Horsefly bites

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WestCoast

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Got bitten by one of this little b*ggers today. Got him, but it was too late.

They don't itch greatly, but I react like mad to them. It's now about 2" across but my wrist will be the size of a tennis ball by tomorrow even with antihistamines.

Anyone got any miracle cures?

Paula
 
If you find a miracle cure, let me know! Only thing that soothes them is sudocrem (I react like you do and my legs look such a mess!). Sympathies!
 
Go to the chemist in the morning.

I got stung on my knee a while ago and it was twice the size by the next day, rigid and throbbing. The chemist gave me a cream which relieved it almost instantly. I can't remember the name of it and it's not in the medicine cupboard anymore either. It must have been some sort of antihistamine.
 
I'm using antihistamine tablets and cream - I find ammonia liquid quite good for very itchy bites. Resting it on an ice block helps a little, but I think it's just a case of accepting it. It's now 2.5" across and growing. :eek:

Paula
 
Like you, I react quite badly. Recently discovered that germolene really works to soothe the itch. Always have piriton with me, and it's usually enough. If it gets worse, go to the doctor, you may need antibiotics.
 
I'll see if I can track down some of the suggestions tomorrow. It's now across the inside of my wrist and four inches towards the elbow. But there's no heat or pain in any of my joints so I think it will be like the last one and start to go down after a day or so.

Paula
 
Keep an eye out for a red line going up the inside of your arm to your armpit. Get to the doctor is you're not sure. I got a nasty one on the inside of my thigh once and had a red line going to the glands in my groin, I had to have antibiotcs.
 
. . . And I'm off to the doctors this morning. Total pain because it's not that bad, but it's red, hot and swollen this morning rather than just puffy and itchy so I best get it looked at.

Paula
 
I'm probably fussing for nothing - but I can get on this morning (they have a queuing system) and I don't want to end up later with arm the size of a balloon having to cancel a clinic to go to A&E.

It went down a bit when I took some neurofen earlier, but it's up again now.

Fly repellent in future.

Paula

Paula
 
It's gone down ok today, but not before it had spread from my wrist to an inch below my elbow and doubled the size of my lower arm. Still I will know in future that they will go down. The doctor was quite amused by it but said it wasn't infected, just I was very allergic and to keep on with the antihistamines. :rolleyes:

Paula
 
I use Tea tree oil on the bites and find it stops the itching, blistering and swelling instantly.

Taking brewers yeast supplement is supposed to deter them from biting but it takes a few weeks to get into your system.
 
For future reference don't use both antihistamine creams AND tablets at the same time! You're doubling the dose. Use a hydrocortisone cream instead, it's really good for stopping the itching.

I got bitten by a horse fly on my ankle about 3 weeks ago and that's the advice my friend gave. She's been a nurse for the past 20~ years so I trust her advice :)

Pic of my foot all swollen up (link): http://imgur.com/4ZZuw
 
I use tea tree oil too its soothing on the itchiness and I got it with some citronella and lavender for a fly spray potion so v useful! Also I put ibuprofen gel on basically anything and it seems to help reduce them!

SO... ITCHYYY!!
 
Thanks all. Funnily it's not that itchy - possibly because I've been good about not scratching it. Just completely hideous.

I think prevention may be the best bet. Must get some repellent, but don't want to use deet all the time as its nasty stuff so I guess it's something like citronella.

Paula
 
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