What Does Pesticide Poisoning Feel Like? LBAM Spray Preparedness.
Friday 11 Apr 2008 | LBAM Spray Bay Area
Unless plans are halted, aerial spraying of the Monterey/Santa Cruz regions will begin in June and in the Bay Area, in August. Because the formulation of the spray has still not been disclosed to the public, we can only guess at its potential health effects citizens will suffer. If the spray formula is similar to what was applied to the residents of the Monterey/Santa Cruz region, we do have some idea of what to expect.
I have experienced pesticide poisoning first hand, unfortunately, and I think it is crucial that people learn to recognize the symptoms so that if they see a loved one, a spouse, a child, an elderly parent exhibiting signs of this health damage, they will know what is happening. Unfortunately, too many of the people on the Central Coast had no idea what was happening to them in 2007.
Different pesticides cause different immediate symptoms in humans. Some primarily irritate mucous membranes, eyes and skin. Other cause severe intestinal disorders. Still others affect the functions of the brain and nervous system. *I am not a medical professional. The following information is based on personal experience and my own research.
If the spraying is not halted, be on the look out for symptoms like these in your dear ones:
Difficulty Breathing/Shortness of Breath - It may feel like you just can’t get a deep breath, that there is pressure being put on your lungs or throat.
Athsma/Respiratory Attacks - Wheezing, inability to breathe fully. Many people on the Central Coast who had never before had asthma had their first attack in life when the spraying began.
Vomiting / Diarrhea - It is likely the body’s attempt to rid it self of the poison that causes the stomach and intestinal system to work to empty itself. Several people on the Central Coast reported uncontrollable vomiting that lasted for multiple days.
Swollen Glands and Sore Throat - If you’ve ever had a bad throat infection, you may be able to recall what it feels like when your throat glands become painfully swollen. My lay person’s understanding of this is that glands can become extremely swollen from exposure to toxins, and pesticide poisoning can cause the throat to be terribly sore.
Awful Taste in Mouth - Exposure to pesticides frequently causes a metallic, bitter or rotten taste in the mouth.
Skin Irritation and Rashes - Severe pesticide rashes are ghastly, frankly, wherein the skin erupts in sore, red bumps. Symptoms of irritation can be milder too. Skin may feel itchy.
Eye and Nose Problems - Eyes and nose may sting or have heavy discharge due to pesticide poisoning. Sinus and eye infections may result.
Dizziness - Whether this is caused by damage to the inner ear or simply a lack of fresh air, I have never been able to determine, but people may become very off balance after exposure to pesticides and should take care to avoid falls and accidents.
Fatigue, Listlessness and Lethargy - Just as it would in trying to cope with a virus, the body can become extremely fatigued when exposed to toxins. People who have been poisoned by pesticides may feel disoriented and listless, and may want to just go to sleep. This can be counterproductive to safety in that it may cause us to stay put rather than fleeing from the source of the poison, if possible.
Heart Trouble - Several people on the Central Coast documented rapid or irregular heartbeats. Some feared they were having a heart attack.
Mentrual Irregularities - Many women reported severe menstrual irregularities following the spraying including the recommencement of menstruation in post-menopausal women. Others experienced extreme menstrual discomfort.
Aggressive, Violent Feelings and Behavior - People who have been poisoned by pesticides may experience racing thoughts, the jitters, and impulses to act out violently because of the toxic attack on the brain and nervous system. Be prepared for potential violent behavior in spouses and children who have been poisoned, and if you, yourself, find yourself yelling and screaming without real provocation and beginning to feel ‘crazy’, ‘out of control’, it is so important for you to remember that exposure to certain pesticides are documented to cause just these kinds of adverse reactions in human beings.
Shaking, Tremors, Involuntary Twitching - Pesticides can damage the human nervous system and cause all kinds of involuntary movements.
Death - Exposure to certain pesticides can be fatal to humans.
You will find further documentation and first-person reports of pesticide poisoning at Hope For Truth.
It is also important to remember that some pesticide poisoning symptoms happen immediately upon contact with the substance sprayed, but others may not appear for 12, 24, 48, etc. hours after exposure.
What Should You Do If You Are Poisoned By Aerial Spraying or Ground Applications of Pesticides?
*Seek immediate medical attention
*Insist that your doctor file a pesticide illness report
However, having read the experiences of so many Central Coast poison victims, we need to prepared for several possibilities in seeking medical aid:
1) Doctors may not be able to see you promptly
2) Doctors may be unaware of the aerial/ground pesticide spraying
3) Doctors may simply not know how to treat pesticide poisoning
4) Doctors may be unwilling to acknowledge pesticide poisoning as a fact of pesticide spraying
5) Doctors may be unwilling to fill out pesticide poisoning reports
6) Doctors may refuse to see patients who claim to have been injured by the spraying, or may attempt to discredit patients who claim to have been poisoned
7) Because doctors, nurses, firemen, paramedics and other medical health practitioners are also susceptible to pesticide poisoning, offices, hospitals and emergency services may become critically understaffed when urban populations are sprayed. You may not be able to get prompt medical attention because of this.
I have read the incredibly disturbing reports from people who were unable to find responsible medical care after the 2007 spraying and who were illegally prohibited from filing official complaints of pesticide poisoning. Though OEHHA announced this week that they intend to begin communicating with medical providers, we need to be prepared for the possibility that we may fall ill when we are sprayed and not be able to obtain medical treatment.
Where I live, there is only one small hospital serving some 200,000 citizens in addition to all of the residents of outlying regions. A question I want answered is whether the Bay Area’s hospitals and doctors are physically capable of handling a potential epidemic of illness. Clearly, almost no one was informed or ready to deal with patients who had been poisoned on the Central Coast. If you can discover someone who can answer this question, please share what you know.
It is the case with pesticides that some residents will become severely ill while others may feel only mildly unwell or experience no symptoms at all. We have been told by CDFA that our children, elders and people with chronic illnesses are in greatest danger. To me, this means that parents, teachers, day care workers, elder care providers and medical professionals need to be the most alert for symptoms of pesticide poisoning in the people they take care of.
My personal word to you, as a woman who has suffered pesticide poisoning, is not to let anyone, be they a family member, a doctor, or a government agent, tell you that your symptoms are imaginary. Pesticide poisoning is a documented reality. I have found the most helpful information about the short term effects of pesticide poisoning at East Bay Pesticide Alert.
Please, if you have any helpful information to add to this topic, use the comments section to do so.
Friday 11 Apr 2008 | admin | LBAM Spray Bay Area |
i went to the doctor and was told we don’t know if your symptoms were caused by the spray. (i knew they were) i was asked if i was anxious. (symptom of pesticide poisoning) i was given nothing in terms of treatment but my form was filled out.
thank you for providing some crucial info that the bay area needs. i hope you are treated better than we were.
Thank you for sharing that experience, Donna. My first hope is, of course, that we will stop the spray. And if not, my second hope is that the doctors who have spoken against this will eagerly document whatever illnesses they encounter and submit this as evidence against CDFA.
So far as I know, there is no treatment for pesticide poisoning, though in the case of respiratory failure, obviously there are asthma-type medications that would likely be given.
I keep thinking about the fact that if people inhale toxins, such as gas from a gas leak, the first thing you are supposed to do is get them outside so they can breathe clean air. Unfortunately, in this case, there will be no clean air to go outside to.
When I think of that, I feel so dreadful.
Mim
I work in the nursery and floral industry, I have experienced almost continual rashes on my arms and hands. Have you any links for me? Your website was very enlightening, (my rash looks vey much like the womans hip)but am looking for more specific info.
Thank you for your time, Kim
Dear Kim,
You are very welcome here, and I thank you for your question.
As it happens, I worked in a nursery as a younger person and also ended up with a very weird rash on my hands. Though I cannot tell you what caused this, or why you are having this rash, you have 5 potential causes to investigate. Let me list them for you so that you can start getting to the bottom of what is giving you this rash.
1) Pesticide:
Both nurseries and the flowers that are delivered to florists are, unfortunately, contaminated with pesticides. Unless the nursery or floral supplier is organic, you could be reacting to any number of pesticides.
2) Fungicides:
Both nurseries and floral industry providers heavily use fungicides to prevent things like powdery mildew on plants and flowers. Flower bulbs are also frequently coated both with fungicide and pesticides. You could be reacting to this.
3) Herbicides:
Nurseries often spray herbicides rather than hand-pulling weeds and these can be very toxic to people.
4) Allergies:
You could simply be allergic to some of the plants you are working with. Certain plants contain sap or have substances on their leaves that cause rashes. As a florist, you are constantly in contact with the plants and it could be that one or more of them is causing a rash.
5) Water:
One of the things that I felt was a culprit in the hand rash I experienced was the fact that my hands were constantly in water as a nursery person. I was wearing gloves all day, but from watering plants, potting things up, cleaning things, water would get into the gloves which were rough inside and this began to really irritate my skin. So, that’s something to consider as well.
Unfortunately, the majority of florists and nurseries have not made a change over to organic practices because they have become dependent on using toxic substances in order to win profits. Rather than teaching patrons to expect that a perfectly good plant might have a few bug nibbles on it, they want to sell blemish-free flowers and this is a very artificial expectation.
Nurseries ought to switch over to treating their stock like parts of a diverse, poly-culture garden that is non-toxic and full of wonderful wildlife like birds that help keep pests in good balances. Failing to do this exposes workers and customers to pesticides, fungicides and herbicides that are life-threatening, in addition to causing skin irritations like you are experiencing.
I am so sorry to hear about the discomfort you are in. I definitely recommend that you see a dermatologist, but am concerned that you may have trouble finding one who understands the link between pesticides and skin irritations. What you are experiencing is serious, as the skin is an organ and if yours is in poor health, you have reason to be concerned that your internal organs may also be in trouble from things you are being exposed to.
On a happier note, Kim, if you love working with flowers, maybe the future holds something special for you. Maybe your experience with the toxic environment of commercial growing might be the beginning of you founding your own organic floral supply. I know I’d plunk my money down for a fresh-cut bouquet from an organic garden and I’d be glad to see a lady bug or two on it. There is a farm down the road for me that sells organic bouquets and charges handsomely for them. Maybe your skills, coupled with your bad experience in conventional agriculture, could be the basis for you becoming a leader in organic flower growing.
I surely wish you luck, and hope my suggestions will help you start researching why you are being harmed by your job.
I hope you’ll comment here again.
Mim