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Feb 2004 thru April 2009

Name	Dave
Date	Sunday, April 5th 2009 - 05:18:53 AM
Email
Message	Thank you. i'm 12 yrs. old and this has helped me with my report.:)

Name	14 Year old stung
Date	Saturday, August 23rd 2008 - 01:48:19 PM
Email
Message	We were at Cherry Grove, SC (Norht Myrtle Beach August 14/08 our 14 year old was stung on his right forearm. He ran out of the water complaining that he had gotten stung and didn't make that big of a deal out of it. We thought it was a jelly fish that got him. We used the gel for jelly fish stings on his arm. He has a place that extends from his little finger all the way up to almost his elbow about 2 inches wide. After we returned home Saturday he was just complaining that it felt numb and them by Monday it had started swelling, itching and burst open in a couple of places draining we took him to the ER and they told us they were not sure that it was a jelly fish that it could have been a man of war and he day developed a Staff-infection, apparently from him rubbing it. Know after researching info online, we know it had to be a man of war. They gave him K-flex a really strong antibiotic to take for 7 days 3 time a day. They told us to wash it with soap and water 2-3 times a day and apply Neosporin leaving it unwrapped most of the time. Also, they told us to give him benadryl as the label directed for itching. Use an ice pack for swelling. After the first few days the swelling went down and the draining stopped. We continued to follow the doctors orders and it is now swollen again only 5 days after the doctor visit. Still waiting to see if it stays swollen till tomorrow. We know that it is going to leave a nice scar to remind him for the rest of his life. We also have been using a gel called Bag Balm you can find at most drug stores. That seemed to help with the draining.

Name	Stung in S. Carolina
Date	Sunday, August 10th 2008 - 08:46:20 PM
Message	My son, age 4, was severly stung 3 weeks ago (late July 2008)... actually twice in one week. The first time around station 26 on Sullivan's Island, SC. It was a mild sting except that it was unusually shaped (a whip like, red mark that wrapped around his little wrist with visible sting marks). I grew up on the island and have been stung numerous times by regular jellyfish. I kissed the boo boo and left the beach to return home for the afternoon. A few days later our entire family went for a boat ride out to the beach between Capers and Dewees Islands (only accessible by boat). We were playing in the shallow water, having fun, when my son started SCREAMING again... screaming in a way that he has never ever screamed. I knew that he had been stung AGAIN... and boy oh boy was he mad (MAMA I TOLD YOU THERE WERE JELLYFISH!) But this time it was much, much worse. Again, the stings were long whip like ropes... wrapped around both of his legs, wrists, and a bit across his tummy. Each "rope" had very defined, small, sting marks along the rope. We immediately got him out of the water to assess the damage. Again... I've grown up in the Charleston SC area. I have always been told that we don't have dangerous jellyfish, especially not Man O Wars. So, the only treatment I knew of at that time was to rub meat tenderizer, jelly fish spray, baking soda, crushed cigarettes, etc on the sting. The only thing handy was the cigarettes (begged from some other kind people on the island with us). I crushed them up in my hands with some sand and began rubbing my sons arms and legs with them. Well... it didn't help. My son was still screaming, and I just wanted to make it better... so I dunked a beach towel in the cooler full of ice water and wrapped him in it for the trip back to the marina. Now I know that that was perhaps the worst thing that I could have done (fresh water releases even more poison). By the time we made it back to the Marina my son was doing better. Tuckered out from a big day on the boat and the drama of the sting. I didn't get to worried. He was breathing fine, drinking water, talking between sniffles, and alert. When we got back home I put him in a luke warm, baking soda bath and sprayed the stings with Jellyfish spray. He was fine. The sting sites looked terrible. But he was fine. Skip 3 days ahead. The stings began to swell and were terribly itchy and began to sting again. I thought maybe he had some sort of infection. By that point I had called a couple of my surfer budddies and asked their advise. By just describing the stings my friends all agreed that it sounded like Man O War stings. So I got really worried and called his pediatrician and scheduled an appointment. The pediatrician was not worried...I explained that I feared the stings may have been caused by a Man O War Jellyfish. What was her answer, you ask? She said, "Man O Wars are very rarely found in our waters". She perscribed a low dose of oral steroid, suggested I use Cortizone cream and keep an eye out for infection. It just so happens that there seems to be some media attention concerning an over population of Jellyfish. There was even an article in the local newspaper about Jellyfish and sugestions regarding what to do if you're stung. Even in the article, an expert on Local Marine Biology and an employee at the South Carolina Aquarium stated that Wan O Wars are very rare on South Carolina Beaches. No one, except for my surfer buddies, are taking me seriously. My son was stung twice in one week at very different locations. I am reading this web site (a very good site by the way) and there are several accounts of Man O War stings recently. Thank you for your information. I knew that I had the correct diagnosis for these stings and they probably aren't just regular stings (this was the only site with real pictures). I will be sharing this information with both of my kid's schools. I will continue to enjoy the beach and ocean. But Parents really need to know how to treat these injuries, what to look out for (what the sting looks like) and most importantly that there ARE DANGEROUS JELLYFISH IN OUR WATERS!

Name	Contact at Cherry Grove, SC
Date	Saturday, July 19th 2008 - 05:56:32 PM
Message	In 1977, I was nine years old and vacationing at Cherry Grove, SC. I walked into what I thought was a bunch of seaweed. Instantly, I felt pain unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was actually a school of 35 or more Portuguese Man-Of-War, according to the lifeguards who caught them with nets. I do not remember too much until I was on the beach. My hands and arms were covered with tentacles as well as my legs so I had obviously reached into the water to try and get out of them. I went into shock and was taken by ambulance to the emergency room. Several weeks later I had a severe reaction to the stings. I am now 40 years old and still bear the tentacle shaped scars on my legs and knees as well as the memory of the unimaginable pain.

Name	Stung @ Myrtle Beach, SC
Date	Saturday, June 7th 2008 - 08:07:05 PM
Message	When I was 7 (1986) we vacationed in Myrtle Beach, SC and I was stung by a portuguese man-o-war. You can tell because I still have the scar on the back of my leg. When I was first stung I felt a tingling with no pain and immediately after the tingling I felt a burning and stinging feeling. I screamed and my grandmother pulled me out of the water and immediately started rubbing sandy water on the back of my leg which was suggested by the lifeguard. Later they scraped the area with baking soda. Later that day, the back of my leg where I was stung swole like a melon and I couldn't extend my leg anymore, I could just pull it in. The brown zig zag scars remain on my leg and you can still see them at age 30 but not as bad as when it first happened. The following day I was taken to a local doctor in Myrtle Beach because my leg was paralysed from the swelling on the back of my kneecap. After about 4 days I could start moving it again but that was the worst experience. I have been stung plenty of times by the sea needle jellyfish and have gotten red dots from the sting and a little nausea but nothing to the extent of a scar 23 years aftewards. Man-o-war are nothing to play with. Also, when I was in the doctors office in MB I saw another man in there with the same zig zag scars but they started on the front of chest all the way to his back. THat had to be a pretty long tentacle.

Name	Sandy
Date	Monday, May 19th 2008 - 02:19:04 PM
Message	I was stung last week by a Man-of-war at Sayulita, Mexico, just 30 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. In Sayulita, they call the creatures "agua mala" which literally means "bad water." A fitting name. I also felt like I had been electrocuted and limped out the water waving for help. The tourists and locals were all so helpful and recommended everything (vinegar, hot water, ice, urine, hot sand) and I tried it all. Nothing seemed to work and I wonder if some of what I tried actually made things worse. We took a cab to our room and immediately started to run hot water on me which brought momentary relief. After an hour the pain was much more manageable and ultimately stopped. I was most worried because I am pregnant and I became terrified for my baby. I was quite relieved to learn that the toxins did not travel throughout my body but remained local. The baby's been kicking a lot and each little jab brings me great joy. I still have red marks all around my knees, calves, and feet. I'll write again if there is a secondary reaction. Many thanks for the site -- it's always assuring to read about something mysterious you've experienced.

Name	Joe Taft
Date	Tuesday, January 8th 2008 - 08:11:13 PM
Email	jhtaft@earthlink.net
Message	Yours are the only pictures of a Portuguese man-of-war sting that I have found. I would like to use one or more of the pictures of your back and of the Portuguese man-of war in a presentation concerning hazards in nature at Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge, TN on Jan 17, 2008. There are no admission fees for any of the programs presented during these programs. For a listing of programs at this event see www.mypigeonforge.com.

Name	blonderoots
Date	Sunday, January 6th 2008 - 03:34:41 PM
Email
Message	those pics are kool to see the effects

Name	Shayna
Date	Thursday, November 15th 2007 - 08:34:11 AM
Email	shaynarae@mail.com
Message	My name is Shayna. I saw your website and it really touched me.I too was stung by a Portuguese Man Of War. I was on mission trip to Mexico and we were on our last day visiting the beach I thought I had a bad sting until I saw yours!! I was stung on the hand three fingers and from the looks of it the one that stung me had much smaller tenicles. However, I had continual vomiting,trouble breathing, and was feeling light headed after the occurance.Our entire chruch van was in prayer for me. I went to church service that night and I don't know if you believe in healings, (I wasn't much of a believer) but as the pastor prayed over my hand and all the swelling went down to almost none.I had no further treatment than some burn cream found at a local store in Mexico and alot of prayer. I just felt led to share my story with you. No one can possibly imagine the pain you and I experienced except victims like us.Thankfully God was watching over us. Thanks, Shayna

Name	Jeff Zehner
Date	Friday, November 9th 2007 - 07:05:35 PM
Email	jpzehner@yahoo.com http://www.web-tonic.com
Message	believe that my two daughters were stung by the tentacles of a man-o-war in a small tidal pool on the gulf-side of Florida. after complaining of "bee-stings" they presented with small striated - red-raised areas. I inspected the tidal pool on the sandy beach and found a few small (4inch) tentacles - which i removed with a strainer. They were pink in color. I believe that they were re-constituted tentacles from a man-o-war washed ashore earlier. Both girls lesions were no more than one square inch in area - and I never sought medical attention. Probably should have, being that I'm a pathologist, yet I've been stung by many nuisance jellyfish in my day in many places and never saw any critical situation. In their case, the tentacles did not stick and the brush was probably minimal as one can get - yet the risk of a second exposure to the venom raises the spectre of allergic reactions in the future - which I would wager is where most of the human mortality lies. thank you for your informative site! Jeff Zehner, M.D.

Name
Date	Thursday, November 8th 2007 - 03:46:59 PM
Email
Message	I LOVE! your site !!!! by the way did it hurt? that was a stupid Question.......OF COURCE IT DID! I'm doing a project on the "man o war"!

Name	Steve C., Minnesota, USA
Date	Thursday, October 18th 2007 - 03:37:18 PM
Email	plastix1@frontiernet.net
Message	I was stung in Cancun in March 2003, probably worse than any of the stories I have read here. I don't remember much of what happened for the five days or more. I was 43 at the time and assumed I had recovered. Now, four years later, I am experiencing SEVERE pain in my muscles & joints in the areas where the stings were the greatest. I have seen many doctors to try and find relief and a cure. None of the doctors considers the Man-of-War incident as a contributor. But, none of them have been able to determine another reason for the pain. I have had multiple MRI's and tests, seen an orthopedic, rheumotologist and chiropractor. I would very much like to know if anyone else is experiencing similar pain years after their attack.

Name	Patricia Marley
Date	Monday, September 24th 2007 - 11:10:50 PM
Email	rockcandy1455@aol.com
Message	I just came back a few weeks ago from Carolina Beach, NC and was also stung by a man a war, across the top of both of my feet. Due to the fact I am allergic to bees and apparently the venom, I did go into shock then a coma. I have no memory of the hospital at all, in fact they (the hospital) didn't even know I was stung, until 2 days later when I returned. They told me there was nothing they could do for me, & gave me a tetnaus shot. This happened 8/28/07, and I am no where near recovered. I am from MI, and I don't believe the doctor's here have any idea how to treat my feet/pain/reaction ~ I am at a total loss as I still cannot where shoes, only bedroom slippers. The remainder of our trip down there, they never posted any warning signs either, unfortunately I had to extend my stay, due to the fact we were driving back home, and the swelling was so severe & painfull ~ the hotel didn't even offer a discount or anything, instead they overcharged me & I had to take it up w/their HQ's when I got home ~ the vacation my daughter and I will NEVER forget!

Name	Jennifer
Date	Monday, September 17th 2007 - 03:53:25 PM
Email	jmiller71@zoominternet.net http://www.myspace.com/pghjenn
Message	I was stung while on vacation in North Myrtle Beach, SC on August 25. Although my sting was no where near as bad as yours, it was the worst pain in my entire life. I was stung on the back on one leg, and the front of my other leg and my hand as I was trying to get it off me in the water. The front of my leg was the worst and 3 weeks later is still visible. I know I will have some scarring from this also. I did venture back into the water, until I saw others being stung later in the week and then I refused to go back in. I experienced a recurrence a week after the sting, and it was as bad as it was the day I was stung. Plus, I ended up with hives then also. Claritin, Advil and Benedryl spray were my saviors. I hope never to see one again.

Name	Algyn Palma
Date	Tuesday, September 11th 2007 - 05:21:41 AM
Email	palgyn17@yahoo.com
Message	This is very awesome pictures and it tells more how the Potuguese-Man-of-War harmful but I suggest that put more pictures about this article.

Name	Rebecca Franks
Date	Saturday, July 28th 2007 - 08:00:59 PM
Email	RFRANKS@SAN.RR.COM
Message	I just wanted to follow-up on my daughter’s sting. She is 100% recovered. No Scar. After following the Doctors orders with no relief after 9 days of treating with Benedryl, and Hydrocortisone cream, she was breaking out in Hives/severely swollen and not sleeping. I decided to try Claritin for Allergies, and Advil for anti-inflammatory. By the end of the day her symptoms were relieved. I have done a lot of research after my daughters sting, and what I've learned is Vinegar and scrubbing with sand will activate the nemocites to release the toxin, and hot water increases blood circulation contributing to anaphylactic shook. The best thing is to gently remove nemocites with tweezers, or a towel. Then Ice the effected area, constricting the blood circulation and preventing release of more toxin.

Name	Julia
Date	Wednesday, July 11th 2007 - 07:19:49 AM
Email	windowdexter@yahoo.com
Message	I am 13 years old and last year while vacationing in Myrtle Beach I got stung by what seems to be the most worse pain i Have EVER experienced! I live in the Northeast and there were all these warnings about them up there so while in Myrtle Beach i didn't expect of any down there! I was way wrong. It was my last day there and it was early morning i was about neck deep and i felt a tremedous stinging like iswam through 1000000's of needles i ran out of the water...my family thought i was eaten by a shark. Within minutes it swelled to 3 inches high and it was all down my right side of my body from my shoulder to my knee! The lifeguard came over and sprayed vinegar. I couldn't stand it so my mom took me to the emergency room where they gave me hot compresses (they called it spa treatment) and shots of pain reliever. I went home and was back in the pool by the end of the day while it still hurt so bad........A year later my scars are still here it looks like a roadmap on my side ending with tenticle marks...i guess it is kind of cool and i will always have a GREAT story to tell Stupid portugueese!

Name	Unknown Windsurfer
Date	Monday, July 2nd 2007 - 01:51:48 PM
Email
Message	I found your page while researching my sting. I got stung on June 25, 2007 while windsurfing off the North Shore of Maui (Kanaha Beach Park). I was about 1.5 miles out and went into the water while jibing (turning around). While getting back on the board, I felt a stinging sensation start on the back of my left leg. Once out of the water and back under way, I saw several dark lines on my leg, which I thought was thin seaweed. I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, which is full of sea nettles, so I know what a nematocysts sting feels like, and this had that characteristic feel, but much stronger. I quickly figured out that it was a Man of War. I got the line welts like you did, but my pain experience was quite different. I'd rate it about a 6 out of 10 on the pain scale, similar to what a good strawberry feels like in a hot shower. A few years ago I mowed over a yellow jackets nest and took 5 stings around my ankles, and that was a bit more painful. It's now 7 days post sting, and my welts/scars are about all gone.

Name	tobi m
Date	Sunday, June 10th 2007 - 09:07:04 PM
Email	littlefiji!@yahoo.com
Message	here it is... the videoclip of the irukandji victim in agony, from that discovery channel special. warning: very disturbing the way her body writhes and squirms from the agony. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5244772188533526164&q=irukandji+writhing

Name	Rebecca Franks
Date	Monday, April 9th 2007 - 07:05:44 AM
Email	RFRANKS@SAN.RR.COM http://extensionista.com
Message	We just returned from Florida & the Bahamas, and on our first day of vacation in Miami Beach my 10 year old daughter was stung, we both saw it floating in the water (3 feet away), and thought it was a blow up toy. I think Finding Nemo 2, or Animal Planet would be a good platform to educate our children (and parents) of the dangers that can be in the Ocean. My brave daughter did venture back into the ocean in Nassau for snorkeling where I got stung by a small jellyfish, no big deal in comparison to my daughters ongoing effects of her sting (day 9). My best advice, if stung, go directly to the E.R!!! We opted for the hotel doc to come in (not cheap) and ended up at the E.R. the next day.

Name	stephanie smith
Date	stephanie_hall17@yahoo.com
Email	Sunday, March 25th 2007 - 08:55:20 PM
Message	i was at vero beach today and me and my husband found a man of war jelly fish and we brought it to our home and put it in our fish tank and ai got stung by it on my hand and i thought that my life was over i had never experenced pain like that in my life! ------------------ Comment by Mark Leavitt, Web Author, 3/26/07 This is almost absurd and please forgive me for being blunt, but leave nature where it belongs, in the ocean or on the sand where you found it. You not only put yourself at danger but the fish in the tank as well as children in the house (if you have any and if they stick there hand in the tank to touch the new pet). This also goes for jellyfish (are you sure it's really a man of war, many look like jellyfish depending on time of year and how they wash up)? Besides pain, an allergic reaction to the venom from a man of war can cause a serious medical problems.

Name	Peta - Boca Raton, Florida
Date	Thursday, February 1st 2007 - 03:02:08 PM
Email	pg1luv@hotmail.com
Message	January 31, 2007 Boca Raton, Florida Looking for a way to relax after work, I went to the beach for a walk, which I do from time to time. It was a windy day and living in Florida the weather can be unpredictable. As I got to the shore I noticed this blue and purple ballon and I realized it had to be a jellyfish. I have never seen these type before but no big deal. As I walked I noticed like every five steps I took there were a few. I felt bad for the little guys and thought okay lets see if you can save them. I picked up a stick and tried to throw one back in the water. The sucker just floated back on shore. After three attempts to be Jacques Custo I left them there and went on with my walk. I met this guy from California and as we seemed to both be taking picutres with our camera phone we laughed and I dared him to touch one. He did and nothing happened, I thought well go ahead and I later touched one myself. Nothing happened to me either. I got curious to what type they were and from the pictures I took I found out I was walking through the most dangerous jellyfish known. Now I'm real sorry for all those who had a bad encounter but boy am I grateful my stupidity didnt get me to actually pick up those things and get stung really bad. So next time I try to relax, I'll make my way to happy hour instead.

Name	Phil Myers
Date	Monday, November 20th 2006 - 07:26:31 PM
Email	pmyers2@neo.rr.com
Message	See The Adventure of the Lion's Mane by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle written about 1890. Sherlock Holmes encounters a man close to death in a tidal basin who appears to have been flogged nearly to death. His dying words and the only apparent clue are "The Lion's Mane." Of course Holmes deduces that a recent hurricane has blown a creature that somewhat resembles the mane of a lion onto the coast of England that few people have heard of and even fewer have encountered. The "murderer" is a Portugese man-of-war.

Name	Tom
Date	Sunday, November 5th 2006 - 02:43:55 AM
Email	tmarione@hotmail.com
Message	I was stung by a huge portugese man of war in the florida keys, while walking in the surf during a strong onshore wind. The initial sting was exactly like a strong electrical shock---followed by muscle stiffness, intense pain in the groin, and intense burning---all within one minute. I rubbed the wound with sand, which is a huge mistake, as it releases more venom into the body. By far the worst pain i have ever had---felt like my testicle was in a vise--and my leg was on fire---and the sting was only across my ankle and foot. After 40 minutes of writhing in the sand, we made the 20 minute trip to fishermans hospital, and upon entering, the pain stopped as suddenly as it started, with only marks and swelling for about 24 hours---not fun.

Name	April
Date	Monday, September 4th 2006 - 05:47:05 PM
Email	poochina1@yahoo.com
Message	You'd be fascinated to see my scars from when I was five. I'm now 24 years old and although we never saw what actually stung me the doctor's can only imagine it was a portuguese-man-of-war. At least as an adult you had some idea of what to do, but I was five and swimming off a boat in the Long Island Sound in New York.

Name	Susan
Date	Saturday, August 26th 2006 - 06:05:29 PM
Email	funsfinan@yahoo.com
Message	I came accross your webpage researching my own sting that I received in the ocean at Myrtle Beach, SC on Friday, Aug. 18, 2006. It was about 3:00 p.m., and a group of us were floating on our boogie boards, when all of a sudden, I too felt what felt like 'my leg being electrocuted' above my left knee. I hurried out of the water, and rubbed wet sand on the stinging area. It was a patch about 3 by 3 inches and tentacle lines running about 6 inches down from each side, and a line about 7 inches above my left foot. It swelled for a while, but it has been more than a week now, and it has really flared uo bad, and is extremely ichy. I am putting hydrocortisone cream on it, but I wonder if I should be doing anything else. I also wonder if I should have done more than just take a shower shortly after the sting. I only hope it starts to heal better in the coming days and weeks.

Name	Cory
Date	Sunday, August 20th 2006 - 09:54:21 AM
Email
Message	I was vacationing on Myrtle Beach,SC this past week. Friday( 7/28/06 ) around 2:30pm my friends and I went for a swim in the ocean in the Cherry Grove area. It was High Tide, and extemely windy. There was alot of seaweed and trash that had come to shore.I was swimming ashore and my hand grazed something that I thought to be just a piece of shiny blue plastic,maybe a kids toy, or a piece of trash or something like that. As soon as my hand made contact with it my hand felt like it was being held in boiling water. My hand immediatley swelled up. I quickly ran ashore to the closest lifeguard and asked what the hell just stung me. He was young and obviously inexperienced in Man of War stings and just started spraying Windex on the affected area. It did absolutley nothing for the pain. Which just got more intense by the second. After about 2 minutes my stomach and chest muscles locked up and it became hard for me to breathe. They told me I was minutes away from Cardiac Arrest.The rescue squad was called. He mentioned he had only heard of Man of War stings, he had never seen first hand. He underestimated the seriousness of the situation. I got transported to Loris Healthcare System. They put me on 4mg of Morphine for the pain,which did absolutely nothing to help.They started pouring Vinegar all over my hand. They used vaseline and a tongue-depressor to shave the remaining tentacles off my hand. After that they just sent me on my way. NO pain medicine or nothing. For the rest of the day and the next one the pain was almost unbearable.It wouldnt dull down or anything. Actually it started to spread up my left arm. I ended up not having an allergic reaction. Id hate to see what happens to someone who does. But I just thought Id share my vacation story with you to help public awareness on this subject.

Name	Jen
Date	Sunday, August 6th 2006 - 12:59:14 PM
Email	Kingtango123@msn.com
Message	Hi-scary story...we don't usually get Man-of-war's here on Block Island but they are here this summer.

Name	Dani
Date	Tuesday, May 9th 2006 - 09:54:07 PM
Email
Message	yup, thats what its like. I'm marcus' girlfriend, the one that got the irukandji sting. i didnt see the discovery channel thing, but the way you described it, the girl writhing and stomping around from the pain... thats exactly what it was like for me. i passed a kidney stone when i was 19 and thought that was the worst thing ever, but the irukandji sting was a thousand times worse. i'm serious that i wished i would die during the whole thing. it was so awful, and just kept getting worse hour after hour. to give you an example how much pain i was in, i lost my voice for 3 days from screaming so much. i also broke my toe and had bruises all over my feet and ankles from stomping my feet on the floor so hard. it was the worst thing ever, and i wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy! --Dani

Name	Finklestein
Date	Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 11:38:45 PM
Email
Message	That Irukanji story is HAIRY!!! Yikes!!!... I would think it was exaggeration if i didnt see the Discovery Channel show on the Irukanji Jellyfish. (it was called "Killer Jellyfish) They showed this one cute blond girl in her 20's who was researching the irukanji and got stung. She was in the hospital telling the camera guy that she wanted to tear off her skin. Then they showed her later on, she was lying in bed, and she was in so much pain it was unbelievable. The camera started off on her bare feet, which were writhing and twisting and digging into the hospital bed. When the camera pulled back, you could see she was going bananas! Her legs were kicking and writhing up and down really fast, her back was arched and twisted, and she was rubbing her face and crying and moaning. It looked awful!

Name	Marcus
Date	Sunday, December 11th 2005 - 02:46:28 PM
Email
Message	Thanks for sharing this store. This goes to show how dangerous the Irukandji can be. There have been fatalities caused by the Irukandji. The initial sting is not painful, but the venom is a direct cardiac toxin that sets in thirty minutes later causing high blood pressure and fatal strokes. This little guy is profiled in the section Before you Enter Ocean. Mark Leavitt, 1213/05 (Web Author) Here's my horrible jellyfish experience... My girlfriend and I were both stung by Irukandji jellyfish while swimming in Australia. It was, by far, the worst experience I have ever endured, and my symptoms were nothing compared to how sick my girlfriend got. What happened was, we were in a boat, that a friend of ours owned (who moved to Australia from our hometown in California), and we were swimming in the ocean. I felt the sting, and she didnt, and i said, "something just bit me". we went back onto the boat, and I could see a small red welt on the back of my leg. We didnt think anything of it, and didnt tell our friend, not realizing how venemous australian jellyfish are. our friend took the boat a few miles out to see, not realizing what had happened to us. Five minutes later, i started to feel a stabbing pain in my kidneys and got very sick. Danielle (my girlfriend) also started to complain of severe pain. She was still in her bathing suit, so I noticed that she had a small red welt on her stomach, which i hadnt noticed before. She said her skin felt like it was on fire, and her legs were very sore like severe muscle cramps. She was growing really restless. Meanwhile, my kidney pain was worsening, to the point where i couldnt stand up straight. I told my friend that we were both bitten or stung by something in the water and he freaked out, and through some vinegar on our stings and turned the boat around and headed back to the shore. By the time we got to shore, about 15 minutes later, i was sitting up on the dock, in fetal position, unable to move or make a sound. The pain was stifling. My girlfriend was lying on the floor, on her back, screaming at the top of her lungs and writhing in agony. I remember how bad i wanted to crawl over to her but I couldnt move. The plan was, when we first got sick, was to go to shore, and then my friend would drive us to the hospital. But by the time we got back, we were un-movable. I was curled up like a baby on the floor, and couldnt stand if my life depended on it. Danielle was still lying out on her back, and thrashing and kicking around on the floor so hard, that she actually broke one of her toes from stomping her feet around. by the time paramedics arrived, and we were taken to the hospital, the pain had taken over my arms and legs. The doctor who treated me, said my case was mild. (i recovered in 3 days). Danielle wasn't so lucky. It took her two weeks to recover from the sting, and the morphine they gave her barely helped. I remember watching her writhing around on that hospital bed for almost 16 hours straight. It would come in waves. Even at its weakest, she was in so much pain that she would still be moving around and moaning and groaning. At its worst, she'd thrash around wildly, almost like convulsions, and scream at the top of her lungs. I was sure she was going to die. I kept thinking about what i was going to tell her parents when I got back. it was agonizing. fortunately she survived. She's in her 20's and in very good shape, which helped, since her blood pressure doubled when she first arrived at the hospital. Afer it was all over, she described her pain to me. She said it felt like her skin was on fire, someone was stabbing her in the lower back and beating her head in with a sledghammer. She also said that her arms and legs felt like they were being crushed with a vice. ever since then, ive been reading up on the irukanji jellyfish. that irukandji is one nasty nasty little animal.

Name	Kaimana
Date	Saturday, November 19th 2005 - 12:44:58 AM
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Message	I myself have never really been to the ocean except for once back when I was 12 which was in 1988 but let me tell you, I loved it! :) I feel bad for all who had to go through the experience of getting stung and hurt by the Man O' War. That is too bad that happened to you! :( I hope everyone feels better! I also certainly do not mean to offend anyone but I have one or two comments to make. I hope that the experience does not deter you from ever going into the water again. It would be a shame to miss out on all of the positive experiences and all of the other wonderful creatures the very much unknown oceans have to offer! It made me sad reading about how some of you wouldn't want to go back into the ocean or wouldn't go near the beaches again for a long time. There is so much we don't know about the sea and, in the same token, so much we could learn and explore and love! I hope to myself swim in all of the oceans of the world one day and maybe even swim with what I think are the most fascinating creatures, sharks. Anyway, I hope that your experience does not deter you from what could be an amazing adventure. I really hope all of you feel better soon and who knows? Maybe we will meet in the ocean someday! I also love the site, so informative and fascinating! Good job! :)

Name	maranda
Date	Sunday, October 9th 2005 - 02:07:06 PM
Email	maranda200@pa.net
Message	I can understand the pain when I 15 I was at the beach in oak island NC. I was waist deep. Me and my friends were in a circle palying when something hit my leg I started screaming but everyone laughed. They thought I was stung by a cannoball jellyfish witch are the ones that float everywere. I tryed to swim away from it but I kept swimming into its tentacles. The first place it stung me was my arm after it stung my arm I swung my arm out of the water my arm it my friend in the chin the venom from my arm got on her chin and left a huge welt. It made her cry even though I was the one who got stung. It stung me 4 times on my left arm both ove my lesg and my righ arm I went to shore to see if there were any marks. My left arm went numb and I had welts everywere on my body It felt like someone took a knife and gashed at me over and over again. We called the nurse she said that there had been 100 calles that day ove people being stung by the man of war out ove the 100 she said mine was the worst I was very lucky. Iam 19 now and still have marks from it.

Name	Heahter Elliott
Date	Friday, August 19th 2005 - 08:48:36 AM
Email	HeatherDElliott@aol.com
Message	Hi. I too was victim to the man of war. It was many years ago, when I was a child. My brother, then around 8, found a man of war and thought it was pretty. He pulled it ashore with my sandbucket. Once on the sand, that thing started stinging like crazy! I went down to get my bucket and didn't get near the animal...but got stung anyway. The odd part was how it spread all over my brother's body. Anywhere he would touch...the pain would spread. I supose it was the venom?? Anyway, it got me on my right leg, around the knee area. I still have a scar. I remember it feeling like my body was literally on fire! It was one of the worst experiences. This also happened to me at Myrtle Beach, SC!

Name	Jake
Date	Monday, May 16th 2005 - 12:49:51 PM
Email	dustymonkeyman_RS@yhaoo.com
Message	Nice web page and on the the "What is the Portuguese Man-of-War" page the caption under one of the pictures seriously is spelt wrong. It is spelt "seriousy."

Name	LAura
Date	Tuesday, March 22nd 2005 - 05:19:17 PM
Email	modelt1918@sbcglobal.net
Message	Hi Mark - unbelievable pictures - do you have any residual symptoms from this experience. Now when I go into the ocean I'll have something else to think about besides Jaws. thanks for the memories. Laura

Name	Theresa Kobe
Date	Sunday, January 9th 2005 - 03:56:05 PM
Email	theresa.l.kobe@us.pwc.com
Message	Hi! Great and informative website. Never knew before of the seriousness the Portuguese Man of War is until my twin sister was struck and experiences the side affects. Thank you for creating this. Theresa Kobe

Name	skywalker
Date	Saturday, October 9th 2004 - 12:05:06 PM
Email
Message	wow! cool site. i have the portugese man-of-war for a Scenice report. I can't wait to tell all my classmates about them. they are cool in books and sites but i also know better than ever they are dabgerous. i might bring some pictures of people who have been attacked before just so they can see what happens when you get attcked. I hope they will take my advice and rember to wacth for Porugese man-of wars and other creatures if they ever go to Hawiia or any other coastal places!

Name	ali j seidle
Date	Thursday, September 16th 2004 - 06:27:20 PM
Email	alilsizz@aol,com
Message	i have read about your experience with the p.m.o.w. and am crying. i am crying because i can still feel the stings sometimes and reading about the experiences of others makes my terror seem like it was yesterday. see, i was attacked april 9, 2004 in costa maya, mexico. i had no idea what it was or what to do, and neither did the snorkeling instructors.now 5 months later i am still inconstant pain in my shoulder where the venom settled. i still have nightmares and flashbacks often. after i was attacked and taken back to the cruise ship, the doctors on board had no idea what to do. 3 days later after retuning home to philadelphia, pa the doctors here didn't know what to do. i spent 3days in the hospital on the ship and 5 days in intensive care here in philadelphia. i was told that it is rare that a person survives an attck as bad as mine. looking at our pictures tells me that there is a GOD and that the GRACE OF GOD saved us. Thanks for giving all of us survivors a second chance.

Name	Craig Washington
Date	Friday, July 9th 2004 - 06:31:27 PM
Email	ironman20_2002@yahoo.com
Message	I have to say, I only got stung slightly because i realized what it was and got out of the water at Folly Beach, however, it still hurt like hell. I have much respect for all those who have suffered much worse stings than myself.

Name	vivgood@comcast.net
Date	Tuesday, June 8th 2004 - 01:22:26 PM
Email	vivgood@comcast.net
Message	Interesting site- not a well-characterized event, is it? Difficult to find specific, detailed info even at the Derm. Dept. or Tropical Med Dept. My daughters were stung recently in Mexico on the Pacific coast. Physalia utriculus, not P. physalia so not as bad but nevertheless very painful! One girl was stung simultaneously 4 times- miserably painful for about an hour, hour&half then back in the surf with minor welts. The other was stung once and had pain for about an hour. 2 days later, blisters near (but not at) the site. a week later, she has a network of whip-like welts radiating down the leg. No general redness, swelling or fever so we are thinking a delayed allergic reaction, but we continue to watch for signs of infection. We also will be aware that both girls are now at higher risk if they are stung again!

Name	S.E.
Date	Thursday, May 27th 2004 - 09:25:39 PM
Email	zz_9q@hotmail.com
Message	Just returned from Pt.Vallarta where I was stung on the back by a Portugese MOW. It's been four days and I have open wounds on my back that still hurt. The pain requires me to sleep on my stomach. Luckily the lifeguards shut down the beach for the next two days so no one else was stung. These can ruin a vacation. My advice: invest in a wetsuit.

Name	Dean P Marirea
Date	Saturday, April 24th 2004 - 07:02:38 AM
Email	deanmarirea@hotmail.com
Message	feel for your pain. I was born and raised in Bermuda and I have experienced many stings from our blue bladder P-man-of-wars (Siphonophores). I spent considerable amount of hours in the waters off Bermuda either fishing, boarding and diving to supply gift shops with various objects from the ocean. Swam into a big guy with tentacles so long that I thought I was safe and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Welts were visible for days and the shock nearly caused me to black out. Thank God I was 14 years old, healthy as an Ox and in excellent shape for a teenager. I do watch for the Blue sails when I go back to Bermuda.

Name	Sherelle
Date	Wednesday, April 14th 2004 - 08:45:42 PM
Email	smadjei@yahoo.com
Message	I really enjoy reading your website. It is very edifying and is as well very detailed.

Name	kenneth g. gerken
Date	Saturday, April 3rd 2004 - 01:34:15 PM
Email	PICKLEJUICE@VERIZON.NET
Message	I HAD AN ENCOUNTER IN KEY WEST LIKE MARK LEAVITT ON 2/13/04 WITH A PORTUGUESE MAN OF WAR. I WAS LUCKY TO SURVIVE! I WILL FORWARD MY LONG WRITE UP TO YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS... I'M SUBMITTING THE ARTICLE TO READERS DIGEST SO PEOPLE WILL BE MORE AWARE OF THE DANGEROUS OCEAN ENVIRONMENT KEN

Name	Mr. Gurganus's Fourth Grade Class, T.W. Martin School, Goodsprings, Alabama
Date	Wednesday, February 25th 2004 - 07:22:35 AM
Email	Gurganusr@Walkercountyschools. http://Walker County Schools.com
Message	We were reading about the portugese man of war in our reading class. Your pictures are cool, but scary! Thanks for the safety tips. Harlee, Brandon, Holly, Amber, Colby, Bridget, Victoria, Shayla K., Kyle, Shayla M. Devin and Mr. G.