Hydroxy, Midgie and Mozzie bites

[Mica11]

This is my first summer since diagnosis and I was just curious having always been breakfast, lunch and dinner to the voracious little Scottish midgie and the foreign mozzie if being on Hydroxycarbamide stops them biting you?

I have not been bitten yet and that is very unusual.

I could, of course, be tempting fate mentioning this and be a lovely lumpy mess by next week!

[P-O-T-S]

Fingers crossed for you!..there have to be some silver linings!

[Mica11 in reply to P-O-T-S]

Thank you, ever the optimist, I live in hope!

[Pippa63]

Hi. I've been on hu for over 2 years and I'm still bitten relentlessly although I do live about 30 metres from a huge wooded common with lakes and wonderful walks for my dogs and I when I'm not tired so maybe that's the reason .. Let's hope you stay free of the little critters bites as they really do hurt .......here's hoping. Best wishes. Pippa

[Mica11 in reply to Pippa63]

Oh that's pants Pippa. I, like you, walk my dog over fields, under trees and along a riverside. I've maybe just been lucky so far this year. Mine sometimes end up the size of a 10p piece and can stay for a month and itch like the devil.

Yes, there's always hope.

Grace.

[EleanorPV]

Oh interesting. I over react to bits on interferon.

[Mica11 in reply to EleanorPV]

It's rotten Eleanor. I guess when we do something, we do it well and that goes for over reacting! Let's hope it's a bad year for the midgie!

[stillkicking]

I gazed at an end of season mosquito a few weeks ago, and felt suddenly a wee bit of compassion for it! The weather was soon to be too cold for it, and a sip of my blood would probably kill it! The mosquito made no attempt to tap my veins, and I did wonder if I now exude some sort of chemical warning to our 6 legged friends! Hope you remain bite free, it would be great if the dreaded H pills had some unexpected insect repellent qualities!

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Sting ooooops! Splutter splutter zzzerp!

[Mica11 in reply to stillkicking]

If it lasted a whole season with out being splatted then I think it had a good life myself.

Haha! Either mozzie murder or kind euthenasia, freezing slowly to death can't be much fun, short, sharp splat, the kindest way to go.

[DENICE66]

Hi Mica

midgies are one of the less attractive species of wildlife here in Scotland and we have millions of the bitey bu*gers! I've no idea whether HU makes you a less attractive morsel but lots of us swear by the humble Avon Skin So Soft spray/cream. It was never designed as a repellent but has an awesome reputation for keeping the blighters away and always works for me. There was an article in The Sun (not that I'd suggest you generally believe anything in the tabloids)...maybe worth a try for you anyway:

thesun.co.uk/living/4282934...

[Aime in reply to DENICE66]

Yes Denise and it really works!xx kindest regards Aime🐜🐜🦗🦗😺😺

[Hidden]

Don’t get bitten very often but if I do I just think that with my blood and Hydroxycarbamide revenge is sweet

[Mica11 in reply to Hidden]

Haha! One of the very few living things I will kill, such lasting discomfort from something so tiny.

[Mica11]

Thanks for that Denice, yes, I have used it for years, my problem is remembering to put it on. I will need at least half an hour before going out, between Skin so Soft and Factor 50. The dog would be sitting with his legs crossed.

[katiewalsh]

Hi. I’ve not been aware of getting any mosquito bites since starting HU a few years ago. I live in the US & West Nile Virus is a big threat from mosquito bites. Because I have an Immune deficiency plus being on HU I fear getting anything bad. I don’t know if they aren’t biting me or if they are but the HU prevents me from forming a reaction. Here they’re telling us we must use DEET products as they’re the only thing guaranteed to work. I don’t want to use DEET so try & wear long sleeves & pants if I remember. (Something scary is that fabric softener sheets, rubbed on your skin, are supposed to prevent bug bites. A strong reason not to use them with your clothing.) Whatever else works so you can enjoy the out of doors. Good luck to you all. Katie

[Kinsale]

Hi Mica11 - this is Australia calling. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but midgies still bite regardless of me taking a 1000mgs of Hydrea per day. I had a shocking reaction during our recent summer, so I hope the little blighters got a horrendous hangover as a result. I agree with the other comments - be diligent with insect repellent and long sleeves.

Cheers

Mark

[Mica11 in reply to Kinsale]

Hi Mark, Scotland here. Not so good for you, you poor thing. It's a living nightmare, that constant itch. I have so much to slather on my skin, factor 50 and skin so soft to keep the beasties away. Just as well I no longer work I guess.

Grace

[beetle]

I moved on from HU to Ruxolitinib and spent 5 years in the west of Scotland - home to the infamous midge and the voracious clegg ( horse fly). I can say I did not get bitten once in five years which is most unusual for me. I used skin so soft as did my partner but he still got bitten. I think HU might work for some too!

[Mica11 in reply to beetle]

Thanks for that Beetle, I just have to hope I am one of the lucky ones then. I'm off to rake my skin so soft out, nothing wrong with insurance.

Grace

[Wyebird]

Afraid it hasn’t worked for me.

Still it’s nice to know that taking hydroxicarbomide has a silver lining for some

[Mica11 in reply to Wyebird]

Aw that's too bad. I don't know if it does for me yet either, I may just have been lucky so far this year.

Grace

[Sand-Dancer]

Hi Mica11. I live in Portugal for part of the year and the mosquitos LOVE me! Sorry! My only thought on the matter is they can’t fly too much after taking my thick blood 🤣

[Mica11]

Oh well, I keep looking for positives in my daily life. I may well find myself back on the lunch menu on the days I forget to put my Skin so Soft on.