Mosquito bites

[HiouchiDump]

Argh! I seem to have become hyper-sensitized to mosquito bites over the last couple of years. For most of my life, I would develop a reaction to a bite that was smaller than a dime that lasted a day or two. The last couple years I noticed the reaction was getting as big as a nickel and lasting 3-4 days. Now, I am having reactions the size of a quarter!

I got nailed at twilight last night - about ten bites and they are all swollen areas the size of a quarter.

Has anyone else experienced this? I don't like the trend - makes me worry I could eventually develop a systemic reaction. I'll run it by my doctor, but I'm curious if this is unusual.

[Pony]

That happened to DS for a while. We'd give him Benadryl at the first site of a bite (and yes, we were careful to take precautions against bites), because he eventually got to the point where he'd get hives.

Gradually, however, this wore off over about 7 years. He's fine now when he gets a bite, just has the "usual" reaction to it.

I'd be interested to read what your doc says.

Hope you get to the bottom of it!

Pony!

[Maura]

Vitamin C, a good brand, not Walmart. Vitamin C destroys histamins, and histamines destroy vitamin C. I am presently covered in insect bites, mosquito and something else. It all started a week ago Saturday and I've tried various remedies. This morning, I tried Patchouli essential oil and after six hours am still itch free.

[nodak3]

Plain old household ammonia, a drop per bite, does wonders, as does benedryl.

[HeatherDriskill]

You better use some bug spray or something!

[Danaus29]

Get some ducks, they'll eat the skeeters before the skeeters eat you! It has been a really wet spring here and I've got only 2 skeeter bites so far. It's rare for a mosquito to even land on one of us. The Muscovies have been worth their weight in gold just for the mosquito patrol.

Talk to your doctor about the reaction to the bites. You can develop a serious allergy to the stuff the mosquito injects into you. I was getting real nasty welts too, not so bad now that there are fewer mosquitos to do the biting.

[jessimeredith]

Tea Tree Oil will also kill the itching as well as disinfect the area. Just dab a bit on each bite....works better than anything else I've tried. Oh, plant some lemongrass too!

[TxCloverAngel]

I am so glad I found this thread.
I have always been terribly sensitive to skeeter bites.

And for some reason they love me more than most people.
My entire family will be outside and they may get a bite or 2.
I get 10! And sadly, I am not kidding. We live in Texas.. I've seen our skeeters take off w/ small livestock! (j/k)

I say its because I am so sweet. Hubby & kids dont think so! lol
I do not wear perfumes, smelly shampoo, hair spray daily etc... so thats not it. Its been this way my whole life.

Right now my legs look like I have lepracy I have so many bites and end up scratching them at night no matter what I try.. its terribe!

There has to be something I can do.

To make this long story short.... I feel your pain or itch.

[BrahmaMama]

I absolutely agree with the VitC, (ester C) I hear is better.
Everyone has given good advise. But if it gets to the point where it starts to effect your joints (swelling and pain etc.) There is a pill you can get from your doc. and take once a day during skeeter season. I know someone who does this as she swells up like a balloon if she gets even one bite!

[Calfkeeper]

Originally Posted by HiouchiDump

I'll run it by my doctor, but I'm curious if this is unusual.

Nope, not unusual, I get HUGE (more than an inch or two across sometimes), itchy swellings quite frequently, they get really hot and red, too.

I'll have to try some of these suggestions.

[tallpines]

I found it from an old post back in June of 2004 by Sarah J---------------

"I drink sakanjabim. Those middle ages people had it right! This is sort of a medieval Gatorade...it's a vinegar and sugar drink. We start drinking a glass a day starting about now. Within a week or so the bugs *don't like you* at all. Continue drinking a glass a day - the vinegar in your system keeps the nasties away. It doesn't help with things like sunburn, flying objects from the lawn mower, getting scratched by your protective roosters, etc, but it *does* make a terrific alternative to Deet - keeps ticks off, too!

2 quarts water
4 cups sugar
Heat over medium flame until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 4 fruity tea bags (I like blackberry or raspberry), 4 sliced oranges (peel and all - just toss it all in!), and 16 ounces of red wine vinegar. Cover and let it cool for several hours. Remove the tea bags and oranges, squeezing them out as you remove them. Bottle the syrup or put it in jars. We prefer it cold so refrigerate it or keep it in a cooler when we're camping. But it's *vinegar and sugar* so can sit on a shelf just as easily. DON'T try to drink this straight! This is a syrup - you mix it 1 part syrup to 3 parts cold water. My sister prefers hers warmed up but I can't stand warm drinks in the summer time!"

[tallpines]

We have one of those "machines" that runs off of an LP tank and electric.
It creates CO2 that attracts the mosquitos.

Its called a "Mosquito Magnet".

Gotta leave it running 24/7 in order to interupt their breeding cycle.

Its not 100% but it works significantly well enough that we keep it running during mosquito season.

We live in a Wis woods and I would not be able to venture outside for very long without this machine.

Before the machine, working in the garden, or, even walking down the driveway at high noon to check the mail box was a challenge for me.