To see a GP for this?

[togoornottogoto]

I’m currently on holiday.

I have been absolutely ravaged by mosquitoes. I don’t know when or where but the little buggers have got me.

One bite went very infected, it’s still red and angry but calming down with an antibiotic lotion. It turned into a huge blister, weeping and redness spreading. I didn’t break the skin, it started weeping without any warning.

I now have at least three bites that have got tiny blisters on them. I’m desperate to treat them with the same antibiotics but this seems a really extreme reaction from my body!

I had one bite do the same last year, in the same area. So I don’t know if it’s an allergy or not. I’m keeping an eye on them for now, if they worsen I’ll obviously go to the pharmacy again but I’m hoping they don’t.

AIBU to see a GP when I’m home though? It’s concerning me that I’m either having some sort of strange allergic reaction, or I am apparently getting infections very easily!

Just treat them with the same lotion.
Take oral antihistamines
Mosquito bites often do this for me. I take anti-histamines in mozzie places.

By all means see a doctor if you are worried, but please make an appointment with a private GP. This isn't what the NHS is for.

It’s an allergic reaction and not that uncommon. I get it too.

Pharmacy would be your best bet. Antibiotics won’t do anything for an allergic reaction.

I’ve been taking oral antihistamines and they’ve done naff all. The antibiotic ointment has only really made a difference in the last day or so (I’ve been using it for four), I was really quite worried yesterday as I felt unwell and had a slight temperature! I’m not talking a little red and itchy, I’m talking a literal weeping open wound. Out of nowhere

It'll be an allergy. I take antihistamines for at least a month before I go abroad these days because of it. A pharmacist should be able to prescribe something rather than going to a GP though

Have you read my OP? The antibiotics are what’s sorted it out.

It’s still an allergy. Like I said - I get it too. You just have to sit it out.

Slightly light hearted but also a serious response, but how is it possible to see a GP? Seriously. I've not seen a GP since 2015 as it's impossible to get an appointment. I've had to use either walk-in centre or A&E which is the incorrect use of those facilities.

If it was an allergy it wouldn’t be improved by antibiotics

Really? I have no trouble getting appointments when I need them

The cream.might help but it's not a bacteria, so the antibiotic component is doing nothing

It's absolutely fine to go to the GP. No one here has a clue what they are talking about because you can't be diagnosed over the internet.

People are total prats about seeing the doctor. If you have open wounds get seen before it progresses.

A temperature potentially means there is an infection that needs attention.

Edited as I incorrectly thought you were back. Go to the GP asap.

Antibiotic lotion might treat an infected blister, but they won’t treat the allergic reaction that caused the skin to blister in the first place. The blisters themselves aren’t the infection.

Also, allergic reactions subside over time anyway.

This happens to me every time I get bitten.

if your GP has an app, book an appointment via the app. you'll get triaged and seen if it is urgent, or get a later appointment for non-urgent stuff.

You’re missing the point.

Where are you on holiday?
Hooefullly not somewhere like mosquitos can give you malaria etc????

I hope not! I’m in Italy

Send a photo to an online health service/pharmacy with symptoms. Are you abroad? Maybe find a walk in if you’re also feeling unwell.

I got told off for not going soon enough! Had one that got infected and wouldn't settle a long time ago. When I finally went to the GP, he said I should have come straight away. I said it didn't seem a big deal, and he said he's the one with a medical degree.

I mean told off kindly-he was a lovely man-when he was doing a home visit for my dad, he offered to do one for my grandad was wasn't even resident in this country when he heard he was ill with the same thing.

What antihistamine are you taking?

Allergy to bites is common, infected bites are rare. Especially having lots of separate bites all get infected at the same time. And antibiotic ointment is largely pointless and given to make you feel something is being done.

Where are you? Your experience is not normal. It is slower than it was before 2010 but still possible to see a GP especially if necessary.

What point?

I saw a pharmacist who took one look, said it was an infection and handed me antibiotics, drew a line and was very clear that if the redness exceeded the line I was to go straight to the hospital as it meant the infection was spreading

Thankfully feeling a lot better today after dosing up on paracetamol and heaping the ointment on, but it was quite scary last night!

Again I don’t think you’re understanding what happens.

Could it just be that it's improving with the passage of time?

I would go to a pharmacy where you are and get more of the same or similar cream. Logically they should be more able to recommend a treatment for mosquito bites in an area where people will be bitten.

I also suffer from hideous mosquito bites and my GP saw one when I was being treated for something else, she was gasping at the size of the bite site but also happy that I just continued with a steroid cream I had bought in the pharmacy.

Its an allergy and then the spots have become infected. Like I said, I have the same reaction and the only thing to stop it is taking antihistamines for a month before going abroad