Bug Bites and anti-coagulants

[Jjda]

This may be a strange question, but today while hiking, I was bitten by a deer fly or a yellow fly. For those of you who don't frequent Florida in the summer, these nasty little monsters can pack quite a punch. This isn't the first time I've been bitten by one, but it is the first time since starting Eliquis. The bite had become quite swollen and red. I've used ice, and epsom salt compresses to little avail. Did anyone know if the Eliquis could be causing a worse reaction?

[etheral]

I get nasty reactions to bug bites myself. Living in Maine the black flies and mosquitoes are nasty this time of year. They seem to be worse than usual on Eliquis now and take longer to heal. Haven't read anything about cause and effect, but personally they are much worse. Can try antihistamines, such as Zyrtec, they may help and don't seem to have significant interactions..Best of luck..Keep on scratching...Ethereal

[wilsond]

Yes definitely,I have always been a Target for bugs etc but now on Apixaban ( eliquis) take ages to heal up.

[CDreamer]

Sympathy. I’ve always reacted really badly to bug bites and had to be hospitalised on several occasions because of the reaction. I’ve noticed no difference since being on Eliquis, if anything slightly less reaction but that could just be old age.

Horse fly bites were always the worst for me and would take months for the reaction to go away and then if bitten in another part of my body, the old bite sites would be reactivated.

[dmjtanner in reply to CDreamer]

Wow CDreamer, you are the first person I have heard speak about an old bite area reactivated by a new bite somewhere else, but the same thing happens to me. (the docs wonder about this, but I read somewhere about cell memory causing this). I am hyper allergic to tick bites especially. Now when I get a mosquito or other bug bite, my original tick bite site gets a long lasting hive on that area. I too have been to the hospital about 4 times for allergic reactions to bites. My reactions usually happen several days after the bite and they can go on for several months. I also have the alpha-gal allergy where I can’t eat meat or pork. It has not gotten worse since being on Eliquis though. I love to hike, but have to really cover up and use deet when I go out. I live in Florida. 😆

[Jjda in reply to CDreamer]

I have never heard of that! I'll be on the lookout if I forget my insect repellent again!

[BobD Volunteer]

Just think how you probably killed the bug. lol 😁 That will teach it.

[Jjda in reply to BobD]

Lol! I didn't consider that I am now a walking exterminator!

[dmjtanner]

See my response below. I take a Zyrtec as soon as I get a bite like that. Also sometimes all I need is a Zantac. These work differently as histamine blockers. My allergist has even had me take them together.

[Jjda in reply to dmjtanner]

Thanks, I will try that next time.

[Hertbeat321 in reply to dmjtanner]

Wow never really thought about Zantac , now I will

[dmjtanner in reply to Hertbeat321]

Yes, most people take Zantac for stomach issues, but it works for bug allergies/hives also with less side effects than Benedryl etc. and doesn’t affect heart rhythm.

[Maggimunro]

Hi,

I seem to be a walking mozzy fast food provider Iif they are out there, they will bight me. I am on Apixiban and haven’t noticed any difference since starting this 3 years ago.

[Hidden]

I take rivaroxaban and had the same problem last month with mozzie bites, never happened to me before I was on anticoagulants. I bought colloidal silver in a spray bottle and used itvas and when required. It worked really well took all the itching redness and swelling down!

[Auriculaire]

I find insect bites and stings as well as scratches take longer to heal since starting Apixaban. I was stung by a bee under my arm and the side of my breast swelled ( normal) but also went all purple with bruising ( not happened before Apixaban). The scratches I get when gardening take ages to heal.

[Faraday954]

Are you on a beta blocker? They block your body’s response to allergens. I’ve had much worse reactions to bee stings since starting metoprolol. My doc told be to take Benadryl

[Jjda in reply to Faraday954]

I was on Metoprolol until about 3 weeks before the bug bite.

[allserene]

ok I am now going to reveal a magic potion that I rely on massively as far as insect bites are concerned. I live in Wisconsin where the State Bird is the mosquito. Since being on Eliquis, I have noticed a more pronounced trickle of blood from bites but its no big deal. ok the Magic Ointment is a British product called "Germolene'". Its an anti septic but much, much more as it kills pain and heals the wound fast.... I will be in England on Thursday and the first thing I do is buy 3 or 4 big tubes of it. It takes away the pain within 2 minutes and heals the wound in few hours. Its magic. I think I have seen it on sale in the US but its rare. I lived in Safety Harbor, Florida and camped in Western Scotland, so I know what a big bug bite looks like... Buy it on ebay for $5.39 free shipping no tax from England....

[SweetAdelyn in reply to allserene]

Being an ex Scot living in Ontario, Canada I remember Germaline as a cure all for many things. I haven't heard of it in years but your post brought back many memories of my childhood. Must see if I can find it here as I am also a target for mosquitos, they just love my Scottish blood.

[allserene in reply to SweetAdelyn]

I look on the Inverary webcam every day to see if I can spot the clegs flying past lol ! Yes if you go on ebay and search "Germolene" you can get it fast and cheap... I even converted my Milwaukee wife to it and she is the world's number 1 skeptic. Works great with wart freezer too... ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R...

[Jjda in reply to allserene]

Thanks for this information. I have never seen it in the US, but will order online! FYI, I grew up in Clearwater, right down the road from Safety Harbor, beautiful area.

[dwright12]

I had the same reaction, but I was taking Xarelto and I live in Florida

[Bambi65 in reply to dwright12]

Central or southern fla.?

[dwright12 in reply to Bambi65]

SW FL

[Bambi65]

I live in fla also, and have the same problem with all bug bites. They just never seem to heal or stop itching. I've had 6 paticular "bug" bites which bled and then scabbed. It's been 2.5 weeks and they are almost the same as the day I got them. Before taking this blood thinner eliquis, which has only been 5 weeks, any bite cut or scratch would have been healed up and gone in days. I've had afib for over 4 yrs. and finally agreed to blood thinners to deter stroke, but .. this sucks!

[dwright12 in reply to Bambi65]

I have areas on my arm that the dermatologist removed in February and they still aren't healed....very upsetting to say the least. On top of that the bug bites, I look like I've been in a war.

[Bambi65]

Yep... red holes is what I have all over my arms

[DinerAZ]

Living in AZ we have a few mosquitos and fire ants and since taking Eliquis, they are very much attracted to me and I get lots of bites. Once I had 17 any bites on one leg alone. Right now, after dining outdoors, I have 2 bites on my right arm and 4 on my right leg, one on my left leg. That never happened before Eliquis. I'm going to ask my cardiologist if I can switch meds, because I can't go outside without bathing in Off.

[pd63]

I'm on apixaban and when I amm bitten th reaction is worse with a lot of swelling and itching, than pre apixaban, coincidence maybe but it was same with clopidogrel

[ZombieKing]

I started taking Eliquis back in May and not long afterwards I noticed that bugs seem to like me more than usual. Never before have the bugs gone after me like this. No matter what I wear, those little buggers find away to bite me. I will try some of the suggestions listed below and see if they work.

[DawnTX]

Living in Florida over 20 years and now in southeast Texas, I can tell you I don’t think anything can make those bites much worse. I don’t know medically if Eliquis can bother you when you get bitten off because the bites are so nasty anyway feel better.