Spider Bite

Kevin_H. · November 30, 2002, 02:39:36 PM

I hope that I can save someone else some grief...

on the 23rd while at work I got bit by something..We are now assuming it was a spider.

by the 26th the spot was swollen and draining, oral antibiotics started.

By the 29th I was in the hosp. spent the nite, came home today, but I am typing one handed cause the other hand is hooked up to IV antibiotics...

I got bit on the back of my right thigh and my right leg is now twice the size of my left...

Moral of the story:
If you think it was a spider, go ASAP to the ER or your doctor...

Hope to be back at it by tuesday.

certainly not looking for any pitty, Aint no hill for a step'r ;D

Jeff · November 30, 2002, 03:20:41 PM

Don't want no pity? O.K. Then.

What the heck was you thinking lettin a spider bite you like that?? ;) Did you talk em into giving you a gravy drip in the I.V. Thursday?

Glad to hear you're doing better Kevin.

Kevin_H. · November 30, 2002, 04:00:43 PM

Hey jeff,
no gravy in the IV, But that is an idea. We get to sleep at work if we are not busy, so it actually bit me in my sleep.
They will be spraying the crew quarters early this week.

Jeff · November 30, 2002, 04:29:15 PM

You must be a congressman. ;)

Tom · November 30, 2002, 04:43:05 PM

..............or a doctor :-/

Haytrader · November 30, 2002, 06:34:15 PM

Sounds like a fiddle back.
If it is, your troubles are not over. It will look like it is healing and then another sore will develop close to the original. Got a friend that this happened to and he had this reocurring thing happen for a couple years.
Not trying to spread doom and gloom but it caught the docs off gaurd here and may yours.
Good luck.

Kevin_H. · November 30, 2002, 07:26:30 PM

paramedic,
we work 24 on 48 off, leaves alot of time to saw

man if anyone even expects they have a bite, have it checked out. ;D

Corley5 · November 30, 2002, 09:18:07 PM

That's scary

Glad to here you're on the mend.

Tom · December 01, 2002, 10:15:01 AM

Kevin, keep us informed as to your recovery. I want you to get well but I'de also like to know how difficult a time you have doing it. I've heard that spider bites act much the same as viper snakes and cause tissue necrosis and much scaring. I certainly don't wish that on you.

Bro. Noble · December 01, 2002, 10:34:58 AM

Kevin,

I had a spider bite a couple of years ago. I didn't think too much about it till my head got all swollen (the bite was on the calf of my leg). Went to the Dr. and was put on antibiotics and after no improvement switched to stronger antibiotics two days later. I was told the same thing about a big hole decaying out of my leg. It left a slight scar about the size of a silver dollar and was pretty sore and ugly for a month or two. Really didn't slow me down too much and wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected. I guess maybe I was lucky but yours may not be so bad either. Hope thats the case.

Noble

Kevin_H. · December 01, 2002, 08:32:45 PM

Well I get to go back to the Dr. tomorrow, I have 5 more rounds of IV antibiotics to due by tomorrow nite.

No necrosis which is a good thing, still alot of swelling and pitting edema.

Hey noble any idea what kind of spider got you? I never did find the the little thing. Just hope I killed it during all the swatting. ;D

My main mistake was I waited 3 days before having it looked at, so we were behind the ball when we started treatment
again if I can stress anything, Dont wait. ;D

Bro. Noble · December 01, 2002, 09:04:18 PM

Kevin,

We assumed that it was a Brown Recluse (fiddleback) but never did see it. I saw a little black one with a red spot bite me one time (not a black widow). It stung a little and made a small blister like this last one did. Only difference was the first one showed no effect the next day.

My blood sugar was too high at the time and I developed cellulitis. I don't think the Dr. ever knew if it was spider venom or complications that caused my trouble.

Noble

ADfields · December 02, 2002, 12:07:42 AM

My wife was got by a Brown Recluse (Fiddle Back) down in Arizona. We did not even know thay were IN Arizona befor it got her and it did not give the "bad bite" signels that we were looking for not knowing we even had Brown Recluse around! It was 3 or 4 days old when I came home and she sead "look at this"

it looked like a dart bord with a black bullseye. I took her to the ER and she neer lost her leg over it in the end. Thay had to debreed it (cut it all out) and it went to the bone but thay saved the leg, the scaring on her leg is a good 14 inches long. Now when she sees a spider she FREEKS OUT

like you would not belive! She sprays malithyon bug killer once a week in summer and looks for them befor she gets in bed, she was hot at me for 3 days when I wanted to go see that giant spider movie that just came out. ;D
Andy