Some facts about scorpions/spiders/snakes in Arizona. (prices, storage)
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I was sleeping last wed night, when i awoke to the most horrible pain i have felt since childbirth- I had gotten stung three times- it was terrible, the pain lasted until almost noon the next day- almost 12 hours after bieng stung. After talking to poison control they told me really the only thing i could do for it was to put ice on it, and take ibuprophen. blueeyz911's account of the pain is pretty close, i felt as if my arm had fallen asleep but everytime i moved it was very intense sharp pins, almost like bieng tatoo'ed in the same place for hours. ugg i hope i never ever have to feel that again. thank goodness, it was my bed and not my 2 little ones sleeping in nearby bedrooms- I still dont feel 100%-
I was sleeping last wed night, when i awoke to the most horrible pain i have felt since childbirth- I had gotten stung three times- it was terrible, the pain lasted until almost noon the next day- almost 12 hours after bieng stung. After talking to poison control they told me really the only thing i could do for it was to put ice on it, and take ibuprophen. blueeyz911's account of the pain is pretty close, i felt as if my arm had fallen asleep but everytime i moved it was very intense sharp pins, almost like bieng tatoo'ed in the same place for hours. ugg i hope i never ever have to feel that again. thank goodness, it was my bed and not my 2 little ones sleeping in nearby bedrooms- I still dont feel 100%-
You got stung while you were sleeping?! I worry about this now when I am in bed since I found mine in my bed. Even though my b/f does a black light search before bed, I just can't seem to get as comfortable as I used to. Hopefully, I can get back into the comfort zone soon. Bummer that you still don't feel 100%- I guess because you were stung 3 times. It took me 48 hours to get the feeling completely back in my arm from one sting.
Tonight I went to look at the stars at S. Mtn. and was promptly bitten on the behind by something. We looked at it using a cellphone for light. The closest thing I can come to is it looked like a cross between a scorpion and tarantula. It had the pinchers and tail. But it was as wide as it was long (not long and thin) and instead of having that shell kind of body, had a chocolate colored body that looked a bit softer, (even fuzzy?). The area swole up, I immediately went tingly, then numb. I became extremely disoriented. By the time we got to the ER, I was trembling a lot, with teeth chattering, but I wasn't cold. The numbness went through my whole body, even into my face and head. I could barely walk or even speak. I lost a lot of muscle control. Slowly, it all got better. They said it was a bark scorpion. Maybe, but even the legs were chocolate colored, and it was a short, squat shape. They didn't give me anything but percocette for the pain that set in after the numbness wore off. I've had scorpion bites before. They're sharp and burning with localized numbness. This was a dull pain that was closer to the bone, then spread through my back. Anyone heard of this kind of insect? Sorry for the long post.
Hmm, doesn't sound like a scorpion. None of my stings ever got swollen and the numbness doesn't wear off in a couple hours - more like days - at least for me. Also the numbness was localized - even when stung in the head I was just a numbskull for a while - and it spread very slowly. It sounds like you got a little panicked and maybe that made your symptoms worse. Anyway, your description sounds more like a tarantula but I never heard of anyone being bit by a tarantula. You'd have to practically sit on one!
Anyone heard of this kind of insect? Sorry for the long post.
While I can't speak to the discription of the insect (I have no idea what that was) your symptoms sound a lot like what I've heard scorpion sting reactions to be. I recently talked with someone who works in scorpion research and he explained that sometimes you'll get nervous system symptoms and that going to the ER isn't necessary b/c symptoms will resolve without treatment. He said you treat with NSAIDS, which it sounds like you did. Had you had a seizure, the ER would have treated the seizure with anti-seizure meds. He also explained to me a lot about the anti-venom, the number of scorpion related deaths in AZ and what they were actually caused by, as well as scorpion stings in general b/c reading this board had me a bit worried. I feel much better now and am confident that, while a scorpion sting would be very scary, painful and would freak me out, I'm not immunocompromised, I'm not very elderly and I'm not very young and tiny, so I'd likely be fine (knock wood )
That's my take anyway. I strongly recommend that anyone who is afraid of scorpion stings call a group knowledgable about scorpions, including the poison center at U of A. They get so many calls at the poison center for stings and unless there are extenuating circumstances as listed above, they tell the caller to take NSAIDS and don't bother going to the ER. I'm a big believer in educating yourself with facts, not anecdotes.
I can imagine that you were freaked out - I'd have been too. I'm glad you're ok.
This is what I mean. It's not that they will kill you, it's the way you start to live your life when you have them. It sucks. Always looking for them, worrying about getting stung. And your kids, thinking about how much pain it is, not letting them play worry free. This is the part of living with scorpions I couldn't take. It seems nerve racking.
This is what I mean. It's not that they will kill you, it's the way you start to live your life when you have them. It sucks. Always looking for them, worrying about getting stung. And your kids, thinking about how much pain it is, not letting them play worry free. This is the part of living with scorpions I couldn't take. It seems nerve racking.
We've got them - cat had a dead one this morning. We have all been stung at least once, adults and kids. We don't live in fear of them. We don't check our shoes, beds, or anything. We smack 'em when we see 'em and that is it. You can get obsessive if you want, but it's a personal choice. The scorpion is going to get you sooner or later anyway. I've had cuts and burns that hurt a lot worse than the scorpions stings. As Alfred E. Newman would put it, "What, me worry?".
Tonight I went to look at the stars at S. Mtn. and was promptly bitten on the behind by something. We looked at it using a cellphone for light. The closest thing I can come to is it looked like a cross between a scorpion and tarantula. It had the pinchers and tail. But it was as wide as it was long (not long and thin) and instead of having that shell kind of body, had a chocolate colored body that looked a bit softer, (even fuzzy?). The area swole up, I immediately went tingly, then numb. I became extremely disoriented. By the time we got to the ER, I was trembling a lot, with teeth chattering, but I wasn't cold. The numbness went through my whole body, even into my face and head. I could barely walk or even speak. I lost a lot of muscle control. Slowly, it all got better. They said it was a bark scorpion. Maybe, but even the legs were chocolate colored, and it was a short, squat shape. They didn't give me anything but percocette for the pain that set in after the numbness wore off. I've had scorpion bites before. They're sharp and burning with localized numbness. This was a dull pain that was closer to the bone, then spread through my back. Anyone heard of this kind of insect? Sorry for the long post.
hmmm..... it doesn't sound like a bark scorpion sting to me either. When I got stung last weekend by a bark scorpion- I did not immediately get tingly and the numbness lasted for almost 72 hours. Also, I do not believe a scorpion sting will swell. Mine did not swell anyway but I had goose pimple like bumps around the sting site. I agree with your comment about "sharp and burning with localized numbness"- that was how I would describe my bark scorpion sting. Whatever bit or stung you..... it sounds scary! Glad you are ok now.
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I worry about this now when I am in bed since I found mine in my bed. Even though my b/f does a black light search before bed, I just can't seem to get as comfortable as I used to. Hopefully, I can get back into the comfort zone soon. Bummer that you still don't feel 100%- I guess because you were stung 3 times. It took me 48 hours to get the feeling completely back in my arm from one sting. 
)
