Midge bits and antihistamine cream - who knew this already?!

[roisin]

Midges cause huge problems in my family because they rarely bite dh at all and even if they do he doesn't react. So he has no sympathy for us at all.

If I get bitten or the kids it doesn't hurt at first, but comes up as a red dot about 4mm wide.

A few hours later it becomes unbearably itchy, becomes a much wider raised red bump, and a ring of white skin around that.

Anyway in my new first aid kit I had some antihistamine cream, so when the midges had lunched on me before I'd had chance to get the repellant stuff out and my legs and arms looked like a polka dot princess, I dabbed a dot of a/h cream on each of the bites; then again 12 hrs later.

The bites I treated (within 1 hour) have not reacted at all, and are not itchy. But the ones I missed have reacted in the normal (unbearable) way.

ok, thats good, it means you are more likely to have certain enzymes. firstly then I would buy a good pro biotic, not the drinking ones as these mostly contain sugar (which helps the bad bacteria and yeasts to grow) but also only contain around 2 million bugs which when you know there are usually around 3 trillion bugs in your gut at any one time, then this is not a lot, friendly bugs are also alkaline loving so are often killed in the acid stomach before getting to the alkaline rich lower digestive tract. I have a brand of pills of bugs in my fridge from solaray that contain 20 billion bugs per pill and are enteric coated which means acid doesn't touch them. I have just been on two powerful courses of anti biotics so will be taking these for some time!! for you,you can get room temp stable bugs, ideal for travelling, build up before you go and take each day when out there if you can. also use a good digestive aid like quest digestive aid. it contains hydrochloric acid, and many other digestive enzymes that will boost your own system when it comes into contact with ''foreign food'' these two things will boost your own digestion and improve your health/immunity.
my personal favourite multi vit is one from natures answer (source of life) but it is expensive. it has many vits, minerals and other nutrients, (some I hadn't heard of till I looked them up and thought wow!!) if you think you need these, don't go for a supermarket type one as these are often chemical derived vits and are not readily absorbed. solgar VM75 are very good, but what you will find is that most multi vits do not have high amounts of minerals like calcium and magnesium. what you said about your nails before, would lead me to think that you have a magnesium deficiency rather than a calcium one, but I would always recommend that if supplementing with one you do both at the rate of twice as much calc as mag, so 500mg calc to 250mg mag. you cannot build up certain vits either to last you when in nigeria, vit c and the b vits are water soluble so you need to replenish each day, so certainly take a multivit if you think your vit c and b vit levels will not be replenished because of the food you are eating.
if you want ideas of brands of vits etc for contents, can you give me a rough idea of what you do eat over there and I may be able to recommend something in particular?

forgot, the friendly bugs should help the ''delhi belly'' prob tooas this is often caused by the digestive tract not able to break down food or digest it so it epels it one way or the other

expels it should say

I didn't know Roisin, my dh thinks whisky really works well.

we used skin so soft as a deterrent, plus midge net hat thingy, it worked if there weren't a lot of the beastards, today they were in swarms all over the highlands, my poor ds who is 4 got the worst of them, it was horrific. My skin crawls just thinking of them, even opening the door to get in the car involved hordes of midges coming with you.

I cannot remember them being so bad when I camped all over Scotland as a child....

1% hydrocortisone
oral antihistamine
works better

Try Don't Bite me Patches, saw these on The Wright Stuff the other morning, they contain B1. I've just ordered some from their website for our hols, and they are suitable for kids too, get them here www.dontbiteme.co.uk recommended by Janey Lee Grace

Wow, interesting stuff! Probiotic drinks aren't available in Nigeria so no danger of us taking those. Food-wise, we eat out a lot, at least three times a week, maybe at an Indian or Thai place or a steakhouse and also fish and chips at the British High Commission club on Wednesdays (accompanied by two G&T's, what-ho! )

A day's food might be something like tinned fruit for breakfast, plain rice cakes for lunch and lentil and tomato dhal or a pasta dish or shepherd's pie (if I can get spuds) in the evening. I only serve meat maybe once a week as decent chicken has become impossible to get and I don't like too much red meat. Apart from the aforesaid fish and tinned tuna we don't eat fish either due to concerns about pollutants in the sea. We rarely have a pudding. We drink juice-from-concentrate (all that's available), Coke/Sprite or water, plus tea/coffee. So, that's our bad diet. I'd certainly like suggestions of what to buy wrt to vitamins, I don't mind paying out for decent stuff. Oh, last thing, dh takes tablets for acid reflux, not sure if that makes any difference.

I've had a real hard time with these, and have had to continue taking anti-histamine and dousing them with cream. Last night was the first of 4 nights that I haven't woken up in the middle of the night with the itching.

Dh is finally convinced that:
a) I'm far more likely to be bitten than him
b) When I do get bitten I react far more than him

We holidayed on Mull the last two summers (July/August) and barely saw a single midge, despite dire forecasts.

But now I'm petrified about next summer, when we've planned hols in Inverness/Loch Garten/Skye and possibly Rum ... I'm going to be eaten alive, aren't I?

Roisin, I think if you are quite coastal and there is a good sea breeze it isn't too bad, and avoid being outside at midge o'clock, early morning/early evening.

get skin so soft (avon do it, but you can usually find it in camping shops) use it liberally... consider buying a midge hat or midge jacket.

My bites are very itchy today, my dh got bitten loads but isn't itchy.

Ooh don't they like coastal? That's good. Our cottage on Skye next year is very near the coast.

I will try anything!

I think midges like the west of Scotland, good damp, mild conditions, so unless the cottage is right on the sea it would be wrong to say there won't be midges, but they can't handle a good breeze, which you might get a bit more of by the sea. Anywhere boggy, overgrown (most of Skye) will be midge heaven, May or late September are probably better times to see a midge light Scotland. We were on Skye in May and there were no midges.

If the wind drops as it usually does early morning and evening then you know what to expect, if you are stopping the car, wait a few minutes to see if a million midges suddenly swarm in (we made the mistake of jumping out the car to get ds to have a pee}, just as dh was getting ds out the midges were at us, they filled the car too, it was a really bad experience.

I spent my time in the west coat watching tourists spraying themselves with midge repellent and swatting the beasts away.

Avon skin so soft range - the "green" bottle, of moisturiser, body spray, body spritzer etc. Fantastic detterant for midges and mozzies. Apparently the scottish army use this too as midges a big problem up there. When we stayed in fort william they had this on sale in the camp shop, next to the antihistamine cream. IT WORKS

we used the spray in the blue bottle, I think it is a dry oil one, it was the only one available in Tiso.

suedonim,
acid reflux is often caused by a lack of acid in the stomach. the one way valve from the oesophogus to the stomach is held open by yeasts and other unfriendly bugs that are normally killed off in the acid environment of the stomach. when the stomach produces too little acid, these yeasts mulitply but also head toward non acid areas and the oesophogeal tract is one such place. when that valve is held open from within the stomach, what acid you do have can rise up and cause the ''acid indegestion''. antacids are the most over prescribed and MISprescribed drugs in the world. they treat the symptoms and so allows the main problem to get worse, whereas the actual cause should be treated. your DH is certainly suffering from digestive problems. the best and most successful way of treating acid reflux is something that should be done under supervision, I won't even tell you how to do it I am afraid, you will need a nutritionally based herbalist for this (no GP will do this as they mostly do not know about it as they only spend on average 2 hours out of thier 7 years of training on this sort of thing) I imagine your Dh psoratic arthritus is maybe not caused by but is certainly aggrevated by the digestive problem, as psoriasis, gout, RA etc are all similar and partly caused by the incomplete digestion of foods, mainly protiens. these incompletely digested protiens sort of ferment in the intestines and produce endo toxins (from the bugs that cause the fermentation) and these ET's are very similar to irritants that joints don't like and so the body produces anti bodies that attack the joints where the ET's acumulate (this is the auto immune disease part of the problem). your Dh need to sort his digestion out and hopefully that will help and reduce the RA/psoratic arthritis and acid reflux to boot!! I will have a trawl through my files tomorrow for a suitable multi vit, but I think both you and your Dh will do better for now by concentrating on digestive response as without a good responce, whatever vits you take, your body still won't absorb them due to your digestive tract being knackered. certainly go to the NIMH.org.uk site and look up a herbalist near to you, the result should give you a few names, call them and ask if they are nutritionally trained too (I am but not all are). if you have no luck, e mail the NIMH direct and ask if they have someone they can recommend

Tiger Balm is very good for bites, if you can get it (probably available at any Chinatown)

Thanks for all that info, Misi. I'm not convinced about the reflux/psoriasis link as dh has had the ps for decades before developing reflux. But I will look into what you suggest. Thanks again.

suedonim, look up about the AMP and GMP cycles that govern skin replenishment (cGMP and cAMP)
also look up bowel toxemia. I will write more later, as right now my son informs me that the oven is 'beeping'' so the roast is nearly done!!

suedonim, a few of the 100's of sites I have stored on my computer about psoriasis, candida and acid indegestion. the first 4 are about candida and psoriasis, the next 3 are about candida and acid indegestion. these are pretty basic sites, if you want the more tecnical ones that have references to the cAMP and cGMP, bowel tomemia and I mentioned before then let me know.

www.nutritioninstitute.com/Psoriasis.html

www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/ myc/2001/00000044/F0020003/art00003;jsessionid=9k246mdjx01q.alice

www.diagnose-me.com/cond /C139462.html

www.candida-albicans-cure.com/psoriasis-causes.html

www.doctorajad ams.com/GERD.html

www.healthylifestyles.org/products/candidag.html

www.geocities .com/SouthBeach/Lagoon/7691/candidahome.htm

suedonim, this first link is to the source of life tabs I like and think are the best, but the second link is something I only found tonight and is very interesting.
I think these will be best for you and DH, I have a client who is a professional cyclist, his wife came to me and said that he was half way through the season but he needed something to help his energy and that this was going to be his last season as his body couldn't tkae it anymore, so I put him on these multi vits. 2 years later and some form of medal/championship winning something or other, he is still going strong and thinking of another year!!

www.naturesplus.com/products/category.asp?cryteria=category&category=15&productNumb er=3056

www.naturesplus.com/products/category.asp?cryteria=category&category=15&prod uctNumber=3088

have a trawl on this site and then if you want to get some of these, go to the store locater tab on the site or you can enter in source of life into your browser and mail order sites will come up too

I've looked at the links, Misi, thank you. Do you think the liquid is better than tablet form? Tablets are much easier to transport so I'd prefer that form to liquid.

misi- i'm s supplement sceptic, convince me about glucosamine and chondroiting please. I've seen it work in animals so i make my DP take it, he suffers with his knees and his father has osteo arthritis. What is the best combination to take and is there a difference between the expensive stuff and the cheapo ones?

suedonim, liquid is better absorbed but the tabs will be better for travelling and storage as once opened the liquid needs to be used within 30 days and stored in a fridge, the tabs don't

lucyellensmum, hmmm, right, well red rum used glucosamine most of his adult life and glucosamine was originally developed commercially for race horses and the amount those horses cost, they don't use anything that doesn't work!!
you get what vyou pay for. there are 2 types of glucosamine, 2KCL and 2HCL
kcl is glucosamine bound to a potassium molecule and is better absorbed but cheap stuff can often be the hcl variety which is pretty useless. chrondroitin I am personally sceptical of as it is very hard for the body to absorb and massive amounts are needed to get a little bit, and I hate overloading a body with something just to get a bit. I prefer the combo of glucosamine and MSM (methyl sulphonyl methane). gluc and chron have similar properties, msm does something different, and is a vital componant of joints, tendons, lungs, liver and general health whereas gluc is a constituent of bone surfaces etc.

also how much you take is important. bottles of pills say take 1000mg a day but that is a manitainance dose so in effect you stand still! for my last client, I started her on 1000mg for 3 days, then 2000mg for 5 days, 3000mg for 5 days, 4000mg 5 days and then 5000mg for 6 weeks. when the effect was being felt, we reduced gradually like we increased and she is on a dose of 2000mg a day for 6 months now and will go onto 1000mg after that. her GP is very pleased with how she has progressed considering she was very badly affected by pain etc. everyone is different and would need different doses. the history would need to be considered along with other meds. as glucosamine is glucose based, if you are a diabetic then the increase of dose would need to be smaller and longer but taking it usually has no overall impact on the condition. as the most available glucosamine is shellfish based then if you are a veggie or allergic to shellfish then a slightly more expensive version can now be purchased and is made from maize starch. chrondroitin is very expensice in itself, another reason I don't usually use the stuff, MSM will do you far better with 3000mg for a few weeks reducing to 1000mg a day after a great usual dose. natures aid do a glucosamine and msm combo which is reasonably priced but to start, separate pills will be best as this way you get the best dose.
GP's are starting to warm to glucosamine too, at long last, it is widely used in vet care and has a long safe history and virtually no side effects if used correctly.
if your GP won't or can't recommend glucosamine, go to your local independent health shop or look up a local herbalist for more info and help. it has not worked on every client or customer I have seen because it treats the symptoms but treating the cause, ie the joint so not every one of the many types of arthritis will respond, but as far as I am aware, it has a better success rate than pain killers (at reducing pain) and in incomparable when it comes to joint mobility.
hope that helps?

Thanks for that misi that is really interesting and useful. My partner definately notices an improvement if he uses glucosamine. My old boss at the vets used to use cortaflex (glucosamine, chondriotin and msm) for his horses and actually used to take it himself . I did put my partner on it, although i opted for the human version, i didn't quite fancy him neighing all the time. We used to have dogs at the vets that were able to come of NSAIDs when they took this and similar products, so that definately convinced me. Its just that now there is so much out there its difficult to decide which one to go for. Will definately look for the pottasium based stuff though as that is where my scepticism comes from. The fact that the body will break down stuff when it is digested so whether it will actually get to where it is needed is questionable.

I am going to send this thread to my mum as she is very bothered by insect bites. In fact we always say that we dont need insect repellent when Mum is around as they all go for her and leave us in peace. Strange how they go for some people and not others.

She stocks up on this stuff when she is here in Germany. It works really well.

She also takes anti-histimine tablets before going on holiday.

When we were in Tuscany 2 years ago she had a homemade mixture of baby oil with Dettol. It keeps the midges away, but it also kept the rest of us away too.

it is aprtly why glucosamine works, as it is not really broken down much as it is mainly a sugar based structure. the biggest question is the bio availablity of the product. bound to a potassium molecule gives it more chance to be passed through the gut wall into the blood stream as potassium is given a slight priority by the body as it is an electrolytic substance that is required by the body to function and anything attached to it goes with it. it is like calcium, calcium carbonate you get from a GP is chalk and the body only absorbs it if it has the room and time to do so, but when you attach a calcium molecule to an amino acid (amino acid chelate or AAC) the body will grab it first for absorption as amino acids are vitally important for the body. so the idea is to give the body something it craves and attach what you want to to get inside you to it if that makes sense?