Horsefly bite

Pippity

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I got bitten by a horsefly on my wrist yesterday. It's now swollen up so much I can barely use my hand, and my entire arm is aching. Any suggestions for how to calm it down a bit? I've done the icepack thing, but it hasn't had any effect.
 

Reacher

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I was bitten and my arm swelled up to the elbow - I was put on antihistamines, antibiotics and anti inflammatories. Might need to ring GP if it isn’t getting better
 

Shay

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Hope you are recovering now. Horsefly bites are the worst. Anti histimine pills and antihistamine cream. You can get a stronger one than Antisan from a pharmacist. If you are still seriously swollen, or if red marks start to appear on the swelling, you need to get medical advice ASAP
 

Lady Jane

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Picture? You know we all like to see a good horse fly bite - horrible creatures, Hope its calming down now - mine usually start improving after 2 -3 days
 

SpotsandBays

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Is there any redness? If yes, draw marks around it and then you can tell if the redness is spreading. If it’s causing aches I’d be inclined to call 111 for advice
 

Coblover63

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Treat it with heat! I spent years using cold compresses on my severe reactions to horse fly bites..... to try to reduce that hot, hard, itchy-painful swelling. Then someone suggested a hot teaspoon/blasting with a hairdryer and my goodness, what a game-changer!! I use a hairdryer and the trick is to start straightaway, before the bite really takes off under your skin. Give it a good blast for as long as you can bear the heat, for a couple of mins - every few hours or when the itch gets unbearable.... but at least 4 or 5 times over the course of a day. Obvs be careful not to burn your skin. I actually have a piece of card with a hole in, so that i only blast the bite site. Heat is way better at killing of the toxins in your skin. Try it.

(And obvs pop an antihistimine!!)
 

Rumtytum

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Treat it with heat! I spent years using cold compresses on my severe reactions to horse fly bites..... to try to reduce that hot, hard, itchy-painful swelling. Then someone suggested a hot teaspoon/blasting with a hairdryer and my goodness, what a game-changer!! I use a hairdryer and the trick is to start straightaway, before the bite really takes off under your skin. Give it a good blast for as long as you can bear the heat, for a couple of mins - every few hours or when the itch gets unbearable.... but at least 4 or 5 times over the course of a day. Obvs be careful not to burn your skin. I actually have a piece of card with a hole in, so that i only blast the bite site. Heat is way better at killing of the toxins in your skin. Try it.

(And obvs pop an antihistimine!!)
I forgot about this - think it could have been you cobliver who mentioned it on another post! I use a teaspoon in almost boiling water and it definitely works (along with the antihistamine).
 

Pippity

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The only antihistamines I had in were travel sickness pills, which always put me to sleep for twelve hours. (I took one while sailing once, and slept through a fire drill being staged in the focsle where I was sleeping...) So I took one of those, slept for twelve hours, and it's now a lot less swollen!

I always react badly to horsefly bites, usually swelling up for about 10cm radius. I think this one was particularly bad because, being on my wrist, there wasn't enough room for the swelling. This is it now it's calmed down!

1596898833103.png
 

ponyparty

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Ugh you have my full sympathy!

I got royally bucked off yesterday morning so have a sore right bum cheek - pretty sore to sit down. And then today I got a terrible horse fly bite on the back of my upper left thigh. Conveniently, EXACTLY where the loo seat goes ? I can’t sit comfortably on either side, on any chair/sofa... about to attempt lying down in bed to see if that’s any better ? fml!

(I’ve been gobbling antihistamines and anti-inflammatories, and icing all offending areas - it’s def helped. I’d say if you see no improvement after doing that, see a doc. And always mark up where the red goes to, so if it gets worse you can easily tell)
 

Pippity

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