I managed to swallow some descaler liquid the other day. Active ingridients sulphamic acid and citric acid.
I was descaling the hot water kettle in the morning and decided to leave the descaler product working during the day while being at work.
When coming back home I had obviously forgotten all about the descaler and put the kettler on.
I soaked some rice noodles in the acid water and I made some nice miso soup from it.
The noodles tasted a bit funny (sour) but it wasn’t until I had a few sips of the soup I suspected something was very wrong.
The soup was very sour and soon my lips and tounge had a tingling sensation. While thinking why on earth the food would all taste so sour it struck me that I had left the descaler in the kettle.
I summoned the pack quikly to see whether it provided any warning texts. Right after “keep away from children” it said “seek medical advice if swallowed“.
It was a bit late so instead of seeking medical advise I drank a couple of pints of milk and decided to weather it out. A quick search on the internet for “swallow descaler” led me to the helpful page of Emergency treatment of self-poisoning or overdose. The page assured me that diluted commercial descaler shouldn’t be lethal.
Woke up in the middle of the night due to a rumble in my tommy. Had a couple of bowls of Crunchy Nut with some more milk which seemed to settle it a bit.
Couple of days later and all seems fine. Bit worried about possible complications: “Oesophageal stricture and pyloric stenosis can occur after 14–21 days”. Any doctors around? What’s that when it’s at home?
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“Oesophageal stricture and pyloric stenosis may occur as late complications. Stricture formation usually begins to develop 14-21 days after ingestion. Most strictures become manifest within the first two months. Strictures may prevent an adequate nutritional intake and in severe cases patients may be unable to swallow their own saliva.”
http://www.intox.org/databank/documents/chemical/sodihydr/ukpid26.htm
Not sure it sounds that serious but if you start having trouble you should probably see a doctor.
Omg I have just done the same thing. Did it extra strong dose on my kettle, totally forgot, made a cuppa that forgot about too so 2 big swalllows later I saw the colour of it as I drank but it’s gone down now. Just drank milk and a hit chocolate with milk and a biscuit. Can only wait and see what happens.
hey did anything happen to you
All good here Abigail. I just drank two large cups of whole milk and went to bed.
But… I’m not a doctor and for legal reasons I have to insist that you seek medical help.
I am so happy to hear you and david are ok , i suffered for 7 year for my stomach to heal, pain almost every day it caused my stomach lining to make holes finally i meet an old man in the train going to london he was in his late 80s, he told me to boil and drink the juice from wheat every day for a month non stop 3 times a day never miss a dose , and you will heal, i was crying of pain when i was sitting beside him, he asked me what was the problem, he saved my life, i have not have had any pain in 8 months now, you both where lucky
Hello Kostas what do you mean juice from wheat and where to get that please? I’ve done something similar a few months ago and I’m in agony now in and out of hospitals.
Please let me know where to get or how to make this juice?
Holy frickin’ cow! That’s one of my worst nightmares. I sure hope you’re all right, and that you’ll see a physician if symptoms start to emerge.
I did this exact thing about 20 minutes ago. Making noodles and everything – exactly the same situation.
I feel ok though, my chest feels a little tight but it’s nothing painful. I’ll just wait and see what happens I guess…
According to a few sites, it’s nothing too serious or fatal! 🙂
Thanks for putting this entry here, it put my mind at rest.
I have just done the same thing making gravy with the kettle contents. I thought it tasted sour, (vinegary) but then I thought it was a cheap tomato sauce that I also put in the gravy. I phoned the doctor who checked a database to ascertain toxicity, and as I had already drunk a couple of litres of water. He said I should be fine. Hope all you guys are ok as well.
Just done the same too…. to my daughter. Left the kettle cleaning in the sink, she comes home and boils some samphire (veggies) they went brown and she said they were extremely sour but tasted quite good like that so she ate the whole bowl.. I then realised what had happened!
Fingers down throat and pints of water, then called 111….. as long as only a small amount injested, and no burning sensation or feeling of nausea, no need to go to A&E apparently!
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. Hopefully your daughter has a quick recovery!
Omg I did the same thing yesterday with the leave in bag of descaled in my kettle.
I poured a cup of herbal tea and wondered why it tasted disgusting. I only took one sip and then poured another with a new teabag and same thing one sip it was foul. I poured it away. I didn’t realise until I woke up in the middle of the night and remembered! I didn’t feel very good for the rest of the day yesterday. But am ok today. I’m going to drink tons of water today and will call the doctor. Very scary!
Thanks for the advice!
Hey how is everyone now? Happened to me last night, went to a&e but they just said to observe
This is mad I did the same thing put it in kettle went to pick my son up and forgot!! Poured abit in noodle stir fry and had a bru with it that was yesterday evening and it’s only citric acid the ingredient in the descaler but now I have a burning sensation in my tummy and feel like I’m going to vomit dont know what to do I’ve drank alot of water and over course it was diluted because if the water in kettle can any one offer advice on this please?