unknown spider bite (emergency)

[rnelson760]

my girlfriend got bit by an unknown spider on her elbow i cant figure out what kind it was we did not see it, her starting symptoms were swelling and redness of the bite area, her lymph glands hurt, pain throughout the whole arm from shoulder to hand; her symptoms now are pretty much the same except the swelling and redness has spread from middle of fore arm to 3/4 of the way up her shoulder(length of the swelling)...anyone have any ideas...she has a slight fever no vomitting no abdominal pain so the black widow is out of the guess..please if u can help we have been to hospital twice they put her on an I V for 30 min with anti biotics both times and she isnt getting better

[Londres70]

I would guess a Black Widow spider as the hospital stated.  

[rnelson760]

i know she need to go to hospitoal but thats not the answer imlooking for i want to know what kind of spider sounds like those symptoms

[Londres70]

One thing is for sure, she NEEDS admitted into someone's hospital like yesterday.

[rnelson760]

well at first the hospital said it was a black widow bite cuz of the redness and the swolleness so i went home and looked up the symptoms and it said the black widow will leave a a "target logo' surrounding the whole bite but this one doesnt have that and i tried telling that to the doctor but cuz he has a degree n i dont i am wrong lol...i know for sure its a type of spider bite cuz the area we live in is only threatened by two venomous things and thats the rattlesnake and spiders (black widow, vinegaroon, wolf spider, and a couple others)  and my girlfriend isnt alergic to africanized bees or yellow jackets like i am..any other guesses

[caregiver222]

Yup.

My vote is for hospitalization.

[Londres70]

Sounds like some sort of bite, but no one can say from what if you all didn't see the insect or spider.  

Brown Recluses are NOT naive to California, so I would rule that spider out.  Why are you all not suspecting a Black Widow?  Black Widow bites are rarely deadly, but can cause alot of damage.  I have taken care of patients that needed plastic surgery to the bite area because of the extensive tissue damage done.    

Your gf needs to be hospitalized and soon.  I don't know why the ER keeps discharging her.  I would be adamant about this.  Take her back to the hosptial and have her admitted.  Sounds a systemic infection going on related to this bite.  Is it possible her PCP/Family Physician can directly admit her and bypass the ER?  

Home remedies are just not going to "cut it" for this situation.    

[geminigirl1963]

My best guess would be brown recluse - they sure can give a nasty bite.  But since you didn't see it, are you absolutely sure it WAS a spider and not something else?