Going insane with itching! Insect bite treatments?

[JustMeHello]

I always react really badly to insect bites, and currently have 3 bad bites from horseflies, 2 on my calf and one on my hand. I'm taking lots of antihistamine tablets which takes an edge off, and I have a small electric clicky thing which helps a little temporarily. A few years ago I got some amazing Benadryl gel in the States which was magic, but which isn't on sale here. I have some Savlon insect gel which takes a bit of the itch off for a short while, but which isn't great. I've got some Boots cooling spray which helps a little, but again, not for long. Antihistamine creams do absolutely nothing for me..

Does anyone have any magical solutions? I'm wondering about the electric heating things that come with USB chargers, but you apparently need to order online and they are £30+, so ideally I'd like something I can find in Tesco or Boots or Superdrug or somewhere. I am going to pop into a pharmacy tomorrow and see what they say, but they usually try to push anthistan cream which just does not work on me.

I must be missing something somewhere, I can't be the only one who wants to saw my own leg off?

Antihistamine tablets

Hydrocolloid spot patches you can get from pharmacy or on Amazon, they draw out the fluid which causes the itching and helps them heal quicker

Yes those heating thingies are worth the money and kill the itching in your average bite for several hours. Might not last so well with fhe horsefly bites (ouch) but I really recommend. Short term try the back of a teaspoon that's been dipped into hot water, as hot as you can stand for 20 seconds - has a similar effect.

Anthisan or a sting pen. I've found the chicken pox mousse very good too..

The drowsy kind of piriton

Yes, I'm taking those twice a day, but they don't do more than take the edge off.

I think I might bite the bullet and order one, thanks! This happens every summer and I don't want to stay indoors all summer again!

Hydrocortisone cream then stick a plaster over the bites which prevents you accidentally scratching them raw.

Germolene cream is great as it has local anesthetic in it.

That's interesting, I do have some of those upstairs. I'll have to cobble together quite a few as they're much smaller than my bite areas, but it's worth a try.

Ice packs.
Not exactly practical if you're not staying still but best solution I've found.

Afterbite also temporarily helpful.

And lots of insect repellent, citronella etc but it's too late for that now! Plus at least one always gets through.

I'm fairly sure that's one of the many things I've tried which doesn't work for me, but I'll double check my huge bite and itch section of my bathroom cabinet!

Piriton tablets

I've got two really bad horsefly bites near my wrist. Incredibly painful and itchy last night.
Today I've got Piriton, a antihistamine cream and Repel cooling spray. Most of the heat has gone out of the surrounding area, I've used the spray several times. Still a bit itchy but no where near as bad as yesterday so Ill use the cream again once or twice tonight

I believe the dosage is every 6 hours so you can take more than that

I do use multiple repellents, but generally, they don't work for me. I always get bitten by at least a few. I must be absolutely delicious for horseflies. It's so frustrating. I was with two friends out in the countryside. They had shorts and t shirts, I had long leggings and long sleeves, they had not one bite, I had 3. But even if I cover myself they get my hands or my ears or something.

I sympathise as I had a couple of horse fly bites recently which were really huge, red and itchy. On top of the antihistamines, I’d try creams which contain hydrocortisone, which does seem to help. Also, I discovered that using regular hot compresses (hot flannels) directly on the bites really worked for me. ( I got that idea somewhere on the internet, although I also read the opposite that cold flannels /ice packs work, so go figure! ) The hotter the better within reason, but not boiling obviously. Seemed to definitely take the edge off the itching for a while for me.

That's good, I'll try taking more. Even if it's a bit too much it might not be that harmful just for a few days.

My mum swore by rubbing raw onion on bites. I can't say I was ever tempted to try it, though

I had an awful bite last year. The only thing that worked for me was double antihistmine and those deep cold patches stuck to my foot or a constantly replaced freezing flannel. My sympathies. It’s awful.

Hairdryer, as hot as you can stand on it for as long as you can stand. Something about heat and histamine. Works for mozzie bites, so worth a try!

I also bought some garlic tablets today actually as I read that flies and mozzies don’t like the taste / smell on the skin so go elsewhere for a chomp. Won’t help for existing bites but may help ward off future ones if the buggers go elsewhere! Worth a go!

Boil a cup of water and pop a teaspoon in for 15 seconds or so then hold it to the bite. i dab it a few times if it's too hot but works a treat to relieve itchy bites

Random green french pharmacy cream with an insect on it

Anbesol or Orajel - sounds bonkers but they will numb the itch.