Mushroom food poisoning symptoms

Food poisoning may begin with stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, or loose stools. Fever can occur with infection, while unusual sleepiness, confusion, sweating, vision changes, weakness, or yellowing of the skin can signal a more serious toxin-related illness. Some poisonous mushrooms cause delayed symptoms, so feeling well shortly after a meal does not always settle the question.

The risk is especially concerning when the mushroom was foraged, cannot be identified, tasted raw, or was eaten by a child. Keep any remaining mushroom, meal, or packaging for clinicians if it can be stored safely.

Stop eating the suspected mushroom and contact a medical service or poison information service for advice. Sip safe fluids if you can swallow and keep them down; oral rehydration therapy may help replace water and salts lost through vomiting or diarrhoea. Do not induce vomiting or take leftover medicines without advice. Note the mushroom type, preparation, amount, time eaten, and everyone who shared the meal.

Get urgent medical help for repeated vomiting, inability to keep fluids down, severe abdominal pain, blood in vomit or stool, fainting, confusion, breathing problems, seizures, or very little urine. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with significant medical conditions can become dehydrated quickly. Severe dehydration may require IV fluid therapy in a clinical setting.

Tell the clinician when symptoms began and ask whether observation, testing, fluid treatment, or assessment of other people who ate the meal is needed.