I might have been bitten by a brown recluse spider

[King's Ransom]

Well, it's too early to call the doctor and I'm in a bit of a panic. Cleaning out the barn yesterday, in preparation for the hay delivery, something bit me on the neck. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I definitely did feel it.

Mind you, my neck and face were the only exposed areas. I was wearing long sleeves, gloves, boots and overalls. Still, I got bitten.

This morning my neck is swollen at the bite site, red, very painful, and I have a slight fever. Does anyone have experience with brown recluse bites? If I go to the doctor's office with these vague symptoms, and no spider in-hand to show what bit me, can he do anything? Or just charge me $120 to say watch it and call me if it gets worse ... :(

[Bogie]

If you think it's a brown recluse spider go right away to see your doctor. Those bites are not to be taken lightly!

I had a spider bite three years ago that put me in the hospital for three days. If my primary care physician had treated it more aggressively, I might have been spared the ordeal.

One thing to remember: never lance a spider bite because it spreads the poison.

Hope you feel better soon!

[lalahartma1]

No experience, but
http://www.brownreclusespider.org/brown-recluse-spider-bite-symptom.htm
http://www.brownreclusespider.org/brown-recluse-spider-treatment.htm

[spaghetti legs]

Why on earth don't you just go to the nearest emergency department.

Seeking health advice on the Internet, especially about potential life threatening issues is such an ignorant thing to do. But I suppose... surely faceless strangers know more about my health than qualified medical professionals. Silly me!

[MistyBlue]

No steriods and avoid topical anything on it for now. Ice the bite, call the doctor. Yes, brown recluse have "poisonous" (actually venomous or toxic) but as a healthy adult it will most likely not be more than a major annoyance. But see the doctor today anyways because not all healthy adults respond the same way to the toxins in spider bites or bug bites.
It could be a different insect or spider bite that's just not reacting well with you particularly. I get hard hot lumps and a low fever with almost any spider bite...I also get huge golf ball sized swelling with even normal 'squito bites. Apparently my system doesn't like getting bitten by insects or arachnids.Which stinks because they sure do love biting me.
You can take an ibuprofen for now...reduces fever and some swelling. Other than that, leave the bite site alone until a doctor takes a look at it. Don't panic.

[jse]

Um I'd go to the ER....those bites need immediate attention.
I saw on TV a few weeks ago a special about spiders...a man was sleeping in his bed and felt something bite him on the leg. He hit his leg and killed the spider and then fell back to sleep.
Woke up sick with a fever and his leg had a huge red spot and was swollen....turns out it was a brown recluse. He had to have a skin graph done where the spider had bitten him.

[Bluey]

If you think it was a brown recluse, do go to the dr asap.

A friend was bitten by a brown recluse, as per the tests results, on the calf, on the back of her leg and she spent months going to the hospital to have the hole cleaned out, that became the size of a grapefruit and finally quit getting bigger and started filling in.
She still has a deformed calf with much scar tissue and indentations in there and limps.
She said she never felt the bite, just started hurting, was red and swelled a little and she started to feel a little bit ill.

You may not have gotten much venom in there, but still, do be careful, those bites can become very nasty.

[Let'sTalkAboutHorses]

If you think it was a BR spider bite, then you need to go see a doctor asap!

BR spider bites need to be taken seriously. A few years ago, my mom was bitten on the stomach (she never felt the actual bite). Not knowing what had bitten her, she delayed seeing her doctor. She ended up losing a nice chunk of flesh and needing two skin grafts to repair the area.

[Ted the Peep 'Ho]

Please listen to everybody!!!

[Blue Yonder]

Ditto. Off to the doctor with you.

Tough hubby wasn't overly concerned about a reaction to a spider bite (type unknown), and when swelling/redness/heat/nagging-wife finally forced him to the doctor, it was a rather grody debriding and actually a serious situation. Some sort of medicated gauze was finally stuffed into the remaining hole -- as in maybe a FOOT, 12-15 inches -- removing that was like the magician pulling handkerchiefs out of his sleeve......except what was pulled out was disgusting gauze, and it was coming out of a LEG . Um, yummy. :-P [gag]

Get thee to a doctor before stuff gets grosser and more serious!

[Moderator 1]

This isn't horse-related, so we're closing it. Best wishes for a quick recovery for whatever it was--feel free to send us an update via PM and we can post it to the thread to let folks know how you're doing.

Thanks!
Mod 1

[Moderator 1]

Update from the OP:

Doc says it does appear to be a brown recluse bite, but can't be sure because I don't have the spider to prove it. Nonetheless, he's being very aggressive (thankfully) and I am loaded up with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. My neck is swollen, red and very PAINFUL, and I am running a fever. Hopefully getting treatment within the first 24 hours will avoid any of the gruesome horror stories you hear about with these spider bites.

So the doctor's visit was definitely a good call!
Best wishes from COTH for a 100% and quick recovery!
Mod 1