Bites

[Guest guest]

, I walk my dog every morning and every conceivable bug is in wait for me. The bug bites swell, itch and take forever to go away. I put my husband's medicine for poison ivy on the swelling and it's like a miracle. The itching goes away immediately and the swelling goes down in a day. It is a prescription drug called Clobetasol Propionate Cream USP, 0.05%. Arlenejb50192@... wrote: I'm being bitten to death by every conceivable variety

of bug. And every bite turns into a major swelling, blister, etc. and is very painful. I don't think topical solutions will help very much. It is, one again, a failure of our less than perfect immune systems. I believe on LISTSERV I read about someone recommending NALTREXONE. Naltrexone was very popular for a while, perhaps still is, in the New York area as an anti CLL medication. I took it for years, perhaps I should start again.... Anyone?

[Guest guest]

and all,

It's interesting what you say about mosquitoes being attracted to some people and not others. Obviously, this is connected to body chemistry. Maybe diet has a role. In my youth, I would get covered with mosquito bites when I spent time outdoors, but since I became a vegetarian the mosquitos leave me alone. Another explanation may be hormone levels that change as we get older.

Andy Gach

Bites

Friends - I have just read a very interesting article in "Outside" magazine, about various mosquitoes and their tastes.

It seems that we are all different, and 20% of us attract 80% of mosquito bites. Has to do with human odor, primarily lactic acid and carbon dioxide.

Now, I suspect that the same applies to the beastly little things sometimes called "black flies", which seem to be my biggest problem. With our less than perfect immune system, a little bite which might hardly be noticeable will become large, swollen, pussy, etc.

I have not found a remedy, so I practice prevention. If it's not too hot, I wear a long sleeved T-shirt and long pants. Otherwise, I spray myself with some horrible stuff which certainly makes me unappetizing. An old guy in the country last week told me that he wears a hat, and sprays the hat thoroughly. Since the beasties tent to attack from above, that is a good deterrent.

[Guest guest]

I've had some problems with insect bites starting about ten years ago. They would get infected and two are three times a summer I would have to go to the emergency room to get an antibiotic to control the swelling. My hand and arm would swell to twice or three times it's normal up to my elbow at times. I was in Canada and the docs up there like a hot soak of Epsom salts solution almost as much as Penicillin. It did help and for the next two or three years it did control the swelling enough that I did not have to get an antibiotic, still bad though. I had also used hydrocortisone cream which did not help that much but I ran out and for some reason ( for a rash) I used clotrimazole cream (lotrimin) and it really improved my response to bites. I used that for a while until I decided maybe a fungus carried by bugs was the real problem. I then tried Lamasil tablets which worked real well except for the fact that my liver enzymes went very high and platelets went

low. So I'm back to clortrimazole. I and the docs I go to can not explain what causes the infections except I think maybe a fungus. The interesting thing about all this is I can go out and work on the car or in the garden and slice my hands up and I don't have to go in and clean up and I don't get infected.In fact I seem to heal much faster than I did years ago before I came down with lymphoma. There are a number of variations of lymphoma so I don't know whether this will work on all varieties or if this is specific to me. hope it helps. greg

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[Guest guest]

Hi List Members,

I am sending this to several lists because it's weird.

This morning I woke up with what I thought were spider bites all over

my legs. Probably about 20 + of them. As the day went on I now have

several on my arms and hands and since I am obviously not still in bed

it can't be from that space. Regardless the sheets went in the washer

asap so we will see… Anyway, they itch like crazy and it's unlike what

I have encountered in the past.

I ate at a Chinese buffet last night ( eaten there many times) but was

extremely thirsty last night when we got home. I know that I have

issues with MSG.

We had a " BIG " storm come through last Sunday. Still raking and

cleaning up outside. I have been sneezing etc all week. So this may

be an issue. HELP

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Guest guest]

Sounds like urticaria, better known as

hives. You’ve either stepped up your reaction to MSG or are allergic to

soy. Those are the two most likely culprits anyway. Oatmeal baths, baking soda

paste, and calamine lotion are all good for the itching. If you get these and

have chest pain or have trouble breathing, go to the emergency room. Stay away

from anything with soy in it for a while, then test yourself with a small

amount to see if there is a reaction.

Janet

From: health [mailto:health ] On Behalf Of Suzanne

Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 4:50 PM

health

Subject: Re:

Bites

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/rashes/ig/Skin-Rashes/

http://www.biteremedy.com/

Does it look like any of these?

Do you have pets?

Are they dry, moist?

Are you allergic to anything?

Suzi

abbottteresa1

<tabbotttds (DOT) net> wrote:

Hi List Members,

I am sending this to several lists because it's weird.

This morning I woke up with what I thought were spider bites all over

my legs. Probably about 20 + of them. As the day went on I now have

several on my arms and hands and since I am obviously not still in bed

it can't be from that space. Regardless the sheets went in the washer

asap so we will see… Anyway, they itch like crazy and it's unlike what

I have encountered in the past.

I ate at a Chinese buffet last night ( eaten there many times) but was

extremely thirsty last night when we got home. I know that I have

issues with MSG.

We had a " BIG " storm come through last Sunday. Still raking and

cleaning up outside. I have been sneezing etc all week. So this may

be an issue. HELP

Any thoughts?

Thanks

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Lydia !

 

I was informed by Magi Cullen that what we are experiencing is Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. Makes sense and there is information you can google that is helpful. I have a semingly mild case. Only about 10 red spots at a time throughout my body. benedryl cream is helpful.

Aviva Siegel

On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 5:30 PM, Lydia Adler <adlersall@...> wrote:

 

Aviva

On Saturday I started to experience exactly the same thing. I thought " hives " but they looked like yours. Red with no pin pick center. Itchy. My back was covered and then saw some on my chest, upper arms and leg.I've been using benadryl and steroid cream which has helped. How about you?

Lydia Adler

From: Aviva Siegel <avivaks@...>Subject: " bites "

Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009, 9:43 PM

 

Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:29:22 -0400Subject: " bites "

I have been following the discussion on " bites " .What I have been experiencing is periodic itchy and sometimes uncomfortable red spots that appear simultaneously on different parts of my body. There is no " pin prick " that would indicate a bug bite. I believe that it is a symptom of the CLL. I would like to understand what causes this and if it is an indication of a problem.

ThanksAviva

[Guest guest]

Lydia/Aviva,

 

A good web site for Idopathic / Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura is the Platelet Disorder Support Association at www.pdsa.org

 

Dave Tipton

On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 4:11 PM, Aviva Siegel <avivaks@...> wrote:

 

Lydia !

 

I was informed by Magi Cullen that what we are experiencing is Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. Makes sense and there is information you can google that is helpful. I have a semingly mild case. Only about 10 red spots at a time throughout my body. benedryl cream is helpful.

Aviva Siegel

On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 5:30 PM, Lydia Adler <adlersall@...> wrote:

 

Aviva

On Saturday I started to experience exactly the same thing. I thought " hives " but they looked like yours. Red with no pin pick center. Itchy. My back was covered and then saw some on my chest, upper arms and leg.I've been using benadryl and steroid cream which has helped. How about you?

Lydia Adler

From: Aviva Siegel <avivaks@...>Subject: " bites "

Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009, 9:43 PM

 

Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:29:22 -0400Subject: " bites "

I have been following the discussion on " bites " .What I have been experiencing is periodic itchy and sometimes uncomfortable red spots that appear simultaneously on different parts of my body. There is no " pin prick " that would indicate a bug bite. I believe that it is a symptom of the CLL. I would like to understand what causes this and if it is an indication of a problem.

ThanksAviva

[Guest guest]

Folks - one thing that has not been mentioned, very basic - do not scratch!

If you can keep yourself from scratching they sometimes never get past the redness stage, and do not develop into a "wound"

In a message dated 7/23/2010 8:30:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, syl228@... writes:

I recently had a bee sting which was quite swollen and very red. I took 5 mgs of prednisone the first day and benadryl for about 4 days. In addition I used an over the counter product called Ivarest which can be used for insect stings and poison ivy. This always seems to calm down whatever I have even mosquito bites. The sting did begin to subside within about 3 days but even now I have a slight pinkish mark on the skin 2 1/2 weeks after the fact. I'm very prone to extreme reactions from insect bites, poison ivy and the lik, and if these things don't clear up with first aid over 3-4 days I always go to my primary care physician with them.

Regards Sylvia

[Guest guest]

There is a product called 'Afterbite' that you apply to any bite and it removes

the itch. It is just ammonia and musk oil which helps it stay on the skin.

While it stings like crazy for a second when you apply it, you never have any

itch...

>

> Folks - one thing that has not been mentioned, very basic - do not scratch!

>

> If you can keep yourself from scratching they sometimes never get past the

> redness stage, and do not develop into a " wound "

>

>

>

>

> In a message dated 7/23/2010 8:30:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

> syl228@... writes:

>

>

>

>

>

> I recently had a bee sting which was quite swollen and very red. I took 5

> mgs of prednisone the first day and benadryl for about 4 days. In

> addition I used an over the counter product called Ivarest which can be used

for

> insect stings and poison ivy. This always seems to calm down whatever I

> have even mosquito bites. The sting did begin to subside within about 3 days

> but even now I have a slight pinkish mark on the skin 2 1/2 weeks after the

> fact. I'm very prone to extreme reactions from insect bites, poison ivy

> and the lik, and if these things don't clear up with first aid over 3-4 days

> I always go to my primary care physician with them.

>

> Regards Sylvia

>