jelly fish/sting question???

[kaia4050]

i've been diving in st. kitts for the last 6 months or so. Recently, every time I go diving, I wake up the next morning with what look like stings/bug bites on either my arms or legs, anywhere my wet suit doesn't cover. I've been diving in a shorty only b/c i'm comfortable in one. Yesterday i went on another dive where there were numerous jelly fish aound me. I was very careful not to be stund by one as I am super sensitive (as i said, usually just wake up with "bites").
There must have been at least 40 jelly fish while i was diving yesterday. This morning I wake up and I have almost 60 "bites" on both my arms and only a couple on my legs. I am SURE I wasn't stung by one.
Does any one know if jelly fish release a toxin in to the water? What can be in the water that makes my skin react this way? Is there anything besides benadryll cream and pills that i can be doing to help the itch? Besides diving in a full suit does anyone have any idea why the water (in the caribbean) makes my skin react this way? Has this happened to anyone else?

Until I figure something out...I will be eating benadryll like 'candy'!!

 

[Belmont]

Jellyfishes posess long transparent "tentacles", you can easily come in contact with them and not notice it immediately.

Maybe if you put some vinegar on your exposed sking after a dive, as a preventative measure...

Benadryl has some annoying side effects such as drowsiness and fatigue.

A full lycra suit under your shorty might be of some help.

Good luck and safe diving

 

[DandyDon]

This should have been in the Medical forum for better coverage. I'll see about moving it...

Is there anything besides benadryll cream and pills that i can be doing to help the itch? Besides diving in a full suit does anyone have any idea why the water (in the caribbean) makes my skin react this way?

I use Vinegar first, then Hydrocortisone cream our ointment thereafter if stung.

I'm probly not as experienced as you in avoiding scraps on ladders, around boats, etc, but I always wear a long skin jumpsuit as I like all my skin possible protected, along with nylon socks. With your luck, I'd carry a light weight beanie in my pocket and don it at the first sign of jellies. Indeed you get so much overall thermal protection from a 1 mil beanie that I can wear 1 mil less wet suit.

You said you're skin is very sensitive. Could you be reacting to the saltwater? Do you FW rinse on the boat after each dive?

 

[leslieinpv]

Before you go diving, to try and prevent the sting, put sunblock that is waterproof and sweatproof on.
That will offer some protection against some of the stingy things that are in the water. Where I dive there are these jellyfish that you cant see, but you can feel them stinging you, more itchy than anything. The sunblock when
i have it on , I dont feel it and when I dont put it on I can feel them. So maybe give it a try. Now I just use a full body lycra but I tell the people who go snorkling to use it.

 

[Damselfish]

There can also be jellyfish larvae in the water that you're not going to see, sometimes called sea lice. I was also one place we had problems, and we were told there was a stinging bacteria in the water that was something completely different (though not sure I believe it, first time I'd heard of that?)

If you're having that much trouble being stung (if that's what it is) I'd really consider getting a full skin, even just a lycra one. They're very comfortable and you could wear your shorty over it. Sunblock or there's a lotion called Seasafe will also help but a skin is more reliable coverage and might be easier than having to goop up all the time. I don't think I'd be wanting to take Benadryl all the time either, stuff puts me to sleep.