Those who react to insect bites severly...help please...

[maybutterfly]

Recently I have been unlucky enough to react quite badly to insect bites (not sure of what type yet), to the point my arm blows up and looks like it has been burnt (and when I scratch it feels like a burn too!). I have been to the Dr and have been put all a couple of different tablets that have helped but being that one of them you can only take 4 times a year safely and I have already had 2 doses sort of scares me. The amount of swelling, pain and itching was incredible to say the least. What I want to know is from those who suffer a severe reaction to insect bites, what do you do to combat it - my naturopath has put me on vitamin b to make me less attractive to the critters, but do you have any other ideas, do you use a certain cream, wash etc to help stop them biting you. I am seeing an allergist in a couple of weeks to see what it is that is making me react so badly. Any suggestions, hints, tips would be wonderful.

[mum2miya]

Are the tablets antihistamines? It sounds like my reaction to bee stings and that's what I need to take. No other advice though - sounds awful

[kermi]

Ice... that's about it from me...

I'm allergic to march flies... to the point I swell up like a balloon. Haven't been bitten by one for years though now... probably at least 15 or so... would hate to find out how bad I'd be if one did now.

Maybe I need to discuss that with my GP..

[holycow]

My Mum reacts really badly to sandflys and actually gets physically sick if she gets more than 5 or so bites. She takes a strong antihistimene as a treatment. A Far North Qld trick is to use an Avon product that's like baby oil as an insect repellant, I can't remember what it's called, but someone here will.

My DH finds that lavender, geranium and tea tee oil are good for reducing the swelling and itch of sandfly bites - might be worth a try.

I've heard of dosing up on Vitamin B to make one less attractive to the critters.

good luck, sounds awful.

[Eilleen]

My brother, my son and I really react from bites - very very itchy and swelling. I've found that it helps if I wash and apply tea tree oil to the bite right away (so the minute I realise I've been bitten) helps. As for the itchiness, I just aloe vera gel regularly (like every 30 mins to 1 hour) also helps. When I do both things strictly, I find that I don't swell as much or itch as much - but it still does swell and itch.

Its hardest for my son - in the past his insect bites have turned to infections because he can't stop scratching or rubbing them.

Having said that, there are times when I (and my son) have ended up taking prescribed medication for insect bites.

[Leah]

Baby oil with drops of citronella rubbed on your skin can help deter them if you know you may be near insects.

I react badly to mozzies, although not as severely as you sound you poor thing. Have you tried the old fashioned Calamine Lotion? My Mum also made me up a paste once and I think it had Bicarb Soda, honey and something else to put on the bites as they were soooo itchy I was going mad. It did help somewhat. I will ask her what it was.

Hugs,

[tikki]

we have an aloe vera plant in the garden and I put some of the sap in that straight on any of Lily's mozzie bites as soon as I see them. If you're quick enough it's amazing, it can almost negate the whole swelling process!

We use a natural product produced here which I can neither remember the name of nor find at the moment, we have a bit of problem with mozzies here

[~Miss Cinders~]

JW used to get terribley sick from mozzie bites when he was a baby/toddler. He would take phenergan, and I would smother him in aloe vera where he was bitten... sometimes I'd have to use cortesone cream as well if they were too bad.

[nappyhappy]

I react but it sounds like not as badly as you do, I use a mix of lavender and patchouli, it's supposed to be applied neat but my skin can't tolerate it neat so I have it as a 5 drops each to 10ml ratio instead. I find I have to get it on fairly quickly to be effective though. I have added Jasmine to it so it's kinda like a perfume and I carry it around with me all the time now.