New medical concern for me being in the woods

[old Grump]

4 days ago I was moving some old logs for making a fire, they were supposed to be firewood but they ended up dry rotting to almost nothing so they got added to my bonfire pile. Then we moved some rocks and concrete chunks to what will eventually be my rock garden and finally cut some brush alongside my fence. Nothing I haven't done a hundred times before but somewhere along the way something evil got to me. My nephew was working with me and actually handled more of the building blocks and rocks than I did, we were about even on the wood and brush cutting and he suffered no ill effects.

I suffered from a burning itching feeling that night around my llips and eyes and the next day my left eye was swollen shut and I developed a rash on my neck, upper chest, shoulders and arms. If I would have had claws instead of fingernails I would have ripped my skin off because the rash quickly moved from the top of my head to my feet and my face looked like a caricature of the Pillsbury dough boy.

By the time I got to an appointment to see the doctor I was completely blind and was why I wasn't on the site. In the exam room I took off my sunglasses and the nurse said 'Oh My'. When the doctor came in 10 minutes later he took one look, said 'Oh My' and immediately wrote out a prescription for Prednisone.

My jaw drops because that is contraindicated for diabetics and the doc acknowledged that but he said he was balancing that with the fact that he had to get my eyes open first. I am on a 2 week regimen with reducing doses every 3 or 4 days and in the mean time going on a scale I have had to triple my insulin and my readings are double normal for me. Today my eyes are open, I am taking Benadryl for the rash and the Prednisone for the swelling and still no clue as to what I contacted. Maybe mold from the old wood I was handliing, I have just gotten over a mold infection from some old hay and maybe I have been sensitized. A bug bite from something living under the rocks or one of the vines or saplings I was cutting.

I have been exposed to Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac around the country ever since I was knee high to a short grasshopper and never reacted. I am sensitive to wasps but it was always local swelling and a few hours of headache and soreness. I am super sensitive to nettles but there were none in the area we were working in and I would have known immediately, it's like getting hit with a blow torch at the point of contact and instant rash not a delayed reaction.

Lesson learned, my sister carries Benadryl with her because of bee sensitivity and now it looks like that is going to have to be a pocket item for me too. If I had taken it as soon as I felt the burning and itching it may have stopped the process or at least ameliorated it.

If you have never taken Prednisone before I don't recommend it as a steady diet. I was up and down awake and sleeping in 2 hour shifts for a day and now I am feeling fatigued and dizzy but mostly from my whacked glucose readings. Best guess by my doctor and me is contact dermatitis with no other clue to go on. My feet look like they have the measles and my neck and arms looks like they were tied to a fire ant hill for a couple of hours. I'm to old to start finding new things to get allergic to so it looks like I ditch my shorts for long pants and sleeves from now on and a tin of little red and white capsules in my pocket if I go anywhere near the woods.

I still think I am living in a little piece of heaven but I have again been reminded it suffers no fools and will bite you in the tush if you are not paying attention. Another item to add to my over the fence gear. God apparently takes care of the young and dumb because I used to head out into the deep forest or climb mountains or spend a day and a night in the desert with only a knife, water, matches and cigars and never a lick of a problem. What a difference an extra 40 years makes. All you dinosaurs and middle aged going into dinosaur status take heed. You just don't know what is going to get you. I still don't know what did.

[deth502]

wow, that sucks. glad your doing better.

goes to show, you never know whats around the bend. you know, your immune system changes as you age, it could be something that has never bothered you before. the wife of a good friend who passed last year is having lots of alergy trouble. all of a sudden, a few months ago, she started getting her airway swollen shut, they found that some type of red dye AND a food preservative thats in 99% of the food made all of a sudden was causing her problem. now all she can eat is home made natural foods.

[coppertales]

The first thing that crossed my mind after reading your symptoms was take some Benadrill fast. I hope you are feeling better....chris3

[jojo]

Dang, Grump. Glad all is a little better for you. I have got to the point to where cutting grass will stop me up and make breathing difficult as well as give me a headache for a couple days after I mow. I guess we're just getting older and weaker in the immune area.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yes, glad you worked through this. There are so many things that could have precipitated your symptoms that it's really hard to even guess. You are sensative to bug bites... and old wood like that is full of bugs- maybe a centipede? They are poisonous.

Just glad that you're OK now.

[FunkyPertwee]

Sorry to hear you've been ill, Old Grump. I hope you feel better soon.

[Full Otto]

Thought you were a little lapse in your posting, glad you're on the mend.
I thought maybe it was the appointment you mentioned a few threads ago about the sun exposure. Hope that's working out too

[btcave]

Wow OG. Glad your getting better.

[old Grump]

Thanks for the kind words, mostly I was just trying to emphasize the importance of quick and immediate medical treatment being on hand for those of us getting a little long in the tooth. I don't know what got me and that bothers me because how do I avoid it?

Shorts and shoes has been my warm weather costume in warm weather for over 6 decades except when I was making hay, I needed to wear boots and jeans then or I would have gotten torn up. When I lived in the desert my only concession was to wear a broad brimmed hat and sunglasses. Same for a day on the lake or river. Today I wouldn't last till lunch time if I did that. It's bad when instead of a sandwich and a canteen the first thing you have to grab to go outside is a bottle of pills.

How in the hell did my old Bohunk Great grandfather almost make it to 100 working outside every day till he was 89. I think we lost something with our modern convenience comfort foods and remote controls.

[slamfire51]

Glad to hear you're improving.

I was given Prednisone for a shoulder injury about 15 yrs ago. The Drs called it a 6 pack.
1st dose is 6 pills then dosage is reduced each day for 6 days. That stuff actually made me feel like a teenager again. I had more energy and stamina than I'd had for years.

When it was done, I went back to being an old fart again. For me, it was a "fountain of youth" drug. Damn, wish I had more.

[coppertales]

we just take a wee nip of Hartley's to cure such ailments. Here in Texas it is a hooker of rye.....chris3

[Schuetzenman]

I would also adivse a filter mask at least to prevent or inhibit inhaling mold spores if you are that sensitive. Shower immediately after finishing outdoor work too, don't sit around sucking on a beer or stoggie.

[old Grump]

I do take a shower after coming in because of my pollen allergy. I don't drink anymore and I gave up cigars many decades ago when I got serious about my shooting. Nicotine, Alcohol and caffeine, anything that increased my heart rate was off my menu. I do coffee now but I just never got back into the rest of it. Smoked my pipe for a few years but gave it up in 88. I got my high from shooting a thumb hole size group at time and rapid fire with my 45. I wish I could still do that but me and the gun got tired when I wasn't looking.

Really bums me out that coffee cup sized rapid fire groups with the M1 are out of my reach now too, I can't even do that at 100 yards most days but when I do oh boy, Horse fly bites, mosquito bites, wood ticks, sunburn the whole bucket full of irritations go away for a couple of hours.

Slamfire I hope you are right about the effects of this stuff since I'm going to be on it for awhile. It could be my reaction to it is because of what it was trying to cure, that and like I said it knocked my glucose for a loop. I am assuming you didn't have that particular complication.

[stinker]

Good to hear you're ok, but welcome to my world. Severe hay fever allergies since birth. Ragweed makes me wish it was actually fatal if i get prolonged pollen exposure or direct skin contact. If i get it directly on my skin i will flay the meat from my bones because of it burning so badly. I have some scars from it and i damn near have to tie my hands up because i'll scratch without even realizing i'm doing it. It may sound corny but i feel your pain. Next time take the benadryl preemptively if you go out messing with the stuff again and if you have a reaction to whatever it was it'll reduce the severity quite a bit.

The shower thing is mandatory too but make sure you bag your clothes preferably outside before you shower or put them in the wash by themself first. Body hair is extremely important to concentrate on too since it catches and holds everything. Use a good hypoallergenic soap instead of shampoo. Gotta go the extra steps if you react to something that badly. Treat it like a hazmat decontamination situation because it technically it is to you.

I'm suprised the doctor did'nt give you cortisone shots at the site of the swelling too considering how severe it sounded since he decided prednisone was worth the risk for you. I've had to have those a few times. I don't have the diabetes issue to deal with though.

[Solidus-snake]

Thanks for the kind words, mostly I was just trying to emphasize the importance of quick and immediate medical treatment being on hand for those of us getting a little long in the tooth. I don't know what got me and that bothers me because how do I avoid it?

Shorts and shoes has been my warm weather costume in warm weather for over 6 decades except when I was making hay, I needed to wear boots and jeans then or I would have gotten torn up. When I lived in the desert my only concession was to wear a broad brimmed hat and sunglasses. Same for a day on the lake or river. Today I wouldn't last till lunch time if I did that. It's bad when instead of a sandwich and a canteen the first thing you have to grab to go outside is a bottle of pills.

How in the hell did my old Bohunk Great grandfather almost make it to 100 working outside every day till he was 89. I think we lost something with our modern convenience comfort foods and remote controls.

I dunno. My grandfather is 84 and he STILL goes out and tends cattle and his farm before sun up to after sun down. Hes my top role model next to my Dad and I doubt I will, being raised with some of todays modern conveniences, but I hope I can be like them at their ages.

[slamfire51]

I looked up Prednisone and here's what I found as far as side effects go. I didn't experience any that I can remember, except this one, "exaggerated sense of well-being".
OG, if the side effects in BOLD below occur, you better contact your doctor QUICKLY.

Side Effects of Prednisone:

Difficulty sleeping; feeling of a whirling motion; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; mood changes; nervousness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Prednisone:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); appetite loss; black, tarry stools; changes in menstrual periods; convulsions; depression; diarrhea; dizziness; exaggerated sense of well-being; fever; general body discomfort; headache; increased pressure in the eye; joint or muscle pain; mood swings; muscle weakness; personality changes; prolonged sore throat, cold, or fever; puffing of the face; severe nausea or vomiting; swelling of feet or legs; unusual weight gain; vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds; weakness; weight loss.

[O.S.O.K.]

Funny you say "long in the tooth". I never used to know what that meant exactly - thought it was just a quaint saying.

Then, I got long in the tooth myself and found out it's not just a saying but an accurate description of your gums pulling back as you get older...

I remember having that conversation with my Dad - and he laughed at me - ha ha very funny

[ltorlo64]

You know, if you didn't want to shoot the last month because my scores scared you, you could have found an easier way out of it!

Actually, I am glad you are doing better. Not very exciting to have such an extreme change in a short period of time.

[Full Otto]

mold spores

I can't explain it but for some reason that was what kept coming to my mind this morning even before I got here today, was going to mention it myself

As far as shooting, as I'm sure you know, there's always an effective alternative.

[El Laton Caliente]

I was hoping this was a joke post when I started reading it... Sorry to hear about the medical problems. Maybe you should get allergy tested. It sounds like a reaction.