To ask if I should go to A&E or call 111? Pics included

[hurtylegs]

So just got back from abroad. Got numerous mosquito bites but reacted to them much worse than usual (probably due to my immune system being worn out) - see pics below of the three worst bites (all on my legs).

Have been putting bite cream on them since I got back which seems to have helped with the worst of the itching but they have been hot and hard to the touch and at least one had a fluid-filled blister (now popped - sorry if TMI) - not currently the case though.

Am worried however about the small red lines coming out of two of them, within the last few hours, in case cellulitis is developing. Any thoughts on whether I ought to call 111 or even go to A&E? (Hope not, as it's late and I'm shattered.)

Separate to that, as mentioned above, my system is shot to pieces as I have ulcerative colitis and am having a severe flare up. So really would rather avoid antibiotics if at all possible, as they bring on diarrhoea in me at the best of times. That said, am also wondering if I should call 111 or go to A&E about the colitis, as I am having liquid bloody diarrhoea about every half hour. Supposed to be having a colonoscopy this weekend but not sure that will be possible.

Feel pretty dreadful. Any advice (or even sympathy would be nice)? 🙂😢

Draw round your bites, take some antihistamines and go to A&E/ring GP/dial 111 tomorrow

And very grateful to everyone who has take the time to respond as am feeling very sorry for myself and making decisions a bit beyond me...

I lived abroad for nearly 30 years and would say that these bites don't look bad but hey...have you taken any anti histamines?

Not sure I have any anti-histamines in but can get some in the morning. No, not had any yet, was using bite creams.

You don't need to go to a&e today OR tomorrow for the insect bites. It would be completely inappropriate. This is what insect bites loom like. If you have some doubt and need to see someone try a pharmacy.

Not enough information about your UC to say

Bites don't look at all bad to me.
I don't think they require any visits.

For the UC I'd say GP and you say you have an upcoming colonoscopy.

It's mainly the red lines coming out of two of the bites that worried me - my bites don't normally have that and that only started in the last few hours (as did the temperature btw).

But hope you're right as would much rather not go to A&E.

They feasted on me in Turkey anti histamines help with the itching but they look like they're infected.

I have Ulcerative Colitis OP as well and you'll know just like I do that the blood and loose stools isn't good and that a flare up with UC can get out of hand really quickly,please give them a ring, I know it's a nuisance when your tired and worried about antibiotics and steroids but it would be much better for you to get looked at sooner rather than later.

These don't look like much at all! I've had much worse bites. I can't see any red lines.

But if you have a temp or don't feel well, ring your gp or 111

Take oral antihistamines if you can, and ring 111. Good luck.

Hi @hurtylegs I had something g very similar which did indeed develop into cellulitis.

My advice is to draw around it in pen and maybe mark thd time of day and then see if/how it spreads and note the timeline if it does.

If it does spread, feels tight snd hot to the touch - or if it just spreads- phone 111 for advice and say you are eorried about cellulitis and tell them about your timeliness in spread. OR just go to A@E - they won't mind

Learn to differentiate between the common symptoms of a mosquito bite and the more serious reactions

Are you serious? Please don’t waste medics time on mosquito bites.

Your bites look like pretty standard bites but I don’t know about your other issue. Can you wait to call your gp? I hope you feel better soon.

Gosh. I had a huge pus filled bite that turned into a crater in my leg and I just popped to the pharmacy! Those look fine! Go to the pharmacy and see what they said.

I also live abroad so maybe I’ve become too used to mosquito bites!

How can people not see the lines? You need to call op. At least mark with biro smd photo the lines

My understanding is that cellulitis is caused by bacteria entering the bite site. Did you break the skin when scratching the itch?

For future reference:
I find Antisan, which has 2% of whatever the active ingredient is works well. Lots of OTC bite creams only have 1%.

An oral antihistamine will help.

Sorry you are feeling unwell. I’m a fellow sufferer of allergic reaction to mosquito bites. Been carrying around the piriton, anti-bug spray and bite zapper on my last holiday but still got bitten by 2. Bite zapper does seem to work.
I’d draw round the bites if worried about them. Get some sleep and you’ll be better able to make a decision in the am.
Hope all your symptoms improve soon.

The first response was spot on. The problem is a lot of posters aren’t medics, and to an untrained eye your symptoms might point in one direction. To a medic, the same symptoms could point in another direction, but simultaneously they can’t accurately diagnose you online. Therefore advice may be questionable or contradictory. Calling 111 would not be unreasonable. Hope you recover soon.

I'm very glad that none of the mosquito born illnesses should be an added problem for you.

However, the very best people to be able to advise you on your two potentially conflicting problems are of course the Dr's who specialise in those fields. You know that you can't depend on Mumsnet for that sort of advice and it would be very bad for any nurse or GP to give you any other advice than you need to be checked out at hospital.

I am reasonably sure that if you do contact 111, and then wait for a nurse to ring you back - maybe waiting for hours - that they will say go to A & E now. Anything else could be negligent on their behalf.

I am merely a lay person who is very interested in health topics, so I cannot give you any reliable advice. I would normally say, don't mess around with your health, particularly your colitis. If you had been on holiday in a mosquito danger zone (for want of a better phrase - it's even later now) I wouldn't be hesitating, I would be saying very definitely "go to A & E right now".

@hurtylegs I am sending you lots of sympathy and a very gentle hug, and I wish that someone here could tell you what you should do, which in my opinion would normally be to go to A & E now, but you are exhausted and without some sleep your body will not be able to be at it's most efficient to deal with either concern, never mind both of them. If you have had the same symptoms with your colitis before, what happened? Did you go straight to hospital? If not, and you waited, how did that develop? Did your specialists give you any advice about what you should do in these sort of circumstances?

I am not expecting you to give me any of those answers, I am just hoping one of them at least might jog your memory, as when we are as exhausted as you are now, thinking coherently can be almost impossible. If you think that your colitis is safe to leave for at least a few hours, then thinking holistically I think you should do what others have said and draw a circle around the worst of your mosquito bites and check them in a few hours, and try to get some sleep, even two to three hours should take the worst edge off your severe fatigue - but as I hope I said before, the decision must be yours. Did your intuitive gut - hopefully it can still work under these circumstances - agree or disagree with me when I said you should try and get some sleep - another rhetorical question - as I have no knowledge about ulcerative colitis except that it is an awful illness to have - again you have all my sympathy - so I don't now what the most dangerous thing that can happen is, or whether that is at all likely in your situation at the moment. Lots of luck OP, I am actually hoping that you decided earlier to try and get some sleep, and that your bowels have let you do so. xx

Maybe 111 just to put your mind at rest?

I’ve only ever had tiny bits but my dd has got a huge one on her arm and it’s getting bigger.

It’s hot to touch and piriton hasn’t done anything so far. It’s got a bit of a bumpy red line starting at the bottom.
Anyone know if the chemist can give us anything for it?

Thank you, what a lovely post, almost made me want to cry (in a good way).

The IBD team at the hospital previously told me to go to A&E if I was having more than 6 bowel movements a day - but as I am due to have the colonoscopy so soon and get prescribed new medication then, was trying to hold out till then. (Have been waiting months.) But not sure I can last even till the weekend.

Will try to get some rest now if I can, and check the bites haven't spread during my regular loo visits during the night. And then call 111 or go to A&E first thing tomorrow, unless I'm feeling better.

Thank you xx

I would just give 111 a call!

if it makes you feel better, I got bitten the worst I have ever had on a recent holiday. Like horrifically so. I was really quite scared at one point. For me they got a bit worse before they got better - mine were also huge/boil like! They healed quite fast after the worst of it was over and I have no scars thank goodness!