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Extreme reaction to insect bite

Posted , 7 users are following.

msleighxx
msleighxx

Hi i apologise for my punctuation before hand but I am so upset itchy and worn out as I write this it's hard for me to concentate sad I am a woman of 23 years old 2 Saturday's ago I was sunbathing in my garden when I was bitten on the leg by an insect I'm not aware of what insect it was but I'm guessing either a spider fly or ant the bite didn't really bother me much pain wise a small spot with pus filled up the next day so I popped it in the bath and thought nothing of it, the day after that I woke up with angry red hives covering the tops of my legs my back stomach chest and arms I am totally covered in red angry bumps. I have been to the doctors last Thursday and he has given a cream called dermol which I use for eczema on my lower legs anyway it has made no difference He also prescribed fexofenedine which has worked for the last 4 days until now the hives are itching like crazy getting worse and spreading angry red ones the worst affected areas are my stomach and inside my calves upper leg I am so upset and unable to sleep or go out in the sun please if anyone can recommend anything id be so greatful I would provide pictures but there is no option. Thankyou

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • crydtal40489
    crydtal40489 msleighxx

    Posted

    Wow. When I itch out of control I'll take 2 benadryls and put baggies of ice to freeze the itch. sad I still am not sure what the root cause to my hives are. 😢😢 feeling for you and everyone that has this issue.
    • msleighxx
      msleighxx crydtal40489

      Posted

      Thankyou I hope one day there is more research and answers offered to people suffering with hives long and short term I have never felt anything like it I feel as though I'm on fire sad
    • ali2697
      ali2697 msleighxx

      Posted

      I did too was horrendous a friend recommended aveeno skin irritation I held no hope but unless you see them I don't know they are there, you are right they don't know the answer obv not enough research, I saw 3 Drs and not one would help, I checked out my contraceptive pill and side effects were hives & angiodema & if you had them before taking pill it increAsed the side effect! Am so annoyed no one picked up on this, try the cream definitely x
  • ali2697
    ali2697 msleighxx

    Posted

    I've had them for 4 weeks now had them 8 year ago too, this time the doctor won't help told me keep taking the ceterizine fexofenodine didn't work , I was recommended by a friend to by Aveeno skin relief omg it's a god send , it's stops the itch I cover my self in it, there are a few different types but I use the skin relief and so far so good, it's awful and embarrassing isn't it, stress causes mine they say ??. However I also have angiodema now and again, hope the cream helps you can buy ceterizine ove the counter, Alison
    • msleighxx
      msleighxx ali2697

      Posted

      I have Aveeno the green one which gives me temporary relief of about an hour I used this last night when I was at my wits end and it did offer me relief to drop off to sleep but very short lived sad ceterizine I have tried on the first 3 days also but they where having no effect hence why doctor gave me fexofenedine but it's now for to the point where the itch is over riding it sad I am currently under a load of stress and involved in a court case (as a victim) so it may be stress related, yeah it is very embarrassing getting me down I've become a hermit these last 2 weeks due to it. Currently I am sitting in a cold bath as I have just woken up red raw once again head to toe. I am totally in shock never experienced anything like this other than mild exzema on my legs but now I'm covered head to toe in these hives sad(( thankyou for advice very appreciated
  • ayda
    ayda msleighxx

    Posted

    Do not let doctors fob you off. They can only prescribe antihistamines which don't work. They are not experts on this subject and professional consultants are not either, because it is true there is not enough research done on this subject.

    I have had chronic/delayed pressure urticaria for almost 7years. It is very unpleasant and I believe the only people that know what it's like are us poor people suffering from it. It can be disabling and affect your quality of life.

    I have been under a consultant at Guys hospital for many years and have been prescribed almost every drug available. None helped and steroids like predisinole are a short term relief. I have used these and now have osteopenia- brittle bones.

    I have have many outbreaks qualified for the injection Ozambulam (probably spelt it wrong). Its not 100% but can honestly say it is the best medication I have used. I have had more good days than bad. I would highly recommend that you push to receive this but you really need to see a specialist and demand this from your gp. Afterall you are the one suffering and im sure you are desperate for some releif. You have the right to help yourself to a more nomal life.

    Good luck

    • ali2697
      ali2697 ayda

      Posted

      Ayda

      I literally sobbed broken hearted out of Drs after seeing 3 of them , would not even check my bloods because app it was stress as I had just changed jobs, I said am stressed because I have to go to work with these ! He offered me councilling I asked if he was having a laugh!, I just told another lady on here, Aveeno for the skin irritation is the best I've tried, I've read about those needles, however I doubt my doctor would even entertain me sad

  • desmond01416
    desmond01416 msleighxx

    Posted

    You can try fexofenadine at higher doses, twice a day or even four times a day. Also, menthol cream (deep freeze) is much better for me than Aveeno but will only give short term relief. 

    For the sleeping problems, Hydroxyzine (Atarax) at night is good. If that doesn't work, a short term course of Doxepin will help. Both will help with anxiety, but don't drive or do anything that requires you to be very alert until well after lunchtime on those.

    If it is caused by stress, you might find that the beta blocker Propranolol at 20-40mg helps with both the anxiety/stress and itch/scratch/itch cycle. 

    I'd liked to have tried Omalizamub but it's actually quite hard to get prescribed that as it's very expensive.

    I'm 3 weeks into treatment with Ciclosporin and it's working really well apart from a bit of initial nausea/tiredness/achiness. They've reduced the dose from 4mg per kilo to 3mg/kilo and will probably go to 2.5mg next. I've had three and a half years of this and am sorry I didn't go down this route after a couple of months. 

    If you are still having problems in a few months, get a good specialist and go through the options with them. Apart from Omalizamub and Ciclosporin, there's also Dapsone and a few other things that can work well.

    You could take Prednisone short term, but I would recommmend it, apart from if you are waiting for an appointment with a specialist. 

    It's also possible that you have a physical urticaria. There's pressure urticaria (scratching/rubbing can make that worse), cholinergic (heat) urticaria, solar urticaria (rare), cold contact (unlikely given your description). Or you could be allergic to some insect stings (could it be a bee/wasp sting?), in which case it might just go away in short-term, maybe with help from a short course of steroids. But if you are under stress, in my experience they will make you more stressed and can cause insomnia too.

  • kay244
    kay244 msleighxx

    Posted

    Hi msleighxx. With the situation you have..if you start to experience trouble breathing, or upper abdomen pain coming on you may or could go into anaphylactic shock. Im sorry your going thru this. I have angioedema and cellulitis plus hypothyroidism. Depressed?..pppp thats a way blow of an understatement. I hope you feel better and it goes away
  • lorraine34338
    lorraine34338 msleighxx

    Posted

    Hi, insect bites are acid so use very salty water on the redness and bumps, I had chronic urticaria and the salty water eased the itchiness and bumps. I do not like steroids but you may need a course of prednisone with a very long tail off at the end. You may also get hives as a reaction to lying in the sun, even though you've probably done that loads of times. Urticaria (hives) comes on with no real reason but usually as a result of the immune system being compromised.
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