Bugs

[Steve B]

Last evening, I was bitten again by something. I was bitten about a month ago on my arm, and had a round swelling mound at least two inches in diameter. Red and warm to the touch. Several points in the middle that oozed a clear liquid for a week, then scabbed over, then healed. It left a scar. I got overall body cramping.

I sprayed the hell out of things with the Ortho house spray. I sprayed again yesterday. And I mean SPRAYED.

This one is on my ear lobe, and appears the same.

In the past, I have had bites mostly on my abdomen in front, and right above belt height. They are a raised thing the size and thickness of a dime. The dime sized welt is white, and surrounding flesh is red for about an inch.

I am obviously dealing with two types of bugs here. Inspection reveals nothing on or in the bed. Under the bed, I have found dead spiders, so apparently the spray is working, and maybe I had a new or intoxicated interloper last evening. I am going to remove all bedding and thoroughly inspect today. Is there anything like a UV light, or such that I should use that would highlight the cause? I do have a very good German Scheinbach illuminated inspection scope should I find any dark objects of interest.

I have two little dogs, and they will put anything in their mouths that will fit. They will lick most anything that smells different to them. I must use great caution in what and where I spray, so aim for cracks, and behind things where they can't get to and put a lot in there, and not so much in other open places.

I live in a rural setting, sand dunes all around. I found a drunk scorpion in the pantry two days ago, but scorpions and spiders are so common here that it doesn't raise a flag at all. One needs to look around, and I got lucky on that one, because it was laying in plain sight. Lucky I didn't go in there in semi-darkness. I have been bitten three times in my life by scorpions, and it is mostly an aggravation, but I haven't been bitten yet while on this coumadin medication.

Can anyone give me any advice? A brand of spray? Any type of substance that is non-toxic for the dogs? Call a pro?

Any advice or help appreciated.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

Heart Surgery Survival Guide

[chaniarts]

do you have nearby packrat nests? we have these

and they tend to inhabit packrat infested areas, but other small ground based rodents will do.

[notbob]

Yikes! ...as if spiders weren't problem enough.

During the Summer, when I sleep with less bedding covering myself, I get the occasional small bite, usually on my legs. But, they are small and jes raise a small red welt that diappears after a day. I always assumed they were jes spiders, but not you've got me freaked out.

nb

[RogerT]

Try Googling "Lyme Disease" and look at some of the images on the links that come up such as this one --

-- and see if the wound marks look similar to what you had.

[norminn]

Yuck! It might help to know the general area that you live. I've had tiny scorpions bite, but the Florida variety is apparently pretty harmless. Spiders? Is the redness just inflammation, like a mosquito bite or is it deeper red, like bleeding into the skin? For starters, I would remove everything possible that bugs can lurk in and vacuum the room meticulously. Papers, corrugated cardboard, old shoes and clothing are great places for bugs to live. If you need to store stuff there, place it in tight plastic tubs or boxes.

With coumadin, it may be possible that you react a little differently to the same bites...don't know. Bites on your face and head can be nasty, both for allergic reactions and infection...have your doc take a look.

I've always been sensitive to mosquito bites, but only for bothersome itching. Once had a bite that must have been a spider, outdoors...initially, no pain or itching. Got very red under the skin about 1 cm wide, then peeled superficially. Took months for the red to go away. I'm fair skinned, and that can also be a factor.

Any chance of bed bugs? Travelled recently?

[Robert Green]

Lyme Disease has a pretty distinctive large red ring surrounding the bite which is hard to miss unless it is on the center of scalp and thus covered by hair. Definitely known to cause aching joints and fatigue.

More examples of what the tell-tale ring looks like:

<

or

-- Bobby G.

[Robert Green]

Otherwise known as the kissing bug because they go for the lips and other moist areas (skinny dippers be especially wary). I am sure they serve some niche in the ecology but I'd being gearing up for packrat hunt in a ghilly suit if they lived withing striking distance.

Yuk!

-- Bobby G.

[ransley]

Getting cramping I would see a doctor, did it look like Lyme disease photos you have links to, you dont want to ignore lyme disease. do you treat the dogs and have you checked them, I think its called Frontline top spot, it really works, I could only guess spiders, ticks, for the large bite and fleas for the small ones, You could spray youself but you need help in indentifying what pests you have, if its lyme disease it has to be treated now. Start by checking the bed and area completely even under the frame

[maestro]

Yup Tick jumps off dog, attacks owner. Owner gets lyme disease and dies a few years later. This happens all the time. This is a good time to start praying. You'll soon meet your maker.

[ransley]

And with lyme sometimes the rash has no ring, sometimes you dont even get symptoms, and the bad part is regular tests can fail to confirm it.

[Tony Sivori]

[...]

Assuming you don't ID the bug from your symptoms, you might want to try sticky traps. I like Catchmaster brand. They are readily available, non-toxic, and they work.

Keep in mind that for insects, they are not an effective means of exterminating or even greatly reducing infestation. What they are good for is getting a survey of the creepies that are crawling unseen in your environment.

Put out a dozen or so in your bedroom, in places where your dogs can't reach. Under your nightstand, in a closet, you could even try taping / thumb-tacking them to surfaces such as the wall, the backside of your headboard, nightstand, and the bottom of your box springs.

After a few weeks (maybe sooner) you should have good samples of your little unseen roommates. With photos to post online, it should be no problem to ID them.

I agree with the other posters that Lyme disease or Cone Nosed Bugs should be at the top of your investigative list. Given the scorpions, I'd guess you are in the South West US, where to my surprise, there is some Lyme disease hazard. If I were you, I'd get tested for Lyme immediately.

The good news is that, based on some brief Google, it looks to me like you are not at risk for Chagas' disease, which wold be a possibility from the Cone Noses' Latin cousin, the Assassin Bug. Nonetheless, since we are talking about your life, I would mention it to the Doctor when you get tested for Lyme.

[Steve B]

Doesn't look like that. I get these in series, as the same bug or more than one will bite at once. I have two on my ear, and two on my leg. Here is a photo of my leg. The round blob is the clear fluid oozing as a blister until I pop it.

WARNING - THE PHOTO IS GRAPHIC! IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH, DO NOT CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK!

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

Heart Surgery Survival Guide

[jamesgangnc]

In series is something bed bugs do. People react differently to bed bug bites. You can usually find beg bugs by stripping the bed and lifting the mattress and the box spring. Look carefully around seams for bugs or black bug poop. Sometimes you will find small bllod stains.

As another poster suggested sticky taps are a good diagnostic tool.

[norminn]

Since you have had heart surgery, you are a pretty good candidate for circulatory problems in your leg...that bite is nasty looking enough for a visit to the doc. I don't know what bugs, other than spiders, cause tissue destruction, but that would be my concern (ahead of id'ing the bug). The blistering is quite bothersome.

[Robert Green]

Yes, it's time for us to stop playing Usenet, MD and for Steve to have that looked at. What's that Monty Python routine about the mosquito bite? "What do you mean it's just a mosquito bite, his whole LEG is missing!" That can happen in a very short time with MRSA.

-- Bobby G.

[RogerT]

I just tried doing a Google Images search for spider bites and it does look like maybe that is what you have.

For spiders, I have used this:

It is available at Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, etc. Also, the website has a video and looking around the website shows other spider products.

[norminn]

How is it going.....worried to hear from you again.

[wbuckco]

Sounds like potentially bed bugs. I would recommend inspecting the mattress heavily and perhaps even calling a bed bug detection dog. If you near Denver, I can make some recommendations.