1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Sjogren's Syndrome

Mosquito bites and Sjogrens

Posted , 5 users are following.

zeet
zeet

Diagnosed with Sjogrens in 1992. Never have a bad flare-up (until now) so never have been on any medication. Only treatment to date has been to plug my tear drainage ducts which worked very well. Just come back from a month's break in Greece and noticed that for the first time in living memory mosquitoes loved me! Read up on why mossies go for some people more than others and discovered that mossies love Co2, beer drinkers and lactic acid. Had my usual blood tests and for the first time ever had raised levels of c-reactive protein, ferritin, CPK, LDH and creatinine. Before I went to Greece, I had the same blood test and all was OK. So what happened during my time on holiday? Just this: I had a rowing machine installed in my apartment in Greece and used it every day ( I go to the gym in London every alternate day) and sweated profusely using my machine. I believe that the mossies loved the lactic acid that was in my sweat and went for me. I cannot think of any other explanation. I will be seeing my MCTD consultant in 3 days time and I look forward to his explanation, if there is one.

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • mandy95
    mandy95 zeet

    Posted

    Mosquitos loved me too until I started taking odourless garlic tablets. Been taking one a day for the last 3 years and not been bitten once. I know they work because my sister and I stood on her porch one night with the light on, they came within a foot of me then left and bit my sister lol.

    Regards,

    Mandy

  • Sue1247
    Sue1247 zeet

    Posted

    An insect bite in the UK once brought on a bad attack of RA. I always react badly to bites and stings so I think you're right and it was the mozzies that triggered something.

  • janet20769
    janet20769 zeet

    Posted

    Hi, I was in the Caribean in March and got badly bitten, despite using Jungle Formula  50% Deet day and night. I got one particular bite on the back of my calf which went into a blister and my ankle and foot swelled badly below it and didn't go down for weeks. 

    • mandy95
      mandy95 janet20769

      Posted

      Start taking odourless garlic tablets I am living proof that they work. They use to love me, every time I went out I got bit, but not anymore not for the last 3 years.
    • janet20769
      janet20769 mandy95

      Posted

      Yes thanks Mandy I will, as the swollen  foot was a nuisance - good job I could wear flip flops as couldn't get a shoe on. Don't want that ever again!

  • lily65668
    lily65668 zeet

    Posted

    In my experience they have some particularly nasty mozzies in some parts of Greece. Normally I'm one of the lucky ones, mosquitos aren't remotely interested in me. I backpacked a lot in the Greek islands when I was in my 40s and had no problems at all, but the one time I stayed close to Athens - in Glyfada and practically on the airport runway! - I got the most horrendous bites. I was covered in them and they left big brown scars that took about six months to go away. Never had anything like that since.

    For the record, I didn't start getting Sjogren's symptoms till more than 10 years later so I don't think there was any connection either way in my case.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.