Readers Respond: Sounding Off About Spider Bites

Got a bite? Did you go to the ER? Did your doc diagnose you correctly? Share your stories with other About.com readers here and read how others have been affected.

never touch a spider

i got bit when i was 4 i woke up in bed ad then he/she bit me :(

—Guest paige

spider bite on back of thigh

It started of with red welt that itched. The next day it was a cluster of small blisters. I have no energy. I have not seen doctor yet

—Guest Karen

Evil spider!!

A spider crawled ontop of my head when I was putting on my make-up. I didn't realize until it jumped onto my face... It was quite big.. After it happened there was a quite small reddish mark on my face, and what looked like fang marks... Really itchy and painful

—Guest :)

Don't know anything

It was the time of night i went to kitchen to put my plates in the sink and my one hand touched the wall and then i felt very cold on my hand like some cool liquid flowing on my hand then i looked at my hand there was water like thing, then i looked at the wall and there was one spider i was scared because i heard that some spiders sends out liquid from their body which results in big black spots/boils on skin some says toilet of spider and some says blood of spider but then i quickly washed my hands 10 times or maybe more with soap and then i used dettol on it because i thought dettol will stop it. Now i am waiting for tomorrow to know if i survived or i got hunted by spider.

—Guest Leon Shin

Tired of getting bit

I have the same I have had three bites all on the same leg It is hard hot Swollen and really painful I'm not sure if it is a spider bite but it sounds the same as sOme of the descriptions on this site my doctor prescribed me fluxocillin which is a anti biotic cOntaining penecillin but the bites seem to just randomly cOme up I will give you more information if I Find out way it is

—Guest Felix

Infuriated

I think a spider bit me cause I went to bed and woke up my foot was hurting out of nowhere, thought I slept wrong but that wasn't the case and a week later it's swelling and now I can barely step on it...

—Guest Tank

Oh my God

I had had a long day, had picked some clippings from a friends backyard. when about four hours later, sitting at my desk my right foot at the ankle suddenly hurt, undoing my sandle and standing up, I cried out. I was unable to walk on that foot. Getting to the couch I was amazed, then horrified, as I watched my foot swell from ankle to the toes, then began towards my calf and knee. My left foot began to swell but not much. 15 min later my right leg was swollen from toes to knee. The Left foot stayed the same. I called emergeny hospital, couldn't give advice. I had no clue what was going on. Just that this swelling was gunfire rapid, extremely tender at ankle, hurt, couldn't walk and seemed to affect both andles. Would the swelling travel to my heart? I called 911, an ambulance arrived, looked at my leg, gave me ice pack, suggested motrin and that was that. I am going with it is a spider bite as nothing else makes sense. The swelling is decreasing and staying off the feet.

—padg

Black Widow Spider Bite

I was bitten by a black widow on the inside of my calf/knee area while living in Southeast Texas. When it bit me, the pain was VERY severe and hurt so badly, it felt as if someone has took a boiling ice pick and stuck it in my leg for a day. Immediately after the bite, I called poison control and thru a series of questions and answers, it was determined that the bite was indeed, a black widow bite. I went to the emergency room and even though the doctor didn't believe me, I INSISTED he call poison control to review our earlier conversation. After confirming with Poison Control that it was indeed more than likely a black widow bite, he wrote me the correct Rx. The pain at the location of the bite was still horrible, even after 24 hours, my head was spinning, I was feeling hot/cold back and forth frequently, and my stomach was hard as a rock and very tense. After taking the medication for a few days I finally felt mostly normal again. 10 years later, I still have a scar.

—Colofire

Unidentified bug bite

So monday I was going outside to work with my horse. It was rainy so I put a jacket on that came from an old chiffarobe in my bedroom (I have seen spiders in there and also crawling on my bed; my house is old) but I noticed it was slightly hot outside so I took it off and went outside and fooled around. When I came inside to change into some clean clothes I noticed two small red bumps just below my armpit on my arm that were slightly irritated and itchy. Well after doing some research to try and figure out what they were I found two more bites on the same arm on my elbow next to what I thought was a pimple (I tried to pop the pimple and it got a scab on it the next day.) it's been four days since and they're still here though the ones on my elbow are shrinking and the one with the scab is still irritated and the skin around it is starting to peel. The one under my arm is still irritated and itchy. I really hope it doesn't come back with a vengeance like these other stories!

—Guest EmilyB

confirmed black widow bite

I work for a irrigation district in az. One day I wore a old pair of tennis shoes to work.About half way through my shift I felt a intense sting on the bottom of my foot, I removed my shoe and stuck to my sock was a barley alive black spider. I took off my sock and there was a large red spot welt that throbbed and looked horrid,my supervisor sent me to the e.r. and the doctor on duty was a poisionous insect specialist and after examination of the bite and my symptoms it was confirmed to be a black widow. My muscles ached and my stomach hurt terribly for the next few days.

—Guest mike

Mysterious bite?

Woke up with a red circle. It them had a white puss filled bump in the center. As the day went by the red circle has grown a little and the bump got bigger. Drained the little bit of fluid from the bump but redness continues. It itches an Is sensitive. I'm also not feeling that well today.

—Guest C

something small and black

it is late at night and we have tese dark leather couches. i plopped down on one and something pricked me! I jumped up just in time to see something about the size of a penny scurry across the couch. It was black. My parents went crazy searching in the cushions and under the couch but they found nothing. It bit me on the back of my leg and it really stings. There is a very tiny lump and as far as we can see, only one puncture wound. I am really nervous and am only 12. i live in RI and i don't know what is here.

—Guest ruhrooh

Tired of getting bit

About every week or so I wake up and I have a bite a small bite always two of them only itches a little then the next day it is swollen twice the size it was and very painful since I sleep on the couch I decided I've had enough I turned my couch over tore off the bottom cover that was stapled on and what do I find 2 little jumping spiders I must be allergic to them I am hoping that was the problem with some help from raid I hope the problem is solved

—Guest RapunzelMitchell

when does it end ?

woke up thur morn with a painfull pimple looking dot ontop of my foot, by monday i couldnt wear shoes barely walk (cant work) Doc gives me antibiotics, 3 weeks later still cant tie shoes, every pimpl, scratch, cut & burn get infected. 3 months later still have big black spot ontop of my foot & still get constant infections dispite neosporin, staphaseptic, hydroperox & alcohol. I guess ill go to med school & figure it out myself.

—Guest guest d. stone

Korean mystery spider

When I lived in Korea, I woke up one morning with 2 distinct fang marks on my right forearm. It was red, puffy, itchy and stinging. Throughout the day tingling and numbness crept up my arm all the way to my shoulder. The pharmacists did not speak English, so I guess I will never know what it was. It took about a week for all symptoms to disappear.

—Guest Karen