Spider bites

Spider bites / meth sores

sosoconfused

Spider Bites / meth sores

I know of at least two meth users who end up with large wounds (not from picking) that they think are spider bites. The type of spider would be the brown recluse which isn't native to California. The doctors aren't entirely sure what caused the bad sore. Has anyone heard of meth excreting through the body causing large sores? Maybe that sounds crazy, but both these people are heavy meth users with the same type of sores. P.S. They don't hang out together.

luvepiphany

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

Wow, weird, I got the same story from an addict I know last night. He hates spiders-of course. Gee, are they the same person? Actually I have read more stories of cysts-real true cysts-hard and non-head kind are very common in meth users. This is thought to be from toxins and we know meth users have lots a toxins. Of course, picking little sores can make them get infected and turn into full on cysts. Brown Recluse bites are really fairly rare. I bet you could search and find what a spider bite looks like.

Loraura

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

Meth use can (in some users) cause what is called Formication.
Formication is the illusion or hallucination that insects are creeping on or under the skin. Formication can occur during some psychotic states as well as drug and alcohol abuse.
It's not uncommon.

They are sometimes referred to as speed bumps, crank sores, meth sores, crank bugs, and more.

From www.mappsd.org/meth-mites-3sf.jpg:

From http://www.mappsd.org/leg-sores.jpg:

From http://www.mappsd.org/meth-mites-2.jpg:

luvepiphany

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

OOOOHHHHH GROSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

imlostinky

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

Quote:
The doctors aren't entirely sure what caused the bad sore.

Are you sure they went to the doctor? If it was a brown recluse, yes they can determine that - and they must immediately or else they risk losing a limb.
Could it be a spider bite? sure, spider bites will do that.
It could also be staph, it could be a lot of things.

Odd that a doctor wouldn't be able to determine what the sores are.........wonder if they are iv users and got a bad batch or missed a vein or something?

Time4Change

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

OK now this is way to weird for me! This summer my addict had a big sore on his calf. It started out as a red bump and ended up a big black sore and swelled way down into his ankle. He went to the doctor and they thought it looked like some sort of a venomous spider bite. But was no way to be sure. All they could do is put him on an antibiotic for the infection and keep an eye on it. He used crutches for a while. He's a picker and was constantly squeezing the infection out and soaking it peroxide. My addict told many he thought it was a brown recluse bite. Maybe it was. His take from the doctor was that they can't tell unless you see the spider.

danimal55

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

Google produced 150,000 results for "Brown Recluse spider bites", from what I read it appears that your friend is suffering from either an abscess from injecting, speed bugs or pickin' pox.
Keeping in mind that meth addicts have wild imaginations.

Loraura

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

With a brown recluse spider bite, they must remove the damaged tissue and a bit of the surrounding tissue to prevent further damage.

luvepiphany

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

Suze!!!! Do you have a picture of a speed bug?

Naiev
Newlywed

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

ok - well - ingrown hairs can get pretty ugly and appear to be big, red and swollen.

Also - if the user is slamming and it's near an entry area then it could be an abscess.

As far as a brown recluse - my hubby was bitten by one on his face, his chin, and it ate through his skin in a matter of a just a few hours. He had to have grafts and surgery to fix the hole in his face (this is why he wears a beard all the time - although it looks like a dimpled chin until you get close enough)

sosoconfused

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

The doctor told my husband that unless you see the spider, it couldn't be confirmed that is was a spider bite. He called it cellulites. He was given some antibiotic. It did have black necrotic tissue that the doctor removed and he had to wear gauze because the thing oozed. It was gross. Then he ended up with three more. Two on his leg and one near his tailbone. None were as bad as the first one on his stomach. They looked somewhat like the picture that was posted of the legs. They didn't look like the pictures of the arm. I do think they must be related to his meth use. Of course he didn't tell the doctor about that.

TnSkye

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

Could be staph. My brother was misdiagnosed as spider bites and folliculitis. Because they didn't know it was staph, it took lots of money and time to recover.

My brother is not a drug user so this cannot be blamed on drug use.

danimal55

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

Of the more than 2000 "spider bites" reported to poison control centers annually, "most are something else".

Cassandra

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

if it was a brown recluse bite, there wouldn't be any question. he would be in a hospital by now.

le grumps

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

My arms used to look like that top picture.
But I never thought I had bugs, I was just high.

It was kind of awesome in a sad way, I'd be that girl on the bus that always had the free seats next to me. Once a bus driver even went "ugh!" when he saw me.

I had all these ridiculous wraps and bandages and socks with the toes cut off to keep my arms covered. Long sleeves were bad because I was roasting all the time, and wanted to wear tank tops.

Sexy.

TxTigger

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

I had sore on my body when I was doing dope. Of course I had gotten Poison Ivy so some were speed bumps and the other was the ivy.

pepper4308

Spider Bites

My attorney (who used to be a vice cop) said the 'spider bites' are just the chemicals in the meth festering under the skin.

gillianmarie

Re: Spider Bites / meth sores

I have seen many 'bolis' from Meth. Cousins of husband use and they always claim 'spider bites'. That's kinda what they look like. They don't inject, they smoke it. Few times a year they get a huge boil that secretes stuff. Its huge and red and infected. Its gotta be from Dope...all 3 of them get them and so do their significant others of the week. nasty! Spider bite is a nice cover!

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