Insect bite/sting...do I need to go to hospital?

[ArmIssues]

I was bitten or stung on my arm a couple of days ago. The affected area started small but within 12 hours it had grown to a couple of inches long, and now, 24 hours later it has spread from my inner elbow down to an inch away from my wrist. My arm is hot and tight, although some of the redness has gone away. I don't feel ill or have a temperature but my wrist and elbow feel achy. I spoke to the doctor an hour ago on the phone and she sounded concerned but said that not having a fever or sickness was a good sign. She prescribed antibiotics and said that if I start feeling ill then I need to go to hospital ASAP for IV antibiotics. My dh picked up my antibiotics and the pharmacist reiterated that I need to keep a close eye on this and go to hospital if I start feeling rotten.

My dh thinks I should go as soon as he gets back from work but I think I should hold off unless I start feeling ill. He's a notorious over-reactor about attending hospital/doctors so I take his hospital recommendations with a pinch of salt. However, I'm a notorious under-reactor and probably wouldn't ever go to hospital unless my arm was actually hanging off by a thread.

The doctor hasn't seen my arm other than a photo I took earlier in the day- the size of the affected area has grown since then. So I'm not sure what to do. All I know is my arm feels horrible.

Draw around the red. Can you give the antibiotics 24 hrs to begin to work, then if the red has spread any more get to hospital.

All my bites react like this so I would tend to say not to worry, but obviously it isn't normal for you, so do keep an eye on it. The thing that brings the most relief for me is cold, so try a coolpack or a bag of peas on it. If it starts tracing lines up your arm, then definitely go to hospital

I would follow the pharmacists advice - if you begin to feel unwell, head to A&E, if you can manage at home then do. Your antibiotics should keep infection at bay but may take a while to work, so be ready for a trip to A&E if your symptoms begin to worsen.

Ooh I don’t like how far that has spread and how no one has seen you in real life. I also take an allergic reaction to bites but this looks a bad one. Have you taken antihistamine also? Mark the red area now with pen at the edges so the spread can be monitored. I probably wouldn’t be running into hospital without systemic symptoms, but monitoring closely and starting the antibiotics ASAP. But equally I’m never sure internet medical advice is a good idea.

Bag of peas wrapped in a tea towel on it, 24-48 hours antibiotics, paracetamol for the discomfort and draw along the red just to check for the spread, spread and width.

Don’t know what’s happening where you are but there is a critical incident notice on social media regarding our local ambulance service and A&E being completely overwhelmed, advising people to stay away.

While you obviously shouldn’t stay away if you are very unwell, just bear in mind.

Have you any idea what attacked you ? Are you in the UK?
The only thing that make me react that much is a horse fly, they hurt like buggery and make my are swell , get hot and tight skin .
Generally speaking you will only get attacked by one if you have been near livestock / deer / horses etc.

Use a biro and draw round the bite / red area. And mesure the width of your arm ( Mark where you measures it to be sure you do it in exactly the same place each time )
Photograph it do you / doc's have ref to it's change

For now I would give the antibiotics a chance to work, but keep a close eye on it.

Antihistamine.

Infected bites are very rare and overdiagnosed, allergic reactions are common.

That looks nasty.

I was always taught that if it was a horsefly bite they have dirty mouths which can cause an infection, so you should wash it well with soap and hot water and some diluted Dettol or TCP.

I'd definitely mark where it's spread. Hopefully the antibiotics will get to work quickly though and you'll feel better.

That's a pretty standard reaction to a bite. Have you not taken any anti-histamine?
Get some anti histamine and start your antibiotics and see how it is over the next couple days. If you start to develop a fever or feel very unwell then dont wait, but if not then treat it and see how you go.

Your doctor has prescribed antibiotics. And said that if you feel ill you need to go to hospital. You don't feel ill and you've got the antibiotics. So take them and monitor how you feel. If things get worse, then yes, go to the hospital. I'd also take an antihistamine as that will help with the discomfort.

I had a similar infected bee sting last year except that in my case my foot was 3 times the size of your arm within 24 hours. GP prescribed antibiotics and recommended high dose of antibiotics. An infection and/or infection reaction does need treatment. It does not need a trip to A&E unless it gets worse.

I had an insect bite that got like that a few years ago. The area turned purple after a few days. Basically it got infected and I had cellulitis. Take some antihistamines (if they don't interact with the antibiotics) and see how you go. Keep an ice pack and don't lift anything with that arm. If it gets worse or you feel ill, straight to a&e

I've taken an antihistamine both yesterday and today and it hasn't improved it in any noticeable way. I also used a cream on the area both yesterday and today, and again no improvement.

This is not at all like any reaction I've ever had to a bite or sting. I'm in the Uk and live slap bang in the middle of a housing estate.

I'll take the advice to circle the affected area and see how it changes over the next 24 hours.

You have an infection, most likely, hence the antibiotics. You should see improvement quite quickly after you start taking the antibiotics. Also some antihistamines can be taken more often than the once a day. I can't remember which one but I'm sure google will tell you. My doctor basically recommended I do that, and also take the other one once a day, to help with itching and sooth the allergic elements.

A cool compress will help. Also, I used this. Ridiculous product that's basically water but it was incredibly soothing.

Ok that's great! Thank you! My 3 year old has just looked at me like I'm mad as I've drawn around the area on my arm. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in quickly.

I always react to insect bites. Take an antihistamine it helps.

I think if this is unusual for you I'd be more inclined to get it checked out, but perhaps give the treatment some time to work if you otherwise feel well.

I react a lot to insect bites so it wouldn't concern me personally at this stage. I lived somewhere where there were poisonous things and I was always getting well meaning people trying to cart me off to hospital for simple insect bites.

Yes this is not a usual reaction for me at all. But I also question my ability to judge the severity of the situation because on the two occasions during the last twenty years that I've needed to go to hospital I've been forced there reluctantly by my dh- once for a broken bone and once for OHSS. Both times I required hospital treatment but I wouldn't have gone unless forced. However, my dh also over reacts a lot and wants to take the children to a&e every time they have a temperature. So I question both our judgements in this situation 😆

I will let the antibiotics take affect and continue monitoring the affected area and see what happens. Thanks all.

Keep taking Piriton as it looks more allergic reaction than infection to me. Have you tried Stingose/Afterbite etc on it to see if it helps reduce the redness?

If it keeps spreading I would call GP back with a new photo. With the drawing round it, write the time on the line then every time it spreads draw a new line with the time on it then you get a timeline of how quickly it is worsening.