, hips, buttocks, and back. I hav what is being termed an essential tremor that recently has spread from just my hands- that appeared after I recovered-and is now gone body-wide inthe last yr to the point of effecting my speech at time, and no not parkinsons. I also hav developed tachycardia(increased heart rate) and other heart symptoms that worsen at night and lying down. I hav been through multiple X-rays, cat scans, MRI of shoulder, neck an brain, blood tests, echocardiograms, 24hr heart monitors, nerve tests, u name it, all with no answer except "fibromyalgia". After starting a course of Rolfing, the therapist is wondering about the long term effects of any neurotoxins after she heard my history and I'm finding it difficult to locate any info. Can anyone help.
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RE: Long term effects of Rattlesnake bites?
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by AshRN on December 19, 2012
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Oh, to the best of my knowledge this was a Arizona Black rattlesnake
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RE: Long term effects of Rattlesnake bites?
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by Crotalusssp on September 27, 2013
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Black tail rattlesnakes are not really known to contain much if any neurotoxin, unless someone knows differently. Toxinology says no neurotixin present, but of course that can change depending on geography and/or subspecies.
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RE: Long term effects of Rattlesnake bites?
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by yetolder on October 25, 2013
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I am 68 yrs old, very fit and never taken for my age, bitten three months ago by a western rattler (the one that looks more like a gopher snake, location central western Tehama county in CA); since then, my heart goes wild on any little provocation such as hunger, tiredness, exertion, or even for no known reason.
My neighbor's son was bitten (I don't know the breed, just that it was a rattler in southern Oregon) at 14 and was 'til then healthy, he is 22 now, under the care of a cardiologist (paid for by the school where he's on scholarship, not just a personal choice or overprotective family) - the cardiologist says his ongoing heart issues (don't know exactly what issues) are from the snake bite. I'm gonna try to find out the doc's name and get in with him, to see if he has more insights to offer; I'll get back to you if I find out anything.
Presently I'm up to my eyeballs in plenty o' doctorin' already, doing physical therapy though Medicare is gonna run out on that in a few more visits - my physiotherapist, a lymphodema specialist with a PhD, tells me it'll be over a year before I regain optimal use of my foot and leg - prob'ly not getting it all back ever, either - even though the swelling is still there it's about 2/3 the girth of my good leg and without the swelling is probably a pipestem, muscle destroyed & sinew scarred.
I was in terrible, intractable pain for over a month, could not bring it below my heart, endured a red-hot sabre through the length of my leg even having it a waist level to hop on a walker to the toilet, and was completely bedridden for over a month and then bound to the recliner for another few weeks, didn't start physiotherapy 'til after that and frankly it still hurts to varying degrees; around the heel (bite site) still has scalding sensation as do the tendons up back of lower leg, and whole front of foot is still numb.
My bite was not treated immediately, though I was gotten in within the hour; had the misfortune of an arrogant ER team which judged me on my (now gentrifying, formerly seedy) backwoods community - they were also not up to speed on current treatment options, and didn't even believe I was envenomated (actually got quite a lot, as I'd jerked my foot up and the snake twirled and dangled wildly for a few minutes as I tried to flick it off by cowkicking, didn't wish to use my hand and get bitten again!) Short story long, I got a good dose and wasn't treated with antivenin for 28 hours; by that time my life was at risk, 2nd team wanted to get me to a bigger hospital but couldn't spare the additional 1/2-hour ambulance ride - they lined up a surgeon, and I spent a few days in ICU on amputation-watch. Luckily responded rapidly to antivenin, but my foot and leg swelled terribly and turned black for awhile.
The venom had made it across the femoral artery into my torso by the time I was properly treated 2nd day, and my gut was evidently compromised (didn't poop properly for two months); the heart flutter shows up on EKGs as not Atrial Fibrillation but rather "unknown cause, seeming some irritability of the heart" at last report, though the day of the bite the infamous 1st team insisted my only problem was A-Fib "because you've hyperventilated, so don't." They thought I was in there looking for drugs, so didn't give me morphine for over an hour upon which, miracle, the "A-Fib" subsided.
The "A-Fib" hadn't started immediately (though rattler venom does contain at least 3 heart-racing elements), until I realized they wouldn't treat the envenomation which I knew to be present by the Drano burn, but they insisted three things in the following order: I probably didn't know a rattler from a gopher snake because foothill people don't know anything even though these snakes are part of our environment; they couldn't see the fang marks - which had swollen shut after I'd washed 'em off before going in - and my having seen the bleeding marks didn't count to these idiots because, repeat, foothill people's word is unreliable; and, finally, I probably wasn't envenomated anyway because the swelling wasn't yet extreme enough to convince them.
It's not my way to sue, too many innocents get hurt; but, am I bitter? You Betcha! We're talkin' pain, debility, disruption all beyond what was necessary had I been properly treated first time.
Forgive the rant, I just hate thinkin' about it.
Heart flutters anew, with apparent cause. Sigh.
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RE: Long term effects of Rattlesnake bites?
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by yetolder on April 2, 2014
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I was bitten in July 2013, fully envenomed, and due to logistical difficulties followed by the "wrong" ER team didn't get antivenin for 28 hours; my lingering complaints to this day are: soreness, weakness & intermittent swelling clear up to the hip (bitten on heel), shooting pains near bite site, frequent tachycardia without warning, and of course the general deconditioning that comes from being laid-up for awhile.
I'm kinda on my own with this, the docs up here (far northern Cali) are compassionate and helpful with symptoms as they arise but don't seem to know what to expect going forward, and have not had to deal with an envenomation that went so long without treatment.
I would suggest you make sure you're getting enough magnesium, not from pills but through seeds & nuts & whole grains & dark leafy greens; furthermore, digitalis, which they might be giving you (they did me), can deplete the magnesium in your system. It is also lost through massive tissue breakdown; though the medical press addressed this mainly in burn patients, of course a lot of muscle is lost to a rattlesnake poisoning; I think the way it affects magnesium levels is because the kidneys must process all that dead meat. I now keep bowls of raw pumpkin seeds around, and toasted wheat germ, sunflower seeds, cashews; they are quick, rich sources of magnesium and won't disrupt your gut as straight mag supplements can. It's also not a good idea to supplement mag straight-up if your kidneys have had any challenge lately, and cleanin' up all that dead meat has already put 'em to the test.
Good Luck!
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