Evil bite/sting

[IsItABiteIsItASting]

Hi all, am 48 hours post an unwarranted attack by a species of unknown origin! Was watering two nights ago and suddenly felt an excruciating pain in my hand. Got it straight under cold water while screaming like a two-year-old. Have done ice, ibuprofen, prescribed painkillers (co-incidental, was taking for something else already) antihistamine tablets and cream and it's burning like billy-o. I can't sleep because I can't take it out of the iced water for more than 20 minutes. Ice packs melt and I'm back to square one! Cool fan is helping a teeny bit. Am I a massive wimp? Anything else I can try? I can see two or possibly three entry marks but no blisters. The side/base of my hand are swollen, but not excessively so, with a hard lump at the centre of the swelling. Oh and there was no sting left in. No idea what the fucker was! Thank you!

God, that sounds horrendous. I'd see a pharmacist tomorrow if you haven't already. Maybe even send a photo to the GP if the pain is so bad you can't sleep.

Horsefly? They're evil, and I'm a bit allergic - the hard lump could be cellulitis? I'm so sorry, it's miserable x

Thank you both for not saying I'm a wimp!

@usernamealreadytaken good call... I was bitten by a horsefly on holiday aged about 7 - my whole thigh swelled up and my dad had to carry me home! I still have a scar! I think I am a bit allergic too.

@Sapphire387 I will try the pharmacy if no better tomorrow and maybe the GP too (I'm not in the U.K. so my insurance will be paying and i won't have to feel guilty about bothering her when my arm hasn't actually fallen off )

Please don’t minimise it- cellulitis kicks in quickly and must be taken seriously. It does sound like a horsefly from your description. Horrid.

Sounds like a horse fly bite, I used my sons steroid cream on mine in desperation and it was the only thing that worked.

Thank you @MarthanotMarfa - really afraid of making a fuss about nothing! The hard patch in the middle happens quite often for me if I get a bad bite/sting. It's not very big. Is the burning a symptom? I know nothing about cellulitis and imagined it to be much more obvious...

@bellsbuss I do have some steroid cream left over from something else - I'll give it a go.

Bulbous fly? Sorry not quite correct name but there is another type of fly that's awful as well.

False widow spider is another possibility. Their population has exploded in the UK!

@RockandRollsuicide I did wonder if it could have been a spider. Not in the U.K., but not far away, will Google to see if have them here! I'm pretty sure I disturbed something that was sleeping in the pot, but I wasn't aware of anything flying away.

Still burning this morning, though a drowsy antihistamine knocked me out for a few hours at least!

I was just thinking, the first day it was better and I was still on antibiotics for a dental infection. I finished them the evening after the incident. I wonder if they helped! (I've had an eventful week )

Hope you’re feeling better. As long as the area is not red, spreading, hot or skin bubbly you’re ok. One trick in Greece (local not scientific!) is to shave the skin over the top of the bite or sting to remove any small sting or bits (technical!) left. It’s very effective for underwater stings and you could try it.

Sorry this has happened and hope you sort it. But I really enjoyed your description of your 'unwarranted attack'!

Pierre d'alun, rock salt deoderant. Shove it under the tap and then on swelling. Gets rid of it.

@RockandRollsuicide i think you're thinking of the Blandford fly which is a possibility, very nasty bite.

I would not hesitate to go to the doctor.

Earlier this week I got bitten and it swelled alarmingly. I went straight to the doctors and got antibiotics as it was cellulitis and needed immediate treatment.

I am aware of cellulitis as DS1 had it on his face and it was on the verge of turning into sepsis and meningitis. He was on IV antibiotics in hospital for 5 days.

It really isn't something to mess around with.

Thanks everyone. It's no better. The pharmacist said was 'normal' and flogged me antihistamine/cooling stuff in a can, which comes out like hair mousse. It doesn't really eliminate the need for constant ice. It's basically fine while I have an ice pack on it or soak in a bowl of cold water. But I need to do that more than half the time, which is frustrating!

@MarthanotMarfa it's a bit red and very hot, but only in two places which I think are where I was stung/bitten. Biggest spot is maybe 2cm across. I will try the shaving. It felt very clean - DH looked with a magnifying glass and couldn't see anything left in, and I couldn't feel anything when I ran my finger over it.

@whatsthpoint I'm glad you enjoyed my prose  I am indignant

@newtb I definitely haven't heard of that before but I am absolutely ready to try everything!

@Wbeezer thank you I will look up the Blandford fly. I'm a bit worried about all these critters that I've never heard of...

Was thinking a horsefly was the most likely candidate but a hornet flew in tonight so it might have been one of them. They are really scary bastards!

If it's still bad on Monday I'll call the doctor. At least it's not getting worse...

Draw round the redness with pen so you can tell if it's spreading.

I'd also try to get medical advice tomorrow, because something that's still so painful really needs to be seen!

Was persuaded by the pharmacist that it was normal so left it for the weekend but I am calling my doctor on Monday morning! It's a group practice so hopefully someone will be able to see me soon. It will have been 6 days, surely no longer 'normal'! It's not better, maybe worse. I can see a distinct circle of marks now so either something with many fangs or just many stings. Under this area it almost looks bruised. No massive redness and only a little swollen but my little finger is stiff (stung area is on outside and back of hand, near the base). Not sleeping well as every time I wake up I have to go downstairs to get more ice, then it's a race to fall asleep again before it warms up!
Thanks again for the support.

Was thinking of you OP and seen your update. You must not be so nice! It’s not normal to feel as you do! Could it have been a grass snake? My daughter was bitten by a grass snake and you could see the fangs too!

MarthaNotMarta thanks, you are totally right about being too nice! To be fair you don't usually have to push so hard for things here, thank goodness! But yes, everything I've read suggests that having pain/symptoms more than a week after a sting is not normal!

Not impossible that it was a grass snake (not sure if we have them here) but feel I would have seen it, surely? I saw nothing fly away or slink away! In fact wondered at first if I'd been stung by a nettle or pricked by a thorn. I came out and shone my torch on the offending pot afterwards and didn't see anything. Would a grass snake bite be painful for so long though?

Anyway update in case anyone is interested: Called my GP on Monday but due to lots of doctors on holiday they couldn't offer an appointment till next week. So I went to the minor injuries bit at A&E, where I filled in a form ((5 mins), waited 5 mins for triage, and was triaged (another 5 mins). Then waited an hour and a quarter to be taken to an exam room (triage nurse kept me supplied with ice). Waited another 15 mins to see doctor. So pretty reasonable I think!

The doctor couldn't see anything in it and said she though it must be coming to the end. She prescribed a steroid cream which I had already started because I had the end of a tube hanging around. Bad news is after NINE days now it is not fucking better. Still burning like hell! I showed it to my physio who was quite impressed and said it looks like multiple stings, which obviously gives you more venom so might last longer. Just really fed up with it now! I may call them next Monday if it isn't better!

Have been comparing symptoms with a friend who got stung on her boob by a wasp and went up two cup sizes

How are you doing @IsItABiteIsItASting?

Thanks for checking on me @QuestionableMouse.

It's a bit better. I think it must have been several stings in close proximity. There's still an area that looks kind of mottled/bruised but it's not getting bigger. Steroid cream has helped a bit and a friend gave me some prescription antihistamines to try today, so I will see if they help. I am still icing but not all the time... can manage about 20 mins without before the burning feeling starts again. So I think it's on its way out. Can't quite believe that something so small could cause so much trouble!

Side effect of having my hand in a bowl of iced water all the time is that the skin at the side of my nails is all split so now my fingers hurt too! (Am now freezing ice in 500ml Tupperware boxes and putting in a plastic bag.)

Any better now? I’m very invested in you since my son’s cellulitis was so quick to take over so was thinking of you!