Extreme itching after insect bites / stings

[mjn500]

Morning, all - I'm trying to work out which of my regular medical things may be ET related. I 've already found out that headaches and ringing in the ears can be, and now wondering about the extreme histamine reaction I get from midge bites and, apparently, other stings.

I got stung by a bee on Sunday and it is still hot and swollen, and very itchy. I think a lot of this is because if I scratch it releases a lot of histamine and it looks as though higher histamine can be an ET thing.

Does anyone else get this reaction and if so, have you talked to a doctor about it? Any information would be appreciated.

Mel.

[hunter5582]

That at could be a "maybe" if you are JAK2+. The JAK2 signaling pathway (overactivation) can trigger the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines. An increased cytokine load can lead to a variety of inflammatory conditions. I have never heard of an overreactive histamine response being part of this, but I suppose it is theoretically possible. When I ask the docs questions like this, I get a lot of shrugs and "theoretically" kinds of responses. The truth is - with these rare disorders there is still lots the docs don't really know. Of course, sometimes we do have other conditions that are in fact completely unrelated to our MPN. All the best to you.

[mjn500 in reply to hunter5582]

Thanks - I have a few things that *could* be ET-related but as I don't know how long I have been JAK2+, who knows!

[hunter5582 in reply to mjn500]

Here is just one of the pieces of research out there on this topic. hindawi.com/journals/mi/201... . FYI - if you are JAK2+ it is important to know what your mutant allele burden is (% of gene mutated). The test is called JAK2 Mutation Quantitative Analysis (or similar).

[EleanorPV in reply to hunter5582]

Interesting paper

[hunter5582 in reply to EleanorPV]

It makes a lot of sense regarding why those with MPNs experience some of the things we do. Many docs are not up-to-date on this and do not know what to do with it in terms of clinical practice. Hopefully this will soon change.

[Borage]

Hello mjn500,

I hope your sting has improved. Are you certain that it was a bee, and were you able to flick the sting out of your skin promptly?

I am a beekeeper and have ET.

If I get stung on my hands through gloves or on a fleshy area there is very little reaction, but if the little b’s sting my face I get a huge reaction as there is less of a fat layer, and yes, the pain and swelling of a bee sting lasts normally for several days.

We had some angry bees at the apiary when the work was all finished and we were having coffee, and the swellings from everyone’s bee stings were quite dramatic at the next meeting five days later.

[mjn500 in reply to Borage]

Hi - yes, definitely a bee. Fortunately I was wearing gloves and felt the start of the sting so was able to knock it off before the barbs went in to my skin.

The swelling came up after an hour or so, and was painful enough to need painkillers (and more antihistamines) at bedtime. In the morning the whole back of my hand was swollen to the extent I couldn't bend my fingers properly and was incredibly itchy.

It didn't go down for a week even with antihistamine tablets and cream!

I used to get the same swelling - but no pain - with midges, until I found the right combination of preventive antihistamines and midge repellent.

[Reikiray in reply to mjn500]

Can I ask what midge reppelent you use. I'm PV . I take antihistimes every day. But react badly to midges, clegs and horseflies. I get cellulitis with cleg bites. My whole leg swells up and the pain is horrendous a couple af years ago I got my usual swelling but also developed breathing issues that lasted 3 months. After lots of test they couldn't find anything and put it down to another reaction to the cleg bite because I was now on hydroxy. I'm now paranoid about going any where at thus time of the year in case it happens again

[mjn500 in reply to Reikiray]

Hi - I mostly use Smidge.