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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Can I Relieve These Symptoms Puffy Eyes And Itching At The Spider Bite Site Weeks After Being Bitten?

Hello, I was bitten by a small house spider several weeks ago. I had been bitten by spiders before (in the UK, unidentified, hobo spider being most likely culprit, burning sensation bites), but got away with only swelling or bruising around bite mark, but for years I have two scar pinholes on me from one of them, from which now and again I sqeeze out debris. This time there was a minor swelling at the bite site, but within several days (can t pinpoint, I didn t pay much attention to the bite mark to start with, it happened during sleep) I had a reaction of swelling eyes, bad abdominal pain, light fever, bad throbbing headache, slightly raised blood pressure. After a pill of generic antihistamine symptoms seemed to ease off. However ever since (3rd week now) I ve had itching bite mark in the evening and puffy eyes in the morning, lately starting to swell before I go to bed. I discontinued antihistamine per my doctor s advice. Spider bites aren t diagnosed routinely in my country (temperate climate, of the more dangerous spiders are cheiracanthium, araneus genus and the like), so I was only blood and urine tested for kidney function which is normal and advised everything would pass. I asked for epinephrine injector prescription per my idea I would be now at a higher risk of anaphylactic shock should something like this happen but was refused. Since it s not the first time I ve been bitten I can t rule out being sensitivised to compounds in common spider venom. I don t know however if the puffy eyes and itchy bite mark is a sign of allergic reaction or bacterial infection. I don t have other symptoms apart from somewhat tiredness which I do get now and again nonetheless. But I never had puffy eyes before other than when had been crying myself to sleep. Please advise of what else could I do to stop the eyes swelling, is it just a matter of time and how long before it passes, now that my doctor has written off this situation of mine :( I don t know what I am allergic to, except I am allergic to nickel, am sensitive to cigarette smoke (I ve had mild CO poisoning in the past, so smoke irritability could be psychologically mediated). Thank you so much.
posted on Tue, 1 Aug 2023
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