A peaceful summer evening in rural Texas swiftly devolved into a terrifying medical struggle for Sarah Neal, who was left with face swelling and a painful, spreading rash that baffled emergency department physicians and left her feeling like a medical enigma.
Neal, 28, claims that she felt something crawling on her while she was asleep. She remembers, “I grabbed it and threw it.” I didn’t give it much thought at the moment, but it bit my left butt cheek.
But her skin started to react in a matter of hours. She developed a fever the following night, her face went bright red and hot to the touch, and she had a rash on her arms and legs. Neal claims it felt like a severe sunburn. Everything felt tight and searing.
Her symptoms were only getting worse by morning, and her face was swollen and covered in pustules. Neal hurried to the emergency room, but instead of providing relief, the visit caused further confusion.
She claims that they disregarded the bite. The experts surmised that it was a response to skincare products or sunscreen. I was sent home with a prescription for steroids and antibiotics. I felt discarded and unheard of when I left.
Her worried mother encouraged her to get a second opinion back home. Following her online post about her ailment, Neal received support from her TikTok followers, which enabled her to see a dermatologist that same day—a rare occurrence, she says.
After examining her skin, the dermatologist gave her the unexpected diagnosis of acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, or AGEP, a rare, rapidly spreading rash that is typically brought on by drugs. However, the trigger in Sarah’s instance was a brown recluse spider bite.
There were a few extremely unusual cases brought on by spider bites, she recalls, but the doctor claimed he had only seen it from medications. He informed me that it would be confirmed if the rash got better after taking steroids. And that’s precisely what took place.
The rash started to go away after a few days, but the bite got worse. She claims that the region became hard and black. The tissue was literally withering and necrotic.
As the necrosis progressed, a second dermatologist confirmed the same uncommon diagnosis and advised her not to travel. According to Neal, I was planning to travel to Montana and almost called off the trip. However, I returned to the emergency room, was cleared, and happily, the wound began to cure itself.
Even still, the healing process was painful and slow. She claims that for two weeks, she was unable to sit. It was painful even to lie in bed. The only physical reminder that remains after weeks of rest and treatment is a little scar, which she says she may ultimately get tattooed with a tiny spider for the memories.
On TikTok, where she posted pictures and updates during her recuperation, Neal’s story attracted thousands of followers. The majority of commenters merely expressed encouragement, while some gave good advise. She thinks it was overwhelming, but in a nice way. I was constantly being checked on.
She is also appreciative that others can benefit from hearing her tale. “Physicians must understand that there are uncommon reactions,” she says. I wouldn’t have learned the truth if I hadn’t pressed for a second opinion.
Her advice is unmistakable: follow your instincts and don’t ignore your worries. According to Neal, women in particular are frequently informed that we are exaggerating. But I was aware of a problem. My life might have been saved if I had paid attention to my body.
