So I was out yesterday and went to grab my garden hose and I see movement out of the corner of my eye and it's a rattlesnake......... lucky for me it was cold so it was slow and in the shade so slower yet! I've now told myself to seriously get my ER protocol in order. Can you imagine, how the heck would they treat a mast cell patient with a severe venom bite. They have to start the antivenom, but we'd need immediate bene/epi/prednisone/ then reacting to the venom stuff.... oh geeze, this is my fourth snake this year, I try to be a big girl about it and not freak and embrace the presence of the "good snakes" I live rural and know they need to keep the area clean, but I've not had a rattler on my property ever. This one was young so now I get to wonder about siblings and mama bear, wheres her nest!
I'd so rather a grizzly bear wander through, they sort of announce themselves!!! Anyway just a thrill thought for fellow masties, we all react to certain insects already but a major injection of nasty venom from some creatures I'd want DR Akin or Castells, Escribano, we need a star trek- communicator pin that we can push in an emergency and the boston mast cell disorder clinic will come right on and talk to the ER docs who do not believe us.  I never thought the body could make such huge goosebumps, when I see a snake my goosebumps get so big it lifts the clothing off of my shirt! I went inside to get my "snake identification book" as I'm looking at the book then looking at the snake I'm shivering, ewwwww they just scare the jeepers out of me! Guess what I had to take extra meds!

Jbean you are funny! I never thought about jellyfish! I just had an appointment with my new allergist today. I forgot to ask about a prescription for an epi pen. My dermatologist said I didn't need one but at the PNW mast meeting I asked a few of the doctors there and the said yes you should have an epi even if your not a shocker because of venomous bites. Does everyone with masto react to things like bee stings? I haven't been stung by a bee since I was a kid.
Melissa

It depends on the type of jellyfish.  In northeast Australia there's a giant jellyfish called the "box jellyfish" that will kill you before you even get out of the water.  That's how Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin died... and as far as I know, his mast cells were normal.  Thankfully, most jellyfish are not this deadly.

I've never heard of someone with a mast cell disorder getting stung by a jellyfish, but it doesn't sound like a good scenario!  I can imagine the toxins would be a trigger, but then there's also the pain and anxiety... I'd definitely want to have my EpiPens with me.  Gulp.

Heather

You guys opened up a big box of worms!!!

Here, where I live in Brazil I have three major threats, bees, scorpions and SPIDERS.  The spiders that come into my home are the size of my open hand!  The scorpions are not deadly, but they say the sting hurts worse than anything.  The bees and wasps are not the killer bee kind, and we even have some bees without stingers, but I don't care whatever the kind of bug it is, I don't even have a chance to identify whether it's venomous or not, it's dead before I even can identify it!!   I smack it dead as quick as a blink and only question later!   I'd be doing that with those snakes too, Sandi, if I had them hanging about!!   For me there's no nice bug except a dead one!!   Especially those spiders!  When they get THAT big, I'm not asking questions, it's guilty first period!!!


To the very best of my knowledge, each and every kind of venomous creature is going to create havoc with the mast cells!!  Some of us may be more reactive than others, but it's still going to cause a reaction cause our mast cells are only doing their job to defend us.  I've not been stung by a bee for years, but I'm definitely on the defense with them and have stopped taking walks in the woods during the day hours due to them.  I shy away from any place where there might be bees!!

As to mosquitos, I've begun noticing that when I get bit it gives a good sized welt or it makes a real red pinprick of a bite!  Yet, here's another twist that you all may not have thought about......those insects which carry disease - lyme disease, West nile virus, malaria and dengue!

We are having an epidemia of dengue in our region and my dermatologist is absolutely freaked with the idea of my getting it!!  She's an expert in dengue and when I asked her in January how would it be if I were to catch dengue, her eyes bugged out like this and she said that we'd really have to pray me through it due to all it could do with the masto!!!

So, although we really don't have a means to deal with these kinds of emergencies, prevention is truly the best tactic.  However, if it should happen, you've got to have an understanding for your own self as to what you must do.  I've already told my doctors as to my dermatologist's comments regarding dengue.  This was sufficient for them to be on the ball should I get it.  What would we do?  Immediate hospitalization, with a constant IV and meds to counteract the infection and also an increase of any kind of masto med to help keep me as stable as possible.  Possibly even a stay in the ICU depending upon my stats.   There's not a whole lot that can be done for us in these situations other than what is the standard for other patients.  However, being already forewarned is what they need in order for them to have an idea nad a chance to think it through as to what must be done in case it happens.

So, ,Sandi, I would recommend you speak with your doctors about these snakes and have them do whatever they need to in preparation for the POSSIBILITY of it.  I would also recommend that you be extra extra careful since this is already the 4th this year!

As to the jellyfish, Deb, I would recommend that you change your dates for the beach or you stay out of the water!!  It's like the bees situation, if you know you have a hive nearby why are you going to walk under that tree on purpose - you're just flirting with danger!   So, if you can't change the date this  year, don't risk it and stay out of the water.

Prevention is the best medicine in our cases!!

Lisa

Okay, so I will simply stay out of the ocean. Not that big of a deal for me. Our resort, which is on the beach,  is beautiful and we spend most of our time in one of the pools. It is our favorite time of year to go because it is over July 4th, so we always go down to the beach to watch the fireworks. It is very fun. You would think I was crazy for going then, as it is in the 90s to 100 degrees in July! Haa. I am good at sitting at the pool in a shaded spot, though, and having nice cold drinks  all day.

Now my worry will be about the kids going in the ocean. I know to carry vinegar in a sorry bottle for instant relief of jellyfish stings on the rest of the family!  I, by the way, will be under a lovely UV protected sun tent reading my magazines while on the beach with the kids. No sun for me if I am not in the water to get cool!

We live in a tropical climate with dengue fever (it is spread by mosquitoes, like malaria, so not airborne from person to person). The government here are very proactive and have for a long time had a program to keep the mosquito population down, like inspections and fines for having standing water on your property, weekly fogging with insecticides, (which I am not thrilled about from the point of view of chemical exposure, but it probably beats malaria or dengue fever).  Cameron seems to be a mosquito magnet, and reacts with huge welts when he is bitten, although antihistamines seem to reduce the reaction.  We have every mosquito repellent product known to man here, the ones I like are the wrist/ankle band which can be worn all the time, and the patches you can stick on clothes, bedding, backpack etc.  I don't know how effective they are compared to other products, but you can avoid or minimise products applied to the skin.