I got bit by a Copperhead!!

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@Pearl do you have any Sida, a plant in your pasture? It's a hemotoxin blocker. It'll help a lot, used in south america by folks who can't get to a doc... you really should see a doc and get some antibiotics. Snake teeth aren't known for being sterile. I'd go to the er just for that.
 
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Peanut said:
Keep checking the temp of your foot, does it feel cold? If swelling gets bad enough it'll cut off the blood supply to your foot. If that happens you have to go to a doc.
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Swelling went way down with the Prednisone. Is up a little now! Leg has felt hot and cold, ok now! Hopefully this minor bite helps if there is ever a major one some day! Had lots of dogs get bit, if they can do it, so can I!!
 
Pearl said:
Swelling went way down with the Prednisone. Is up a little now! Leg has felt hot and cold, ok now! Hopefully this minor bite helps if there is ever a major one some day! Had lots of dogs get bit, if they can do it, so can I!!
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Good enough.

But if in doubt see a doc asap!

Ben
 
In the south more folks are bitten by copperheads than the rest of the snakes combined. They strike blind at anything that moves. Rattlers warn, cottonmouths bluff, copperheads bite! They die when i see them for that reason, i show them no mercy.
 
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Did you pour bleach into the bite? it destroys neurotoxins if you get to it before they spread. My dad got bit by a baby one once, he poured it full of rotgut bourbon. I remember he barfed and got the chills, but he was fine the next day.
 
Peanut said:
In the south more folks are bitten by copperheads than the rest of the snakes combined. They strike blind at anything that moves. Rattlers warn, cottonmouths bluff, copperheads bite! They die when i see them for that reason, no mercy.
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Rattlers do warn, if they have the rattles, I've come across two rattlers that had no rattles, one that a wild turkey warned me of, I thanked her and told the snake that it wasn't fair not to warn me, the other showed up under a board I picked up. I've had close calls where I went to pick up something and a rattler was right underneath, the only snake that ever bit me was a California King Snake, didn't even break the skin. Anyway heal fast Pearl and from now on get some snake spats or wrap your legs with newspaper, cheap armor but it works.
 
Pearl, I am not big on doctoring, but this would be one of the things that I would go to the ER about. I once went for heart palpitations, and it turns out I had a spider bite. The toxins from bites can be not good.

I just read a story today about a woman I know who was bitten by a rattlesnake.
"
BOULDER COUNTY – A Wyoming woman who was mountain biking with her husband suffered a rattlesnake bite Sunday at Rabbit Mountain Open Space.
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office says Kim Rees of Thayne, Wyoming was with her husband, David Rees, when it happened. They were crossing a patch of grass on foot to change trails when Kim Rees felt a pain on her leg and saw a snake slither away out of the corner of her eye. She told authorities that she did not hear a rattle.
The Rees' called for assistance and made their way back down to the parking lot, with David intermittently carrying Kim or with her riding slowly on her bike. Kim Rees tried to be as still as possible to decrease the spread of the venom.
Once she reached the parking lot, she was treated by local medical personnel before being flown to Boulder Community Health. She was released on Monday.
Rabbit Mountain is a popular open space is located in between Lyons and Longmont. Rattlesnakes are common in Boulder County, mainly in crevices, woodpiles, brushy vegetation and mammal burrows.
Though more people are killed by lightning strikes and bee stings than snake bites, the BCSO still urges caution."

When my grandfather was bitten by a rattlesnake, he was out feeding hogs in a pen. He felt something hit his leg. He hadn't seen or heard the snake before it struck.

In both of these stories, I wonder if the rattlesnake did actually rattle, but it wasn't heard.
 
Snake gaiters are cheap, start at around $40. Order from the net. I've had these almost 20yrs, still keep them in my truck. For a decade i was in the woods daily. These gaiters saved me many times. More than once a year a copperhead would try to bite me. Those little suckers are dangerous, no hesitation if you step close to them.

These have even faded with age. 4 snaps to close around my lower leg, cut to fit the down on the foot giving more protection.

But even i wouldn't be wearing them in my yard or around my barns. Only wear them when i'm plant hunting.

20231008_Gaiters.jpg
 
Peanut said:
Snake gaiters are cheap, start at around $40. Order from the net. I've had these almost 20yrs, still keep them in my truck. For a decade i was in the woods daily. These gaiters saved me many times. More than once a year a copperhead would try to bite me. Those little suckers are dangerous, no hesitation if you step close to them.

These have even faded with age. 4 snaps to close around my lower leg, cut to fit the down on the foot giving more protection.

But even i wouldn't be wearing them in my yard or around my barns. Only wear them when i'm plant hunting.

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I think it is because of snake bites that people originally wore cowboy boots. Not as high as the gators. I know that chaps were not for snake bites, but more to keep pants from wearing out so fast, but they could help.
 
Weedygarden said:
I think it is because of snake bites that people originally wore cowboy boots. Not as high as the gators. I know that chaps were not for snake bites, but more to keep pants from wearing out so fast, but they could help.
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They make snake chaps too, protect from the foot to the groin. I've seen them for around $100.

The problem with both is heat. It's like wearing a heavy denim jacket in July. My pant legs and socks are soaked from sweat just from gaiters.

Snake chaps would be a lot hotter and in my case... i didn't see the need for protection that high.
 
I want to point out that of all your friends that suggested a way to treat your snake bite, 100% suggested a doctor. I'm starting to feel like a nag I'll go back to leg jokes.
 
Peanut said:
Snake gaiters are cheap, start at around $40. Order from the net. I've had these almost 20yrs, still keep them in my truck. For a decade i was in the woods daily. These gaiters saved me many times. More than once a year a copperhead would try to bite me. Those little suckers are dangerous, no hesitation if you step close to them.

These have even faded with age. 4 snaps to close around my lower leg, cut to fit the down on the foot giving more protection.

But even i wouldn't be wearing them in my yard or around my barns. Only wear them when i'm plant hunting.

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Have some.
 
Prayers for a swift recovery! Glad I don’t have to deal with snakes anymore.
 
This might help, written by a friend who had a clinic near Austin. He was a special forces medic in the 80's, now a herbalist (sam coffman).

It covers all the first aid techniques. And mentions some herbs, there are several that'll help the symptoms.

You rest now...
 

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Pearl said:
The swelling is down. I had it elevated. Pain is up there a bit. Both feet are kinda numb. Still have a headache. So I don't feel great, but no worse than earlier!
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Based upon my own personal experience, you may start to hemorrhage internally - that is one reason to get ED care. Some of the OTC/naturopathic medicines you have or may take, could make the bleeding worse.

My snake bite made me feel the sickest I have ever in my life.

The immediate site of the bite stayed numb for more than a year.

Snake bites do not make you less susceptible to later bites with the same venom/species......they make your reaction from subsequent bites worse......the same as ticks.
 
Cellulitis. Tissue necrosis. Infection. Not something to mess around with. You should go to the ER. You could end up needing surgical debridement. Fasciotomy. Amputation would be very rare, but not out of the realm of possibility. The vast majority of people in the USA survive snakebites. I'm sure you will easily survive this. It's the local complications, not the systemic ones, that could become your nightmare. You have not had enough time since the bite for local complications to have announced themselves yet, so "feeling OK" is not a valid indicator. I hope you go to the ER for a proper evaluation of what you may be dealing with.
 
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