STORM2K

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:21 am**

My husband was bitten by one last week (Sunday). He was bitten right below his left elbow. He thought a fire ant was the culprit. By Sunday night it had grown bigger and was swelling. Monday morning he started complaining about it hurting. I looked at it and poured peroxide on it and put an antibiotic cream on it. Monday night it was bigger, draining and higher off the elbow with a red ring mixed with bluish purple knots on the inside edges of the red ring. Tuesday morning he was REALLY complaining about pain. I looked at it and was going to apply the peroxide again when I noticed two fang marks. That is when I knew it was a spider. I called immediately and got him into our doctor. The doc said it was definitely a brown recluse. He lanced it, cleaned it and gave him some salve to draw out the venom, plus some very strong antibiotics. And pain pills. It is starting to heal, but I have told him over and over how lucky he is!!

He must have came in contact with the spider when he was up in the country airing up a backhoe tire.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:24 am**

So glad he'll be okay now, Linda!

I've killed quite a few of those "little devils" since having moved to NC in 1988.

Eric

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:27 am**

I have posted before on here that most of my health probs are do to this little creature...I thought I was toatally healed yet almost died a month later....Most bites are cured duing exactally what you have done...2 to 3 weeks from now if he starts to experince any flu like symptoms have him get it checked out make sure they know about the bite so they will do blood test...Once it gets into blood stream it is downhill from there...

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:29 am**

I remember having discussions on this board recently about this as well.

I'm glad that you noticed the bite marks! I'm starting to feel itchy right now! :eek:

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:30 am**

Scarey stuff!!!! Linda, I hope those antibiotics do their job and he gets better real soon. ((HUGS))
Karan

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:37 am**

Dang Linda.. I would really keep an eye on him and read up about the little devils..

http://www.brown-recluse.com/index.html

http://www.brown-recluse.com/spiderinfo.html

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:37 am**

Also most people get bit in the house and don't know it....Most people don't even have any reation till days later.....Like you said most people think it is a ant bite..They really start out that small and the within a week looks like you have sufferd a shotgun blast....I now check the sheets before I go to bed...

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:38 am**

Aquawind wrote:Dang Linda.. I would really keep an eye on him and read up about the little devils..

http://www.brown-recluse.com/spiderinfo.html

CHECK OUT THE BITE PHOTOS IF YOU DARE...

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:43 am**

Nope, not gonna do it. I'm scared to death of any kind of spiders. I have to turn my head when I see one on TV. Do you really think I'll check out those photos. Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh not in this lifetime!!!

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:44 am**

Pburgh wrote:Nope, not gonna do it. I'm scared to death of any kind of spiders. I have to turn my head when I see one on TV. Do you really think I'll check out those photos. Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh not in this lifetime!!!

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:45 am**

I HATE spiders. Glad he is going to be ok.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 11:52 am**

Been there, done that! I had red streaks going up my leg by the third day (thought it was a blister on my toe when I first noticed it). Docs said it was a symptom of blood poisoning from the venom and if the venom had made it into my lymph nodes, I'd have been in bad shape. Glad you caught it in time, Linda!

The brown recluse spiders I hate the most -- the ones that get away!! Saw on in my living room recently and couldn't nab the little demon!

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 12:02 pm**

Glad that he's alright. Just as bad as getting stung by a bee or a wasp. :eek:

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 12:05 pm**

i spray my house down with raid every day to get rid of spiders. i spray the doors and window crevices. i was bitten by a blak widow when i was 6. i reached my hand over a stump in the yard and felt a bite and when i pulled my hand back this big black spider was on my finger. i dont miss a single spot in the house with raid

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 12:13 pm**

Nasty little critters. Stomp on 'em all i say! Glad you had the knowledge about spider bites and were able to get your hubby some medical attention.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 12:22 pm**

Stomp on 'em, Stomp on 'em, Stomp on 'em!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES YES YES
I'll help Mama

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 12:54 pm**

I have never heard of them. We do have fire ants here in PR. They are horrible. Can you post a pic of what this critter looks like? Graci

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 12:55 pm**

Thanks for the pic and info. I will be on the lookout.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 1:17 pm**

wow, that is scary----and I acutally let most of the spiders I see live because they eat other bugs!

I will be on the lookout for them but I don't know if they live in PA.

Posted: **Fri May 05, 2006 1:19 pm**

terstorm1012 wrote:wow, that is scary----and I acutally let most of the spiders I see live because they eat other bugs!

I will be on the lookout for them but I don't know if they live in PA.

Because of shipping, cars, planes and trains, the Brown Recluse spider can be found most anywhere in the United States. Specific reports of the spider have been found in the following states:

Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Minnesota
Missouri
Mississippi
North Carolina
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Wyoming