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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Just electrocuted myself a little bit

20 replies

Croprotationinthe14thcentury · 01/06/2019 10:23

At first I thought I was having a out of body experience as the electrical current surged through my body. I pictured being interviewed by Holly and Phil on this morning but no, I was just holding the metal bit of the paddling pool pump. My hand hurts and my dp is taking the piss out of me because apparently I made a funny sound and jerky movements for the 2 seconds I was other worldly . Anyone else had such an experience?

OP posts:

ScreamingValenta · 01/06/2019 10:27

I electrocuted myself on a dodgy extension socket in 1987. I thought 'this feels a bit hot' and the next thing a huge pulse shot up my arm, throwing me across the room. Amazingly, I wasn't injured by it.

Tentomidnight · 01/06/2019 10:28

I did this once when I touched the kitchen tap and an (unearthed, as it turned out) appliance. Threw me across the room, but sadly no out of body experience
Hope you’re ok, might be worth getting checked over by somebody medical?

LakieLady · 01/06/2019 10:30

A few times!

In a fit of complete idiocy, I poked thick bread down in the toaster with an all-metal knife, the second time was a dodgy kettle lead at work and the third time I accidentally cut through an extension lead with a Stanley knife while trimming carpet in another episode of idiocy.

The first time I remember my arm sort of being flung backwards and the sound of the knife clattering, but the third incident really freaked me out. I didn't know wtf had happened, but I didn't know where I was for what seemed like ages and I felt like I'd fainted, but hadn't.

I'm a bit more careful now.

ObtuseTriangle · 01/06/2019 10:36

When I was at school I had a Saturday job at B & Q, I was given the task of changing any blown bulbs in the lighting display. One of them was proving a bit tricky and I was (stupidly) feeling around with my fingers to see if it was a bayonet or screw in bulb and I received a little zap. Luckily didn’t knock me off the step ladder but I definitely felt it.

midsummabreak · 01/06/2019 10:36

You need to see a Dr pronto, electrical shock should not be treated lightly, although you may be lucky, you need to check whether it has affected you in any way, such as altering your heart rythm ,

redwoodmazza · 01/06/2019 10:42

I did the 'touching metal kitchen sink and un-earthed tumble drier drum' at the same time thing. That was nasty and soon rectified by our electrician!!!

Seriously, you need to get your electricity supply checked over. What if it had been a little child?

ItsGoingTibiaK · 01/06/2019 10:43

PEDANT ALERT

Electrocution means death caused by electrical current so you can’t electrocute yourself a little bit. You received an electric shock.

Apologies, but I feel better for that.

CharDeeMacDennis · 01/06/2019 10:46

When I was a student I changed a ligtht bulb while it was not only plugged in, but switched on (was changing it to a coloured bulb I'd bought). Fucking idiotic. And no, I wasn't drunk, just daft.

A weird thrum went up my arm and I think I just sat down, stunned.

IsabellaLinton · 01/06/2019 10:47

Same, @ScreamingValenta! No pain - I remember briefly rolling over the car bonnet and suddenly found myself on other side of the garage. Very frightening. Are you sure you’re ok OP? Your DP shouldn’t be taking the piss, it’s serious.

FurryTurnipHead · 01/06/2019 10:49

ItsgoingTibiaK you beat me to it, I was twitching reading the thread!

Minkies11 · 01/06/2019 10:53

My best friend dared me the grab the electric cattle fence. That was unpleasant. We were 5 at the time.

Gwenhwyfar · 01/06/2019 11:04

"When I was a student I changed a ligtht bulb while it was not only plugged in, but switched on (was changing it to a coloured bulb I'd bought). Fucking idiotic."

I didn't realise that was so dangerous. Sometimes you can't tell whether the switch is on for the light. To be honest, I thought it would just be hot.

Original poster

Croprotationinthe14thcentury · 01/06/2019 11:04

Seriously everyone no need to be worried I'm fine. It wasn't a serious post or shock and my dp was originally worried but now he knows I'm fine, took the mickey a little. It is the outside electric socket and I've told everyone not to use them and my electrician brother is coming to check them over next week. I'm sure I'll be ok but I have a docs app on Tues anyway so I'll mention it then and see what they say. Thanks for the concern and other stories. Makes me feel better that I'm not the only one!

OP posts:

withaheyandahoandaheyheyho · 01/06/2019 11:08

When I was little we used to hold hands in a chain and then the person at the end would grab the electric fence.
Oh, how we laughed. I grew up in a very boring place.
There was no jerking around/odd vocalisations though, even for a couple of seconds.
Maybe call 111. If you were out of it for a couple of seconds it's worth a call.

chocsaregone · 01/06/2019 11:10

Great description. This happened to me as a child in Europe with a broken travel adaptor, and I was thrown across the room I think I was lucky I wasn't gripping it tightly!

ShitStrategy · 01/06/2019 11:19

I got zapped by some temporary electric fencing running directly off a car battery. A few of us were turning out horses into a grazing pen, and my chief instructor left the "gate" piece - the last bundle of fencing wrapped around a movable post, where it connects - open. He said as I passed, close it up and flick the battery on would you.

I walked through the gap with two horses held on lead ropes in my left hand, and turned and grabbed the bundled up wire with my right, believing it to be switched off.

I got what felt like an almighty shove in the chest, and I shot backwards into the horses, who also got a zap because I didn't let go of the bloody post. I wasn't knocked over but the three of us were a bit, well, shocked.

Luckily for me the horses were sensible, otherwise that could've been a sorry story. My chief instructor was just down the track pissing himself laughing at his own practical joke - he'd flicked it on on purpose. Knobhead. 🙄

cantfindname · 01/06/2019 11:25

You haven't lived until you have leaned over an electric fence to turn the power on and very stupidly zapped both boobs at the same time.

And then gone on to repeat said exercise two days later....

MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 01/06/2019 11:36

I zapped myself on a phone socket once...trying to unscrew something and kept getting a seriously bad pins and needles thing up my arm into my elbow

originally thought it was because I was using the screwdriver at an odd angle, but no, I was actually completing some sort of circuit with the wires and my bangles/charm bracelet, which I only realised as I went to move them out of the way so I could see better and the pins and needles buzz shot up that hand as well.

MadSweeney · 01/06/2019 11:38

I decided to quickly fit a relay switch in the airing cupboard. Unfortunately I didn't bother isolating the power to it.
Threw me right across the landing. 😳

PigletJohn · 01/06/2019 11:59

Electricians and other building types are advised to go to a hospital after a shock, because the number having heart attacks in the next day or so is higher than usual.

The "being thrown across the room" will be an effect of muscle convulsions, not the electrical energy. Many injuries result from falling off ladders after a minor shock.

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