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Original poster

Has anyone had a nasty spider bite in the UK? How did you treat it?

26 replies

broccolibush · 31/01/2022 12:15

I was bitten by what I think was a spider 10 days ago. I didn’t see it bite me so I can’t be sure but google suggested that the initial reaction was spider related. Helpfully I then got covid too so haven’t been a) properly fit for healing a bite or b) out so someone can look at it. I think that I wrote off the chills/aches from the bite to covid too - I had them for 24 hours post bite.

Am a bit prone to worry but it’s now 10 days and the red area around the bite is getting bigger - clearly whatever bit me had venom strong enough to kill some flesh, hence the sore in the middle of the bite - but it’s now going redder around the edges.

The photos are from days 1 and 10. Would you be concerned? What would you do? And if anyone can suggest what it was that bit me I’ll be very grateful.

Has anyone had a nasty spider bite in the UK? How did you treat it?

OP posts:

ChildHeadache · 31/01/2022 12:16

What day are you on for covid? I'd want to show someone.

With our gp we can do a virtual appointment and send photos can you do that?

TomAllenWife · 31/01/2022 12:17

I had to go to the GP as the pain was unbearable.

They initially gave me cream but I ended up with antibiotics

Tbh they didn't really know what to do as it's just not something they deal with in the UK

TomAllenWife · 31/01/2022 12:18

You definitely need that looking at, mine wasn't that bad!

sociallydistained · 31/01/2022 12:20

My step dad was bitten by a spider when out walking and he was hospitalised for 3 days because it was infected and severely swelled up. Get it checked for sure.

Original poster

broccolibush · 31/01/2022 12:20

I’m on day 8 but have my two negative LFTs so can get out and get it seen today. I suppose the ability to do so has made me question whether I should or not.

GP is unseeable due to online triage system of stupidity but I could see a pharmacist or get to a walk in centre relatively easily.

OP posts:

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 31/01/2022 12:21

The first one looks like a bullseye rash, any chance it could be a tic?

Mine was similar to the second picture , I needed antibiotics and it was agony. Took about 6 weeks to fully settle down.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 31/01/2022 12:22

I also had chills and fever post bite.

itwasntaparty · 31/01/2022 12:23

It doesn't look like a spider bite, I've had a few, unless you're not in the UK and a camel spider got you.

Was there a double puncture when you first noticed it?

Original poster

broccolibush · 31/01/2022 12:24

Unlikely to be a tick as it happened in central London at a theatre - and I don’t think they’re common in these parts.

It’s not agony but it’s still sore. I can’t bear to have it under the covers in bed because the slight increase in temperature makes it hurt in the same way a burn would.

Will stop prevaricating and see someone.

OP posts:

NotVictorianHonestly · 31/01/2022 12:25

Mine looked like this. Turned out the bits caused cellulitis. Ended up needing iv antibiotics. Get it looked at pronto.

Original poster

broccolibush · 31/01/2022 12:25

@itwasntaparty you could see two distinct red dots on the first white blister. And the dead bit of flesh is like 2 overlapping circles - one from each puncture.

OP posts:

Lindy2 · 31/01/2022 12:27

I had a big area of redness with immense itching. A pharmacist gave me hydrocortisone cream which seemed to work quite well.

I don't like the look of the dark centre on your bite though. I didn't have anything like that. Is it getting bigger or staying the same? Perhaps start off showing a pharmacist and then go from their advice. At least you should be able to just pop in and see a pharmacist fairly quickly and easily.

Kinko · 31/01/2022 12:27

Get it seen ASAP. That looks like classic Lyme disease, you need meds as quickly as possible.

Call your GP and tell them you have a bite with a bullseye rash and your concerned about Lyme disease. They'll have you in pronto.

INeedNewShoes · 31/01/2022 12:30

Our GP surgery has a triage system but whenever we have genuinely needed seeing urgently they have arranged same or next day appointments.

If you don't want to do it online presumably you could speak to a receptionist if you can spend the time on hold.

I'd seriously want that looking at asap. It looks angry.

HazelBite · 31/01/2022 12:37

My spider bite was not as bad as that, but I ended up in hospital after being bitten by a ladybird!!
That to me looks like you might have celllulitis going on there let the GP see your picture you probably need anti biotics.

averylongtimeago · 31/01/2022 12:46

That bullseye rash looks like a tick bite. On the nhs website it says the rash doesn't always appear straight away- it can be several months.

Don't mess about- get that looked at today!

www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/

BrieAndChilli · 31/01/2022 13:02

i got bitten on the hand while driving. There was a small bit of web and a tiny tiny spider. felt it bite me and within a day it had swollen and gone red plus i had a red trail going up my arm. I had antibiotics, antihistamines and a cream to go on it. lasted for a couple of weeks and the scar on my hand was there for months and months

MyGPsurgeryisUseless · 31/01/2022 13:42

That doesn’t look like a spider bite more like a tic one

I’d get it seen by someone

BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation · 31/01/2022 13:53

Spider bites can develop a red circle as well.

This is ds1's. He needed antibiotics.

Original poster

broccolibush · 31/01/2022 15:23

I’m sitting waiting at the walk in centre as I spent 45 minutes not advancing in the queue to speak to my surgery. Hopefully will be seen soon. The red bit is brighter and bigger than it was before lunch so thanks for the nudge to get it seen.

I really don’t think it was a tick. It hurt a lot a couple of hours after I had it, which was when the chills started, and I don’t think that’s typical of a tick bite. Also I haven’t been near any vegetation - I was in Elephant & Castle which is 100% concrete when it happened - and surely if it were a tick it would have still been there when it started to hurt ? I thought they latched on and stayed on a while.

OP posts:

Whelmed · 31/01/2022 15:26

My DH had a nasty bite on his thigh, refused to go to doctors and it went from bad to worse, it looked like dead flesh and he used a knife to scoop it out before he went to the GP. GP gave him antibiotics and that seemed to have worked but it still left a big scar.

toppkatz · 31/01/2022 15:34

You need antibiotics asap for that.

Queenfreak · 31/01/2022 16:35

@Whelmed ! Holy cow! That made me feel a bit queasy. Has he learnt his lesson?
My husband once cut his hand open very deeply. Needed stitches.
Idiot taped it back together with gorilla tape. Wondered why it smelt so bad a few days later.

Original poster

broccolibush · 31/01/2022 16:47

I have antibiotics. And a lesson as the man in front of me at the desk was being admitted for his bite because it had got so badly infected he needs IV antibiotics. Hopefully being super cautious and going the first day it started to change will save me from anything more worrying.

OP posts:

Roselilly36 · 31/01/2022 17:55

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

The first one looks like a bullseye rash, any chance it could be a tic?

Mine was similar to the second picture , I needed antibiotics and it was agony. Took about 6 weeks to fully settle down.

Exactly what I thought.

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