Brown recluse bites

[Steve Harper]

One of the reasons I joined was to find out information about brown recluse. Something off the wall happened a few months ago and I ended up getting bit. A few antibiotics and steroids later, not problem. Do all bites end up causing necrosis?

 

[Oursapoil]

Hello Steve,
Welcome to the forum.
The brown recluse is not a tarantula although I am sure a few people on the forum might help with responding to your question
I personally know that the males are the ones to worry about and if you were bitten by one I imagine you would have at least a mark left behind as souvenir. This said every bite is unique. Did you bring the spider to your doctor or to the ER and was it identified as a brown recluse?
Except for the males wandering for females (but not often in the open) as it’s name suggests it, it is not a spider you should see often, even if it is often present in basements, garage and dark corners.
Will keep an eye on this to see if more knowledgeable people can help.
Cheers.

 

[m0lsx]

Google offered this.
https://www.poison.org/articles/2014-oct/brown-recluse-spider-bites

 

[MBullock]

most cases are actually results of staph infection from a person scratching mosquito/flea/bedbug bites with fingernails. your fingernails are literally the dirtiest part of you body, trapping debris and forming a very comfortable environment for anaerobic bacteria of various kinds.

 

[WolfSpider]

Just like Tarantulas, not all brown reclise bites pack a full dose of venom. These "more dry" bites are less likely to be medically significant.

 

[OLLIE31]

I had to join up to respond. I am now healing over a brown recluse bite, spent 5 days in the hospital and almost died due to the bite. I guess I am one of the 10% that had serious issues. Two months later i have a 5 by 1 inch hole in my side and hoping it will heal soon. If you have any questions let me know.

 

[Arachnoclown]

I had to join up to respond. I am now healing over a brown recluse bite, spent 5 days in the hospital and almost died due to the bite. I guess I am one of the 10% that had serious issues. Two months later i have a 5 by 1 inch hole in my side and hoping it will heal soon. If you have any questions let me know.

Ouch!!!

 

[Jeremy-psychonaut]

I had to join up to respond. I am now healing over a brown recluse bite, spent 5 days in the hospital and almost died due to the bite. I guess I am one of the 10% that had serious issues. Two months later i have a 5 by 1 inch hole in my side and hoping it will heal soon. If you have any questions let me know.

I had a similar but less Extreme reaction I ended up with a bad infection and big hole in my leg

 

[Combat Advantage]

I had to join up to respond. I am now healing over a brown recluse bite, spent 5 days in the hospital and almost died due to the bite. I guess I am one of the 10% that had serious issues. Two months later i have a 5 by 1 inch hole in my side and hoping it will heal soon. If you have any questions let me know.

Ollie31,

Welcome to the forum. I appreciate that you are sharing your unfortunate experience so that others can benefit.

I used to raise venomous snakes and various arthropod's. I taught classes on bites and stings that locals might experience. Its very informative when I find a chance to interview and learn from first hand experiences. Those "clinical findings" are quite helpful. Do you feel comfortable sharing more details about the bite, chain of events, etc. I have to say that I don't remember seeing a wound quite that large.

 

[Combat Advantage]

One of the reasons I joined was to find out information about brown recluse. Something off the wall happened a few months ago and I ended up getting bit. A few antibiotics and steroids later, not problem. Do all bites end up causing necrosis?

Did you happen to see it bite you?
Was an icepack used?
Did you have any other treatments that you recall?
Sorry for all of the questions. I also want to learn from your experience.

 

[Combat Advantage]

I had a similar but less Extreme reaction I ended up with a bad infection and big hole in my leg

Hi Jeremy,

Your turn. LOL!

I'd like to hear more about your bite.
Where it took place, for instance. Whatever else you remember too.

Example, I ve read that they frequent attics, but how often and how much time do people spend in a hot dry attic? I was up in mine earlier looking for something, but I don't want to hang out there. Haha!

 

[Jeremy-psychonaut]

I was cleaning out a barn that was going to be torn down. I didn’t have a reaction to the Venom it just really hurt. I did have to go the ER because whatever bacteria was on its fangs gave me an abscess. I ended up with a quarter size Crater on my inner thigh after it healed. They gave me some antibiotics
I probably wouldn’t have gotten bit but when I felt something climbing on my leg in my shorts I swatted it

 

[Combat Advantage]

I was cleaning out a barn that was going to be torn down. I didn’t have a reaction to the Venom it just really hurt. I did have to go the ER because whatever bacteria was on its fangs gave me an abscess. I ended up with a quarter size Crater on my inner thigh after it healed

Thanks for the info. That sounds like a more likely scenario to me. I'm guessing that you didn't see it, but they determined the bite from the symptoms?
Many doctors spend less time with the patient than they do in the rest room. The patients aren't always informed of diagnostic suspicions and test results. I'm often wrong, but going to take a stab in the dark that medical staff got some info crossed up when they told you. The symptom of necrosis is a key element of l. reclusa and shape of the necrotic ulceration. State / location of native habitat....This necrosis takes time to occur and I think that theres lots of false positives and negatives IMHO. There's a lot of overlap in other symptoms too. As others already mentioned, certain infections can cause similar symptoms.
Barns are full of life, hard work and occasional hazards. Glad that you got through that bite without more damage than there was.

 

[Jeremy-psychonaut]

Thanks for the info. That sounds like a more likely scenario to me. I'm guessing that you didn't see it, but they determined the bite from the symptoms?
Many doctors spend less time with the patient than they do in the rest room. The patients aren't always informed of diagnostic suspicions and test results. I'm often wrong, but going to take a stab in the dark that medical staff got some info crossed up when they told you. The symptom of necrosis is a key element of l. reclusa and shape of the necrotic ulceration. State / location of native habitat....This necrosis takes time to occur and I think that theres lots of false positives and negatives IMHO. There's a lot of overlap in other symptoms too. As others already mentioned, certain infections can cause similar symptoms.
Barns are full of life, hard work and occasional hazards. Glad that you got through that bite without more damage than there was.

No I saw it when it fell out of my shorts after I swatted it.
it did take time, I went to get it checked out because the wound wouldn’t heal and got bigger.

 

[OLLIE31]

Mine happened while I was sleeping, never knew it when it happened. I woke up in the morning with a small bump with red skin around it. Later in the day I felt like I was getting sick so I went to get a covid test which was negative. One day later I went to the minor med due to the intense pain I was having at the bite site. It has turned red and purple at this point and really hurt bad. The kicker here is that I was diagnosed with shingles believe it or not. I watches the blister I had grow as well as the area around it get darker purple but I was told shingles so I didn't worry at this time. A few days later I went to work and people were telling me I had turned yellow and should go home. When I got home I collapsed and my wife called 911 and that the las thing I remember for a few days. My liver and kidneys were shutting down and I needed a blood transfusion as well as IV antibiotics for 5 days. It might have been sepsis that caused this but I Macon Rd think they were sure about that. It was a shocker to me how much damage was done by the recluse and it will take many months to hopefully heal the bite area. The doctor actually said it was a surprise that I survived everything, kind of shocked me hearing this. I will put up a pic of the current wound in a few hours. All I can say is if you get bit by one you need to seek medical help.

 

[Jeremy-psychonaut]

Mine happened while I was sleeping, never knew it when it happened. I woke up in the morning with a small bump with red skin around it. Later in the day I felt like I was getting sick so I went to get a covid test which was negative. One day later I went to the minor med due to the intense pain I was having at the bite site. It has turned red and purple at this point and really hurt bad. The kicker here is that I was diagnosed with shingles believe it or not. I watches the blister I had grow as well as the area around it get darker purple but I was told shingles so I didn't worry at this time. A few days later I went to work and people were telling me I had turned yellow and should go home. When I got home I collapsed and my wife called 911 and that the las thing I remember for a few days. My liver and kidneys were shutting down and I needed a blood transfusion as well as IV antibiotics for 5 days. It might have been sepsis that caused this but I Macon Rd think they were sure about that. It was a shocker to me how much damage was done by the recluse and it will take many months to hopefully heal the bite area. The doctor actually said it was a surprise that I survived everything, kind of shocked me hearing this. I will put up a pic of the current wound in a few hours. All I can say is if you get bit by one you need to seek medical help.

I’m sorry you and your family had to endure that

 

[OLLIE31]

I’m sorry you and your family had to endure that

ty

 

[Combat Advantage]

No I saw it when it fell out of my shorts after I swatted it.
it did take time, I went to get it checked out because the wound wouldn’t heal and got bigger.

YIKES! That's way too close!
Definitely scarier than any Bill Shatner Brac on face scene. Seriously!

 

[Combat Advantage]

Ollie31,

WOW!
What a nightmare.
Your case is far worse than any typical bites in the US from even widows, hot snakes, centipedes, etc.
Glad that you are still around to tell us about this Ollie.

 

[OLLIE31]

Ollie31,

WOW!
What a nightmare.
Your case is far worse than any typical bites in the US from even widows, hot snakes, centipedes, etc.
Glad that you are still around to tell us about this Ollie.

Yes it was a nightmare and hope will be over soon. I am need in the healing phase finally so I hope only a few months away.