Mosquito bites driving my crazy

[TheWorstWeek]

We've just come back from Spain and my legs are covered in mosquito bites. Since the first time I ever got bitten by a mosquito years ago I've never reacted well to them. It's not Skeeter syndrome but they do swell quite badly and itch for waaaay longer than anyone else I know. The second to last time I was abroad I had bites on my hand that, despite not scratching them, made my hand swell and I had to get antibiotics and strong antihistamines.

I thought I'd gotten off lightly this time as whilst they were itchy for the first couple of days they were mostly fine and most of them were fading. Until last night when they all started itching and getting red again. Actually some are quite swollen with white centres and red around them. Today has been virtually unbearable as I have been so uncomfortable with the itching.

What can I do to get them to stop the itching and clear them up quickly? I want to tear my legs off! I'm already taking fexofenadine and applying anthisan cream twice a day but honestly it's done nothing to help today!

The most effective remedy for itchy mosquito bites is amonia. I don't know about in the UK, but where I am you can get it on a chapstick type thing to rub on them. Otherwise, bit gross but apparently works just as well, pee on them.

I suffer similarly

I had one the size of an egg on my leg the other day. Unbearable.

It sounds counter intuitive but recently in desperation I tried the hot spoon treatment

It really helped. Didn't solve it totally, but the swelling went down. Still covering myself in Eurax and Anthisan and munching anti histamines mind 🙄

Calomine lotion, the chalky pink stuff and rabbit on liberally with soaked cotton pads - I stick pads to bites when I get them, and leave them on for as long as possible. I swell terribly and the itching is hideous especially at night.
I can't take antihistamines but in the past have had to take antibiotics for bites that turn baaaaad

Oh, also, hydrocortisone cream can really help with inflammation - that was recommended to me by a nurse recently - check with a pharmacist about what % to get over the counter

It's the only thing that works for me ⬆️

I take an antihistamine when I've been bitten, stops me scratching

Ice always help with itching for me

You need 1% hydrocortisone cream. Antibiotics if they're infected.

I second the hot spoon treatment. Has to be hot enough to feel very uncomfortable but won't actually burn you. Hold against the bite for 5-10 seconds, swearing optional. Would take the itch away for the day. Didn't help with healing up, that just took the usual time.

The heat pens from Amazon are brilliant.
I've tried everything else as I react badly.

They aren't infected. It's just like they are all fresh again and are as itchy as they were in the first 24hours. Every single bite I have has gotten red and itchy again.

I will be trying every one of your suggestions. Anything to stop the unbearable itching! Couldn't sleep last night cos of it.

Hydrocortisone or something like Betnovate if you can get it over the counter.

If you have nothing else to hand then try 'Moscow style', get someone to slap it really hard, so hard it would leave a red handprint. Named after a good Russian friend of mine, she knows how to do it right

I'm currently on holiday I'm spain and at the last count whilst putting some aloe roll thingy on them, there were 56. That was last night though so hound to have more today they're driving me crazy. Never really been a target before but they're eating me alive. They're so itchy but I've resisted the urge to itch until they bleed unlike my partner. Hope you can find some relief soon!

Heat heat heat!!!! Use a hot spoon or hairdryer. Miracle

Have you tried a clicker? It gives you a tiny electric shock, not painful - more like a tiny pinch which takes the itch away. We swear by them! www.boots.com/boots-bite-relief-click-it-10234814

Blast them with a hairdryer. That should provide instant relief that lasts for a few hours.

I was listening to a podcast on BBC sounds about bites and repellents and the doctor said that the itch signals travel along the same pathways as pain so it's worth trying paracetamol or ibuprofen.

A bit late for OP, but it might help another poster: we read that taking a daily one-a-day antihistamine on a preventative basis can reduce the reaction when you are bitten. My kids and I all react badly and have been less itchy when we remember to do this on holiday or before we sit out in the evening.

I had a similar thread a few months ago - heat. Heat zaps them. Hairdryer was amazing, hot spoon was fabulous.

We all eat lots of garlic all year round and find that offers the best protection.

We also use Turkish cologne as a spray and biting insects hate it. It can be f so prayed on you or in the air.

For actual bites i would try calamine lotion applied on a cotton bud or pad.

Those clicker things which @UpTheAnte mentioned. Game changer.

If we're looking at preventative methods, I bought something called Smidge from Amazon and used it liberally every evening in Greece recently - reader, I did not get bitten ONCE which is a ruddy miracle for me, am usually an infected, nasty dot to dot mess in the summer.

Antihistamine tablets will help a lot. And jungle level bug spray in the first place. Buy it all locally if you can, it's twice as strong in the EU and the pharmacist will give you the good stuff if you present with nasty bites