To ask for help with an infected bug bite?!

[imgoingoffmymedicine]

I’m asking in AIBU purely for traffic.

I’m on holiday in France and woke up yesterday with a bite. Initially it didn’t look that bad, but over the course of the day yesterday it developed a blister and was stinging a lot. I have Gentalyn Beta 0.1% which I got given last year for a similar bite in Italy.

I applied that yesterday but this morning the redness around the bite has spread and the blister seems to have popped. I’m a little lost about what to do - do pharmacies here do the same as in the UK and prescribe antibiotics etc? I don’t really want to shell out for a doctor, because I’m already going to have to claim on my insurance for this trip. Any advice would be welcome!

See if you can get some Fucidic Acid - it’s a great topical antibiotic cream. I had a mosquito bite on my eyelid last year that was a mess and this sorted it out in three days. It’s prescribed but you should be able to get some from a pharmacy - you can in the UK anyway.

Amazing thank you! I’m going to pop into a pharmacy this morning. Time to get the Google translate out 🤣

I would definitely go to a pharmacy. You might need antibiotics so depending on the country, you may need a doctor or they might be able to prescribe them.

Draw around the red tracking line on your skin with a black biro. If it keeps spreading then you need to be seen.

Some bites are serious. I nearly ended up on iv in hospital before after X3 different antibiotics didn't sort it. Horsefly I think. Was horrendous.

You can end up with cellulitis in bad cases so I would take it seriously if it is very swollen, hot and red.

Some ice and ibuprofen will help too.

Poor you! No

Anti histamines.

I’ve not got a pen with me! I feel fine and I’m about to take an antihistamine which I hope will sort out the itching!

Are you British and resident in the UK normally?
If so, do you have your GHIC card?

You can see a GP on the same terms as a french person if so - you probably have to pay up front but then claim back but not from your insurance, but from the French health authorities.

Yes! I think I have my GHIC with me

I do not have my GHIC with me. Dumb mistake 🤦🏼‍♀️ pharmacy it is and keeping it clean till I get home I guess

Not all swollen weeping bites are infected, obviously get yours checked out.

Most bites do this on me, they get a sort of ring of hives around them and then start weeping. It comes up pretty fast as well, it's an extreme immune response to the protein in the insect saliva. I've got one of those heat treatment things which really helps. Otherwise, antihistamine, ice and keep them clean. They usually take a couple weeks to go down.

Yeah my mum gets reactions like this to almost every bite.

Gross pic incoming!

Hi op, I am not an hcp, but for me high dose fexafenadine tablets help in this situation as an antihistamine and they might want to give you an antibiotic too in case it has become infected.

When you get back to uk ask dr to prescribe fexafenadine and you can have them with you for on holiday as mine now happens each time I go abroad.

And in the meantime pharmacist and then dr if needed.

It doesn’t look infected. Allergic reaction is causing the blister and redness. Oral antihistamines would be best.

@imgoingoffmymedicine I feel your pain.....or itching. I looked like I had the plague on my recent holiday, I was covered with them and it's so hard not to itch.

I used ambulance service and A&E in Calais, they took my name and address.

when I got home I couldn’t find my Ghic so applied for replacement, then when the bill came €80 I just sent the Ghic details. They re did the bill €20 and I sent them cash in the post

i do try and keep the Ghic details they send by email in a safe pocket in my emails

but you can still go down that route

hope you get on ok at pharmacy, they are usually pretty good

What’s concerning me is the redness has spread quite a lot from last night to this morning

You probably won’t need antibiotics. I had some huge fluid filled and hot mozzy bites in Japan - I went to a pharmacy and was given a cream and dressings. I took an antihistamine . It took days for the fluid to go down and six weeks later the marks are still visible, but no cellulitis. I always react badly to zUK midges so it’s inevitable for me. I’d used insect repellent but probably sweated it off.

This is useful, I just googled it and it specific helps with hives. Boots seem to sell it over the counter so I will be picking some up.

I get it in the UK too from bites and stings, this long hot summer has not been good for my legs.

my husband had the exact same problem on holiday in France this year, but the reaction on his leg was much worse. The red area was 10cm wide. He was prescribed antihistamines, a cortisone cream and an antibiotic cream. None of these could be prescribed by the pharmacy though. We paid €60 to see a doctor and are claiming it back (along with the cost of the medication) on our travel insurance (not UK based).
you could probably get away with an OTC antihistamine so I would go to a pharmacy ask for that and also for a recommendation for a local doctor just in case it doesn’t get better. I’ve added a photo of the medication he was prescribed in case that helps you

I’m no doctor but i react badly to mozzie bites. The redness in your last photo could well be inflammation. Redness doesn’t always equal infection. Personally I wouldn’t be seeing a dr or even thinking about antibiotics for that. I’d slap on some bite cream and take antihistamines. If you’re worried though see a pharmacist.

That looks like it might be a horse fly bite. Definitely go to the pharmacy for advice/cream (and also a pen and stronger deet). If it is a horse fly bite antiseptic is a good idea at the very least.

OTC cortisone cream?

I’ve been to the pharmacy and have antibiotics! So quick

It’s really easy to see a doctor in France. You pay about €40 so not expensive then for any treatments/medication.