Bites painful and bruise like (photo attached)

[Covidwoes]

Hi everyone! I'm very prone to getting bitten and react quite badly. As a result I have a fexofenadine prescription from the GP, as well as a steroid cream, to treat reactions. Anyway, I got bitten at the start of the week and they started to react, so took the antihistamines and applied the cream diligently. This morning I woke up to my leg throbbing, and the bites now look like this and feel like they are bruised. Never had the bruise like feeling before. Leg feels like it's throbbing on and off. Any ideas? Thank you!

Hi OP, can you speak to your GP (ours offers a video consultation at weekends). I had horsefly bites last month and my whole leg became red/purple. GP prescribed antibiotics and it went back to normal quickly but she was saying that with bites, blood clots could be an issue and sepsis.

Sorry, should add, the throbbing you mentioned made me post just because I think that can be a sign of a blood clot. Hopefully not but I’d get it checked out.

Thanks @Retrievemysanity. Unfortunately my GP is closed at weekends (why do these things always happen at the weekends?!) and our local walk in centre is now a Covid hub. I guess that leaves me with 111, but I keep hearing how busy it is. I'd hate to take up an appointment that was needed by someone else. I feel ok in myself, no fever etc. I'll definitely get looked at if the throbbing persists though.

Do you have any GP friends? I can ask my friend who is a GP if you like?! Can totally see why you wouldn’t want 111. My leg looked a million times worse than yours to be honest but I didn’t have any throbbing.

Throbbing suggests its infected and needs antibiotics asap, is it also hot? I'd either call 111 (i know they take ages but worth waiting) or go and see a pharmacist, I did that with infected cut and they called 111 for me and got the appointment as they said I needed to be seen asap.

I've got a friend who is a nurse, so I've messaged her to see what she thinks. Thankfully they don't feel hot. They feel very bruised (which is strange as I didn't bang into anything!).

That looks more like phlebitis than an infected bite. I would ring out of hours for an appointment!

Thanks everyone! I phoned 111 and am waiting for a callback, but they did say it could take a while. That's fine though as I'm not ill with it, they just really throb!

How did you get on @Covidwoes?

@Retrievemysanity I got antibiotics and they are so much better now! I'm glad I didn't leave them! Thanks for all your help on here everyone.

Phew! Glad you’re sorted