This is UGLY

[caryc]

Out getting rid of some dove weed the other day and was stung by a fire ant. He stung me once and I rubbed the spot on my Levis briskly trying to kill it. I must have just pi$$ed him off, a couple seconds later he stung me again. I finally pulled down my pants and luckily I had on a pair of thin work gloves on and plucked him off me. What you see in the photo is the spot on the fourth morning, That was this morning and I finally went to a doctor. He gave me a ten day supply of an antibiotic. To answer the question you're thinking, I waited so long because I was hoping the thing would start getting smaller but, it still just kept growing.

This is may first dealing with a fire ant and hopefully my last. I usually put some velco straps on the cuffs of my pants when working outside. I will never forget to use them again. It was hard and hot and itched like crazy.

 

[dannyd]

Be Careful because you are allergic to them, because of the reaction you had. Here in Florida getting 5 or 10 bits a day out in the yard is normal, but the only time I have seen people look like that is when their allergic.

Those ants are wingless wasp, in the Florida deep woods mounds get up to 4 feet tall.

 

[Robb Barnes]

Dang that looks painful Cary!!!

 

[pawncop]

Prayer for your recovery. Saw a few similar cases like yours when I was in the ER.

 

[Enigma]

My wife went into anaphylactic shock and very nearly died when she received multiple fire ant bites a few weeks ago. Her tongue and airway began to swell, and she was having difficulty breathing. She's been bitten many times before, with nothing worse than a rash. She is also highly allergic to bee stings. After very nearly dying that morning, she now carries an epi-pen. I recommend that the OP discuss this with his physician, and follow their advice. If you experience anaphylaxis, there probably won't be time for the paramedics to respond, or to get to an ER. We were very fortunate that the Urgent Care right around the corner was staffed by a former ER doctor that morning. She immediately took charge and quickly resolved the situation. She also told me not to screw around if it happens again - an immediate epinephrine injection is mandatory!

 

[caryc]

Be Careful because you are allergic to them, because of the reaction you had. Here in Florida getting 5 or 10 bits a day out in the yard is normal, but the only time I have seen people look like that is when their allergic.

Those ants are wingless wasp, in the Florida deep woods mounds get up to 4 feet tall.

Any time I see any of the big ants on my property, I follow them and track them down to their nest or hole. I sprinkle some Amdro ant poison around the hole and see the immediately begin to gather the crystals and take them down the hole. Next day...no ants. The stuff works. I'll have to try locating their hole and poison them.

The doctor asked me if I was allergic to anything and I said no, which is correct to my knowledge.

 

[caryc]

The doctor said what I had was cellulitis. It is an infection. He said it was probably caused by me scratching the intensely itching bite and letting bacteria enter the wound.
No insect can actually give you cellulitis. So if you get bug bit, don't scratch it.

 

[dannyd]

Any time I see any of the big ants on my property, I follow them and track them down to their nest or hole. I sprinkle some Amdro ant poison around the hole and see the immediately begin to gather the crystals and take them down the hole. Next day...no ants. The stuff works. I'll have to try locating their hole and poison them.

The doctor asked me if I was allergic to anything and I said no, which is correct to my knowledge.

I am definitely not a doctor, but in Florida the Fire Ant should our state pet. I have stepped in a mount before, couldn't count the bites and didn't look like that. The doctor is right don't scratch, but for some people it's hard not to.

 

[Tenbore]

Glad we don't have them here. (That I know of).

 

[jimbo1096]

I tried to keep on them all the time here, but I can go out my back or front yard at anytime account at least three or four especially after rain. I stood barefoot in the grass and soundly looked down to see my feet covered and not even a sign of an ant hill anywhere. I use Amdro also and it does work.

 

[davevabch]

Avid hunter and woodsmen since a kid. The creature that scares the crap out of me is the TICK. Very Dangerous where I live. Get Lyme disease and you are fried. Had a friend that was really a beautiful woman. You would not even have recognized her about a year of getting that disease. Totally distorted confined to a wheel chair for life. Horrible.

 

[buckeyeshooter]

My introduction to living in Alabama in the 80's was sitting down on a park bench and putting my feet in a nest. Gave me an intense hate for those bugs. I developed a scorched earth policy with them. A nest at my place got a gallon of gasoline, 10 minutes to soak in, then a match. After several applications I had no nests and no returns at my place. I bet the neighbors wondered why my yard looked so funny. Most left me alone because " he's a yankee and just ain't right".

 

[caryc]

I tried to keep on them all the time here, but I can go out my back or front yard at anytime account at least three or four especially after rain. I stood barefoot in the grass and soundly looked down to see my feet covered and not even a sign of an ant hill anywhere. I use Amdro also and it does work.

I also use Amdro, great stuff.

 

[caryc]

There is one more thing I need to tell you guys. About 5 PM yesterday I started to get the shakes. Mostly in my upper body. It was pretty serious shaking. My arms and hands were shaking like an inch side to side. This has never happened to me before. I was just sitting watching TV and it was like 76 degrees in the house. I was not cold but I covered myself with a blanket anyway. About 40 minutes later the shaking stopped. This really scared me as I said it has never happened to me before. I hope it never happens again.

Anyone ever experience anything like this?

 

[Watertender]

In October of 2017 I was undergoing chemotherapy and on a day that I felt fairly decent I serviced our Generac standby generator. I was bitten by a spider that was behind the air cleaner. I believe it was a brown recluse spider but I can't prove it. My immune system was down because of the chemo and the spider bite wreaked havoc on me. I had chills, dizziness, the shakes and wracking pain through my entire body. That is as close to what you described going on with you Cary.

 

[MaxMan]

Wonder if you have any other allergies like wasps and bees. A larger dose could be real trouble for you.
But...you could make money from the fire ants. People melt down aluminum and pour it down the mounds.

 

[ProfessorWes]

Yikes. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Cary.

 

[Johnnu2]

Speedy recovery Cary......... keep an eye on that thing you got there.

J.

 

[larry8]

If you put Cortisone or Hydrocortisone on a bite immediately after you are bitten and again 20 minutes afterward the itching and pain will diminish to almost nothing. (works for me and is only a suggestion for you).

 

[contender]

Cary,, that looks painful. Here's hoping you get over it soon my friend!