Spider bite

[Gail in Ca]

I was bitten by a spider 2 days after Thanksgiving on my cheek while sleeping.
I didn’t see the spider or find any webs.
It was looking bad and my eye and cheek area was hurting, so I went to urgent care the next day. The MD prescribed an antibiotic ointment. I was already on augmentin for bronchitis. It is taking forever to heal. I went to a dermatologist a week ago. He said many people come in that think they have spider bite, but don’t. However, after looking at my cheek wounds, he said he thought it was a spider bite and there’s not much to be done. He recommended I use hydrogen peroxide to debride the wounds but continue the antibiotic ointment.
Has anyone had a spider bite while on warfarin? Did it take a long time to heal?

 

[Beach77]

I was also bitten on Thanksgiving by a spider! I had 3 bites on my shoulder. I didn't go to the doctor, and I only used a cream for the itching for a couple of days. I wasn't worried about them. The red marks grew to about 2 to 3 inches. They are pretty much gone now, but you can slightly see where the bites were. It took a long time to clear up.

 

[pellicle]

Bloody hell, I thought we were supposed to be Spider bite world capital, I've never been bitten
https://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2013/03/now-thats-spider.html

 

[carolinemc]

I was bitten by a spider 2 days after Thanksgiving on my cheek while sleeping.
I didn’t see the spider or find any webs.
It was looking bad and my eye and cheek area was hurting, so I went to urgent care the next day. The MD prescribed an antibiotic ointment. I was already on augmentin for bronchitis. It is taking forever to heal. I went to a dermatologist a week ago. He said many people come in that think they have spider bite, but don’t. However, after looking at my cheek wounds, he said he thought it was a spider bite and there’s not much to be done. He recommended I use hydrogen peroxide to debride the wounds but continue the antibiotic ointment.
Has anyone had a spider bite while on warfarin? Did it take a long time to heal?

It depends on your other health issues. Like I am type 2 diabetic besides a heart person, and it takes us diabetics longer to heal. But one time, I was bitten by either a bug or spider and when took off the bandage, it pulled some skin with it and the doctor, and I both went ooooh. But it took time for that to heal, had to keep it open. It hurt but it did heal, in time.

 

[tom in MO]

Some spiders have a venom. Some people are more allergic to spider venom than others. For me some spider bites can be dramatic and stay longer. I've noticed no difference in bites now I am on warfarin.

 

[3mm]

Gosh, I give names to the spiders in my basement (Fred, Fred, and ... Fred). If they wander out onto the floor where I'm exercising, I blow them over to the wall, cuz I want them to keep the centipede population under control.

 

[Gail in Ca]

My spider bite wound decided to bleed in the night. I looked in mirror this am and about 1/2” dried blood on my cheek. Very dark blood. I carefully washed it off. Now it just is a big red scab, again. It started out as 2 separate open sores. The darn thing won’t heal. It’s been 3 weeks!

 

[pellicle]

The darn thing won’t heal. It’s been 3 weeks!

this is starting to become an issue (having no idea when thanksgiving was as a reference) because its well past time it should have healed

Some spiders are not good at cleaning their fangs and can contain a bacteria which can infect your skin through the puncture wound. Others can have something (perhaps an enzyme) in their venom which is known to break down skin. Take this advice seriously

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spider-bites/symptoms-causes/syc-20352371

IIRC some years back you also had a small surgical intervention which did not heal well either.

I would take this seriously now and go back to your Dr and seek further treatment

 

[Gail in Ca]

I tried to see my GP but no appointments til January!
I’m going back to ucla urgent care today.
I’ll be more forthcoming with my medical history.
Thanks for the responses!
I’ve got to be okay for a Holiday Concert at the Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Sunday. I’ve never been there. At least my scab is a holiday color (red).

 

[Gail in Ca]

Yay, I found a decent urgent care other than ucla. I had also sent a message to my GP describing my bite and what’s been going on. She responded and suggested I probably need an oral antibiotic.
The urgent care doctor agreed, so I’m home with a 7 day RX for clindamycin.
I sure hope this works!!

 

[V__]

Yay, I found a decent urgent care other than ucla. I had also sent a message to my GP describing my bite and what’s been going on. She responded and suggested I probably need an oral antibiotic.
The urgent care doctor agreed, so I’m home with a 7 day RX for clindamycin.
I sure hope this works!!

Thanks for the update! Great to know the system reacted quickly.

Sometimes it may also be possible to get a walk-in skin images taken for further diagnosis.

 

[pellicle]

The urgent care doctor agreed, so I’m home with a 7 day RX for clindamycin.
I sure hope this works!!

you may want to INR test mid week just to check that the antibiotics aren't pushing your INR in a high direction.

Best Wishes

 

[Gail in Ca]

The MD was going to prescribe Bactrim but changed it to clindamycin when he saw I was on warfarin. I usually check on Tues, so that’ll probably be okay.
I’ll be in the Holiday spirit tomorrow. We’re performing such hits as A Christmas Festival, A Merry sing a long,
Rhapsody for Hanukkah, and the Verdi Manzoni Requiem with a choir?! Interesting Holiday choice but fun to play!

 

[erricojj]

You might like this product for cleansing of the wound. My dermo recommended it to me and I found it worked well and is gentler than peroxide.

Puracyn First Aid Wound and Skin Repair - Wound Care Spray for Cuts, Scrapes, Minor Sores, Minor Burns, and Other Skin Irritations. 16 Ounces Amazon.com

 

[Beach77]

@pellicle I think I would move if I had a spider like that!

 

[pellicle]

@pellicle I think I would move if I had a spider like that!

done with care this is quite satisfying

always wear eye protection

 

[Gail in Ca]

Thanks I’ll look up the puracyn.
My scab is still there, but I’m hopeful that the clindamycin will do the trick.
Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la laaa la la lala!

 

[Zoltania]

It's not Christmas for a musician unless you play Leroy Anderson, either "A Christmas Festival" or "Sleigh Ride." This year my orchestra didn't play any Anderson at our holiday concert, but I was in a sax quartet that played an arrangement of "Sleigh Ride," so the holiday season is on track for me.

For those of you who don't know "A Christmas Festival" (or don't think you do), here is a link:
Boston Pops "A Christmas Festival"

Gail, hope your recovery continues!

 

[Gail in Ca]

Glad your quartet played Sleigh Ride at least! Our audience gave a standing ovation so lots of people enjoyed the holiday concert!
My bite looks much better today. It’s going to heal, finally. Thanks for the support!

 

[slipkid]

Thanks I’ll look up the puracyn.
My scab is still there, but I’m hopeful that the clindamycin will do the trick.

Good luck on the clindamycin, hope it helps.

I was on that recently, not even systemic, just a cream, and that stuff got absorbed through my skin and wreaked havoc on my gut - horrible runs, had to stop it.

Ironically that med came with VERY strong cautions regarding not to take it if you have history of intestinal probs like ulcerative colitis (which I have). I noticed that warning and communicated it to the Dr who prescribed it who basically said "that never happens, doesn't get absorbed through the skin, and no one gets that problem, keep using it". So of course it then did exactly that to me. I hate Drs....