BajaNomad - Got popped by a stingray

Got popped by a stingray

Beagle - 5-27-2019 at 01:00 PM

Got a little pop today from a stingray. Doing the hot water/benadryl everything else treatment. How can I tell if the stinger is still in there? I don't see anything but not sure what to look for. Any ideas from experience, Nomads?

First time for everyhing.

Thanks!

Loretana - 5-27-2019 at 01:09 PM

Ouch! You would see it if there was still something in there....

I once tended an Ex-Marine boyfriend who got nailed by a stingray, as well as my Chocolate Lab Chazz….my dog took it in stride.....the Ex-Marine, not so much! The hot water (as hot as you can stand it!) is the ticket.

bajabuddha - 5-27-2019 at 01:10 PM

The 'stinger' doesn't come off, however some very bad bacteria does. I recommend going to an urgent care center and having it cleaned, and a round of antibiotics just in case. This from the doctor (and nurse wife) at the Army base in San Lucas Cove. Lots of rays, lots of pops. Good luck.

SFandH - 5-27-2019 at 01:23 PM

I've gotten sliced on the top of my foot twice, just a small cut but it was very painful for about an hour. I boiled some water and applied it as hot as I could stand with a washcloth for a while. Then disinfected the cut with hydrogen peroxide, applied a triple antibiotic ointment and a bandaid. No problems except for the hours worth of exquisite pain. Those things really hurt.

If you have a puncture wound, go to a clinic to get it professionally cleaned out.

[Edited on 5-27-2019 by SFandH]

Beagle - 5-27-2019 at 01:33 PM

Thanks everyone. Been soaking for an hour. Feels ok when it's in the water. Using Benadryl spray, lidocaine spray, 400mg advils, i have some Z-Pack squirrled away so I might just go ahead a start it. I'm probably 3 hours away from anything like an urgent care clinic and 6 hours from one I'd want to go to... so going to try the self care route for now. Just was scared there might still be a stinger in there. Doesn't look like there anything there and I think he let me off light. A little love tap. Felt like someone hit my foot with a hammer.

shari - 5-27-2019 at 02:00 PM

bummer man...reminds me of a son...It makes a grown man cry...yiyi

sounds like you got this...it's like driving on the highway...it's not if you will hit a cow or not...it's a matter of when. Did the cow thing but never hit by a stingray...yet.

Beagle - 5-27-2019 at 02:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by shari

bummer man...reminds me of a son...It makes a grown man cry...yiyi

sounds like you got this...it's like driving on the highway...it's not if you will hit a cow or not...it's a matter of when. Did the cow thing but never hit by a stingray...yet.

Shari! Don't say that! I'm driving tomorrow!

Beagle - 5-27-2019 at 02:21 PM

I have three 500mg Azithromycin. I wonder if I should just front load now and start the 3 day cycle? I know there's a growing movement against the overuse of antibiotics but now that it's me, I'm whistling a different tune...

bajabuddha - 5-27-2019 at 03:22 PM

If memory serves me right (which it fails more often now) it was ZPAC the army doc got my buddy on. If you do start the AB cycle be sure to have the proper dose and amount, and don't just take 'some' of it; take it all as per directions.

JZ - 5-27-2019 at 03:30 PM

Sorry to hear that. Always terrified of them.

[Edited on 5-29-2019 by JZ]

Paco Facullo - 5-27-2019 at 04:32 PM

Deagle, you're calling it a "little pop"?

When I got "hit" by mine it was way more than a little pop it was excruciating pain ! ( or is you making a funny ?)

I was at Blacks beach and was over a mile away from my van.
I didn't seek medical treatment just the soak in HOT water.
( thank God it hit my foot and NOT my exposed nether-regions )

I too thought "for sure" that the stinger had broken off as "How could this be hurting THIS Damn bad and not be"????

Well after hours and hours the pain finally subsided and there was never a stinger inside.....

[Edited on 5-27-2019 by Paco Facullo]

Beagle - 5-27-2019 at 04:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Paco Facullo

Deagle, you're calling it a "little pop"?

When I got "hit" by mine it was way more than a little pop it was excruciating pain ! ( or is you making a funny ?)

I was at Blacks beach and was over a mile away from my van.
I didn't seek medical treatment just the soak in HOT water.
( thank God it hit my foot and NOT my exposed nether-regions )

I too thought "for sure" that the stinger had broken off as "How could this be hurting THIS Damn bad and not be"????

Well after hours and hours the pain finally subsided and there was never a stinger inside.....

[Edited on 5-27-2019 by Paco Facullo]

Haha! Yeah, like a "little pop" a 12 gauge might give. I think I said "little pop" to make myself look/ feel tough. It hurt pretty badly, actually. He got in there decently but I just checked out my booties and he took a chunk off of those so it could have been A LOT worse. I think they took a lot of the hit. Got me just in front of the ankle, sorta on the top of the foot. Pain is gone but it's swelling nicely.

Edit- Paco, I cannot imagine walking a mile on that foot. I don't know how you did that. My wife pretty much rescued me. Rushed me back to the house and got me in the shower while she made pots of hot water. Then she went back and got the boards where we tossed them on the playa. She's MVP today.

[Edited on 5-27-2019 by Beagle]

[Edited on 5-27-2019 by Beagle]

Beagle - 5-27-2019 at 04:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha

If memory serves me right (which it fails more often now) it was ZPAC the army doc got my buddy on. If you do start the AB cycle be sure to have the proper dose and amount, and don't just take 'some' of it; take it all as per directions.

Ok good to know, Buddha. Thanks. That's what I have. I have three 500mg tabs. Can't find the dosing schedule on stingray punctures though. :?:

[Edited on 5-27-2019 by Beagle]

Paco Facullo - 5-27-2019 at 04:57 PM

Personally I wouldn't take the anti-bionics as it sounds like your hit wasn't "that " bad or deep. But I believe that there is only Bad, really Bad and OH SHEET !!!

Mine got my foot raw , deep and on the lower arch side of my foot.
It be tender thar !!!!

It has been said that a stingray hit can make a grown man cry. Well, I didn't cry but I can see (feel) why there is that saying !

[Edited on 5-28-2019 by Paco Facullo]

[Edited on 5-28-2019 by Paco Facullo]

John Harper - 5-27-2019 at 05:01 PM

Just rub some dirt on it, you'll be fine. No antibiotics.

John

elgatoloco - 5-27-2019 at 05:22 PM

Hope you feel all better soon.

Last December 17th my wife got hit on the bottom of her foot right in the arch. She has been an ocean swimmer for 35+ years and it was her first time. Did the soak in HOT water for 45 minutes then to Scripps emergency room where they soaked her foot in water for 45 minutes. Dr examined the wound gave wife tetanus booster, bandaged the foot and sent her home. Wound healed after week or so but still some discomfort. Right after new years she started to get a rash on her foot. It got worse until finally wife says lets go to her regular Dr where she said go downstairs to foot Dr. Her podiatrist looked at it and sent her to Dermatologist who prescribed some cream. 7-10 days no improvement plus discomfort while walking increases. Back to podiatrist who does an MRI and finds 'debris' in foot and says you need to get this out ASAP and you will have foot elevated for two weeks and walking boot for 2-3 weeks more. Wife says but 'we have tix to Elton John next week'. Dr says 'hey so do I, let's schedule the operation for the day after'. He cut open the foot and found two separate small pieces of what he believed to be stinger. Wife wanted to take it home but they don't do that anymore. She was finally able to wear shoes and walk normally end of February. If only first Dr had taken a bit more time but...........

The main reason we went to the ER in the first place was at the strong encouragement from my wife's brother fishing fool / marine biologist who has been hit 5x by stingray. He had various levels of pain and severity but the last time it was right on the top of his foot and in less then 12 hours his foot was swollen and turned out he had stinger broke off in the bone.

I have been playing on the beach and in the ocean (don't believe me ask my skin doctor :fire

since I was old enough to walk and keep my head above water. I know as Shari says that it is when, not if for me someday. Until then - Viva Stingray Shuffle! And wear your damn sunscreen like your mother told you! :dudette:

David K - 5-27-2019 at 05:26 PM

So sorry that Barb had to go through all that!

LancairDriver - 5-27-2019 at 05:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Beagle

Quote: Originally posted by shari

Shari! Don't say that! I'm driving tomorrow!

I saw an insurance study that found only about 5% of drivers have fast enough reflexes to avoid animal or sudden obstacles appearing so if you have had the experience of plowing into some of these objects that jump out at you then are among the majority.

bajabuddha - 5-27-2019 at 07:51 PM

Nay-Sayers of antibiotics, there's a time and a place for everything, and this is BOTH. The 'stinger' on a ray has a plethora of nasty germs, poisons, and toxins. If you don't believe in meds, don't take 'em. For rational people, get help and get on a regimen quickly. I've heard more horror stories than i'd care to count about infection and long-term damage.

Don't take pills, don't wear your seat belt, and don't vaccinate, Just check out on your own, please.

Beagle, the ZPAC is I believe a 6 (or 7?) pill package; you take two as a starting booster dose, then (I believe) 5 or 6 more, one every 24 hours until gone. If you're unsure of what you have, go to a local pharmacist and ASK. They're all OTC in Mexico, and those guys usually know more than doctors do in some cases.

Beagle - 5-27-2019 at 08:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha

Nay-Sayers of antibiotics, there's a time and a place for everything, and this is BOTH. The 'stinger' on a ray has a plethora of nasty germs, poisons, and toxins. If you don't believe in meds, don't take 'em. For rational people, get help and get on a regimen quickly. I've heard more horror stories than i'd care to count about infection and long-term damage.

Don't take pills, don't wear your seat belt, and don't vaccinate, Just check out on your own, please.

Beagle, the ZPAC is I believe a 6 (or 7?) pill package; you take two as a starting booster dose, then (I believe) 5 or 6 more, one every 24 hours until gone. If you're unsure of what you have, go to a local pharmacist and ASK. They're all OTC in Mexico, and those guys usually know more than doctors do in some cases.

Buddha. I've had the regiment you're talking about for Chest infections etc...Those I believe are the 250mg ones. These are 500mg and there's 3 of them total in a pack. A travel clinic gave them to be before a trip to Java last year.Been holding them for a rainy day. I took one today so that would be the same as two 250's. Maybe I will split them up over the next few days so I'm taking 250mg a day....

Edit- About 8 hours later and very little pain. However, foot is all swold up and it's like walking with a sprained ankle. I might look for crutches in a segunda!

[Edited on 5-28-2019 by Beagle]

mjs - 5-27-2019 at 09:23 PM

Wife got hit a few days ago. Did the hot water thing and it seemed to get better. But was still bothering her today so a trip to the doc. Infected and a script for antibiotics. As mentioned, lots of bacteria on the ray and in the water.

BajaBlanca - 5-28-2019 at 06:49 AM

I am not sure where you are, but any health clinic in Baja will see you immediately. They have experience with stingrays.

If you are near La Bocana, I have donated crutches to the local health clinic, to the middle school and to the high school - they are for anyone who needs them, feel free to ask for some.

I am glad you went with starting the antibiotics - I do agree that in this case, there is no way around them. The consequences are no bueno.

I hope you feel better real soon.

azucena - 5-28-2019 at 07:20 AM

It ( the law) in Baja is usually pretty well enforced. Law was passed to avoid excessive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics which is no bueno. But from my experience, any local clinic DR. would write you a prescription as you have good reason to want to take them. Some farmacias have physicians there, who do consultas pretty cheap. Sometimes they own the pharmacy and see patients.

My son got nailed when he was about 8 and we did the hot water routine, along with antibiotic cream, and he had no problems. However if you were stung in an area where there is aguas negras ( sewage) going into the water, I would advise anitbiotics.

dravnx - 5-28-2019 at 11:52 AM

The stinger also has a sheath that can be left in the wound and is not readily visible.

Warf - 5-28-2019 at 05:29 PM

The beach vendors are well versed in treating sting ray wounds. Their approach works...(personal experience + several friends)
1. squeeze the wound to get all the yellow out and/or until it bleeds
2. apply hot anything for 15 minutes or more (hot sand if you're at the beach on a sunny day)
3. Walk around for 30 minutes.

bajabuddha - 5-28-2019 at 08:00 PM

What??? No eye of newt? Boy howdy, i'd trust that with...... my foot..... :no: