Comments on: Brown recluse is well, pretty reclusive http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/ Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:13:33 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Morgana http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3254 Morgana Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:34:43 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3254 I got a bite about 10 years ago. I didnt realize it until it started to hurt/itch and feel irritated. After several days of the sore that wouldnt heal, I went to the Dr. He wasnt certain but said it appeared to be a brown recluse bite. I was put on strong antibiotics and had to return every other day to have the sore measured. The Dr told me that if it expanded beyond a certain size, I would have to have tissue removed. Luckily, that never happened. I was one of the lucky ones, I guess. I got a bite about 10 years ago. I didnt realize it until it started to hurt/itch and feel irritated.
After several days of the sore that wouldnt heal, I went to the Dr. He wasnt certain but said it appeared to be a brown recluse bite. I was put on strong antibiotics and had to return every other day to have the sore measured. The Dr told me that if it expanded beyond a certain size, I would have to have tissue removed. Luckily, that never happened.
I was one of the lucky ones, I guess.

]]> By: Maria http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3133 Maria Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:44:46 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3133 I was bit by a brown recluse 5 weeks ago. I still have fever, nausea, chills and other symptoms. Can anyone tell me how long the symptoms lasts? I was bit by a brown recluse 5 weeks ago. I still have fever, nausea, chills and other symptoms. Can anyone tell me how long the symptoms lasts?

]]> By: Jean Winnifred http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3119 Jean Winnifred Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:01:33 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3119 We lived in Indian Wells near Palm springs, California in 1992, I fell asleep at sundown as was my wont in my Barwa chair out by the pool. So I did not see the spider that bit me although I had been aware that there were brown recluse spiders on our property. In a few hours the five bites in a cluster were very apparent and I began to be in such pain that I had to elevate my leg to get any relief. Here is the stupid part: because I am a health nut, I did not go to a doctor and instead put DMSO on the bites. The skin around the bites deteriorated and wasted away. To this day I can still see tiny indentations where those bites were. I am lucky that they slowly healed and I became OK. Up in nearby Riverside that same summer a woman died from recluse spider bites. So GO TO A MEDIC right away if you get bitten. We lived in Indian Wells near Palm springs, California in 1992, I fell asleep at sundown as was my wont in my Barwa chair out by the pool.
So I did not see the spider that bit me although I had been aware that there were brown recluse spiders on our property. In a few hours the five bites in a cluster were very apparent and I began to be in such pain that I had to elevate my leg to get any relief. Here is the stupid part: because I am a health nut, I did not go to a doctor and instead put DMSO on the bites. The skin around the bites deteriorated and wasted away. To this day I can still see tiny indentations where those bites were. I am lucky that they slowly healed and I became OK. Up in nearby Riverside that same summer a woman died from recluse spider bites. So GO TO A MEDIC right away if you get bitten.

]]> By: Adena http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3113 Adena Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:20:59 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3113 When I was in grade school, I was bitten on the thigh by a brown recluse. I never saw the spider and didn't know I had been bitten until I couldn't walk because my leg was so swollen. After I couldn't use my leg, and a blister had formed, it took three days to identify the bite -- and this was after visiting three doctors. Thirty years later, I still have a very distinct scar. One quick way to identify the bite is that it makes a bullseye mark, with radiating red circles around the bite. Always shake out shoes and br careful in closets - they like to hide in dark places that tend to be undisturbed. When I was in grade school, I was bitten on the thigh by a brown recluse. I never saw the spider and didn't know I had been bitten until I couldn't walk because my leg was so swollen. After I couldn't use my leg, and a blister had formed, it took three days to identify the bite - and this was after visiting three doctors. Thirty years later, I still have a very distinct scar. One quick way to identify the bite is that it makes a bullseye mark, with radiating red circles around the bite. Always shake out shoes and br careful in closets – they like to hide in dark places that tend to be undisturbed.

]]> By: Janice McAlister http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3102 Janice McAlister Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:33:17 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3102 I was looking over the health blog and started to laugh when I saw that you had written about spiders. I don't think I'll ever forget about the story of when you killed a spider and 100 or so baby spiders scurried out of the huge smashed spider. Oops! That must have been quite frightening for someone who has arachnophobia. Seriously though, about two years ago, my daughter, Amber, was bitten by a spider on the leg. It was scary to think that she could have been in very serious trouble. She was taken to the ER and treated with antibiotics. The bite basically exploded over and over again, purging itself of the poison. It took about one month for it to heal. She now has just a small reminder scar that takes it's place. And of course more than ever wants nothing to do with spiders. I was looking over the health blog and started to laugh when I saw that you had written about spiders. I don't think I'll ever forget about the story of when you killed a spider and 100 or so baby spiders scurried out of the huge smashed spider. Oops! That must have been quite frightening for someone who has arachnophobia. Seriously though, about two years ago, my daughter, Amber, was bitten by a spider on the leg. It was scary to think that she could have been in very serious trouble. She was taken to the ER and treated with antibiotics. The bite basically exploded over and over again, purging itself of the poison. It took about one month for it to heal. She now has just a small reminder scar that takes it's place. And of course more than ever wants nothing to do with spiders.

]]> By: william barnes http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3100 william barnes Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:12:33 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3100 we have a lot of spiders here in the south, I have found it very helpful to spray the foundation and a forty-fifty foot ring around the house with a good quality insect killer, this really gives peace of mind. we have a lot of spiders here in the south, I have found it very helpful to spray the foundation and a forty-fifty foot ring around the house with a good quality insect killer, this really gives peace of mind.

]]> By: CAA http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3095 CAA Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:01:48 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3095 About ten years ago I believe I was bitten by a spider while working in an old barn. My right arm turned black, and I mean very, very black, for the entire length of my forearm and over my elbow while I was nauseous and dizzy within a couple of hours. I received several weeks worth of antibiotics with cortizone shots and cream lotions from the local hospital to treat it. There were two very small holes in the middle of the blackened skin (I have chills running down my neck just thinking about it!) that a team of six doctors tried but couldn't identify. To this day, I still don't have a definitive diagnosis of what it was, but I still have a mark where the bite holes were. About ten years ago I believe I was bitten by a spider while working in an old barn. My right arm turned black, and I mean very, very black, for the entire length of my forearm and over my elbow while I was nauseous and dizzy within a couple of hours. I received several weeks worth of antibiotics with cortizone shots and cream lotions from the local hospital to treat it. There were two very small holes in the middle of the blackened skin (I have chills running down my neck just thinking about it!) that a team of six doctors tried but couldn't identify. To this day, I still don't have a definitive diagnosis of what it was, but I still have a mark where the bite holes were.

]]> By: RN http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3093 RN Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:53:08 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3093 We had a patient come in who had been in Missouri and slept on a fold out bed which had been stored for a long while. The spider was living in the folded bedclothes. She had a bite on her abdomen which had become necrotic and when she was seen in our office it was about 6 inches in diameter. We had a patient come in who had been in Missouri and slept on a fold out bed which had been stored for a long while. The spider was living in the folded bedclothes. She had a bite on her abdomen which had become necrotic and when she was seen in our office it was about 6 inches in diameter.

]]> By: Anneliese http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3092 Anneliese Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:30:03 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3092 tippersma has good advice. Any unusual rash or suspected spider bite should be seen by a doc. In my case, I am a walking mosquito magnet. Not only that, but I'm allergic to them and get welts the size of a marble with redness spreading 2" out. Ironically, though, I can usually tell right away if it was a mosq or something else that got me. It just 'feels' different. In my area, we have had an oubreak this summer of those nasty tree mites that leave painful itchy welts where they get you. Aren't bugs fun? tippersma has good advice. Any unusual rash or suspected spider bite should be seen by a doc.

In my case, I am a walking mosquito magnet. Not only that, but I'm allergic to them and get welts the size of a marble with redness spreading 2" out.

Ironically, though, I can usually tell right away if it was a mosq or something else that got me. It just 'feels' different.

In my area, we have had an oubreak this summer of those nasty tree mites that leave painful itchy welts where they get you.

Aren't bugs fun?

]]> By: greg http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/25/brown-recluse-is-well%e2%80%a6pretty-reclusive/#comment-3090 greg Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:45:56 +0000 http://cnnpagingdrgupta.wordpress.com/?p=171#comment-3090 I grew up in kansas and my house was always infested with brown recluse during the spring and summer. Seemed like everytime we moved a piece of furniture we'd find one and my father was always killing them. I don't think any of my family was ever bitten though. I grew up in kansas and my house was always infested with brown recluse during the spring and summer. Seemed like everytime we moved a piece of furniture we'd find one and my father was always killing them. I don't think any of my family was ever bitten though.

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