Probable infected insect bite - do I need to get antibiotics etc?

[mrsgboring]

NHS Direct only dealing with urgent cases, so thought I'd ask here...

I've got an insect bite on my ankle which over the course of the day has got hot and swollen and painful. Because of where it is on my ankle it hurts to walk because of the swelling. Last time I had something like this, I was on a boating holiday with a load of medics who said it needed treating urgently and gave me a prescription for antibiotics.

Is this something that can and should wait until after the bank holiday, or do I need to try to be seen out of hours tomorrow? How do I know if urgent treatment needed?

i would be seen asap - it can get nasty, i was bitten unknowingly last summer and i thought my legs were going to explode.

best avoided!

Yes that happened to me once and my leg swelled right up. I went to A and E and they bandaged it etc and gave me pills.

sounds like it. You could try an antihistamine like anthisan cream or piriton tabs and see if that helps but it would be worth getting it seen to soon to see if you need anti b's. I get the same response whenever I get bitten by horseflies (live in the countryside!) and have had to have a couple of courses of anti b's.

Thanks all. Waiting for GP out of hours service to call me back now.