Have I had botulism?

[JoeP 11]

If you've had Botulism then you've had a very weak dose. They don't use it as a chemical weapon for nothing.

 

Dented cans won't do you any harm provided that the can isn't pierced in any way. Cheap canned foods can sometimes have dodgy seams and a dent can sometiems break the seam and allow contamination from outside. Typically, if the can hissed or tried to erupt when teh tin opener went in, I'd avoid it like the plague. The reason why dented tins have a bad reputation is partially because the hole in the tin needed to cause contamination can be too small to see.

 

It sounds like you've had a viral or bacterial dose of food poisoning - after three days, if it's not getting better I'd go and see your GP. In the meantime just drink to avoid dehydration.

[Mixwicks 10]

Mixwicks, sorry you were poorly and all, but I can't help but find the pedant in me rising here - have I any reason at all to be worried about dented cans other than your say-so?

If dented cans carried any real risk would our supermarkets be so keen to sell them to us at slightly reduced prices?

 

Because if there's a tiny hole in it (so tiny you wouldn't be able to see it), bacteria can get it and cause bottleism. Of course most times dented cans won't have a hole in them so they are OK but how can you be sure there won't be? If you want to risk getting bottleism from being a cheapskate eating from cut price tins, you've only yourself to blame.

[Halibut 12]

Because if there's a tiny hole in it (so tiny you wouldn't be able to see it), bacteria can get it and cause bottleism. Of course most times dented cans won't have a hole in them so they are OK but how can you be sure there won't be? If you want to risk getting bottleism from being a cheapskate eating from cut price tins, you've only yourself to blame.

 

See JoeP's comments re cans above. I'm not daft enough to eat from a can that hisses or goes bang when I open it, but I'll quite happily pay less for a product that's sold more cheaply for cosmetic reasons. Besides, as a number of others have pointed out it'sextremely unlikely that you've had botulism.

Hope you're feeling 100% better soon.

[JoeP 11]

Mixwicks - it is HGHLY unlikely to be Botulism. Seriously. To give you three days of vomiting you'd almost certainly be showing some of the other symptoms of Botulinus Toxin poisoning, such as the slight paralysis mentioned.

 

There are a large number of other organisms that can cause food poisoing and that are much more common that Botulism. If you're still suffering - see a doctor.

[Mixwicks 10]

See JoeP's comments re cans above. I'm not daft enough to eat from a can that hisses or goes bang when I open it, but I'll quite happily pay less for a product that's sold more cheaply for cosmetic reasons. Besides, as a number of others have pointed out it'sextremely unlikely that you've had botulism.

Hope you're feeling 100% better soon.

 

 

 

I can't be sure it was bottleism as I didn't see a doctor (but I did have some strange symtoms like black spots before the eyes/dizzyness/joint pain as well as severe stomach pain). Whatever it was it was very nasty and I'm sure something to do with that tuna can. The can infected with bottleism isn't necessarily going to pop when you open it so don't think you are safe if that doesn't happen

[Guest]

I can't be sure it was bottleism as I didn't see a doctor (but I did have some strange symtoms like black spots before the eyes/dizzyness/joint pain as well as severe stomach pain). Whatever it was it was very nasty and I'm sure something to do with that tuna can. The can infected with bottleism isn't necessarily going to pop when you open it so don't think you are safe if that doesn't happen

The chance of you having had botulism is minute. If you had contracted it, you'd still be ill now and for a few weeks to come. There's a good chance that you wouldn't recover at all.

 

It sounds like you've had a case of bacterial food poisoning. It could have been caused by a contamination of the tuna inside a severely dented can (especially if the the dent had a 'crease' in it and not just a fairly shallow dent).

[Mixwicks 10]

The chance of you having had botulism is minute. If you had contracted it, you'd still be ill now and for a few weeks to come. There's a good chance that you wouldn't recover at all.

 

It sounds like you've had a case of bacterial food poisoning. It could have been caused by a contamination of the tuna inside a severely dented can (especially if the the dent had a 'crease' in it and not just a fairly shallow dent).

 

 

Yes the can was quite badly dented which is why I thought it could have been bottleism but yes maybe it was "just" food poisoning from it. But whichever way it proves you shouldn't eat from dented cans. I've had food poisoning before and this was much worse than that. The risk of getting bottleism infection OR food poisoning from a dented can means you should NEVER eat from them.

[mojo1 10]

Yes the can was quite badly dented which is why I thought it could have been bottleism but yes maybe it was "just" food poisoning from it. But whichever way it proves you shouldn't eat from dented cans. I've had food poisoning before and this was much worse than that. The risk of getting bottleism infection OR food poisoning from a dented can means you should NEVER eat from them.

 

It sounds like stomache flu to me. Most cases of so called food poisoning are stomache flu. My friend had botulism a few years ago and was hospitalised, he lost over 2 stone in under a fortnight and passed severe amounts of blood in his feaces.

The black spots and dizziness were more than likely to be from dehydration if you had been sick alot.

If you have any real concerns you should go to a doctor as you can spread food poisoning to other people by touching there work surfaces or handling their food stuffs. If you had suffered anything that severe I doubt you would be in a fit state to post a message on here.

[Mixwicks 10]

It sounds like stomache flu to me. Most cases of so called food poisoning are stomache flu. My friend had botulism a few years ago and was hospitalised, he lost over 2 stone in under a fortnight and passed severe amounts of blood in his feaces.

The black spots and dizziness were more than likely to be from dehydration if you had been sick alot.

If you have any real concerns you should go to a doctor as you can spread food poisoning to other people by touching there work surfaces or handling their food stuffs. If you had suffered anything that severe I doubt you would be in a fit state to post a message on here.

It's getting better now so I don't think it can be catching and won't need to see a doctor. The point I was making was about dented cans - I admit that the tuna in tasted a bit funny but didn't think much of it at the time. I had thought it was some kind a virus until I told a friend about what I'd eeaten recently and the dented tuna can started to look suspect. Any aren't there different severities of bottleism like with other illness? Anyway I'll never know for sure what it was because I never saw a doctor but the point I'm making about dented cans shouldn't be dismissed I don't think. People are quite complacent about these things nowadays - it's a bit like throwing litter on the street or spitting in way - they spread disease but people think it's old fashioned/old wives tale to say so.

[evildrneil 14]

After 3 days of horrible stomach pain and sickness, which I thought was a virus, someone has ssaid I must have had bottelism from eating tuna from a can with a dent in it? Isn't bottleism what they use in botox to freeze out wrinkles?!!! Has anyone else ever had this?

 

Assuming your still alive I would say unlikely!

[walter wall 10]

All together now: OH YES IT HAS!

 

Perhaps we should have a poll on it ?

[bananapie 10]

I remeber my mum saying to never eat from a dented tin because you could get botulism. I think botchulism is pretty rare this sounds more like another kind of food poisoning like salmonella maybe?