Call emergency services by calling 911 in North America. Symptoms of foodborne botulism present 12 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food and include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, blurred or double vision, slurred speech, drooping eyelids, dry mouth or difficulty swallowing or talking, sudden facial muscle weakness, trouble breathing, and paralysis. Foodborne botulism comes from environments with little oxygen, such as canned and bottled foods and foods fresh from the soil. Symptoms of infant botulism begin with constipation, floppy movements, drooping eyelids, weak cries, drooling and difficulty sucking or feeding, and paralysis. Infants contract botulism via spores that get into the intestinal tract and convert to toxins inside the body. Infants who develop botulism are typically between two to eight months of age and have ingested honey or soil. Symptoms of wound botulism are the same as in foodborne, except you will not have nausea, vomiting, or abdominal cramps. Spores can convert to toxins inside open wounds and are commonly found in cuts you haven’t noticed and intravenous drug users’ injection sites. Botulism does not increase blood pressure or heart rate or cause confusion. You may have a fever if you have wound botulism.
Antitoxin is delivered via a slow intravenous infusion. Antitoxin is derived from horse serum so a skin sensitivity test will be done before administration.
Make sure you take antibiotics for the full course of treatment, even if you are feeling better after just a few days. The full treatment is still necessary. Antibiotics are not prescribed for other types of botulism because they may speed up the release of toxins.
Activated charcoal can react with many medications in your system so be sure to take it only on the advice of a physician. Do not take other medications within two hours of taking charcoal, as the charcoal may prevent your other medication from being absorbed. Liquid activated charcoal may settle in the bottle so it must be shaken well before use. The usual adult dose is 50 grams of charcoal every four hours.
160 to 800 milligrams per day of milk thistle has been taken in treating liver damage due to toxins.
Speak with a physician before doing a cleanse. Some individuals may not be able to tolerate the treatment. Take 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of psyllium in one cup of warm water and drink immediately after mixing. Drink psyllium mixtures before bed for gentle overnight action.
Take up to 400 milligrams a day in supplement form. It can be hard to get enough vitamin E through your diet but it is naturally found in avocados, seeds, vegetable oils, and grains.
Try to get at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C a day by eating six servings of fruits and vegetables such as citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, broccoli, spinach, and bell peppers.
Eating a clove of garlic a day may help you recover faster.
Wear gloves during cleaning. Spray surfaces and let the cleanser sit for 30 minutes before wiping with paper towels. Dispose of paper towels immediately. Repeat this process again. Discard gloves at end of cleaning process. If not cleaned, clostridium botulinum on household surfaces will take days to fully denature.
Cool, then discard all items safely.
