I'm a terrible pessimist (or an excellent one, depending on your point of view), especially perhaps when it comes to health matters (like the time I wore some new walking boots in the rain and got home to find some horrible looking blue veins round my ankles. They turned out to be blue dye, leaked from the boots, and they washed off in the shower). So when I went for a short (3k) and very slow run on Saturday afternoon, I was more than dismayed to find that my right knee started hurting that evening while I was out for dinner with my husband, and immediately leapt to the conclusion that I'd done something catastrophic to it. My knees have been a bit twingey recently, but I've been very careful when walking and running, so couldn't work out why this particular run would have caused any problem. The knee was swollen, very hot and painful. I made the mistake of Googling the symptoms and by Sunday morning was certain I would never be able to run again. It wasn't until this morning that it dawned on me that the knee wasn't actually painful to move, to bend, flex or walk, it just hurt when I prodded it. And it was incredibly itchy. And all the other bites I got a couple of weeks ago (I'm incredibly sensitive to insect bites, I swell up and blister and itch like crazy) had all started itching again. Then a small hard white lump appeared on the top of my knee, and a puncture wound became apparent. Turns out it's just a nasty insect bite of some sort 🤣 I'm not sure whether to run today, as it is still swollen and hot and I don't want to aggravate it, but I am SO relieved that I will run again.
The perils of pessimism: I'm a terrible... - Couch to 5K
The perils of pessimism
Insect bites can be nasty. Be worth trying sone antihistamine tablets to calm it down. I wouldn’t run on it personally. Might even need a GP to look at it and possibly antibiotics. Okay then, maybe a GP is too much to expect but a pharmacist?!
Hope you’re back running soon
Thank you - I've done the antihistamine, but maybe I'll put running off for a day or two. I had a horsefly bite a couple of years back, which blistered and wept and made my whole calf swell up. I went to a pharmacist who told me to go to my doctor and the doctor virtually laughed me out of the surgery saying, "Well what do you expect me to do about it?" This is not as bad as that, so I'll give it a couple of days and go to a pharmacist if it's no better. It's not quite as hot any more, just scabby and itchy. I HATE this time of year!
Horse fly bites are horrible even if you don't have a bad reaction. Hope you feel better soon NettieNoo
Dont run... it will only increase the likelihood if any infection spreading.. Nivea ..put in the fridge until cold and put on gently, don't rub just spread will stop the itch..
I got an infected horsefly bite, way back.. and on antibiotics... the Dr I saw at the hospital... said take antihistamine, but not to waste my money on creams.. Nivea would work better.. it did... the itch stopped !
Do keep an eye on it..my bite did turn nasty... ! I react badly to anything that nibbles me!
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Lots of helpful replies too...it seems only female horseflies bite and they hate bright colours!
Take it gently x
OK, bright running gear it is from now on then! Might explain why my legs got bitten (grey leggings) and not my top half (bright pink tshirt 🤣) And thank you for the Nivea advice - I'll give it a try because the itching is driving me barmy. And no run today - it's silly, but I feel guilty when I don't go for a planned run, but if the concensus on here is to give it a miss, that feels like permission, so thank you for permission to do the sensible thing!
Here's a trick I learned on holiday in India, that works for me. Especially good if you dont have any antihistamines. Run a teaspoon under the hot tap (or stir your tea with it!) and put it lightly onto the centre of the bite - as hot as you can stand it for about 20-30 seconds. It seems to draw the itchiness out of the bite and help calm it down. You can repeat as often as needed.
Wow, really?! OK, happy to give it a go - I react so badly that I'll try anything that might help. (I got bitten so badly last year in France that I still have scars on my arms and legs and that was after smothering myself in 3 different sorts of repellent, citronella candles and antihistamine. It was miserable).
Yes me too. I react so badly. I hope yours clear up soon!
Keep and eye on your knee - I ended up going to the GP because of a reaction to bite on my arm that was spreading by the minute (literally) and it was red and hot to the touch. I ended up on antibiotics for a week. Don't be fobbed off if you think it needs more than antihistamines/cream. Hope you feel better soon!
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