necrosis

BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER BITE PAGE
I am pretty sure I just got bitten by this beast! All signs point to that and I discovered I had to go to google search boxes and get what I needed to know. The results have been nothing short of a miracle, but now I want to share my cure process with you all on one page, for your convenience. That is the purpose of creating this site!--"survivor"

After this part is done, I will go to what I posted on my group site, regarding my experience. But first, I want to share both some of the knowledge I acquired online with you and my experience. You will get part of it from what will be on here next, so will try not to repeat too much. The most important thing is to get YOU better, if you were actually bitten by one of these critters. They are big. Well, the one I saw was, but I understand from what I read that they vary in body size from 1/4" to 1/2", with the females bigger and the males slightly more toxic. They come in different shades of brown colors from light yellowish-tan to dark brown, but are all called the brown recluse and all species are equally venomous. The toxins in their bite actually kills tissue. You can't prevent all of this, but you can sure make the outcome better. This is serious. These spiders have a unique marking on their backs (topsides), and if you see the one that bit you or another one, they aren't hard to identify. Basically look for a big spider that isn't a black widow, with a fiddle shaped mark on it. They aren't real likely to attack humans unless they happen to crawl on you in your sleep, and you happen to roll over or something. Apparently they hide or sleep in the daytime, and if you confront them, they try to run away. But at night, they search for prey- not like the ones with webs and food already there. They have relatively small fangs, which I personally have not seen. The advice I found online is if you actually happen to see the one that bit you, try to kill it as "exhibit A" but don't mutilate it's corpse beyond recognition. You may need it. If it's fairly soon afterwards, put ice on it..on the bite, not necessarily on the dead spider.. You don't have to necessarily feel the bite, but when the pain kicks in - WOW! Try to remain immobile and keep it elevated. For painkiller, use acetaminophen. All site info recommended the doctor or the emergency room right away. They will most likely prescribe antibiotics and perhaps cortisone lotion. But it will have to run it's course. First it depends on where the brown recluse bite happened. A large fleshy place could be bigger and worse. It will first (and I'm going by both my experience and what I learned online), after the swelling and pain begins, become sort of a circular pattern, like bullseye, when it's all "settled in". Mine, on big toe and extended to foot some, had to remain in small area, so it first raised up and was all purple, esp the toe part, and in the circle. (At least that end of it.) Then the little white part popped up in the middle- that's the bite spot, and it's pus. The "pus pack" will begin to grow larger and outward into your circle. This is the miraculous part- THAT has not happened to me! Eventually, the final phase is supposed to be, if successfully treated, that only a SMALL part of your tissue will have been murdered, and you will hopefully end up with just a small scar. The other scenario could even involve skin grafts, and that is supposed to be the worst case scenario for SUCCESSFUL treatment. So we are talking a serious condition here. You will most likely have chills/fever, nausea, diarrhea, the bite spot will radiate heat, and all kinds of fun stuff! Also expect the probability of some dull headaches and/or restlessness. Don't wrap your bite in anything that doesn't "breathe", like plastic. That's dangerous to your flesh! Now, to move on to what to do. You know about antibiotics- all they will do is prevent an infection from coming later, along with these toxins. You know about the recommended painkillers. Now go for the garlic- (onions, too) - eat lots. Rub the crushed version on the bite. Slather on the DMSO, to suck this all in deeper. (Remember to be careful what synthetics and cosmetics you have on your body anywhere when using DMSO.) You're getting more sulphur/antibiotic effect. Get some MSM for the internal sulphur and take it orally. Get activated (the healthy kind, no brickettes, guys!) charcoal for your sick tummy and for your toxins. This is going to involve a health food store trip, and willingness to spend some money! No problem there, you are probably thinking! You need some echinacea, (online says preferably species angustifolia), internally at least, and some PAU D'ARCO- drink the tea and eat the herbs, and you can even use these ON your bite. You need some GOOD (high parts per million!) colloidal silver, and it is a MUST for both internal and external use. Now add melaleuca, or tea tree oil, to rub (sparingly, it's strong and the DMSO is going to suck it in!) on the bite. We're almost finished with the basics, then we will move on to a few other alternatives. You need bentonite clay, mixed with apple cider vinegar. Pile this on top and it will draw up and out the impurities. Then when it's dry, gently wash it off. ("Gently" is fairly unnecessary here!) Those are the basics. Here are the others- other tea tree products, like soap or lotion, plaintain herb (they didn't have any when I was supplying myself, but it was included as good, online), walnut oil or vitamin E oil to rub on, and I'm not sure what I'm forgetting here, but with these already listed, you should have WONDERFUL results, or at least better than other alternatives. Another suggestion is that it wouldn't hurt to take a decongestant like ephedrine or pseudoephedrine in case of additional edema developing.
I sure hope this helped you, and don't forget God and prayers in all of this. Please feel free to write me with your own brown recluse bite story, and I might even add it to this site. And, by the way, I understand that in the normal course of events, when either a doctor drains it or it drains itself, the pus is whitish-yellow and can contain blood. But hopefully our experiences will all exceed all of that. Expect to go through at least a 7-10 day total process with this, and that is under the BEST of conditions. ----from "Survivor" - -Here comes the post:

Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2002 Subject: Brown recluse spider bite toe progress update!

Hello! I have had an experience the last few days. My toe suddenly began to hurt, and I mean hurt! It wasn't swollen or discolored just yet, so I figured it was from a minor bump a few days earlier, although that really didn't make sense. Then the whole toe got swollen and purple. Then the purple formed a huge raised circular bump on top of the toe, leaving the end of the toe normal and the other side of the circle was my foot itself, which swelled and was purple, but not as dark or defined as the "toe" side of the circle. I was going online by now, for info, and got on antibiotics, besides using a few other natural cures. Kept hitting the same thing, that it was a brown recluse spider bite. As soon as I saw the picture and description of the spider, I knew I'd actually seen one outside my back patio door! It's not a spider you mistake for anything else! I wasn't thrilled at finding out what it all meant, but we weren't surprised the next day to see the white circle beginning to form in the center of the top of my big toe. That was to be expected. That's where the bite itself occurred. There's the background, here's the rest----
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2002 Subject: Brown recluse spider bite toe progress update!

Hi! Toe progress: I read a whole lot of internet accounts of brown recluse spider bite stories. There are a couple of men who have whole websites dedicated to their ongoing experience with having been bitten, and it's months later, and they are still having horrible battle. There was a near death in a old man, and some babies had terrible experiences. The antibiotics they prescribe do NOTHING for the bite, they just prevent secondary infection. I was extremely careful to do nothing except what I spent a long time online researching, in the natural realm. To make a long story short, I slept through the night last night, no pain pills, took my complete gamut of antibiotics and the purple is now a combination of a small red circular outline of a partial circle (part of the big swollen purple circle was on my toe, the rest had spread up my foot.) and regular toe color. In the middle of the partial circle is a while bump filled with some pus, and it hasn't gotten any bigger. There is still some pain around the edge of the circle that is now just red, and because I have been immobile most of the morning, I do expect it will all get slightly worse over the course of some daily activity. I have, since last night, slept and slept. Several hours before bedtime, all night, and then up a little this morning, then back to bed to read the paper and eat the breakfast Lee fixed for me (he always does that on Sunday morning) but afterwards fell asleep again, for a few more hours. Stomach got a little queasy- not bad- once, and the info I secured said to take activated charcoal (NOT charcoal briquette peice) pill, (or powder in water, I just happen to have the pills) for that, with brown recluse spider bite, so I did. I also have unwrapped the toe- no socks, just bare feet, and wasn't able to do that before, even slept barefoot for the first time in many nights. No fear of bumping toe, no worry about what position to sleep in! It's still slightly warm, but not much, and before it was warm- a few days ago even hot to the touch (and you really couldn't much touch it - that hurt then!) Anyway, according to all internet accounts, if it was a brown recluse spider bite, that is miraculous. It is such a success story, as to be a rare exception! Lee and I are still both around 99% certain it is just that, partly because the recluse spider is unmistakable, and I did see one. (He found a black widow in the laundry room today, too) But mostly because I looked and looked online, and everything I found from the descriptions I kept putting in google search kept coming back to that and nothing else. Prayers helped too. God is SO GOOD to me! I may get the extreme, exotic stuff- makes for great storytelling later- but I also sure get to see the hand of God. The toe is still not 100% back to normal yet, in fact, far from it, but making THAT MUCH progress, considering it's a necrotizing toxin that is supposed to take WAY longer and lots more pain to run it's course, and I didn't even use a doctor. All accounts said to go to emergency room immediately with these symptoms, so again, the almost $80 we spent on online recommended products for it was money best spent, and now we still have our valuable little natural medicine cabinet! Lee and I looked at the difference in my toe this morning and both "ooowed" and "awwwed"- better for me than the fourth of July! There, guess that about covers it!

IT IS NOW ONLY A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER AND THE BITE IS DOING SO WELL THAT THERE'S NO DOUBT THIS REMEDY WORKED FOR ME!!

Remember I'm not trying to make any claims or promises, just relaying what is hopefully some helpful information for anyone else who has been bitten by the brown recluse spider. I am not a professional in this area. HOMEPAGE

Now, at a few weeks later (7/24/02) I had one tiny sore spot yesterday that got a little red and had re-erupted (a "recluse relapse"?), which I understand
can happen with these bites, but I "babied" it with treatment, and it's much improved today. It hadn't been bad before yesterday, either.

LETTERS FROM OTHERS:

From: Stacegang@aol.com
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 00:39:58 EDT
Subject: (no subject)
To: recluse_spider_bite@yahoo.com

Thanks for the spider info. We are not sure but the doctors think this
is
what just happened to my Mom. She has surgery 2 days ago and is still
in the
hospital. Are these common in Minnesota?

Thanks again

Katie

From: PanoDyne@aol.com Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 02:26:30 EDT Subject: "Fiddle-Back" fear! To: recluse_spider_bite@yahoo.com Hello. As I sit here at my computer looking over your web site, I can't help but feel every little hair on my body as they slowly move one by one, and pictures of spiders crawling on me flash through my mind. I've just moved into an old house, or "Huge spiders nest," as I like to call it. I've had experiences with the all to famous Brown Recluse spider in the past so I know what they look like. I just want to know how to get rid of them!!! Just last month I was awaken by something running across my head. As I quickly sat up I felt it run down the back of my neck, down my back, around my left arm and across my chest, before I had a chance to take even one breath. Between screaming like a little girl and beating myself to death I managed to hit the lights and see a balled up fiddle-back on my sheets. That's when my obsession began. Every night since then has been hell. I can't sleep. I've pulled my bed away from the walls, I've got those little insect glue pad all around. A cloud of boric acid stirs up every time I get into bed and I even bought one of those noise boxes that sends off a high pitch sound the supposed to drive away mice spiders and most insects. But, Just last night, after all the work I've done trying to build this spider proof fortress for myself. I awaken ... at 4:40am... Mr. Super Spider has somehow flown his crazy spider ass across the sticky glue fields, through the clouds of acid dust, and had overcome the high pitch screeching of a little white box beside me, and has make his way onto my bed. Quickly I hit the lights in amazement, thinking to myself, " He's here to kill me." I see him on my pillow. So, I grab a small jar on my night stand that seconds earlier had pennies in it, but now holds our "courageous soldier of war." I really don't know what to do with him. I don't just want to kill him. I want to hurt him. Hurt him for all the sleepless nights I've had. For all the time I've spent shaking out my shoes and clothes. For all the times I've scanned the shower before I step in or checked under the toilet seat, twice, before sitting down!! IT WAS PAYBACK TIME! I grabbed a CD cover I had sitting on my computer desk and slid it under the jar carefully tying not to break his small fragile legs. (you have to remember, it's now almost five in the morning and I'm about to start a torture and execution on a spider) I grab a small pinch of boric acid that was piled up in the corner and click it under the jar. As I watch him try to dodge the acid dust it really look as if he's wiping his eyes and coughing. Then I slide him over to one of the many glue pads beside my bed. I slowly slide the jar over it and remove the CD cover. When I feel that he had successfully locked all his "spider-toes" into the depths of the glue, I remove the jar. Now it is just me and him. One on one. Well, except for the fact that he is now dazed with poison and stuck in glue. I watch him struggle to free his legs, one by one. This goes on for at least 30 minutes. By this time I've gone to the kitchen to get myself something to drink. When I get back he had somehow made his way to the edge of the pad and was working on freeing his last two legs. And just to give him some sort of satisfaction, I let him free himself and walk (stumble) around a bit before I scoop him up in the jar and place him for dead in my freezer, where he still is almost twenty hours later. I am still awake. It's almost 1:30am. I'm afraid to get back into bed. The whole purpose of me emailing you was to see if you knew of any ways to get rid of this burden we have. If you have any information please feel free to respond. Thanks, PanoDyne

Sat. September 7, 2002- Hi Katie and PanoDyne! Good getting your letters, not good what you are going through with this recluse beast. The encouraging news from the vantage point of my big toe- it's not as "normal" as it was in the pre-bite days, but pretty close! No more flair-ups. Horrible about your Mom, Katie- I don't know but from what I've read, I think they are common in Minnesota. They thrive in about all weather conditions. I guess their webs aren't really meant to trap prey as much as some others spiders are, and aren't as neat in design, and in the winter, they spin the web in a way that it actually wraps them up and they can "hibernate" until they want to come out and do their damage again! PanoDyne, that's a horrible, scary experience you had! And yes, once you've seen one, esp in your bed like that (where the one that bit my toe most likely was, too), you don't quite get over the fear. They hide in wooden bed frames and bedding, etc., and after my experience, we got the supposedly "safe to humans" bug sprays and also the less safe stuff for less direct contact, and I look before I leap! (Into bed, that is!) You will think that the ugly critter is crawling on you in the dark, and although logically you know NOT to swat at it or roll on it, that's impossible. So if you find yourself either thinking or knowing something is actually there, at least in my case, I try to make a fatal blow to whatever might be there. It's HARD not to think about it once you've either seen one or been bitten by one. Wish I could reassure you more, but I gather that where there's one, there's likely to be more. Bummer! Glad you didn't get bitten! My cousin in Texas not only got bitten on the thigh by one (He's my first cousin's son, and he has an old race car that sat awhile and it got filled with hundreds of baby recluse spiders- so he has the same problem you do!) It's amazing, after my story, how many victims of these bites have "come out of the woodwork" and shared their stories or the stories of their relatives' bites. My neighbor's daughter was bitten here in Wyoming, and it's always fairly serious; makes my story fairly minor by comparison. That's why I'm trying to help others, so they can have as "minor" an aftermath as I have! I will "fess up" on one aspect, however. Although I did the natural cure regimen, I had antibiotics on hand, and as soon as my parents knew about my bite, my mother quickly shipped some heavy-duty kind to me and made me promise to take them all, and I did. I did not see a doctor, and I immediately got online and learned all of the info I am giving you here on this site, but I didn't exactly mess around with this beast's bite, either! Thanks for your letters, and Katie, I hope your Mom is doing OK now, and PanoDyne, I hope you figured out to the best of your ability how to rid your house and bed of them and are sleeping better at night. God bless you. ---"Survivor"

From: Guitarchick8706@aol.com
Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 12:53:55 EDT
Subject: Hi I was bitten
To: recluse_spider_bite@yahoo.com

Hi Survivor,
My name is Paige. I am 14 and I was bitten. At first I thought the
bite
was a scab because that is what it looked like. The it began to grow.
It is
only 3 or so cm. across now. And there is a dot in the middle. I have
had the
bite for 2 or 3 days now. But the one thing I wanted to ask is.... Does
the
spider die after he bites you??? because .... I was in my room this
morning (
remember i have had the bite for 2 or 3 days ) and I was picking up
clothes
and I reached down to pick up a shirt and there he was. On my white
shirt on
the floor. He was dead but had not been squished or anything he just
died., I
saw him and started screaming and crying because after thinking about
that
spider in my bed I am TERRIFIED of them. Well I am in the dead center
of the
spider bite phase and I am on antibiotics and I am using the cream but
If the
bite is not smaller in 3 days the doc said it will have to be cut out.
All I
can ask is that you pray for me because I am so worried. Well I loved
your
page keep up the good work
~Paige~

Hi Paige! This time of year, August and now September, must really be "big bite" time- you'd think they were trying to store up for the winter, although apparently they don't really bite people on purpose. I have my own suspicions about THAT, however. First of all, Paige, don't panic! I'm not so sure about a doctor that says he's going to cut it out in three days! I am assuming you have parents watching out for you too. I did a lot of reading online, as I am sure you are doing, too! Generally, when it's a recluse spider bite, and yours sounds like it might be- the thing that throws me here is the "scab" part. But mine started to hurt (really hurt!) before it even formed any signs or marks, so I guess anything is possible appearance-wise, early on. You will definitely have that circle, whether clearly defined or not, and the little pus pack forming dead center. The clear definition partly depends on WHERE the spider bit you. The bigger the area the circle has, the less it has to be clearly defined around the edge. Anyway, I bet by now you have a real good idea if it truly is a recluse bite. Doctors, at least from what I've been reading, don't cut it this soon. That would come MUCH later, and only if necessary. I don't like to undermine the doc, but hey, Paige, it's YOUR body, and be sure to do the NATURAL stuff that is on here. Hopefully, you can afford to buy it. It's all important, because just the antibiotics and the cream, from most of what I've heard, don't necessarily provide complete cure of the bite. As far as the beast - and they are BEASTS - suffering (GOOD!) and dying, my guess is that you might have injured it, even if it didn't look like it. Or it was on it's last legs, anyway. They don't necessarily die just from biting you. You hang in there, Paige, and take good care of yourself and your bite. It will run it's course for the next week or two, at least, and I'm real sorry you, too, were bitten. Thanks for writing, and please do write later and let us all know how it goes!-"Survivor"- P.S. You can't even tell I was bitten when you look at my big toe, and you, too, are starting your treatment EARLY, so you have a lot going in your favor! (Don't let the doctor do something YOU don't want!!)
I must add, however, that since you are 14, let your Mom and/or Dad help you decide on this, too.

September - FRIDAY THE 13TH- This site is getting enough hits that I decided it's important to add something else that might be helpful in treatment of bites. First of all, something I didn't mention about my own aftermath is that my big toe had started shedding it's skin after a point (bite was pretty well healed by then), and I simply peeled off the whole top skin, leaving the "old" skin originally on the bottom of my toe, which wasn't effected. Don't worry, it all takes care of itself-
not like you run around "skinless" afterwards. (I used petroleum based animal balm- for cow's udders!- on it after that.) Back to the original bite treatment- The other important factor is the "medicine" cabinet's most essential element, I believe, is the TEA TREE OIL. If you get NOTHING ELSE mentioned above, the tea tree oil (Melaleuca) is the one I would pick and choose above all the others, and you actually FEEL the relief from it! The NEXT in order of importance, I would venture to guess, is the powdered bentonite clay mixed with the apple cider vinegar. Do this procedure- piling it on the brown recluse spider bite - fairly frequently, allowing it to dry and gently wiping it off, to draw out the impurities and the venom. ---"Survivor"

OK, NOW WHAT ABOUT HOW TO KEEP THEM AWAY AT NIGHT? (Again, no promises, I'm just telling my own experiences and online information)

It is now April 23, 2003 and I have discovered the amount of hits I am getting is escalating. Lots today. The page sort of "hibernated" for the winter, but sadly the little beasties are coming out of the woodwork, so to speak. Anyway, decided to do an update of sorts- what to do to keep from being bitten! By the way, I will tell you that my toe is not "normal" in the sense of the good old "pre-bite" days, but is mostly good. When I do get twinges and such, I just grab the jar of clay powder with the apple cider vinegar added, pile it on top, let it dry, then rinse it off and rub on some tea tree oil. Works like a charm. Ok, now moving on- last night I ventured down to our sort of uninhabited recesses of a downstairs. Sort of a carpeted basement with stuff stored, etc., and there is a hole that bug critters come into the house from. Lee (my husband) sprayed it a few weeks ago, since spring in Wyoming has sprung! This hole is located at the foot of the stairs. Well, I spotted a few dead bugs- a couple of them large curled into a ball probably spiders. In fact, I think the worst now, so thought "brown recluse". Well, lo and behold, I got inside the room and turned around and what to my wondering eyes did appear but a LIVE BROWN RECLUSE! Yikes! Large, too. Figured female because it was big- males, remember, are slightly smaller and slightly more toxic. She was beautiful, but I have no love for her or any of her kin. She was the same color and basically marking as the one I saw right outside last summer before being bitten. She didn't move, and I ran upstairs yelling for Lee, the husband- hence, magnificent spider killing mechanism. Told him, so he grabbed the killer bug spray and launched into his mission. I was at the top of the stairs, directing him, and sure enough, he spotted the ill-fated monster! He got her a good one! She curled up into a ball, deader than a doornail at last report. Lee got a good look at her, too. So we discussed markings and such. I did not sleep well last night- kept imagining at every turn that I had one either crawling on me or biting me. In my mind, we were not alone! So first chance I got I looked up online how to keep them off and away, without having to use pesticides that are dangerous to us. Found out mothballs aren't bad, and some kind of "stickum" that keeps them immobilized. Suppose you could utilize that duct tape the "homeland security" people had us all buy some weeks back. If you are creative and could stick it along baseboards, by the bed and windows. But I found my personal favorite. Apparently they are repelled, along with all bugs and especially spiders, by certain lemony oils and fragrances. And eucalyptus. There is actually a natural insect repellent you can buy online that contains these two ingredients. But I discovered LEMON PLEDGE - sprayed all around and in bedding, etc., supposedly does the trick. So I went out shopping this morning- discovered lemon Endust - same thing - was slightly cheaper. So bought a couple of cans and sprayed when I got home- bedding, curtains, window frames, clothes stored downstairs, you name it. Our whole house smelled like lemons. (It might still- could be basking in the aroma of lemon fragrance by now and not know.) Then later today, I wanted to know if I could spray it on ME when I go to bed. I already know that they venture out at night to feed, and they have sloppily made webs that they don't use for prey catching and eating (or even to live in, as far as I know), like normal spiders do! I know they are FAST- so glad Lee was able to intercept and kill! I think she must still have been rubbing her ugly six little eyeballs for coming in out of the cold. (It was raining and cold last night- yay! we need the rain!) I guess most spiders have eight eyes? I saw pictures of the brown recluse eye status, and I think it showed two pairs of two (four) on her, and it's considered another pair of "eyes" on her front legs.(So you can identify the brown recluse by her number of "peepers") But I don't think anyone with any brains is ever going to get close enough to look. Certanly not going to grab a camera, and say "Smile"! Which reminds me, the two we've encountered have beautiful coloring- much classier than most you see in pics online, and I did see that it's more specific to Wyoming, Montana and Nebraska. So at least we have classy monsters here- kill them ALL, I say! Anyway, back to the Lemon Endust. No ingredients listed. So I turned to the internet info. Found out that both Pledge and Endust don't list ingredients. Couldn't find them listed there either. Did see a site that indicated it's ok to spray it onto skin as repellent, and that it (esp. if mixed with eucalyptus) keeps the biters away! So I decided to call the 800 number listed on can. Well, the recording said they only answer weekdays before 5:30 eastern time. Too late. I want to get this update on here for you NOW, however, because I'd want to know if I didn't know already! Hey, makes sense to me. I think I will sleep soundly tonight- good old lemon dusting spray to the rescue! And if it'd make you feel even better, put some mothballs under or around your mattress. Oh, yeah, one more bit of bad news- I read that (even though they are "recluses") that the momma produces about 50 at a time!YUCKY!From "Survivor"again, about nine & a half months later. -Now it's April 24 and I DID get through to Louise at Endust. Interesting, they are "Sarah Lee" Household and Body Care- does that mean they get lemons for both pies and spider repellents in the form of dusting spray? I proceeded to launch into my quest for discovering ingredients. Louise held her ground with me, however. All I could get was "Citrus Oils" and "Cleaning Fluid Solution is Proprietory" - I asked for translation. It means secret formula, ain't telling! So I came at Louise from the angle of safety to personal body parts, i.e. skin. Louise assured me that if any allergic reaction occurs that the person should call the 800 number on the can for assistance. So I asked her again about spraying it on and around your sleeping selves, and we both ended up discussing how you must be careful these days about advocating anything as acceptable. Smart woman, that Louise. Give her a raise, Endust! So there you have it. I did tell Louise about my plight and ploy, and what would be done with the info she relayed, along with the URL of this site. I asked her about using her name, and you can probably guess what her answer is. (Yes) She did not seem surprised at the assertion that the product is advocated as insect repellent- something else reassuring. And I did sleep better last night, as I inhaled the sweet smell of lemon. Sort of a 'Ha, Ha, I'll show you bugs' kind of mentality. Sweet dreams!
--Later discovery- the lemon Endust or Pledge is best sprayed not directly on body or where you breathe! --

MORE LETTERS FROM OTHERS

CLOUDBEAR69@aol.com Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 Subject: recent bite victim                                                    i was recently bitten by a fiddleback and was wondering if it was normal to feel tired a lot (a low energy level) . your help would be greatly appreaciated .                                  shawn neice jones oklahoma --and I replied:
Hi! Hope you are recovering nicely. Yes, I was tired and "drug out" after my bite. It drains you= takes a lot out of you. I wasn't totally aware of just how draggy I was, but had that confirmed by husband.Thanks for writing, and let me know how the healing goes. -"Survivor" - To which I got back from Shawn: Thank you for your help and reply it took me awhile to find a doctor at the VA hospital who was familiar with brs bites I went in at 6:30 am and they finally did a debridment at 5:30 PM it is healing now I'm on pain meds which I'm sure as you know don't help much. Especially when the wound is being repacked every night. But luckily my girlfriend's a nurse of 15 plus years and has done these type of things before. I'm hoping they won't have to remove anymore on my next visit so far it looks much better though.                                        thanks for all your help                                                Shawn Lee Neice                                                     Jones Oklahoma
Date: Fri, 9 May 2003
From: "Shirley Richardson" <deeratpond@yahoo.com
Subject: My recent BRS bite!!
Hello,    I have enjoyed reading your website regarding your Brown Recluse Spider bite.    I was bitten a few weeks ago in FL, around mid April.   Not sure exactly where I was, but I began to get real burning pain around my right ring finger... It began to burn and started swelling immediately.   I did manage to work my ring off.... within a few days, my ring finger looked like I had a 3rd degree burn....my entire hand was very swollen, and other sores began to appear.   I went to a Dr. at a quick care facility in Ocala, FL.   He mentioned about a Recluse Spider.... I didn't have a clue.    He prescribed 3 days of Prednisone, and a 10 day antibiotic treatment.... which he felt would "take care of it"    After 10 days, my whole hand was infected... and started to blister all over!!   I went to the same quick care, only different Dr.   He changed the antibiotic.... and I told him I was headed home to Maine.    He wrapped my hand...and told me to keep this on as it would stop the spread of infection.      To say this has been a nightmare is an understatement.   My hand looks like I had a 3rd degree burn.   It also spread over to my other hand.... and all my fingers are cracked & open.    One Dr. suggested that I soak my hands in Epsom Salt and luke warm water, but NO WAY!!     They burned for hours after.        I never saw a spider... but the Drs. all agree that my hands all resemble that of a Brown Recluse Spider bite.   The skin is all peeling off, and is very coarse.   I have huge sores breaking out everywhere.    Oh, on our trip home from FL last week, my hand was dripping with fluid....a brownish fluid.    Dr. here in Maine thinks the poison was draining out.   The problem I have is living in the Northeast, not many Drs are familiar with this type of bite.     They found my injury "intriquing" but weren't sure what to do!!     I have been to emergency room twice.... and all blood tests were negative... the venom didn't get into my blood stream.        Thanks so much for the great website.... and if you can offer any good advice...PLEASE SHARE!! Thank You,Shirley Richardson......Limington, Maine                                                                                           My Reply: Hi, Shirley! I just went to my "brown recluse" email box and found your sad story. You DO sound like you got a brown recluse spider bite, and in a BAD place. To soak in epsom salt and lukewarm water follows NO ADVICE I have seen. In fact, the ice cold early on is recommended. Sounds, like you stated, that the doctors didn't really know much. You are very blessed if your bite is on the way to your recovery. I was talking to a friend of mine here in town the other day who is a nurse. I hadn't told her about my bite, and SHE brought up the horrors of brown recluse spider bites. She was telling me how one man they treated almost lost his leg. And the bites are common here, so presumably they know what to do- perhaps he waited until long after he was bitten to get there. It blew my nurse friend's mind when I told her what happened to me, and about my website. Anyway, I truly hope you are doing well now.I am doing great, and although I did take the antibiotics (that I didn't have to see a doctor for a prescription to secure) - the rest was the self-treatment program, and I am apparently doing LOTS better than most who see doctors. I have not heard of a test for the venom- maybe the test does exist, but generally I don't even think that's part of the procedure. Thanks, Shirley, and please keep me updated on how you are doing. --"Survivor"                                                                                                     To which Poor Bite Tormented Shirl wrote back: Hi,     Well, I called my Dr. for a referral to a dermatolgist.   Well, he wants to see me in the morning (Thurs)   Not sure how much good that will do, but if he can't help me out, then I will call a dermatolgist MYSELF!!This past weekend....Memorial Day has been awful. My hand began swelling again, and started to crack open all over my finger joints.... It is so darn painful!!   I kept a lot of ice on it, which has helped a lot.       I'm having some real problems sleeping...which sounds weird. I've never had a fear of spiders, but find I wake up a lot 'thinking" there might be a recluse on our bed. I haven't stayed in camper since we got home from FL.... we did change all the bedding...and cleaned out the closet. I've even gone out at dark and flipped the lights on, thinking I may see one!!   I'm not even sure that I was bit inside the camper...which I don't think I was. I believe it was outside at night... probably picking up doggie poop... Another possibility is at the pool at the Campground. There were umbrellas at the tables, and my husband opened up one and about 6 spiders tumbled out onto the tables. We didn't pay much attention and just brushed them off.... they looked dead to me anyway!!    Well, now I have been checking everywhere.... esp. inside the camper!!   It sounds weird, but I keep waking up at night... being 1/2 asleep and have thoughts about spiders.      Have you ever had super glue stuck all over your fingers? That's how mine feel all the time!!   They feel so tight.... and like something is squeezing them. It's really strange!!    Thanks for your nice email and I will let you know about my Dr. appt.I don't look for a miracle cure...   Thanks again,Shirl ----------                          By the way, Shirl, that "super glue" strange feel is a part of the process. --"Survivor" -----------------------------------------Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 From: "spidermn" - Subject: Fangs -Greetings, I am one of the few brown recluse experts in the country. I am the ONLY person who does what I do. I am a population geneticist and population biologist. My research focuses on both urban and natural populations of brown recluse to see how humans have changed both the natural range, the genetics, and demography of populations. Someone just sent me your website address and I thought I would write to you...I have a series of websites dedicated to public education, providing infomation on biology, behavior, feeding, movements through houses, etc. of these little beasts. One of the very first people on your site ( I cannot tell if it is you or someone else) said that they have never seen the fangs before...There are pictures on my website under the pain prevention page if interested. I request that you do not post this message, but you can give information about my website if you wish. The website also has a lot of answers people are looking for Public education is at the heart of my research. I want people to understand instead of being struck with fear....Thanks -p.s. For the record, over 80% of reported brown recluse bites turn out to be something else, and most of the time something else that is much worse, such as Staphylococcus infection, Streptococcus 'flesh-eating' bacterial infection, Lyme disease, herpes simplex, diabetic ulcer, or bites from bedbugs, mites, ticks, small wasps, biting flies, or other spiders. People need to know that every bite isn't a brown recluse bite. Doctors cannot be 100% sure of a diagnosis without a spider..Even then, doctors misidentify brown recluse spiders 55% of the time. People need to understand that brown recluse bites are serious, but Lyme disease, herpes simplex, and Streptococcus infections can be much much worse, but go undiagnosed because of idiopathic wounds.... http://www.recluseproject.ku.edu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~My reply:
Hello, It was great going to my 'recluse bite' email address and finding your email. You sound quite knowledgeable- Thanks so much for the educated and interesting information. --"Survivor" -----------------------------By the way, to all reading this site, I'd hate to think I had flesh eating bacteria or lyme disease, or any of the rest of that list! Almost makes me thankful for the horrors of being in the 20% of recluse spider victims- still MY claim! -"Survivor"--P.S. I just now, as I was rereading this last email after posting it to this website, saw the part about NOT posting it. So I took out a portion but left lots more than you probably would have liked for me to. Hope that's ok with you. Thanks again for all of the helpful info, and to Shawn and Shirley, best wishes.
June 25, 2003--                                                                               For more letters from others, go to www.oocities.org/recluse_spider_bite/night_vision.html
(and these will contain yet more educational, helpful info, too! )