Sawyer® Products - The Leader in Outdoor Protection

Subject: The Extractor saved my daughter's life!

Dear Sawyer,

As you requested in our phone conversation, I am writing to tell you about our most important experience in using the Extractor.

While we were in Colorado on vacation, our then four year old daughter walked by a hornet's nest and was stung on her hand. I first learned about the Extractor® in the early 1990's and since that time, have kept an Extractor in each vehicle and at least one in our home at all times. This time was no different. I put an Extractor in the rental van for our trip and was able to use it on my daughter. I could see the poison being sucked out of her little hand. I am allergic to bee stings and had used the Extractor in 1992 or 1993. I had absolutely no reaction, other than the site was itchy, so I thought that would be the case for my daughter. Unfortunately, she was so small that even though I was able to get most of the poison out, enough went into her system that she still had a severe reaction to the sting. Her skin turned gray, her eyes rolled back in their sockets and she was not breathing well. We called 911 and because the Extractor had sucked out most of the poison, the paramedics only had to administer oxygen and didn't even have to take her to the hospital. It is NOT an exaggeration to say the Extractor saved my daughter's life! If ANY more of the poison had entered her system, she would not be with us today. The paramedics were amazed and intrigued at what the Extractor had done. They wanted to know what it was and where we bought it. When we returned home, I bought one and sent it to them. Also, we now keep an Extractor in a bag, along with an Epi-pen that our pediatrician prescribed and she takes it wherever she goes. I am more than grateful to Sawyer and the Extractor!! There are no words to express how strongly I (and the rest of my family) feel and the thanks I wish to express for what this product has done for our family! I tell anyone and everyone who will listen, about the Extractor and that they need at least one. I also tell them that it is good for bug bites of all kinds. We use it for mosquito bites (I wonder if it keeps people from getting West Nile Virus) and fire ant bites. In fact, the Extractor has also helped my other daughter who is allergic to fire ants. She hasn't had an extremely severe reaction, but when she uses the Extractor, there isn't as much swelling or pain. I have given the Extractor as gifts, because I know, without a doubt that it can save lives. I believe the Extractor is the most important and valuable product available for bites and stings. I will be happy to help you get the message out about the benefits of using the Extractor! Thank you again!

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Subject: Extractor Helped Save My Life - THANK YOU!

Wanted to share my gratitude and testimony to the effectiveness of the Sawyer Venom Extractor:

I live in the Big Thicket of East Texas. The closest hospital is over 40 minutes away. I am surrounded by swamps infested with cottonmouths/water moccasins.

Early Sunday morning, I got bit on the leg just above the knee. I immediately went back to the house, which was about 500 yards away, and applied the Extractor directly over the fang wounds. I did not cut or try to 'bleed out' the wounds - I simply applied suction. Waiting for an ambulance out here would have taken more time than I thought I could afford. So I told my 15 year-old daughter, who was with me, to bring my truck around. Then I began driving toward Livingston, the closest town with a hospital, which is over 40 minutes away. The Extractor was affixed to the bite wound the entire time. We called 911 while en route and arranged for the ambulance to intercept, which they did, after we'd driven about 30 minutes. By then, the venom was starting to kick in - I don't think I could have driven much further - I was short on breath, woozy and my heart was racing.

The EMT tried to run an IV in the ambulance but couldn't get my blood to flow out. Both EMT's tried with the same results - they got the needles into the veins in various places, but the blood was too thick to flow. When I arrived at the ER, they still had not gotten an IV started. The ER staff tried several times more and could not get an IV started. They said it could have been my body's reaction to the venom. However, in order to give me antivenin, they needed to start an IV. At this point, my blood pressure and heart rate were both extremely high.

It took about 40 minutes to start the IV which they finally accomplished by tapping into a large, main vein that that was still flowing somewhat normal. To do so, they chose a vein on the top of my left arm, having decided the blood in my extremities was too thick.  By then my throat was closing up, my lips and tongue were numb or 'puffy' feeling, I couldn't breathe, felt nauseated, was fading in and out of consciousness and sweating profusely. I could tell the venom was overwhelming my body's ability to fight at this point and I seriously wondered if I would live.

When they finally got the IV running, it made a huge difference within minutes. Afterward, they were able to draw blood to run tests and determine the next course of action. These combined efforts, beginning with the Venom Extractor, I am convinced, saved my life.  The Extractor was left on the wound for most of the time I was being treated. The staff was happy to see the discoloration around the wound recede until it covered only the exact area where the suction cup had been. It took several hours for my vitals to return to the normal range, though my heart rate and BP were still well above what is normal for me.

Today, my entire leg still hurts, especially around the lymph nodes and bite site, the muscles ache, and I feel pretty under the weather, but I'm back home and resting while under observation.

The hospital staff was pretty impressed with my "little venom suction gadget".  They'd not seen one before and wanted to get some to put in the ambulances as snake and insect bites are not uncommon around here.  They had asked me where I got it, but I couldn't remember. When they pulled it off my leg, there were several ml's of venom in it. While no one can definitively say that The Extractor saved my life, I am certain it bought me the time I needed to get myself to emergency medical care. One thing we know for sure - it DID extract a great deal of venom! I can only speculate as to how much more severe my reaction would have been had that additional venom made it into my system.

Having enjoyed a career in the outdoors for over 20 years, I'm often exposed to these sorts of risks. I always keep the Extractor (and benedryl) handy - it's helped me with many spider, caterpillar, wasp and bee stings. But the cottonmouth bite was the most severe I've ever experienced. I am sure the hike back to the house was detrimental too, in that it took up precious time while helping to "pump" the venom through my system with each step I took. I intend to purchase more Extractors so there is always one close by when needed (barn, shed, vehicle, etc.) I've also recommended to my team at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department that we include an Extractor in ALL of our first aid kits.

Thank you again for this great device! I highly doubt that without it, I would have made it to and through the emergency medical care I needed!

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Subject: from the San Diego Highwayman

Howdy,

Just wanted to say I APPRECIATE your Extractor VERY much! :)

Mine have saved me and others many times from various insect bites and stings. [ no snakebites so far ]

I have given, as gifts dozens, of them to my family and friends over the years and personally have one in each vehicle's first responder kit [I am EMT trained] and each of our family's backpacks.

You are so right about that "first five minutes" to use them in.

Once, as I was driving not far from home, a yellow jacket struck my open windwing window and bounced into the inside of my right elbow [ I assume stinger first ] giving me his best shot of poison! It was like an electric shock! Since I was just a short distance from home I elected to not stop and treat the injury immediately -- BIG mistake! -- The time I allowed that poison to remain in my arm and spread was enough to diminish the results of using the Extractor -- that arm was swollen and extremely painful for more then 3 weeks!

Every time since, I've been bitten or stung, there's NO waiting to attend to it. ;)

Congratulations on an EXCELLENT product!

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Subject: Extractor

Hello-
I work for a small non-profit organization that works in Sonora, Mexico. We run a biological field station in a very remote area where the desert reaches the sea of Cortez. Several years ago we bought an extractor for a safety measure against snake bites. We found other uses the first year. The area has little water so bees congregate wherever there is water, like where we do dishes and shower. From time to time people get stung. You product works magnificently. I have used it since for scorpion and stingray stings and it works great every time. We have begun giving them to the poorer families in the area, many a small child has been thankful for extractors after a stingray or bee sting. We also try to give them to all of our biologists and interns that work in the field. thankfully we have never had to treat a snakebite. I wanted to thank you for making extractors. Do you offer any special prices for 501c3 organizations? Or would you be interested in donating some extractors to distribute to less fortunate people in desert environments? Either way thank you.

I love, love, LOVE my Extractors! My husband and I have used them for several years, and I keep one at home, one in my car, and one in my purse. It's amazing how many times we've needed them - especially with the kids.

We have put our Extractors to use on multiple occasions (not for a snakebite, though), and we have some great Extractor stories that we've shared with people. Our friends and family are all converts to the Extractor!

My original Extractor is still in great shape - works as well as the day I bought it. They've all held up well, in fact. However, yesterday my eldest child (13) was using one on a bite and she dropped it. The pump held up, but the little plastic attachment cracked and no longer maintains suction. Is there any way that I can buy a replacement for that?

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Subject: Your Bite Kit

Below is a writing I did this morning on a health thread. Thought that you would find it interesting:

Sheila,

Recommend that you mix some activated charcoal in with the vitamin E. The charcoal will absorb the spider poison near the surface of your skin. The thick oil of the vitamin E will help the charcoal to stay in place. If you have black hair the charcoal will not show. But even if it does, you need to absorb that spider poison. Check with your local health food store. They should have charcoal. Nature Sunshine sells a bottle of very high quality activated charcoal in capsules. This is what I use.

One other thing I would do, even this late in the process would be to apply suction to each bite area. Most Wal-Marts sell a Sawyer bite kit in their sporting goods section. Buy one quick. Attach the smallest adapter to it and suck what you can out of each bite. You will be amazed on how much poison you will get out even after a day or two after the bite.

Last year I was bit with a brown recluse. It took me several days to find out that I had been bitten. The bite had all the evidences of a brown recluse bite. First I sucked what I could out of the wound with the Sawyer suction kit. Then I applied activated charcoal. From the junk I sucked out, I know that I saved a good chunk of my flesh.

When you buy the Sawyer kit get one for each car and one for home. They cost around $12.00 each and are worth having around. They have saved me several times in the last 5 years from some pretty hurtful experiences.

About 4 years ago I was bit with a copper head snake. No problem. I just called to my son to get the Sawyer kit out of the car. He ran and got it. I proceeded to suck the poison out of each fang mark which were bleeding profusely. I pulled a lot of dark amber poison from each fang mark. Then I applied charcoal mixed with my spit onto the affected area of my leg. I did not swell or go into any kind of shock.

I kind of shutter when I think of what all that poison would have done if I had not gotten it out as fast as I did.

In the past I have placed several charcoal capsules in with each Sawyer bit kit. Now I need to add something to each kit to act as a poultace for the charcoal like vitamin E capsules. I have heard that honey on bee bites works well. So having a small packet of honey from Chick-fil-A or elsewhere and the activated charcoal capsules would be an idea combination for a bee bite. The 100% natural vitamin E with charcoal would be a great combination for all other bites.

From this writing I would say anyone that had a Sawyer bite kit in each car and one at home would be very well prepared for unexpected bites. I would give anyone an "A" that was this well prepared. Now if they had charcoal and something to mix the charcoal in like honey and 100% natural vitamin A in each kit also, Now that is an "A+" student.

The Sawyer kit will most likely say, "COMPLETE BITE & STING FIRST + AID KIT" at the top of the kit. The kit has been made of yellow plastic in the past.

Just for the record I have no monetary interest in Sawyer products. I do not own stock in their company and I do not sell their products. But I do know how great this little kit is. Since bites come unexpectedly in both time and location. Always have one with you. My youngest son is camping out with his Boy Scout troop this weekend. In his gear is a Sawyer bite kit. Hopefully, he will not need it. But he is prepared for himself and the rest of the boys and adults in his troop.

Where he is camping has a lot of rattlers. But seldom is anyone bit by them.