Information required on effects of hyraulic fluid in body after accident!!!!
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clayhardock
Member
As a Heavy Duty mechanic I have ingested and breathed almost every kind of mechanical fluids imagined, never huge doses mind you. Usually taking a filter off and being in the way and getting a bit in my mouth as I duck out of the way or more often wiping the back of my oily hand across the back of my mouth without thinking. Ya I know, dumb, but it happens. Had a 4" high pressure line burst in my face once and cover me with everywhere around me with 200L of hydraulic oil. Got a mouthfull then, dont think I swallowed any, or much. Anyway I've never been sick from any of the fluids I've ingested.
What worries me about your story is that it pierced your skin. That can be very bad if those fluids get into your blood stream When in school we were warned that if a high pressure fluid pierces your skin it can cause either an embolism or blood poisoning so always go immediately to the the hospital if this occurs. Now in your case its three years later. I would expect either of those would be very evident if they occurred.
Only other thing I can think of is that hydraulic oil can have metal particles in it. If you did swallow/breathe the oil and it had a high amount of particles in it perhaps they got imbedded in your lungs and bowels causing the IBS? Thats pretty far fetched though. I've inhaled(as many welders have) large amounts of grinder dust and have not had any problems.Not permanently anyway. When I was younger I did a two day marathon welding project at home and didn't wear a mask. Over the next few days I developed a bad cough and and ended up getting a bad chest cold, coughing up lots of flem. Maybe I would have got sick anyway from the cold, but, I wear a mask now......
What worries me about your story is that it pierced your skin. That can be very bad if those fluids get into your blood stream When in school we were warned that if a high pressure fluid pierces your skin it can cause either an embolism or blood poisoning so always go immediately to the the hospital if this occurs. Now in your case its three years later. I would expect either of those would be very evident if they occurred.
Only other thing I can think of is that hydraulic oil can have metal particles in it. If you did swallow/breathe the oil and it had a high amount of particles in it perhaps they got imbedded in your lungs and bowels causing the IBS? Thats pretty far fetched though. I've inhaled(as many welders have) large amounts of grinder dust and have not had any problems.Not permanently anyway. When I was younger I did a two day marathon welding project at home and didn't wear a mask. Over the next few days I developed a bad cough and and ended up getting a bad chest cold, coughing up lots of flem. Maybe I would have got sick anyway from the cold, but, I wear a mask now......
MHarryE
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Something adding to your problem is that when a hydraulic fluid is used it picks up all of the wear particles from system components and many of them have known toxicity even in minute quantities. It makes the problem much more difficult to treat as so many alloying elements are used - lead is especially common. Not knowing limitations of where you can go to find specialized diagnosis in the UK - is it possible to search out a specialist in an area near where there is extensive heavy industrial equipment? Here I live by the USA's largest iron mining area and we have doctors that are familiar with all kinds of problems like yours.
dave1949
Super Star Member
Have you tried to hook-up with these patient advocate-type organizations?
Independent Health Complaints Advocacy - SEAP
Patient Advocacy / Advice | Directory | Patient.co.uk
msb1766
Platinum Member
Have you gone to a neurologist?
ericher69
Veteran Member
Sorry to hear about your misfortune.
I was a paramedic for years before becoming a firefighter and I always dreaded caring for patients with these types of injuries; not much I could do...
Anyway I found this info; hope it helps
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=755&tid=141
Also I would demand a full blood analysis starting with
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/814960-workup
and read the following;
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Ricin-Poisoning.htm
many more references near the end of document
Good luck and let me know (PM) if there is anything else I can do
I was a paramedic for years before becoming a firefighter and I always dreaded caring for patients with these types of injuries; not much I could do...
Anyway I found this info; hope it helps
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=755&tid=141
Also I would demand a full blood analysis starting with
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/814960-workup
and read the following;
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Ricin-Poisoning.htm
many more references near the end of document
Good luck and let me know (PM) if there is anything else I can do
I am a retired (No longer actively practicing) Nurse Practitioner. So this post is from experience, it is NOT medical advice. I worked with an orthopedic hand surgeon for about 10 years both in surgery and in the office. We treated many hand/upper arm injuries from hydraulic fluid being injected into the hands and arms. In every case where there was any amount of hydraulic fluid injected, it was a medical emergency and we took all to surgery to open the wound, flush it thoroughly with a pulsa-vac (kind of a medical pressure wash system) to clean out all the hydraulic fluid. We saw a number of post injury patients who had not been treated that way. Some had just been stitched up and sent home to heal. Those who had no treatment had tendon adhesions, significant scarring, rigidity of fingers and wrists and none had full function. For anyone who has hydraulic fluid injected into the skin, I urge an immediate visit to the ER and an immediate consult with an internist if the injection is on the main trunk or with an orthopedist if the injection is near a joint or on the hands.
Now, with the original poster, it's been three years since the injury, so anything that's currently going on is most likely NOT a result of anything actively damaging your body, rather at this point, I'd think you're dealing with the after effects of the injury. IBS can be caused by a number of other things (as well as by the hydraulic fluid). It can be something as simple as drinking dairy products if you're lactose intolerant. Some of us, as we grow older stop producing Lactase, the enzyme required to digest dairy products. It also could be caused by scarring in the small or large intestine caused by the hydraulic fluid. But in any case, it's not actively damaging tissue after 3 years. The damage is already done, now you need someone to find the damage and treat it properly. It may well be something other than the hydraulic fluid. As we age, things happen.... I'm 66 and can honestly say I can't do things as well as I 'used to"
I'd suggest you find a competent internist or Gastrenterologist and have a complete workup for the current symptoms. Be sure to stress that you had the hydraulic fluid ingestion about 3 years ago so they are aware of the accident, but they need to focus on the current symptoms (with past history) and treat objectively what they find. They really don't need to focus on trying to "prove it was the hydraulic fluid accident" rather, they need to find the "current" condition and treat from here forward.
Now, with the original poster, it's been three years since the injury, so anything that's currently going on is most likely NOT a result of anything actively damaging your body, rather at this point, I'd think you're dealing with the after effects of the injury. IBS can be caused by a number of other things (as well as by the hydraulic fluid). It can be something as simple as drinking dairy products if you're lactose intolerant. Some of us, as we grow older stop producing Lactase, the enzyme required to digest dairy products. It also could be caused by scarring in the small or large intestine caused by the hydraulic fluid. But in any case, it's not actively damaging tissue after 3 years. The damage is already done, now you need someone to find the damage and treat it properly. It may well be something other than the hydraulic fluid. As we age, things happen.... I'm 66 and can honestly say I can't do things as well as I 'used to"
I'd suggest you find a competent internist or Gastrenterologist and have a complete workup for the current symptoms. Be sure to stress that you had the hydraulic fluid ingestion about 3 years ago so they are aware of the accident, but they need to focus on the current symptoms (with past history) and treat objectively what they find. They really don't need to focus on trying to "prove it was the hydraulic fluid accident" rather, they need to find the "current" condition and treat from here forward.
I've been visiting to hospital/ doctors since my accident and I'm not further forward at getting sorted out, I had no problems before the accident yet from the day of the accident I have, I've spoken to a scientist from the HSE in the uk who did a report into hydraulic fluid accidents who's now going to try and help me get the correct help. I can find information for injuries to the hands but nothing for the face and if it gets inside your body.