Insect bites

[QAGS]

I am having a terrible time with insect bites, is it part of this RA condition? I am on MXT orally 20mgm weekly

[KittyJ]

Are they mosquitos ? They don’t discriminate they bite everyone not just people with RA. I’d have a chat with your pharmacist to see if they can help.

[summer32A]

Mosquito bites always go bad ways so stopes going to Greece even before lock down,. Last Greek island bite episode became cellulitis

[bubblyalex in reply to summer32A]

Ouch

[lily777]

Hi...before RA and taking mtx insects never touched me, even the mozzies in Uganda on a visit there! After being diagnosed and medicated I became irresistable to everything. My skin also became very sensitive to the sun.

I noticed that after being prescribed vitamin D capsules there was a significant improvement in both.

I don't have any explanation....just my experience.

Hope it helps.

[helixhelix]

And I’m the reverse! Always used to suffer being bitten, and since going on MTX it has been better!

(But yes to sun sensitivity from the drugs, although this is improving year by year. ) has

Do keep an eye on them so don’t get infected.

[stbernhard]

I never got a bite. Now 10 years on MTX they love me to bits 🦟🦟🦟

[Smelliott]

Just out of interest, are you on omeprazole as well? I had to switch to ranitidine as the interaction between methotrexate & omeprazole was causing me to break out in huge, painful spots, which I initially thought were bites. Probably not, but thought I'd check!

[QAGS in reply to Smelliott]

No not on Omeprazole Smelliott !!

[Maggsie]

See if you can change to injections. I had a dreadful time with insect bites for 15 years while taking oral mtx, since I changed to injection it's so much better.

[RA2011]

Well that's strange! I've never been troubled by insect 🐜 bites until last year. These days I'm eaten alive by the little critters. I'm on 20mg methotrexate too with RA....... I think you may be right..... another RA related condition. Keep safe and well. Lizx 🌈🌈

[QAGS in reply to RA2011]

thanks RA2011, and to everyone. It just upsets me to see this lovely start to the day and knowing I cannot expose my skin. I have to cover up, and even if I am careful somehow they find their way to my body. I have been using Aloe Vera gel , Anthisan, Ben's Max. although with the latter you cannot spray it onto broken skin. I just feel itchy all over, esp on my scalp. I do have non drowsy Antihistamine tabs, but haven't tried them yet as the side effects worry me.That and the present Coronavirus just makes me so sad.

[bubblyalex]

Jungle formula spray or roll on. I have always been eaten alive by mozzies etc. I wonder if that will change now ... either way I don’t turn the lights on to stop then zooming straight in through the window.

[nanapat61]

Bitey things have always liked me, Mtx or not! I find that Avon Skin-so-Soft dry oil spray works as a good insect repellant for me, even though it's not sold as such - it's actually a skin softener/moisturiser and fairly cheap to buy (approx. £4 I think). I read somewhere ages ago that it does double-duty as an insect repellant. Worth a try? I've also got an Aspivenim kit (bought from Boots) which is basically a small vacuum pump the size of a syringe with different sizes of cups which fit on the end, depending on how big the bite is. If I do get a bite, despite the Avon stuff, the Aspivenim is brilliant at drawing out any venom, thus stopping the irritation/swelling in its tracks. It was more expensive, at about £20 I think, but I've found it very useful and had it for years.

[KittyJ in reply to nanapat61]

I’ve been trying to remember the name of that Avon product, worked for me too, I get bitten a lot and react badly. Thanks for reminding me 🦟

[Hidden in reply to KittyJ]

Skin so soft from Avon my go to

[Leics]

I was bitten from head to toe last year by mosquitoes and I was in a dreadful way for over a month. The pharmacist I saw told me to take 2x1 a day antihistamines to stop the itching because that’s how bad they were. I did invest in some tea tree oil and put a couple of drops in my shampoo and shower gel (that’s into a full bottle by the way). I was completely left alone by them after that and touch wood haven’t been bitten since. 🤞. Tea tree is antiseptic so won’t hurt the current bites either but best to be safe than sorry don’t overuse it and I definitely wouldn’t ever use it neat.

[Hidden]

Where i live we have sandflies in the summer, i have had to take an antihistamine sometimes due to the swelling from them. I put it down to my immune system on high alert. I have tried so many things to ward them off, I wear long trousers and shoes on my dog walks on the beach in the summer or my poor ankles are feasted on.