I named this post that so if anybody were to Google that and then find this blog and it helps them I would be very gratified. If even one person finds this and because of it avoids the horrible health effects that I've had I would feel wonderful...AND, it wasn't really my idea. Years ago when I first began to think I might be suffering from this fish toxin I googled and found a blog of a Fishing Guide in Australia who's age, work and lifestyle mirrored mine and he suffered terribly form Ciguterra for years . So here goes .
As the years went on we realized that often after eating fish I would get sick, usually vomiting the fish up during the night. Many a time we had fish with other couples and I'd be the only one sick. Many nights after dining I would just feel queasy. Years ago a renowned fisherman warned me of the Ciguatera. He told me I was the perfect person to become infected with the toxin. I eat it at least once a week and through the years of I've handled hundreds of these fish and thousands of fish in general. An interesting thing is that once you have the toxin in your system the fish that makes you sick usually won't have the toxin but any fish you might eat can trick your system into releasing the stored toxin into your bloodstream .
Ciguatoxins are lipid-soluble and can be stored in the body's tissues, including fat, for a long time (months or even years). The symptoms experienced by individuals who "carry" the toxin (meaning they have residual toxin from a previous exposure) can recur intermittently, especially when triggered by certain factors like consuming alcohol, nuts/nut oils, or even more fish.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain or cramps
- Tingling or numbness around the mouth, lips, and throat, spreading to hands and feet
- Sore muscles
- Tooth pain
- Temperature reversal: A sensation where hot objects feel cold and cold objects feel hot. This is considered a hallmark symptom.
- Itching, which can be extreme and worsened by alcohol
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue or weakness
- Difficulty walking
- In severe cases, hallucinations or coma
- Symptoms usually appear within minutes to 24 hours after eating the contaminated fish.
- Most people recover fully within days or weeks, but some neurological symptoms can persist for months or even years in rare cases.
- There is no antidote, and treatment is supportive, focusing on managing the specific symptoms. It is recommended to seek medical attention for diagnosis and treatment.
- Avoid alcohol and vigorous exercise, as these can worsen the symptoms.
- To prevent recurrence, some medical professionals advise avoiding fish, nuts, and alcohol for up to six months after recovery.
- So now I'm having neurological problems that you see in the info. I have a friend here who knows Mazatlan and is a true waterman. He swears that my condition can't be ciguatera because he's never seem coral around Mazatlan...Well, it's obvious now that he's wrong. I think the fact that fish have fins to take them wherever they'd like might have something to do with the riddle of no coral....
- The internet is a wonderful thing. If you or somebody you know seems to get food poisoning a lot and fishes the tropics....look into and try to head it off before you get to the point that I have. But ya know me, Mr Bright side, if I had been anywhere else than the beach and fell that hard I could of been really hurt.....so....no pescador zarenado, no pescador entero, no pescador diablo....I'm done with that !
