AIBU to feign illness to avoid a foreign holiday gift??

[BiteyLittleFuckers]

I'm quite possibly the most ungrateful old baggage ever and I'll happily admit to being so.

I turned 50 this summer and my family have taken me for a week to a lovely warm, sunny, all expenses paid luxury trip to a fabulous European country. I'm completely skint so the gift was huge for me.

I'm hating it. As well as being too hot, I've also been bitten every night I've been here (5th night coming up). I have in excess of 35 mosquito bites that hurt and itch and I'm a nervous wreck at night. I can barely sleep and I just itch all over.

My loveliest, nearest and dearest of friends have both paid for us all to go to a lovely part of Mallorca for a week, starting September. It's not a cheap holiday. I'm absolutely dreading it and truly feel I'll at the thought of going.

I've bought and tried Avon Skin so Soft, Citronella, lavender oil, Deet (that's melted my nail varnish off my toes), I swallow antihistamines and paracetamol like there's no tomorrow, burn coils and surround myself with 5 basil plants and STILL, I'm savaged every night. It's affecting my head and I'm a psychological cat on hot coals. I can't even sleep at night.

I'm tempted to feign covid/shingles/something contagious to get out of the holiday. I'm feeling like a right cow-bag because they aren't wealthy people and saving for this holiday has been a big deal. AIBU to try and avoid going?

Oh - and a quick blast with a hot hairdryer temporarily halts the insane itching - but literally temporarily!

I get bitten to shreds in Italy , Greece etc ( huge horrible itchy welts- I even came home early one year they were that bad ) but have been to Mallorca many times and whilst I do get bitten the mosquitoes just don’t seem so virulent so the bites go down . Given its September , it’s Mallorca ( known for their night time showers ) I honestly think you’ll fare better. Don’t have any top tips re repellant as I’ve tried them all but find covering up at night helps .

Take garlic tablets a few weeks before your holiday. It's supposed to stop them biting you.

I'm pretty sure it's been proven that the majority of "home" remedies (garlic oil, citronella, tea tree, whatever) are ineffective. Don't waste your time or money as they are not only pointless, but also they give you a false sense of security.

DEET - yes may impact some acrylics, but unless you are made of plastic it's safe for human skin. Don't spray it like perfume or generally waft it about. It needs to cover every bit of your exposed skin (as you would apply sunscreen) - I find the aerosols or the spritz and rub versions the easiest to provide total coverage.

PHYSICAL BARRIER - bed nets are the best. Mosquitoes physically cannot get through and will provide 100% protection. Long light trousers and tops are also very handy for day use.

@Daphnis156

Has the biting turned you into a Moaning Minnie, or were you one anyway?
I suspect you were.
Just go and don't be rude. A feigned illness will lead to more and more lies, for possibly years!

You're obviously fortunate to not react badly to mosquito bites. If you know, you know.

Please.dont fake illness because you could get foind out - if they have paid they could.easily say don't worry we will claim on insurance and then ask you for evidence.

OP didn't say she was in Spain.

i know what you mean about being bitten to death nothing works to stop it but the hot spoon does stop the itching if u can reach trhem

You're not on Lake Garda are you? I got the shit bitten out of me there recently.

I get eaten alive as well, and I’m allergic, come out in huge red welts, so I have a lot of sympathy, but are you sure it’s mozzies? Sounds more like bed bugs to me.

For future reference, if it is mozzies, Odomos is the dogs doodahs. Works like a charm, smells nice and even makes your skin feel nice.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083SNLPT2?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder-t1_k0_1_6&amp=&crid=1XCQRQYUM989C&amp=&sprefix=odomos

"Smidge that midge" is supposed to be good.

Take pics of all of the bites.
Only a sadist would want to put you through that again in September.

I also get bitten A LOT and I get terrible reactions which have twice led to cellulitis.
So you need prescription strength antihistamines fexofemadine (sp?) and you need to double them up with OTC different type eg citrizine.
The best solution for night time is one of these plug ins https://www.simplymedsonline.co.uk/electrical-health-and-diagnostic/jungle-formula-2-pin-plug-in-refill.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwivemBhBhEiwAJxNWNwpX2yC7rIP1O7Z_olg3BwSpmiP6WIpifuE7Orod-wy6zcPxA6EWhRoCQnMQAvD_BwE

I have it on 24x7 in my bedroom and when I am on holiday and it really works on a deterrent. Obviously don't have windows open on top

I get bitten a lot. I find eating garlic really helps (in meals but I love it so it's easy) and drinking tonic (usually with gin but on its own too) if you can stand the taste. I think the quinine it it is a repellent but I have no scientific knowledge, I just know they both help massively.

The irony of the poster telling the op "don't be rude" while posting a twatty reply 😂

I usually get bitten loads and I was in Mallorca end of September last year and didn’t get bitten at all, for what it’s worth

I have found "incognito anti mosquito" pretty close to as effective as deet and less offensive.

Might be worth getting some fexofenadine from the pharmacy before you go away as well, it's a highly effective antihistamine and I think you can combine it with a second (i.e loratidine) at night. I usually also take a steroid cream as well as an antihistamine cream in case of bites.

I'm so sorry you're being munched OP, I do know how miserable it is. But also not sure if you can really not go on a holiday they have given you?!

Heat kills the itch - either dip a teaspoon in hot water and press it on the bites, blast them with a hair dryer for a few seconds, or buy one of the hest pens.

And get a net for your bed!

Bloody hell I need your mates.

get this to prevent being bitten: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Odomos-Non-Sticky-Mosquito-Repellent-Vitamin/dp/B082L2YMNT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=58736023648&hvadid=259147813142&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1006886&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9868123578684186763&hvtargid=kwd-297340808121&hydadcr=16911_1798550&keywords=odomos+cream&qid=1692298790&sr=8-3
Brilliantly effective doesn’t smell grim at all, doesn’t contain deet.

and this to treat any bites you do get:
https://www.amazon.com/Siang-Pure-Original-1Red-1White/dp/B00OLLN9G6
white formula is especially effective

I'm highly allergic and highly tasty to mosquitoes it would seem so my top tips to avoid the bites are as follows (I even have to do this in the summer in the UK if I want to sit in the garden (pub) after dusk so it def works for me)

• brand new highest strength tropical jungle formula, applied generously on all exposed skin at least 30 mins before you go out.
• shower with lemon and tea tree oil original source shower gell. 2 smells mozzies hate but that are actually quite pleasant to us humans.
• full strength deet room spray, sprayed liberally around your hotel room. Keep windows and doors shut at all time as crank the AC up to stay cool.
• plug in and leave on over night the jungle formula room diffusers.

I have tried a million other products that claim to work but these are the only things that work for me. If you go anywhere after dusk load up on the spray each and every time as this protects you.

DEET - yes may impact some acrylics, but unless you are made of plastic it's safe for human skin. Don't spray it like perfume or generally waft it about. It needs to cover every bit of your exposed skin (as you would apply sunscreen) - I find the aerosols or the spritz and rub versions the easiest to provide total coverage.

I'm not makes of plastic but my glasses and prescription sunglasses are and as they're expensive varifocals I can't risk DEET damaging them. I use a repellent which contains picaridin which works well for me, and if it do get bitten use one of the zappers, mentioned earlier in the thread. Mosquito net does seem a good idea, if all other measures aren't working.

Has anyone asked you if you wanted to go on these holidays or is the assumption that you'll go and enjoy it?

The nice thing about being an adult is getting to say no thank you nicely. So many people pleasers on MN who find it hard to be polite but still say no.

Do what makes YOU happy op.

Gosh you need me to come with you, I guarantee nothing will bite you when I'm there to feast on instead! When I'm bitten abroad I always get some dramatic reaction and usually at least one gets infected no matter what I do. I don't travel without steroid antibiotic cream these days.

Also get some old style antihistamines like piriton. I'm currently doubling and tripling the frequency I take them for.

I think there is something about the heat too - if I get bitten at home it's never as bad.

I've had varying degrees of success with insect repellent - actually deet has not been the best for me, there's a boots own kids one that's deet free that works better. So far 3 days into holiday I only have one bite (although it is very dramatically swelling and becoming infected 🙄).

Mozzies the only real defence at night is a net and one of those plug in things.

I've never tried the hot spoon but damn I'm going to when I inevitably get bitten again soon!

Good luck - but honestly do go with your friends, it's a matter of being properly prepared. It seems you've been caught unawares for this holiday - it's happened to the best of us.

You need hydrocortisone cream from a pharmacy to stop the itching.