Adder bites

Janitrain · #1 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 03:37 PM

I am pretty sure I had an adder bite, just a dry nick, but am still having nasty episodes of symptoms that match up to what one might expect a week after it. It was in the Cotswolds, on short level path just near large piles of horse/stable manure. Sharp sting/bite, thought it was a wasp but the local swelling was much greater and the location much more suitable for a snake, just above my shoe line through my sock. Two little pricks showing so rather suspicious. Anyone any experience or knowledge of how long this might last. Faint, dizzy, nausea, anxiety, weakness of muscles. Comes and goes, can be reasonable one day and then have bad bout lasting two hours at most. Any info gratefully received. Jan.

stigofthedump · #2 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 04:04 PM

Hi Janitrain and welcome to WAB

I'm no doctor......I would suggest that you call/visit one as that is where you will get the best advice.

Hope you feel better soon.

Vince

Jason Claxton · #3 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 04:05 PM

Hi Jan

If you think you have been bitten by an Adder you must seek medical attention immediately.Adder bites must be taken seriously,even if you think you have been bitten by one,still seek medical help to be on the safe side!

Dorts · #4 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Hi Jan

If you think you have been bitten by an Adder you must seek medical attention immediately.Adder bites must be taken seriously,even if you think you have been bitten by one,still seek medical help to be on the safe side!

Jan.
I cannot stress enough what good advice this is. I have seen someone bitten by an Adder and it is not pleasant, as the symptoms can be very frightening, both for the patient and the onlooker.
Dorts.

Harry Eales · #5 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 05:50 PM

Over the 50 plus years I have been recording insects, often on moorland in northern England I have been bitten no less than five times by Adders. My legs used to swell up but after a few days they were back to normal. The first time I went to hospital. In and out in less than 10 minutes. Hospitals don't carry anti-venom. I was told if things got worse to call and see my GP.

In the whole of the 20th.C. a total of four people dies in Britain from Adder bites. Two were OAP's with serious heart conditions, and the other two were babies who were hardly toddlers.

If you are bitten, by all means seek treatment. Some people are more effected by a bite than others. In my case the snakes probably died from nicotine poisoning. I was a 40 a day man then. lol.

Harry

Beekeeper · #6 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 06:22 PM

The one bite i had caused no problems for the first hour or so then my leg really started to hurt and swell up, later i did feel slightly faint and nauseus but after a couple of pints at the local pub i felt a bit better, it was still very difficult walking home though (That particular evening it was my drill night as a retained fireman).

My leg first started to hurt on the walk up to the station and by the time i got there, running up ladders was totally out of the question so i spent the evening in the rec room with my leg up on the snooker table.

After practise finished i walked over to the local pub where i had the couple of drinks then made my way home with difficulty and went to bed, the following morning, swelling had gone and no pains at all, went to work as normal and that was that.

Maybe i was just lucky and not too suseptable to adder bites or maybe the dose of venom i had was not a full load, who knows but i still don't fancy another bite, especially as i am quite a bit older now and not as fit as i was then.

Ian

stigofthedump · #7 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 06:33 PM

Again I'm not a doctor, people can react differently to these things.
The best course of action should be to seek advice from a qualified professional.

Janitrain Phone your GP or NHS Direct.

Vince

Janitrain · #8 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 10:52 PM

I was in hospital overnight when they thought it was my heart and I have been seen by my GP four times this week. They all feel if it were an adder I should be clear of it by now as it obviously wasn't more than a dry bite. Thanks for the advice though. Jan.

Kayleigh · #9 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janitrain

I was in hospital overnight when they thought it was my heart and I have been seen by my GP four times this week. They all feel if it were an adder I should be clear of it by now as it obviously wasn't more than a dry bite. Thanks for the advice though. Jan.

Hope your well now and have no further problems.