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What Are The Long Term Effects Of Snake Bites?
I am 62 years old and doctors cannot come up with a definitive diagnosis. I have been told that I have fibromyalgia, colitis, trigeminal neuralgia, menears disease,. I have digestive issues, spots on my lungs from chronic pneumonia (scar tissue), hypothyroidism, adrenal deficiency, and arthritis. I have bladder and kidney infections. I break out with a horrible rash on my scalp and my torso. I have had several blood test for Lupis, siliac disease, and many more tests that have been ruled out due to the blood work. Now they suspect an auto immune.... I stay sick all the time with one flare up or another. I was bitten by a rattlesnake when I was 18 years old. When I got to the emergency room, the drs found I was allergic to the anti-venom and they had to allow my body to expel the venom by tying various tourniquets on my leg and releasing one at a time allowing the venom to slowly travel to the next tourniquet before releasing it, etc until I expelled it by vomiting. This went on all night and I was in the hospital for 5 days, then used crutches because I was unable to walk on my right foot due to pain and swelling. I am wondering if the snake bite could have prolonged effects in my body. Have you ever heard of this?
posted on
Sun, 10 May 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 23 Dec 2022
Answered on
Fri, 30 Dec 2022
Last reviewed on
Hi,
Of course, very few studies are there on the long term side effects by rattle snake. Most of the observations have been done in literature about bite of dogs by rattle snakes. These studies usually forecast the complications in 1-3 years of bite and usually appearing locally in the area of bite like loss of vision while biting on eye brow area, deafness while the bite is near the ear. Similarly difficulty in walking or running etc. with a bite on a limb etc.
However, it is unlikely that the symptoms of dysfunction of so many organs may be caused by this bite and moreover these symptoms are appearing or persisting after / for 40-45 years in your case, which sound highly impossible. Definitely your symptoms with multi-organ involvement may be due to some auto-immune disease and it is nothing to do with the incident of your snake bite.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician
Of course, very few studies are there on the long term side effects by rattle snake. Most of the observations have been done in literature about bite of dogs by rattle snakes. These studies usually forecast the complications in 1-3 years of bite and usually appearing locally in the area of bite like loss of vision while biting on eye brow area, deafness while the bite is near the ear. Similarly difficulty in walking or running etc. with a bite on a limb etc.
However, it is unlikely that the symptoms of dysfunction of so many organs may be caused by this bite and moreover these symptoms are appearing or persisting after / for 40-45 years in your case, which sound highly impossible. Definitely your symptoms with multi-organ involvement may be due to some auto-immune disease and it is nothing to do with the incident of your snake bite.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician
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