Watch out for spiders!!

[etgjr]

I'm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and got a Brown Recluse bite for a New Years gift!

As near as I can figure the little $#*!er was in an out building where I keep my cross country skis. Within about 3 hours a spot appeared on my forehead just off center. Next day it was the size of a quarter and all red and with pimples. 3rd day my lymph nodes in my neck were swelled up and my left check was swelled out about 3/8 of an inch. Jaw hurt that night and the next morning I decided I should go the Doc. (I used my standard "if I don't get better in three days see the Doc" rule.) He gave me some kind of strong cortisone cream and told me use it or he would be taking a scapel to my forehead. I did and it slowly healed but not before having several 1/4 inch spots within the area die, turn black and leave craters!

I have heard of how bad these bites can be and consider myself verrry lucky. The northern latitudes certainly don't have as many Recluses as the South, but I watch a lot closer than I ever did before.

-Ed

 

[JDNineNinety]

You were bitten by a Brown recluse. I have been bitten twice by these buggars. The first time I went to the emergency room of a Little Rock Hospital. My leg turned red then blue and swelled terribly. The doctor said the wound would slough off and I would need plastic surgery. Luckily I didn't need the surery. The second time I was leaving for New Brunswick on a bear hunt that day. When we flew into Bangor, Maine, I went to the local hospital. The first doctor didn't know what a Brown Recluse was since they don't have spiders in Maine. He sent for a young docter who had served in the military in Alabama during the war. He was very familiar with the spider and fixed me up. He said after being bitten once I had built up some immunity to the second bite. I never felt either of the bites.

 

[1bush2hog]

I am one of the lucky ones too. A brown recluse got me on the outside of my thigh. I felt it when it bit me because it felt similar to an ant bite. A few hours later it started itching like crazy. I still thought it was an ant bite until the following day when the bite started turning red and became progressively more painful. I also started feeling like I was coming down with the flu. I was on my way to camp with friends for 3 days when I got bit. The day I left to come home the center of the bite had grown to about the size of a dime and was black with the surrounding area different shades of red.

When I got home I told my son to get on the net and look for BW and BR info -

I went to the doctor and was put on antibiotics and steriods. After several months my leg healed but I still have a permanent indention where I was bit.

For the next two years I had similar looking places that would appear on other areas of my body with the last area appearing on my side. All the additional places that appeared also left indentions and scars.

I have not had a recurrance in about a year and consider myself extremely fortunate after viewing and reading others who have been bitten.

The problem with the BR is that it is so small, most never see them. They hide in basements and in dark, undisturbed areas.

My sleeping bag was in a closet that had not been opened for about six months and I believe that is where I picked up the spider. He bit me when I was driving, apparently crawling up the inside of my pants leg. Thank Goodness he only was able to climb as high as my thigh! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Educate yourself on these critters and then educate your family and friends - I never thought about a BR until after I was bit. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Fishguy]

Just last night I was "assigned" to take care of the spiders here at our new house. The place is being over run with Wolf Spiders. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Apparently they thrive in farm fields where there are no wives!
The wife reacts to ALL spiders the same way, screams and dances until I find a shoe. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Steve

 

[1bush2hog]

Yea - I know what you mean. Wolf spiders are usually harmless, even though they look very scary.

It's the one's you don't see that you have to worry about