I was bitten in the neck as a 32 year old very healthy woman. I never saw the spider and had no clue that there are poisons spiders in California. But I know I'm very allergic to bee stings which I had in my past in Europe. I thought I had an insect bite near my right ear, went to my doctor because there was some pain (not too bad in the beginning). She said a spider bite me and sent me home with antibiotics which I took for 10 days. The pain got really bad the next day, so bad that I took some aspirin, since I had no other pain killer in the house. I became slightly nauseous and a little dizzy, lost almost all motion over my body, and developed a tremor in as well as difficulty moving. Then I became chilled and could not get warm. I'm pretty sure I also ran a high fewer. Anyway the antibiotics didn't help at all not did the aspirin. So I went back to the doc and she wanted to sent me to a nose- throat doc (or whatever you call them) to cut my neck which I declined and called my acupuncture doc at that point. That was the best move ever, she put 1 needle in the top of my head and all paid was gone right away. Have to say my neck was swollen to a full large hen egg and hardened! She put at least 80 needles in my body all over most in that swollen part which hurt like hell. Same treatment she gave me over 2 weeks, the pain was gone after the first. I also received tons of Chinese herbs to drink as a tea to boost my immune system. After 2 weeks the swollen part of my neck was softer and after pocking around a bit it opened and a flow of yellow stuff came out, not pretty but I felt much better. I used a whole toilet roll for that white stuff so you can imagine how much I got out! Today, 10 years later, I believe very much, my acupuncture doctor saved my life and the area is still a bit red but no bite marks or similar are left.

I've been bitten twice now. The first was on my thigh when cause a red raided area the second was on my face left a red slightly raised area. I didn't feel the pain most feel but have high tolerance for pain. I immediate put a police on it. The first time I had nothing so used regular flower making a thick paste and let it dry. As it dried it drew the poison out rinsed it off and applied it again. By the next day after leaving it on all night there was hardly any redness. The same with my face but used clay and activated charcoal but the face took a few days and this time was a bit sickened had aches and pains. Nothing to draw me to the hospital over but didn't feel well but going to work took my mind off it.

I immediately came into the house and took the Homeopathic remedy Apis Mellifica. I actually thought it was a bee that had bitten me. However, I didn't see the perpetrator. It was underneath my dress on the thigh. I saw a red mark, which later became the size of a quarter. Next day it had become the size of a half dollar and was growing. I wasn't sure what had bitten me. I'm 67, by the way, and live alone. Poison control said to ice the bite, so I did. I took some more Apis Mel. because it was beginning to itch. That took the itch and pain away. But now my whole back hurt. Several Excedrin later, there was no change. I went to the hospital, because the bite area was rising away from my skin. They never looked at the bite, said my respiration was normal and so was my blood pressure. They asked me to wait, and after three hours, I figured they weren't worried about me, so I left. The bite was on a Saturday morning, and by Monday morning, the back pain was gone. I still have large rash or reddish area on my thigh, but after icing it Sunday and this morning, it seems fine, and the raised part has gone away. I would suggest homeopathic remedies for black widow bites or any bite with pain. Apis is for a bee bite or spider bite. Get some at your health food store.

My dog (a 9 year old pit bull) has been bitten by a black widow on the end of his snout. He is allergic to bee stings already and gets welts when I give him Benadryl. He is very ill with this bite. I give him IV fluids and liquid food with a syringe. He is on antibiotics and steroids. For two weeks it has been touch and go, but his eyes are shining a little more today. He is so weak he can't walk, though. Tomorrow is another day and I will keep helping him.

I have been diagnosed with a brown recluse spider bite. I have been on antibiotics and I had to have the bite lanced and now every two days going to and from the doctor to have the packing changed.

I am a 29 year old male in good health. I was bitten early yesterday morning on my elbow while cleaning out a storage unit. At the time I didn't even realize a bite had occurred, but do remember lifting some boxes and feeling cobwebs on my elbow. When I went to brush the cobwebs away, I was surprised by the spider instead of cobwebs. I did not feel any pain at all, and supposed the spider must not have bitten me. To my surprise, a couple of hours later my elbow started to hurt a bit, as if I had knocked it on something, perhaps. Then, around four hours later it began to swell steadily. By late afternoon the swelling was approaching the size of a large egg, visibly red, warm to the touch, was quite painful, and still continuing to swell steadily. Last night, 12 hours after the bite, my elbow had swollen to the size of a grapefruit and was so painful that even the touch of my clothing was almost unbearable. I became slightly nauseous and a little dizzy, lost almost all motion in my elbow, and developed a tremor in as well as difficulty moving the fingers of my left hand. Then, as I went to bed last night, I became chilled and could not get warm (though the heater was on and it was close to 80 degrees in my apartment) and began to shiver uncontrollably. Last night was almost entirely sleepless - kept waking in fits and starts and I was plagued by a sense of waking delirium. This morning the swelling and redness are reduced, and most movement and range of motion are back; but the pain is still quite intense (especially on contact). The muscles in my back are incredibly sore and cramped (I suspect from the shivering), and I am still quite chilled. It almost feels like the flu...with an incredibly painful wasp-sting on my elbow. Had I been alone last night, I probably would have gone to the emergency room as the dizziness, chills, and sense of disorientation were pretty intense. At this point, almost 36 hours after the bite, I think that it is manageable without urgent medical care, though definitely merits respect as a serious medical concern. I can certainly see how this would be life threatening to children and the elderly.