Comments on: Black Widow Spider

By: dmels

dmels — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:41:05 +0000

Mine began with a lump under the skin, the next morning still a lump under the skin. the next afternoon it swelled and looked like blisters and then red lines appeared going up my arm. Since i had taken an antibiotic the night before and the symptoms got worse went to ER. Er began IV’s immediately and stated it was some type of spider bite but were not sure what kind. I was almost admitted to the hospital because the infection was beginning to travel but they think they caught it in time. Currently on 3rd day and swelling is down but still puffy and sore, must go back tomorrow for a recheck at the ER. If this happens go to Doc or ER immediately!

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:04:03 +0000

The data presented here was indeed valuable. I hope that you guys continue performing a good work so that a lot of other people today can benefit from it.

By: Travis Desmond

Travis Desmond — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:16:51 +0000

I never actually saw anything but the other day I went to work and felt minor pain in my right upper leg. I went to the bathroom to check it out and saw two red dots on a large bump. I went home and researched insect bites and the only thing that matched was the black widow. Although the minor pain is the only symptom I would really appreciate any advice.

By: J D Hoag

J D Hoag — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:50:09 +0000

I live in southern Mo. I have seen and killed lots of black widow spiders. when I was a kid back in the 50′s I saw something shiny in a small knothole near the top of a fence post. taking a closer look I could see something brown and very shiny. I poked a long stick into the hole and out came a very aggressive widow spider with a red hourglass on its abdomen. it did not look like the brown widows posted on other sites. Is it possible that a black widow could also be brown.

By: Alicia from Yuma MCAS

Alicia from Yuma MCAS — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 07:11:26 +0000

I can honestly say the venom from the Black Widow was the most intense pain in my young life. 2 weeks of agony from a tiny pinch-like feeling on my hand.

I was making my rounds at work, when I set my hand down for a bit. not moments later, it feels as though someone had pulled a single hair from my hand. When I looked at my hand, I see a shiny spider, which I flicked away. I immediately informed my SGT, who said there was nothing to worry about.

20 minutes later, there is a strong pressure in my chest and back making it difficult to breath, and my thighs are cramping. 10 minutes after that, I’m curled on the floor, unable to stand and gasping to exhale a breath. Finally my SGT realized it was time to call an ambulance.

While at the hospital my Dr did not believe I was bitten, but said I was experiencing an “anxiety attack”. During recovery, I experienced arm spasms, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and the feeling that my hands and feet were on fire. It took 1 week before I could walk on my own again, and 1 week after to return to work…to this day, my arm still twitches

My advice: if you are bitten, try to safely catch it for identification.

p.s. I don’t agree with disturbing their webs and going on a Raid spree. I, personally, enjoy the fact that they kill the roaches, ants and water beetles in the house. They almost rarely leave their web and will not disturb you unless your not careful where you reach.

By: john Kudia

john Kudia — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 02:43:57 +0000

A good book on BWS bites is. “kilo-Quad tucker treasure.” Billy you ask” Would anti-venom have helped.” Perhaps. The reason anti venom is rarely used is because of the possibility of morbid immune system interaction to the antivenin making the cure worse than the bite. Sine 1956 there have been no recorded fatalities in the US from BWS bites but some from anti venom. Therefore, a doctor will not give anti venom unless patient shows life threatening signs.

By: coocoo

coocoo — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:17:03 +0000

I was bitten once, though I’m not sure if it was a black widow,i did not see it.I was on a trampoline, and I felt something on my hand, right behind my thumb. two red welts appeared, and i looked on google and as far as I can tell I was bitten by a black widow. Thankfully, it didn’t seem like the thing did not inject to much venom, all I got was a sore hand!

By: GS

GS — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:12:13 +0000

I live in Northern VA on a wooded lot. I have positively identified black widow spiders in my garage over the past few years. I got bit by SOMETHING small this past Saturday at 4pm. I was fixing a fence outside, shuffling leaves and brush with my feet, I had on boots but they had become untied and loose at the top.

I felt a sharp pain in my ankle inside my boot, took off my boots and shook out some leaves. The bite was small and red – thought it might have been a tick since Nov is heavy tick time around here. The NEXT morning I woke up at 5am (about 12 hours after the bite) very restless and started feeling pain in BOTH my lower legs and flu-like symptoms. The pain felt like shin-splints I used to get in football. I started to research bites on the internet. While researching, I started to feel pains in other areas like my lower back, started to get tremors and was very irritable and restless.

I took my BP and it was 180/147 (typical for me is 130/85) ….time to get to the ER. I told them I didn’t have the spider, but my research led me to believe it was a black widow. By that time I started to feel pressure in my chest. I never had abdominal pain, which I read many people report having. The ER doc gave be something to bring down my BP and something for anxiety. They kept me for 2 hours until my BP got down to 140/100. The Dr said he didn’t think their lab even carried anti-venom, but after he checked he said they had 1 vile that could be used in an extreme case (because side-effects are severe).

Day 3 and I’m resting but still in pain – in my lower legs only.

Hoping it’s over tomorrow.

By: Norma

Norma — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:10:04 +0000

On Sept. 9th my husband put on his shoes and got bit by a black widow but he put his foot back into his shoe and got bit again. Went to ER with leg spasms and lots of pain. Was given a muscle relaxant and pain meds thru IV. Heart rate was OK. They released him and the next day we went on a cruise and on the second day of the cruise my husband went into an arrest. We were napping at the time. He died the next day and we did an autopsy and they found an aneurym in his brain. It was just 3 days after his bite. Was wondering how much the spider bite had to do with his death? Does a spider bite cause an aneurysm or something that caused his pre-existing aneurysm to burst? Autopsy told us he had a pre-existing aneurysm but did his blood pressure rise and cause this to burst? I sure wish I knew.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:14:41 +0000

I just moved to the Phoenix area, did a walk around our new house tonight… killed 10 black widow spiders around the outside perimeter of the house, near the ground. Came out at night with a flash light in one hand, and a can of raid in the other. I imagine I’ll do daily walks each night for a while until I gain some confidence we’ve got them gone.