Mosquito bites driving me to insanity! Send help!

[Luckingfovely]

Please somebody save me from clawing the very last bits of skin from my legs

20-ish bites across both calves and feet. From Tuesday night. Very allergic, each one is now a raised welt around two inches in diameter. Itching to the point of distraction, I can't even think about anything else.

I'm on prescription Fenofexadine, and have tried every cream in the house, from aloe vera to calamine, hydrocortisone to antiseptic, eczema relief to after sun, and now prescription steroid cream.

Nothing helps, and I don't even know how to try and do anything else but itch, but have a full day of work and kids on holidays in front of me. I can't bear it!

Please please tell me some magic cures before I ruin my legs forever?

I have a really bad reaction to bites too an mozzies etc love me. I use tea tree oil to clean the bites then apply eurax and this always works.

biteaway or hot spoon as soon as bitten
oregano essential oil is amazing once its swollen
minty toothpaste cools

(Am also allergic)

Loving all of this collective knowledge!

Heat pen thing is utterly brilliant. Only been here 24 hours and already have half a dozen bites, despite DEET, mozzie machine and air con.
Heat pen has zapped them all and no more itching so far. Game changer!

Updating on results!

I've tried everything suggested on this thread and more, and am still itching, but! I have found some relief.

Without a shadow of a doubt, heat is the most effective tool in lessening the itch.

I've bought the Bite Away ceramic pen, and one of the clicky electric things. Both work for a while, but are still not as effective for me as a teaspoon in hot water, which is now my go-to. The other options are more portable of course, but at home, hot teaspoon will do it for me.

I've tried every cream etc listed I think. Only two had any real effect:

1. The After Bite pen thing with ammonia. Stinks but makes a difference.
2. TCP. Also stinks, but definitely helps.

Hope this helps fellow sufferers!

I'm pretty sure the mosquitoes around here must be the size of horses by now, given how much they have feasted on me.

Glad you found some respite OP!

Oh, apparently bats eat 3,000 mozzies in one night. I found out as we have some newly ensconced in the attic.

All you need is some mini travel-sized bats you can take with you on holiday. If you ask them nicely, they might be up for it. Although, be warned, bats hate all inclusive, so I am told.

I have a terrible reaction to insect bites of any kind and mosquitoes in particular - I hugely sympathise! Massive weals that go really hard and then blister, itching, pain, the lot. It's one of those things where people think you're exaggerating when you describe the reaction, and then when you actually show them they say 'Bloody HELL, I didn't realise it was THAT bad'. I totally feel for you.

Last time I had lots of bites (I foolishly went on a wildlife watching trip in a very hot and humid spot with a lot of water, and wore black - schoolgirl error) I tried everything from antihistamines of various kinds, creams, sprays, numbing gels, Calamine, anti-inflammatories ... and literally nothing worked. I wasn't in a position to try the hot teaspoon thing (hotel, country where they don't do kettles and tea trays in rooms) but basically the only time I got any relief was when I was in the hotel pool outdoors. I don't know if it's the chlorine or just the cool water or what, but it did help.

Also, the added advantage was that people gave me a ton of space in the pool because I looked like I had a gross infectious skin disease of some kind. The American pharmacist told me they call that extreme reaction 'skeeter syndrome' where she came from, and to just be aware that it can sometimes make people a bit feverish, so take paracetamol to bring your temperature down if you develop one.

@Phrenologistsfinger now I REALLY want to go on holiday with mini-bats! 

@10HailMarys sorry to hear you suffer badly too - sounds very similar to my reaction. Going to Google Skeeter Syndrome now.

And yes - the pool is the ultimate relief, can't believe I forgot to say that. Spent four hours in our pool last night, and only came out because my fingers and toes were dissolving it's bliss!

Also forgot to say thanks to someone for the salt water recommendation - I'm sure that would also help; will try that later!

When you say a hot spoon do you use boiled water? I used it out the hot tap and it got cold before I felt like I had heated the bite up enough.

@Augend23 yes - I boil the kettle, let it cool for five mins, then leave a teaspoon in it for a few minutes.

It's hot - and I guess you do have to use your judgement and be a bit carefully that it's not too hot, but it really, really helps.

I think this might be partly because you've got a much larger surface area of heat, meaning that you're heating the bite and the area around it, as opposed to the pen/clicky things that only touch a tiny area where the actual bite is.

Given that most of my bites swell up to a couple of inches across, the teaspoon has felt really effective.

Bicarbonate soda made into a paste . OMG it feels so good! Use it about 3-4 times a day and the pain should be gone in about 48 hours. I had 6 bites on my feel earlier in the week and it’s never been that bad before. I have no idea what’s going on with mosquitoes this year!

Drink Indian tonic water xx
Hubby who's a fisher swears by it.

I feel your pain op. I am massively allergic. I always have cheap and over the counter anthisan cream in the fridge. This takes the itch away in about 5 minutes and I keep applying a thick layer. For times when they have been numerous and out of control ( swollen and affecting joints) I have covered bites in germonline cream and taken a piriton. I hope this helps.

I've just spent the last couple of days unable to walk thanks to a bite on my ankle swelling up like crazy, looked absolutely ridiculous. I hate mozzies so much!

Thank you - I'll try that next time. Mine also swell to inches not mm so I agree the pens are likely to be too small.

Been on holiday for 4 days, have lots of bites as usual and my pen has run out of batteries! Will buy more but take extras.
off to put the kettle on

This is how I get bitten over in the states, every single time. They start like that and swell and throb and itch like mad.

The pharmacist gave me some lidocaine cream, not sure if you can buy this over here? But it was a god send.

Every time I go back (family over there) I grab some from the chemist at the start of the holiday as the repellent with DEET just doesn't work.

One of the antiseptic creams sold over the counter in the UK has lidocaine in it. Possibly Germoline?

I have skeeter syndrome. The only thing that's ever worked for me is Dapis gel - it's French, you can get it online.

Are you being bitten at night OP?

DH attracts every biting insect going. He clearly has tasty blood. For the past couple of years we have had a permanent mosquito net above the bed from April through to September. Best £20 we ever spent in his opinion.

Tiger balm - only thing that takes away the itch & provides any relief

Thank you for this! I forgot they said that's what I have. Will order some!

Ok this won’t help afterwards but to prevent them in future
take a garlic tablet every day ( does not make your breathe smell) but changes taste/smell of your blood and mozzies don’t like it
extra precaution if you go out when lots of mozzies dab tea tree oil on pulse points
i was also told by doctor ( I’m a mosquito magnet) to take antihistamine throughout my holiday in mosquito climates so antihistamine already in my system

finally if your bites are hot to touch you need antibiotics!

good luck

Vicks vapour rub, works for me, after I been bitten. It also helps to repel!