Envenomation Story: Surviving a Poisonous Fish Sting in Mauritius

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses a personal experience of envenomation from a poisonous fish sting while fishing in Mauritius. Participants share their insights on the incident, potential identification of the fish, and personal anecdotes related to encounters with venomous creatures.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Personal experience sharing

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster describes severe pain and symptoms following a sting, including cramps and swelling, and recounts the treatment received at the hospital.
  • Some participants suggest possible culprits for the sting, including the stone fish and lionfish, based on general knowledge of dangerous marine life in Mauritius.
  • Another participant identifies the fish as a masouran (plotosus lineatus), noting its painful sting despite its peaceful appearance.
  • Several participants share their own experiences with venomous creatures, with one mentioning a wasp sting as their worst encounter.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the specific type of fish that caused the sting, with multiple suggestions offered. The discussion includes both personal experiences and speculative identification of the marine life involved.

Contextual Notes

Uncertainties remain regarding the exact nature of the sting and the treatment provided, as well as the identification of the fish involved. Participants rely on anecdotal evidence and personal experiences rather than definitive conclusions.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in personal accounts of encounters with venomous marine life, as well as those seeking information on potential dangers while fishing in tropical regions.

geoffrey159
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I spent my holidays in Mauritius island (indian ocean) and was fishing with cousins living here when I got stung several times by a poisonous fish in the foot. I felt a fast growing pain, was sweating and feeling dizzy, and by the time I reached my cousins on the beach, I started to have unbearable cramps in my foot and leg.

What happened next is a little foggy in my mind. I was absolutely conscious but so focused on pain that I skipped a lot of what happened.

They told me that they boiled water in secret and poured it on the stings. They said I did not even notice the burn and that I thought it was just warm water. It eased the pain 30 seconds.
A few minutes later the color of my foot grew purple/black. They grew really worry and rushed me to the hospital. The doctors injected me something in the hand that made the veins in my foot swell a lot, I don't know what it was but if you know tell me please.

They then made me wait in a treatment room, but could not stay in place on the bed, it was atrocious. They prepared me for perfusion but by the time the nurse came back I had torn off everything, don't ask me why I don't know. The injected painkillers were completely ineffective, it put me to sleep 1 minute. My cousins told me I started shaking from head to toes, but I never noticed that.

Then I remember I had a quick surgery, they did not bother giving me anesthesia and I did not feel anything beside a gentle tickling. I remember literally begging the surgeon to let me move my leg, but after that, it was immediate relief. Surgery was the only thing that relieved the pain. It remained painful all night, but manageable. The next morning I was fine, but my feet had tripled volume, and had a load of medicines to take for a week.

So be careful where you walk on the beach, in particular in tropical countries, wear shoes.
 
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Oh I know the culprit, it was a masouran (or plotosus lineatus), which is a sort of small catfish. It is cute and peaceful, but its sting is very painful
 
What are your stories/experiences with venomous creatures ?
 
geoffrey159 said:
What are your stories/experiences with venomous creatures ?

I'm afraid the worst I've ever encountered are wasps. I was stung through my shirt once. I immediately conceded defeat and ran away in shame, leaving the wasp to revel in its victory.
 
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Drakkith said:
I'm afraid the worst I've ever encountered are wasps. I was stung through my shirt once. I immediately conceded defeat and ran away in shame, leaving the wasp to revel in its victory.

Hehehe that's funny lol.
But more seriously, wasps can be deadly to allergic people.
 

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