ChatGPT advised woman to seek emergency care after spider bite
A Texas woman reported that ChatGPT advised her to seek immediate emergency care after she experienced severe symptoms from a spider bite, including vomiting, numbness, and redness. Doctors at the hospital confirmed that her skin tissue was dying and that seeking immediate care was the correct decision.
What happened
A Texas woman named Holli, a TikTok user from Wolfforth, reported that after being bitten by a spider, she experienced severe symptoms including a red, hot, and numb bite site, vomiting for days, and numbness in her arm.
When her symptoms worsened, Holli entered her symptoms into ChatGPT, which flagged them as 'a ton of red flags' and advised her to 'go to the hospital immediately.'
Reported impact
At the emergency room, doctors confirmed that parts of her skin tissue were dying and that seeking immediate care was the right decision.
Holli felt embarrassed arriving at the hospital on ChatGPT's advice, but medical staff reassured her that coming in was appropriate.
Index analysis
Users speculated that Holli had been bitten by a brown recluse spider, a venomous species found across the central and southern United States that can cause skin lesions, infections, and in severe cases, systemic illness.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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