Spryte Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Or maybe it was a sting? I was getting ready for an appt, and while in the shower my hand started burning. I saw what looked like a tiny scrape on a finger, and thought the soap had irritated it. No big deal. By the time I finished the shower, my finger looked like a sausage, and my entire arm was shaking. I started itching everywhere. We could clearly see two punctures, where I'd thought there might be a scrape. I actually got a bit spacey, and just sat down. I took Benadryl. Slept a lot. Kept the epipens close. Today it feels like my finger is on fire, and I can see there were three puncture marks, all on the same finger. Swelling is mostly down, but there are hard lumps under each mark, with some swelling. Ick. I haven't found the culprit, but I'd hate for the 2 year old to get a bite like this. Any ideas on what it might have been? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Spider? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I'd think spider too but with that reaction, I'd strongly encourage you to get it checked out. My mom had something similar happen and she ended up in the hospital for days, almost losing part of her arm right before my wedding. She STILL has no idea what type of spider bit her but it was bad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I'm guessing spider, too, just because spiders are sneaky that way. But I have no idea what kind. I've never had that kind of reaction to a spider bite but I have reacted similarly to a fire ant bite. But fire ants aren't as sneaky as spiders and I've always seen the ant when I've been bitten. Scary. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Could it be a serious reaction to a fire ant bite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Hmmmm. Spider was my guess, too. I don't think we have fire ants here. We are in VA. I didn't hear or see a flying insect. It seems to be improving, but if it gets worse I will get it checked out. I just wish I could find the little bugger. I'm paranoid about using that bathroom now. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 DH had what the drs labeled a black widow bite on the back of his calf that swelled and sent sharp pains up and down his leg. It also had a ring around it though (red) which I guess is characteristic of the black widow bite. You could try google and see if you find a pic that matches. I would be tempted to torch the bathroom :lol: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Maybe it was 2 bites but one fang went into the same hole for each bite? I'd be scared to use that bathroom again too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Torching the bathroom is a perfect idea! :lol: ...DH is out of town for the next week, too, so I can't even play scared-of-the-spider and ask him to go hunt it down. I'll just use the kids' bath for showering! I haven't googled pics for fear of what I'll see. Google always brings up the ickiest photos of bites or rashes, and mine isn't terrible. Just swollen and red, with a lump underneath both areas. It doesn't sound like a black widow bite, thankfully, if that normally has a ring around it. Whew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Don't google. The last time I had a weird bite, I googled. And I found two pictures that looked remarkably similar to the bite I had. One was a harmless spider bite and the other one was from a spider bite that would be killing me within days, if not sooner. Guess which one I started fixating on? :glare: In retrospect, I guess it was Bite #1 because I'm still here. So don't google. Really. Just don't. (I hope it looks a lot better by tomorrow!!! :grouphug:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 What about a brown recluse? Although I think you typically find them in a dark place while reaching into something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solascriptura Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 What about a brown recluse? Although I think you typically find them in a dark place while reaching into something. :0. Brown recluse? That definitely would not go over well with me. I think it was a spider too, but probably a harmless one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 What about a brown recluse? Although I think you typically find them in a dark place while reaching into something. Aack. I hope not! I was in our basement just prior to the shower. Eeek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Aack. I hope not! I was in our basement just prior to the shower. Eeek. It makes more sense that you were bit in the basement than in the shower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 It makes more sense that you were bit in the basement than in the shower. Yes, it probably does. So ... I won't be venturing into our studio office until DH is home either! The house keeps shrinking. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Yes, it probably does. So ... I won't be venturing into our studio office until DH is home either! The house keeps shrinking. :) At least you can use your bathroom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Did you perhaps grab a folded towel before getting in the shower? My sister had a bad brown recluse problem at her house, and would often find them under sheets , hanging behind towels, and on the shower curtain. Oh! You know what I did? Our laundry room is in the basement (worst. place. ever.) and I carried up clean, folded clothes. They had been sitting on the couch in our studio/office for a few days. I wonder if I picked up a spider along with the clothes? :ack2: Okay, so now I won't ever be doing laundry again, either! :lol: DH is going to just love this spider. He'll arrive home from his latest trip and I'll have torched the bathroom, exterminated the basement, and now I'm scared to do laundry! Yikes. I'm laughing, but seriously - trying not to scratch my finger off as I type this. It's an intense itching burn. I sure hope it wasn't a brown recluse. I would know by now, right? ... I am not googling those bites, either. We have allergies in our family, so I'm guessing that a fairly harmless spider bit me, but I've had an allergic reaction to the venom, thus the prolonged swelling/itching. And the shaking, etc right after the bite. I hate spiders. Really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I was bitten by a brown recluse. I didn't feel the actual bite, but there was pain and swelling after like what you are describing. It actually took a little time to realize that I was bit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 I was bitten by a brown recluse. I didn't feel the actual bite, but there was pain and swelling after like what you are describing. It actually took a little time to realize that I was bit too. Oh no. How did you fare? And how did you find out it was a brown recluse? (And ... Please tell me I'd know by now, it's been a bit more than 24 hours.) P.S. Adore your avatar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartosunshine Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Oh! You know what I did? Our laundry room is in the basement (worst. place. ever.) and I carried up clean, folded clothes. They had been sitting on the couch in our studio/office for a few days. I wonder if I picked up a spider along with the clothes? :ack2: Okay, so now I won't ever be doing laundry again, either! :lol: DH is going to just love this spider. He'll arrive home from his latest trip and I'll have torched the bathroom, exterminated the basement, and now I'm scared to do laundry! Yikes. I'm laughing, but seriously - trying not to scratch my finger off as I type this. It's an intense itching burn. I sure hope it wasn't a brown recluse. I would know by now, right? ... I am not googling those bites, either. We have allergies in our family, so I'm guessing that a fairly harmless spider bit me, but I've had an allergic reaction to the venom, thus the prolonged swelling/itching. And the shaking, etc right after the bite. I hate spiders. Really. Did you put the folded clothes away? You might need to torch the dressers, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Did you put the folded clothes away? You might need to torch the dressers, too! Don't give me any ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 My husband was bitten on the chest by a juvenile brown reluse, and experienced intense itching, localised swelling, but no necrosis. I was present when he was bitten and ID'd the spider. Unless it was a small one, you likely would be getting an area of developing necrosis by now.I hope you feel better very soon! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Oh no. How did you fare? And how did you find out it was a brown recluse? (And ... Please tell me I'd know by now, it's been a bit more than 24 hours.) P.S. Adore your avatar! I was 10. I had been climbing in and out of a tree and tree fort. At some point my arm had started hurting. It finally had gotten so bad I went home. By the time I got home it was massively swollen and burning. I didn't remember feeling a bite, but my mom saw the punctures. I was feeling generally ill and achy all over by the time we got to the hospital. The er doc asked me to describe all the bugs I could remember seeing. One description stood out to him and he brought me pictures. He said I id'ed a brown recluse. He said my symptoms were consistent with a brown recluse. My mother says they watched me in the ER for an extended period of time because I was a child, but all she could remember them giving me was an IV, antihistamines, and an anti-inflammatory. We did have to have the wound cleaned out a couple times during the healing process because some of the tissue and skin died right around the wound. That was kind of freaky. :ack2: If any puss develops go to the doc asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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