Spider Bites

[LadyFish]

I was trimming the suckers off my lemon tree yesterday and got bit by something. I couldn't find what it was and it didn't look too bad at first but burned horribly. My whole arm from my wrist to my shoulder hurt and the area just below my elbow started out with just a bunch of little tiny bumps. Today it looks like a strawberry and still burns really bad.<br /><br />I did start vomiting last night when we were on the boat, broke out in a sweat several times and experienced dizziness. I've been researching to see what it might have been and can't find anything that would leave this type of mark. The jumping spider is a possibility, but so are a whole lot of others.<br /><br />I checked the tree for brown recluse and found nothing. Does anyone have any idea what it might have been?

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Spider Bites

Hi LadyFish. I doubt is was a Brown Recluse as they usually are found along the ground and under fallen trees or brush. They also will leave a bullseye mark with an ulcer in the middle that starts out rather small and slowly expands if untreated. Acute pain is rarely seen with these bites. <br /><br />Your symptoms closely match that of a Black Widow bite. However, unless you experience chest tightness or difficulty breathing, there is no treatment. It will pass in a few days. We get lots of these bites here in AZ. We usually give Motrin or Tylenol for pain until it gets better. If it doesn't get better, have it checked out. The worst of it should be over though. Sorry to hear you're under the weather.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Spider Bites

Thanks Drowned Rat. I can't help but be a little paranoid, I've seen the after affects of a brown recluse. There isn't any swelling associated with my bite. The strawberry is about the size of a nichol and it is a little lighter in the center.<br /><br />I found a website with pics of a brown recluse bite and mine is close but not exactly the same. I will research Black Widow bites now.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Spider Bites

Would antihistamines do any good? They wouldn't help any pain but might help with the other symptoms esp if any of them are due to allergic reaction. I always take benedryl for bee stings. Minimizes the swelling.

 

[JB]

Re: Spider Bites

Hi, LF.<br /><br />I agree with DR. Sounds a lot like a black widow. . .right environment, right symptoms.<br /><br />Hurts like sin for a while, but rarely any worse than you have already experienced.<br /><br />I've been bitten twice but my symptoms weren't as bad as yours. I was bitten on my hand both times and probably outweigh you by a bunch.<br /><br />Hope you are better soon.

 

[Stratosfied]

Re: Spider Bites

Sorry to hear LadyFish, Hope you feel better really soon!

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Spider Bites

Thanks y'all.<br /><br />After further research, I think you are probably <br />right--it was a black widow. More than likely a female<br />due to the reaction I'm having.<br /><br />She probably bit me more than once.<br />I felt it happen but decided to continue <br />holding back the branch with my arm and deal with it <br />after I finished sawing. Benedryl will help and its <br />recommended for bites like this.<br /><br />I now have a bad case of Arachnophobia.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Spider Bites

Originally posted by LadyFish:<br /> I now have a bad case of Arachnophobia.

Yer sposed to get that b4 you get bitten!

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: Spider Bites

Dang spiders! we've got plenty of them around here,i've been bitten a few times, nothing as bad as your experience though, if the vomiting persists get it checked out.<br />spiders can be a menace, i hope that you feel better soon.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Spider Bites

when it comes to stuff like that,,i.e. unseen/unexplained,, i'd be in a medical institution at jump.. <br /><br />like i said before,, LF your a tuff ole' gal,, you can fight in my foxhole anyday..

 

[ehenry]

Re: Spider Bites

Ms Ladyfish, I've been bitten by both a Brown Recluse and a Black Widow. JB is correct in what he is saying. You've been through the worst of it. I'd see the doctor just to be on the safe side. Hope you get to feeling better.

 

[ED21]

Re: Spider Bites

A coworker got bit by a spider that resulted in a bacterial infection as well as the allergic reaction. A trip to the doctor may be in order.

 

[ChrisMcLaughlin]

Re: Spider Bites

Get well soon. I would hate to see you loose a finger or worse. I can only imagine what your typing would look like...

 

[JoeW]

Re: Spider Bites

Hmm,<br />Were the lemon tree sucker very big & shady? Black Widows usually like dark areas. We get them all the time around here. They like to lurk under shelfs in the garage & such. You can usually tell when your close to one because their webs are surprisingly strong. It's actually pretty rare for them to come out into the open without a web. <br /><br />There are all sorts of critters that could have caused that kind of bite.

 

[Bassy]

Re: Spider Bites

Sorry to hear about your experience. Hope you're feeling better.<br />Bassy

 

[wilkin250r]

Re: Spider Bites

Black widow in a tree is unlikely. They like dark and stagnant. I see them under woodpiles or in dark corners. I have NEVER seen a black widow in a tree, way to open for them.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Spider Bites

Its very bushy and shady at the bottom hence the reason for trimming.<br /><br />The joint pain, dizziness and nausea have subsided and right now the wound appears to be fading.<br /><br />I don't know for sure what it was, but I do know for sure I don't want to get bit by it again. And God forbid one of the kiddos gets bit. We will be treating the tree ASAP.<br /><br />Thanks for all your replys.

 

[Hooty]

Re: Spider Bites

I'm no expert either but if it was in a tree and painful as you described, I'd suspect an asp. They're tree dewellers and their sting is all ya need and then some. <br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[kd6nem]

Re: Spider Bites

I grew up in the middle of citrus orchards, and while we had plenty of widows we never saw any in the orchards. Some kind of spider lived in there cause I remember getting their webs in my face all the time when working in there. Hated that with a passion. Usually when it was 100 degrees or more, too. Scorpion? Guess it could be a widow, the canopy can be pretty thick. Just we never saw that. Tarantulas in our area wouldn't hurt as bad as you experienced. Whatever it was hope you get to feeling better very soon!

 

[Link]

Re: Spider Bites

Glad your feeling better LF! Spiders are ICKY!<br /><br />Not saying I have Arachnophobia or anything but in 93-94 we were selling Seaswirl boats and they had a runabout bow rider called the Spyder! My friend customed ordered one that did 70MPH and as bad as I wanted take it out, all them custom spiders on the seats just turned me off. They had the boat for 6 years and I never did drive or ride in it