hobo spider bite :(

[indigowulf]

So, Im pretty sure I got bit by a hobo spider at some point yesterday. I felt something on my skin and tried to wipe it off, thinking it was a bit of food or something. When I felt that it wasnt wiping off, I looked, and saw a blister. No pain whatsoever. Roommate suggested ingrown hair, but ive had those and this is not one.

Im kinda worried cuz I know how much damage they can do. However, I also know what to do for them. Basically, until/unless there is a secondary infection, or the need of a skin graft arises, there isnt much the doctors can do.

Me stressing about it wont help anything, so I decided Id change my mindset about it and make it interesting, because stress raises bloodpressure and can actually spread the toxin farther and faster. So, its a conversation topic now lol.

If anyone wants to watch progress, Im keeping a daily photo log, including how I feel each day. I dont know if it will ever get icky. If it does, Ill post a warning.

http://s772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/adoptablehaven/xxunrelated/Spiderbitelog/

[red_uni387]

yikes it look horrible! *snuggles* hopefully it'll go down <3 is there anything you can put on it? ice? cream?

[Poupou]

Ouch! I really hope you will be okay!! 

[indigowulf]

Im keeping a full log of everything that happens with it on the link above. Including anything I put on it, just in case a doc wants to know. So far just basic disinfectant/topical pain killer stuff.

It didnt hurt at all until the blister broke. Then it felt like someone stuck a lit cig to my leg. Now that its broke, theres a lot of pain, but not as bad as the moment it broke. Got a bactine pain relief/disinfecting spray for it, helps a lot.

Im hoping if I chronicle every step of the way, it will help someone else later. Appearantly little is actually known about hobo bites, because they are often misdiagnosed as another spider, ingrown hair, or even shingles, until the necrosis sets in. *shrug* I know what I have in my area.

[Poupou]

Yikes.. necrosis?  Isn't that.. bad?    You're sure it wouldn't be a good idea to go see the doctor?  It's clearly not improving from what I can see...

[Aya]

I would go see a docter as soon as possible something like that can get realy bad for example this can happen

This is what can happen in only 10 days

WARNING this is not somthing for the faintharted to look at as it is not a nice site
http://declubz.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/spider-bite.jpg

[PonyMama]

I would still go see a doctor so they are at least aware of it, and may be able to help you figure on something that could go on it.  Other then that, it looks icky but not too bad, let us just hope that it doesn't start to look worse.  But at least it is still mostly red and not entirely dark and trying to decay and kill your healthy skin. 
Here's hoping it starts to get better, instead of worse

[indigowulf]

Im really hopefull that I misdiagnosed it, and it was some kind of lesser spider that bit me. It looks so much better this morning. I dont discourage spiders from living inside my house, because rival spiders are the best defense against hobos. We did have a nest of common spiders of some sort hatch in the corner of our ceiling. Maybe it was one of those, and this bump is no more bother then a beesting would be. I really wouldnt mind saying "I was wrong" if it means this just goes away

(im not sure what kind of spiders were in the nest.. it was white on white and I didnt notice it til it hatched. Because it was on the ceiling I know it wasnt hobo, so I didnt freak out.)

[PonyMama]

it does look a ton better.
I wonder if maybe because the blister popped so soon that could be why it never got worse.  Either way lets hope it continues to heal and get better.

[JBGarrison72]

Yay, not ulcerating! 

[indigowulf]

Hi fean! Everyone, feel free to call him Feany-pie-head! I do!
*snuggles*

[JBGarrison72]

Chocolate Fean Pie, mmmm mmmm. 

[indigowulf]

The hell? exact same bite, exact same spot, just noticed it today, was not there 15 minutes ago. Either I have a spider-bullseye on that kinda hard to reach spot, or the venom never left my system and is resurfacing months later. I hate this!!!

getting new pics to update.

there, got 2 pics from today, one up close 1 with my thumb in it to show size. This is SO frustrating!

http://s772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/adoptablehaven/xxunrelated/Spiderbitelog/

[indigowulf]

Hmm. It seems this kind of thing is not uncommon. Here is a quote from 1 persons experience:

The computer showed A HIGH CONCENTRATION of venom still in my system. Well, actually, what it showed was my body needed to have the remedy to push the spider venom out in order to operate at maximum efficiency. This spider bite was still causing big stuff after 5 months. She made my drops and I headed home so I could eat a little something and lay down.

Since then, I have spoken to 3 people who have had friends who have had wounds open up yearly for the past 6 years, people who have spontaneous nose bleeds years later, stroke vicitms, and worse. This is serious stuff, folks.

and another:

A spider was camped in my sock. A half hour after wearing the sock, I was bitten on a toe. There was a burning-like pain and redness. the next morning, it was still painful and water blisters formed at the bite site. After the blister was drained blistered skin was sloughed off and a new blister formed. I could not wear shoes for two weeks. After a month I had a "relapse" with the usual pain and a new blister formed.

[Goddesss]

Wow that is insane.  Are you going to see a DR.  I hope it goes away.

[indigowulf]

Another, which I have not included the photos for,

Brown Recluse bite wounds are known for returning even after it appears to have completely healed. One possible trigger of the recurrence is a bruise, scratch or other lesion near the previously wounded area. The wound can erupt in the same location as the original bite or in another area. The wounds can recur on a yearly cycle near the time of the year when the original bite occurred.

It is believed that wounds return because the venom is still underneath the skin. Below are photographs sent to us from Cora Rich of Scott County, TN. She has a recurring bite wound in its 10th year of recurrence.

I have a feeling mine came back this time because I got an ear infection, which came with a fever for a couple days. Odds are the fever agrivated it into coming back.

The bad part is, since the venom is there, the only thing a doc can do is give me antibiotics every year around the time I got bit, or *dig out the flesh* in the area of the bite, to ensure all the venom is gone, and skin graft over the wound.

I think I would rather get a blister every year

[Goddesss]

Ummmm yea blister sounds better.

[indigowulf]

yikes, its growing really fast this time. Within an hour and a half of me first noticing that it is back, it has grown to the size it was on day 3 of last time!

First bite, first noticed it (when I woke in the morning) this is the last time around:


day 2:


later day 2, blister popped. icky:


day 3, dry, hurt like the dickens:


day 4-6: dry and granulating, starting to heal:


day 7- dead skin on edges fell off, it looked much better and barely hurt. I figured I got lucky.:


2:00 today, 9 months after first bite, just noticed it:


2 hours later, grown to the biggest it was last time already:

[indigowulf]

Got tired of taking progress pics with camera on phone, then remembered DUH I have a webcam now! Have a vid of the bite thats a lot better quality, you can see it. Warning- GROSS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2slkeHvpKuM

[bewilderness]

omg, I hope it gets better soon.

[springacres]

eww... not good, not good at all.  :/

[indigowulf]

It popped while I was sleeping. I expected that, and also expected the pain that woke me up. This time wasnt as bad as last though, didnt feel like a lit cig on my leg, more like a beesting.

Ive got 2 more vids up, making vid log of its progress. The most recent one looks horrid, but its taken in kinda low light, my skin isnt really turning grey

[Poupou]

Eewwww eww ewww ewwww!!! Omg that looks so painful!!! 

I'm so sorry indigo, this really sucks!  I didn't know it could come back.. my gosh, how freaky! D:  I hope I'll never encounter such a thing in my life, I think I might die from a heart attack.

[indigowulf]

My roommate got me this cream whose main ingrediants are petrolatum and ichthammol. I never heard of either before (although obviously the first is a crude oil base product) but it makes it not hurt, covers it against external contamination, and helps with swelling.

It does smell like Im rubbing motor oil on it, but it helps a lot. I suspect it will be closed up within a week, if last time is anything to go on. Pain in the butt though, I cant go out in public til then, because of where it is, I cant wear clothes over it!

[springacres]

Petrolatum is a generic name for Vaseline.  Not sure what ichthammol is.

[indigowulf]

i decided to look it up.

Also called black drawing salve, ichthammol salve contains derivatives of sulfur-rich shale, mixed into a paraffin or beeswax base, to create a skin preparation. Used for decades on humans and animals alike, it's widely considered a safe topical treatment for minor wounds. A recent paper published by the European Medicines Agency reports that it is safe to use on animals intended for food consumption. Drugs online medical information resource reports no known side effects, although infrequently, people report skin irritation as a side effect of using ichthammol salve.

Ichthammol salve provides many benefits. According to Prescription Drug Info, ichthammol provides antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal action.

for spider bites specificly:

Ichthammol salve draws out the spider poison. Apply salve to the middle of the bite area, cover with a bandage, and check it again in 12 hours. Apply more salve if necessary. Swelling should go down quickly and any itching or irritation from the bite should decrease.

[springacres]

Ah, I thought the term ichthammol sounded familiar.  I've heard of that stuff actually.  Hope it works to draw out the venom, or at least some of it, so you can feel better soon.