HONOLULU -- A 33-year-old man from Maui became sick this week and appears to be suffering from botulism after he ate a recalled product, according to the state Department of Health.

Jonathan Stockton from Hana said he bought Cattledrive Chili made by Castleberry's Food Co. at the Costco in Kahului. He said he did not know about the recall of 10 Castleberry's Food Co. products.

Stockton ate the chili on Wednesday night. Several hours later, he started feeling ill. Stockton said he brushed it off as being food poisoning.

"In the morning, the pain in my stomach," Stockton said. "(I felt) really nauseous, just achy all over. (I had this) weird kind of like tingling sensation, achy joints and that was on Wednesday."

Stockton and his cousin went back to Costco. That was when they first heard about the recall.

"We saw all this chili that was being brought back that we've been eating the last couple of weeks," he said.

Stockton's cousin, who also ate the chili, drove him to Maui Memorial Hospital on Thursday.

Stockton is showing symptoms of botulism including nausea, diarrhea, facial paralysis, weakness and numbness, he said. Stockton's cousin, Eric Fritz, 28, said he has begun showing symptoms as well.

Once doctors diagnosed him as having symptoms of the toxic disease, they were faced with the dilemma of treating him with a potent antitoxin serum that would help stem further symptoms but possibly make things worse.

Stockton has chosen not to take the serum so far. (Read more about what health officials are doing.)

Castleberry's Food Co., owned by Bumble Bee Seafoods, made the products. The FDA has sent experts to a Castleberry's plant in Georgia where the products were canned.

Four people in Texas and Indiana have been hospitalized after eating Castleberry's brand of hot dog chili sauce.

Botulism is a rare, muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin. An FDA official said the toxin is so potent that if it gets on people's hands or face, it can make them ill.

Consumers with questions may call the company toll-free at 888-203-8446.

Stockton said he hopes by sharing his ordeal others will avoid experiencing his nightmare.

"Obviously the main thing is getting the word out to people this chili needs to get tossed. They need to figure out how to arrest the problem here," Stockton said.

Not Stockton's First Brush With Death

This is not the first life-threatening experience for Stockton. In 2002, halfway through a five-day ocean excursion off Kona, Stockton's boat capsized in 15-foot swells, dragging him 20 miles out to sea.

Stockton was lost on a kayak for more than two days with very little food and almost no water.

He said he had just about given up hope of being rescued when the Coast Guard spotted him 120 miles southwest of the Big Island.

The Coast Guard described the rescue as "finding a needle in a haystack."