when do you start worrying about insect bites?

[workshy]

I got bitten yesterday lunch, within an hour it was about the size of a 50p

it's now probably 4 inches across and is driving me crazy -although I have been very good and not scratched

please tell me it will go by itself???

Take some anti histamine tabs if it is pussy and warm to touch it might be infected

I've been taking piriton but it's not really making a difference, feels warm but not pussy (ew!)

Ds1 is proving very tasty to horseflies this year. He's had a couple of bites, one on his arm and one on his forehead, that have made the area round the bite swell up.
I took him to the GP after the first one, who told me not to worry as they'll go down on their own in a couple of days. Which they did, but I slathered them in a pretty heady brew of antihistamine cream, tea tree and lavendar oils in the meantime, just to help with the itching.
Have you been round water or a boggy area, as that's where Ds1 was attacked.

if it's a horse fly bite, or you're having an allergic reaction, look out for the area blistering and draw round it with a pen so you can see if it's spreading.

i agree that you should take some antihistamine, but if it the skin becomes very angry, the area enlarges, becomes raised or blisters, then go to your GPs to get them to check if you need some antibiotics.

I have very bad allergic reactions to bites and it can make you very unwell.

I have no idea what bit me -I was in a wildlife park in yorkshire and it was all very dry and dusty

it didn't itch at first and it was only when one of the DCs pointed it out to me I noticed it but itching more now

well hopefully this is my 3rd bit of bad luck done with now :)

If it's hot see a doctor, it's infected. I had one just above my knee the other day and it was so swollen I couldn't straighten or bend my leg properly, I was put on really strong ABx and they were gone within days.

Try a different anti histamine as well as piriton, sometimes certain drugs are just not that affective for you anymore.

I had this recently, went to doctors, it wasn't infected but a bad allergic reaction. I was advised to take anti-histamines, if my stomach would tolerate it ibuprofen, and was prescribed hydocortisone cream (you can buy this over the counter at chemist).

If it's hot, the redness is spreading (drawing a line round it is a good idea) and it hurts, then get yourself to a doctor; you've got cellulitis and you need antibiotics. Heat, stabbing needly pain and fast-spreading redness means get medical care now.

Cellulitis is nothing to fuck around with. It can kill you if left untreated.

I was doing what SGB said last week and had a little dartboard on my leg, fortunately it cleared up quickly when the ABx had kicked in.

Also look out for the black line of death - blood poisoning spreading along your vein. Again that is emergency A&E trip!

the black line of death???

Yeah if you get a dark line leading from the bite site it means that some infection has got in your blood and is working it's way to your heart.

BAD NEWS - get thee to A&E urgently

In the meantime try some different antihistamines to piriton.

sounds attractive!

piriton will have to do until tomorrow :)