Author Topic: words of warning (Read 4946 times)

ted72 · « **on:** July 14, 2006, 10:59:33 »

Well Im sat here feeling a bit fed up. :(

Keep a close eye on any insect bites!

Woke up wednesday morning with a couple of what I thought were just midgey bites. throughout weds both started swelling and getting uncomfortable so visited chemist for some cream, which soothed but didnt seem to take swelling away.

Went to the great yorkshire show yesterday and noticed that the redness on my forearm was spreading up my arm, so on the way home visited the local clinic who advised that the infection was following my veins, did use some technical term but being a bit dumb I didnt understand.

So anyhow ended up having to go to casualty now on 2 lots of strong antibiotics and gotta revisit tomorrow if these aint shifting it will have to have them injected. So far though the swelling dont seem to be as angry as it looked yday.

So I have had to phone into work sick and I wont be able to do any allotmenting this weekend as planned( more upset about this than not going to work he he.)

At least I will have lots of time to catch up with the latest news on here ;)

trina

Palustris · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2006, 11:34:58 »

I am lucky in that either things do not bite me, or if they do I do not have an adverse reaction, but you do have my sympathy. My wife was bitten by something not so long ago and had the same problem as you, watching the infection travel was quite frightening. She finished up with a huge abscess which had to be drained. Hope the antibiotics work for you.

trojanrabbit · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2006, 11:52:42 »

Not good - hope you get better soon.
Take it easy :)

Pete

PS: assuming you have a week's course of AB's, suggest you're extra carefull about being out in the sunshine - it's rarely a problem, but they occasionally have some dodgy side effects.

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2006, 11:57:02 »

Poor you. Things seem to flair up with me, but for me it is plant sap. Burns me like acid - parsnips and horseradish currently being the worse, although primroses, conifers, and bamboos bring me up in hives.

Rest up, the allotment will still be there next weekend, and with this dry weather, the weeds aren't growing all that fast.

CotswoldLass · « **Reply #4 on:** July 14, 2006, 11:57:37 »

Yes, take it easy and hope the AB's sort it out quickly! We've got a big mozzie problem here - both had huge red wheals on our legs - until I invested in some extra strength Jungle Formula. What a relief! CLx

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2006, 12:40:21 »

How nasty for you Trina! Hope it is settling down a bit today. People do tend to forget about insect bites as they are not always noticable until that night or the day after. I have been bitten on my arm and only noticed it last night and it has come up like a big blister today which I have been smothering in an antihystamine cream. Hope you feel better soon. busy_lizzie

Moggle · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2006, 13:46:34 »

Oh dear Trina, poor you! Hope you are feeling better soon.

I had something similar last year when I went home to visit the parents in Aus. Started out with what looked like a couple of mozzie bites, they swelled up and got red and icky, ended up with one leg being covered with swelled up red blotches about 3 inches in diameter.

Doctor gave me mega-antibiotics and said it was streptococcal infection of the skin :-X

Hyacinth · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2006, 18:14:56 »

Oh dear! Welcome to my world, Trina :)

Bit of a bu**er, isn't it? but the ABs should sort it out.

Get well soon.

Lishka

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2006, 19:26:03 »

Poor you Trina, daughter had a reaction too last weekend, got bitten by summit and arm started to swell, luckily the piriton did the trick!
Rotten these bug bites sometimes. >:(

MrsKP · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2006, 20:32:53 »

lordy me Trina. what a shock !

actually saw a wee beastie having a chew at me earlier ! he is no longer with us ! :P

i'm busy rubbing in the skin so soft as we speak, i hope it lasts overnight !

bitey things love me (i must be sweet and juicy i guess). ;D

hope you feel a bit better quick smart!

Vez1 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2006, 22:39:50 »

Not so bad with insect bites since I discovered Avon Suncream with insect repellent. I have to wear factor 30 so bought some of theirs last year, it solved two problems the sunburn and the little blighters that seemed to like biting my legs and ankles. Still haven't discovered what found me so tasty.
Now all I have to do is learn to avoid the nettles, I seem to sting myself every couple of days. I swear they wait in hiding just for me.

lorna · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2006, 23:18:59 »

Trina. Hope you will soon be feeling better. How miserable for you. Unlike Mrs KP I am sure I am not sweet and juicy as I NEVER get bitten. Must be my leathery OLD skin ;D (hope they are not famous last words!!)
Lorna

Mimi · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2006, 23:34:55 »

Was just reading this and thinking its a bit like deja vu. From spring last year........

I was clearing out a load of compost last week and was bitten by a beasty of some kind ( we think maybe a spider ) Didnt notice much at first but over 24 hours started to develop blotchy swellings all over. The swellings then became hives which all joined up and became urticaria... I was covered over arms, legs, body and other unmentionables The pain/burning/itching was unbelievable. Doc prescribed antihistamines which took about 36 hours to start showing any effect. The rash and swelling has now settled down although I have seen a couple of minor flare ups but it now seems to have settled down. The next thing to happen was awful joint pain. Hands, wrists and elbows became swollen, hot and painful...... more tablets from the doc. So I am just taking things slowly and easy today and tomorrow before I (hopefully) return to work Tuesday. As the swelling has subsided I noticed a puncture wound (which is still inflamed) on the back of my hand.
This is the top of my leg as the hives started to spread.

Really hope that you feel better soon Trina.

lorna · « **Reply #13 on:** July 15, 2006, 07:32:35 »

Mimi. Oh that looks so painful, I really hope it soon all clears up. Poor you. Get well soon.
Lorna.

GREENWIZARD · « **Reply #14 on:** July 15, 2006, 07:53:59 »

Meg · « **Reply #15 on:** July 18, 2006, 12:47:02 »

Bless not nice. Rest and plenty of fluids I think. About every 5 years I have a stinker of a bite so have plenty of sympathy for both of you.

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #16 on:** July 18, 2006, 12:58:11 »

I remember Mimi, that must have been so painful and uncomfortable for you!! It is amazing how much damage a little creature can do! :o Hope you have had no reoccurence. :o busy_lizzie

tin can · « **Reply #17 on:** July 18, 2006, 13:50:01 »

Nasty!!

My daughter was out in the Amazon jungle a couple of years ago , and the only insect repellant which worked was an Avon product which was not even being sold as an insect repellant , just a skincare product.
It's been rebranded by Avon and I think it is now called ' skin so soft'-( a replnishing dry oil body spray) . Worked much better than DEET expedition 100 strength and is not toxic in anyway.
For those of you with adverse reactions to nibbles or want to use something which actually works and smells good(!) ....it's well worth getting hold of some.
As I said, it's been rebranded/renamed but if you ask Avon , they may be able to confirmthat this is it's new name.
By-the -way ...I don't work for Avon!!! ;D just happy to pass on some useful information, cos if it works in the jungle where everything wants to either bite, eat or lay eggs in you , then it should be worth a try over here!!

Hope you feel better soon !

MrsKP · « **Reply #18 on:** July 18, 2006, 14:07:55 »

tin can - that's exactly what i'm using now. i've been bitten twice since i started using it a week ago, but must have just missed a patch. the two bites were fine on the first day but then started itching like mad on the second. still got the evidence but nothing to write home about so i'll definitely get another spray of SOS for next month. i can definitely see me getting through this 150 ml bottle (although having just had a look, i don't seem to have used much of it at all.).

going back to words of warning - i got a particulary nasty rash from some borage this weekend ? a known irritant or was it just me ?

Deb P · « **Reply #19 on:** July 19, 2006, 13:54:32 »

I had the misfortune to be lunch for a couple of horsefly's this year, and had nasty reactions to both bites.

I did a search on-line about it, and found an article in 'New Scientist' that recommended holding a cup of hot (as you can stand it) water against the bite as soon a possible. This does three things: the heat reacts with the toxin in the bite and 'cooks' it (like egg white) thus destroying i; the increased circulation to the area helps your body clear the toxin away, and the heat also sooths the pain. Don't have it too hot though, or you'll have 2nd degree burns as well as a bite! My husband tried it two days ago, on a day old bite, and it worked a treat. Wish I had found out sooner!

News:

Author Topic: words of warning (Read 4946 times)