# Brown Recluse Bite and Breastfeeding



## semomama

I was just bitten by a br spider almost 2 hours ago. The bite is on my torso on the right side. He evidently climbed up inside my shirt when I was working in the garage. I felt a prick and then crunched him. He fell out on the ground and my dh saved him.
We have basic insurance, and I don't feel ready to have it looked at. I am just resting and keeping ice on it. And taking vit. c and echinacea. If you can think of anything else, I would appreciate the advice.

So, my real question is: Does this pose any concern while breastfeeding? I am still nursing my 14 mo. old. This may even be a silly question, but I want to be sure there is nothing I am not thinking of--like will bfing make venom spread, or can it be transmitted through the breastmilk. TIA. I will double-post this to get best reponse.


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## Sheal

from what i've been told and seen documented about br spider bites you should not play with your health with this - there have been documented cases where it has killed a 5 yr old within the day and causes necrotising fashitis (dying of flesh) in adults. the recluse is the second most poisonous spider and daddy long legs are first (their fangs are too short to pierce human skin though and isn't actually a spider..).

the br spider has two toxins in it's venom, neurological and hema-toxins. the neuro toxins paralyze while the hemo toxins "eat" flesh and tissues, basically liquefying them...in your shoes i'd be in the ER regardless of my ins coverage. As for bf, I have no idea about that at all...


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## RootSnort

I would go to the ER, can you bring the spider body with you?

I would imagine that as long as your symptoms are only local, you're OK to feed. But I am not certain and I have no idea where to look. Your state's poison control should know.


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## sarabug

Yeah I would be headed for the ER asap! I was bit by a BR spider and even with medical attention I lose a large area of flesh. Those are NASTY spiders.


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## semomama

I called poison control. I never would have thought of that! My friend said she saw spiders listed on their website. They were helpful and basically said I couldn't do anything for it, but to watch it. They are going to call tomorrow to check on me. The nurse said there were no issues concerning bfing. She recommended applying hyrdrocortisone frequently. I am trying to decide between that or TTO to apply topically. I appreciate the feedback you've given ladies. It has been a bit scary.


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## JessicaTX

Someone on another site recommended this http://www.eytonsearth.org/brown-recluse-bite-clay.html

I thought it might be helpful


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## Happily Blessed

I just saw this post and wanted to say, are you kidding me? Poison control said that!

I hope your okay.

I have a friend who got bit and used mangosteen. If you would like info about it, let me know.

laural


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## semomama

Sorry I haven't updated yet. I wanted to post a pic, but with dial-up, everything takes so long. Well it is day 13 and my bite looks great. Actually, by 7 days later, it was well on the mend. It is now just a little reddish bump that still itches a little bit.

Here is what I did. Let me preface by saying I KNOW I was bit by a brown recluse. It fell out of my shirt after it bit me. There is a lot of controversy about this right now, with a high degree of mis-diagnosis. I really appreciated poison control's approach. I hate the ER. There is really nothing that can be done for a br bite unless you develop an infection. Not unless you want preventive antibiotics--no thanks. People get bit by br spiders every day. The natural course of the bite heals up by itself in about 2 weeks. I am a pretty healthy individual and the bite just followed it's course. It swelled up to the size of a tennis ball, and I freaked out a bit. But, I was careful not to scratch it, etc. I put tea tree oil on it right after I was bit. I put ice on it to slow the swelling. I did try a poultice of bentonite clay powder and colloidal silver. I really can't say if this did anything. It is to try to draw out the venom, but poison control said it can't be done. So, I tried, but the bandage tape made me itch so bad I only did it for 3 days. The itching was horrible. I did use hydrocortisone also. I also took tons of vit. C. The bite did begin to get quite red, and I was concerned about infection. Poison control called me everyday to see how I was. When I mentioned it getting redder, they said I should go have a doc. look. Well, I am quite stubborn and started putting tea tree oil on it. It got better and so, I never did see a doctor. Now if we had universal health care I might have dropped by so they could say, "yep that's a spider bite". (just saw Sicko)








I would never tell someone not to go to the dr. if they felt they should. I do feel that the internet has fed the brown recluse hysteria. There seems to be a lot of confusion and misinformation. I have had a few people share their personal stories, so I know these things can get nasty. I feel grateful that I didn't have to go through any of that. Thanks everyone for your ideas (many of which I followed) and support.

(Again, not saying you shouldn't take a br bite seriously)


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## boheime

I'm glad to hear you are better. I wanted to say something about the comment concerning daddy long legs being the most poisonus spider but not being able to bite humans. This is a myth. There have been no scientific studies done concerning this.


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## Swirly

I don't know about the internet spreading hysteria, but I have personally had people I was friends with be horribly affected by BR bites. My occupational therapist's husband was bitten by 3, and was in the hospital for more than one year. All of his hair fell out, and he had many horrible symptoms I was a teen so have no more detials than that. A coworkers husband was bitten by one in bed, and went to the hospital. Within a few days he had a hole in his leg the size of my hand. It was disgusting and painful. Another friend got bitten by one same way you did, working in her garage and she got a pretty big hole in her torse. My FIl got bitten, and I think he got away without a big ordeal (thankfully). So anyway, no internet hysteria here for me regarding BR's - just real life hysteria!

You handled yours very calmly and bravely, and I am glad to hear of such a good outcome.


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## 13Sandals

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Swirly* 
I don't know about the internet spreading hysteria, but I have personally had people I was friends with be horribly affected by BR bites. My occupational therapist's husband was bitten by 3, and was in the hospital for more than one year. All of his hair fell out, and he had many horrible symptoms I was a teen so have no more detials than that. A coworkers husband was bitten by one in bed, and went to the hospital. Within a few days he had a hole in his leg the size of my hand. It was disgusting and painful. Another friend got bitten by one same way you did, working in her garage and she got a pretty big hole in her torse. My FIl got bitten, and I think he got away without a big ordeal (thankfully). So anyway, no internet hysteria here for me regarding BR's - just real life hysteria!

You handled yours very calmly and bravely, and I am glad to hear of such a good outcome.

i was bitten by a hobo spider (same type of venom as br) and i just wanted to second that it can be 'real life' hysteria. the venom dissolved a half dollar size, quarter inch deep piece out of my thigh. I have a large, wierd scar. I thought it was going to penetrate the muscle. it was terrifying. I was only grateful that the spider had gotten me and not one of my two toddlers. a lot has to do with the angle the venom goes in...glad everything was ok op!


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## semomama

13Sandals,
Did they tell you if there was anything you could do for your bite? I hope you are doing ok now. I have two little ones, also, and it has gotten me pretty paranoid. I think the part that frustrated me the most was how people seemed to freak me out more with the gruesome pics and stuff. There are at least two websites that I stumbled across when looking for info that are dedicated to people saying they may have been bitten and how horrible things are. It makes me wonder if all the home remedies I tried really worked.







But again, I am not trying to negate the seriousness of a br bite, just let people know that it may not be so horrible. (In other words, take a deep breath!) I could have used some of that advice in the first couple days.


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