To see a GP for this?

The pharmacy can give anti biotics for bites in fact, so start there.

It sounds like it's gone further than the initial allergic reaction and got infected, so ignore people saying it's just an allergy. You can develop cellulitis from it, or even sepsis, so best to get it seen.

It’s been improved by time. You said yourself it took a few days to notice a difference after starting the cream. Some antibiotics have a small anti-inflammatory action so there might be an element of that. Antibiotic cream is useless in treating cellulitis which is essentially what you’re saying you have.

Keep going with antihistamines (sometimes docs recommend twice daily for this sort of thing but will depend on your health and other meds), and I’d be tempted to buy a standard bite cream from a pharmacy and apply liberally! It’s really common to respond like this to insect bites so not sure what the GP can do about your more general questions.

You need to watch for tracking towards the heart. That’s a red line heading in the direction of your heart. If that happens seek medical attention immediately. I’m allergic to some bites and have been hospitalised for IV antibiotics before. Get hold of some allevia (fexofenadine) 180mg. It’s an antihistamine that I’m prescribed when my bites get bad, it’s now available over the counter.

I've had something similar in the UK and ended up at the walk in centre as my ankle swelled up overnight. They gave me super strength anti-histamines, penned a line on my leg and said get checked for pre diabetes. One of the professionals on here hopefully will explain that link better than I can.

Don’t ask these people, some of whom are offering very unhelpful advice, see a` pharmacist or doctor..
get well soon

I agree, a relative of a friend died due to sepsis caused by an insect bite. It's rare but it does happen.

Be careful giving dangerous advice like this. I’ve just lost a friend following what seemed like a minor infection (not mosquito related). If the infection due to the bites doesn’t clear up or gets worse it‘s absolutely what the NHS is for, especially if the OP feels unwell

If you feel you need to see a doctor, make an appointment. If you're in two minds, see a pharmacist and they will make a doctor's appointment for you if necessary. Don't be put off seeing a doctor though, they would rather you come in with an infected bite than end up in hospital with cellulitis or sepsis.

Use your travel insurance/GHIC card and see a healthcare professional before you come home. If you're feverish and have an open wound, it sounds like you have an infection. Your hotel or local pharmacy will be able to point you to an English-speaking doctor or prescriber.

It’s called skeeter syndrome. Take a daily antihistamine, make sure to use antihistamine cream on the bite immediately. There’s also a bite sucker product you can buy that removes the chemical they put in your skin. You also have to be really thorough with using bug spray. Either DEEt or I like Smidge spray.

Or would it just have got better on it's own as they usually do. It's really difficult to decide if bites are infected or just a bad reaction but most "infected" bites are just really bad allergies to the venom in the insect.

When are you due back? If the redness is spreading and they feel painful then I wouldn't leave it. I got attacked by them in my leg on holiday 3 days in, they blistered and looked infected so I saw the hotels Dr who gave me some antibiotics and a cream (appointment and treatment were covered by my insurance). On the last day I woke up with 6 more bites, all bloated and swollen. When I got home the next day my leg was very swollen and I could hardly walk - pharmacist advised to go straight to A&E who drained the blisters and gave me a 7 day course of antibiotics (8 a day). 2 months later they are healing and I'm just trying to prevent scars. A&E said it was an extreme reaction and to visit my GP to understand what causes it

They will if they’ve become infected.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-62065525

Why not go to a pharmacy while abroad.

They'll have seen it all before and might be able to support.

She has infected insect bites, this is exactly what the NHS is for.

Of course she can see her GP about this if she’s worried.

There isn’t a list of ailments that you are limited to consulting doctors about.

I am allergic to mosquito bites. They swell up hugely (this time last week my left upper arm looked like Rafael Nadal's! And two weeks before a swelling the size of a side plate on my thigh). I get the blisters and the weeping and they are itchy and sometimes painful. I have had this since I was a child and am now mid 40s and it has only once progressed to cellulitis. The difference was very obvious as I had redness that tracked all the way up my leg and the skin was very tight and painful.

Always sensible to get checked out OP - maybe discuss with the GP when you are back? I take oral anti histamines on a prophylactic basis and double the dose when I get a particularly big reaction.

I'm not very clear whether you're asking if you should see a GP about a current bite, or about your tendency to react badly?
If you have concerns about the bites you have right now, then seeing a health professional is totally reasonable.

However, if you want the GP to advise you on preventing this in future, this is not reasonable for two reasons:

1. This is something that is purely related to travel abroad. Travel medicine is not the role of an NHS GP.
2. The answer is obvious - improve your use of insect repellent and bite avoidance. Not being bitten would prevent whatever is going on in your body, and is more appropriate than using antibiotics or antihistamines to treat the reactions.

I had similar while holidaying in Sicily. The staff at our hotel would joke that their mozzies are more like missiles than insects! I ended up with both my thighs all red, swollen and painful. It got to the point where walking was uncomfortable and when I went to the doctor's I was given steroid cream immediately. The tiger mosquitoes (the kind they have over there) can bite much deeper than ours and so you risk a more widespread inflammation which must be avoided. (I'm not a doctor, but just relaying what I was told then)

A friend had this happen and needed oral antibiotics and antihistamines.

I get many bites too.on my hol this year I was covered in them,I had a really bad one on my arm that went all around my arm redness and swelling.but i took antihistamine and bite gel and was ok.yours is the opposite and sounds infected if weeping.im glad you have the antibiotic lotion,but if not feeling or getting better straight to the gp.

Absolutely, what a ridiculous comment! The NHS is for any health concern (I work for the NHS by the way...)

Sounds like you do need antibiotics. My DH had them for an insect bite that was weeping a couple of years ago.

You can now get them through the NHS Pharmacy First service. Look up some pharmacies in your area as I think you still have to book an appointment. Maybe try Boots first as they definitely do it.

Pharmacy First can treat insect bites. Find your local chemist that is in the scheme.

I get this.

i’m allergic to the mozzie bites and then they get infected.

who you get triaged to will depend on how bad the infection is. Small infection is usually a nurse who will dress it, mark with biro so you can see the spread. Anti histamines will help (you can get both oral and a cream).

if it’s a fairly big infection you’ll get antibiotics to fight it.

i’m not usually seen by the gp.

when I go abroad (and in the uk now for that natter) I have a bite kit with oral antihistamines, anti histamine cream, steroid cream and bandages to protect it and soak up the clear stuff that comes out of them.