I have an emergency

[Oldman]

I got bit by a copper head snake a week ago yesterday. Saturday the 9th.
I went straight to the ER. They acted as if it wasn't anything to it. Gave me a bag of anti-venom, which was for a cotton mouth instead of a copper head, (and that was my own fault) a prescription for antibiotics and pain meds and sent me home.
Sunday it looked worse and I realized I had told them the wrong snake had bit me.
I went back to the ER and they gave me a different pain med and sent me home.
Today is 8 days after I got bit and it looks worse now than any time before.
Someone on here said to try a plant called plantian, and sure enough, I have some growing in the yard so I chopped up some real fine and put it inside a bandage around the finger.
Now my whole hand and all the way to the elboe is itching like crazy.
It has only been a few minutes, less than an hour since I put it on it. Is this a sign of it healing?? I have always heard and noticed that when a wound started itching, it was healing. But it was itching before I put this on and seemed like it was getting worse.
This is really starting to worry me. I just realized that it has been 8 days and it's getting worse instead of better.
I am not going back to the stupid ER and set there for hours again for nothing.
Any ideas??
Oldman

[indyguy]

FYI..... I recall that the antivem is the same for copperhead and cotton mouth snakes so mistaken the snake for a cottonmouth is most likely not a deal deal.

[GoodDaughter]

No offense, but why are you still sitting at home and not on the way to the e.r.? If your hand is as bad as the past few posts have indicated, turning black, itching intensely, etc., it sounds something very serious is going on with it. Necrotic tissue will often become infected with gangrene, which will kill you in short order. Other infections can get into your blood stream and kill you. You say going to the e.r. is not worth it? Well, if it was me (and I'm just saying) I would rather go to the e.r. and at least try to get something done about it than risk losing my hand, arm, or my life.

But that's just me.

[Wyzyrd]

Ummmmmm.. if any body part turns black, or even just red and streaky, that's Mom Nature's way of telling you that something REAL BAD is happening.

I'm not a doctor, and don't play one on the 'net, but I'd be driving my ol' butt to the ER (maybe a different ER) , at high speed, with my flashers on.

YMMV.

[sissy]

Oldman,
TAKE IT OFF!! It' suppose to stop the itch. Try it somewhere else if it itches then don't use it you could be allergic. You may need to take the advise of the others since it has already gotten this bad.
Sissy

[Funmommy]

UPDATE! UPDATE!
Did you go to the ER again?
Are you feeling better?
I hope you're OK. :(

[sissy]

Funmommy,
Oldman was on line earlier, but not now. Maybe gone to Dr. Hope so!!!
Sissy

[Funmommy]

I hope he's doing better. :(

I like snakes but I'll stick to the Garden/garter type variety. *;)

Got the stuffing scared out of me tonight bringing in wood.
Went to get a piece and a garter was under the bark. Boy did I squeek! My Husband laughed his assets off. ::)
Luckily it wasn't something poisonous and that it was too cold for them to be moving around that well. ;)

[CarolAnn]

This is bits copied from a medical article about snake bites. Some of it might help you know what to expect. A Vet in Arkansas told me years ago that the reason my dog didn't seem to get very sick when she got bit by a big timber rattler was because dogs don't KNOW that it's bad to get a snake bite - so they don't freak out like people do. I guess the moral of the story is to try to stay calm after a snake bite? I'm not sure I could do that!

Copperhead bites generally are limited to local tissue destruction. Data about snakebites from Kentucky was published. Most bites were from copperheads and resulted in 8 days of pain, 11 days of extremity edema, (swelling) and 14 days of missed work. Local tissue destruction rarely contributes to long-term morbidity. Occasionally, skin grafting is required.

- - -
If you want a real gross-out, go to this link and scroll down to the pictures. Oldman, I surely hope you are not seeing anything like this on YOUR bite!

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/168828-overview

[backlash]

Has anyone heard anything from Oldman?
His last post was 5/27/09
Hope he's OK.