If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day.

What is mushroom poisoning?

People are poisoned each year after eating mushrooms from their yard or outside locations. These mushrooms should not be eaten. It’s difficult to tell which mushrooms can be eaten and which cannot. Poisonous mushrooms can make you sick. Some are actually deadly.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of mushroom poisoning

Common symptoms include:

• nausea
• stomach cramps
• vomiting
• diarrhea (sometimes bloody).

More serious symptoms include:

• Seizures
• Hallucinations
• Problems breathing
• Kidney/liver failure
• Coma
• Death

Symptoms can appear right after eating the poisonous mushroom. Or they could appear several hours later. Symptoms that occur within 2 hours are less dangerous than mushrooms that produce symptoms later (after 6 hours).

CAUSES

What causes mushroom poisoning?

Eating poisonous mushrooms causes mushroom poisoning.

DIAGNOSIS

How is mushroom poisoning diagnosed?

Mushroom poisoning is difficult to diagnose. Your healthcare provider may examine you. They will ask you about your symptoms and when and what you ate recently. The diagnosis is based on the information you provide. If you are able to get a sample of the mushroom you know was eaten, bring it with you.

PREVENTION

Can mushroom poisoning be prevented or avoided?

You can avoid mushroom poisoning by not eating mushrooms picked from the ground. It’s difficult to tell which mushrooms are poisonous and which are not. They can be growing next to each other. There are no tests to tell a poisonous mushroom from a non-poisonous mushroom. Assume all wild mushrooms are poisonous. It’s best to buy them from the store.

Mushrooms that grow in the ground are more dangerous than mushrooms that grow on living trees. Mushrooms on the ground in forests are more dangerous than mushrooms in yards. Cooking poisonous mushrooms will not remove the toxins.

TREATMENT

Mushroom poisoning treatment

If you suspect that you or someone you are with has mushroom poisoning, call your healthcare provider or the Poison Control Center.

Call 911 immediately if the person is unconscious, not breathing or convulsing.

You can also seek immediate medical attention by taking the person to the emergency room. If possible, bring a few of the mushrooms the person ate with you to the healthcare provider or the emergency room.

If the person has thrown up, the worst is probably over. Activated charcoal may be given to induce vomiting. The person’s temperature, heart rate and blood pressure will be checked. They will be watched closely for severe symptoms and complications The person will probably be sent home if they have no symptoms of severe poisoning, and if the mushroom is identified as harmless. Your healthcare provider will ask you to watch the person for any symptoms of mushroom poisoning for the next 24 hours.

Living with mushroom poisoning

Short-term effects of living with mushroom poisoning are unpleasant. These are things related to vomiting and diarrhea. More severe symptoms may take longer to recover or cause permanent damage.

Atlantic Canada Poison Centre

1-844-POISON-X (1-844-764-7669)