Hi all! I haven't posted for quite a while, which is always a good sign, isn't it? I've been on Adalimumab for nearly 6 months now, and it is working a treat. Got my prednisolone down to under 2mg per day (very slowly reducing), and don't seem to need Naproxen either. Plus I'm back at work at last. Hooray!
However, this summer I've started to suffer from awful reactions to insect bites. One bite swelled up to the size of half a golf ball and I had to go to hospital! I've always been extra delicious to insects for whatever reason, but I've never reacted like this before. Do we reckon this is a biologics thing?
Hope you're all well.
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Smelliott
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Hopefully someone on biologics will be able to advise but just to say that this happened a couple of days ago to a friend who isn't on any medication and has no health issues. She seems to have become gradually more reactive to insect bites and tbh I think that she really needs to have an epipen; her whole hand nearly doubled in size and last year something similar happened to her face.
I hope that you manage to find an answer. Have you tried Avon's Skin So Soft? It's just a spray moisturiser but is said to be a surprisingly effective insect repellent - apparently cases of it were shipped out to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I must get some SSS as it’s years since I heard it said it was a good insect repellant. I had forgotten about it as don’t get Avon these days. I don’t have any anaphylaxis thank goodness but they are sore and annoying bites. Your poor friend sounded to have had an extreme reaction. 😑😢
Ah, my wife mentioned that squaddies use some Avon cream, but couldn't remember the exact name - thanks! I'll have to give it a whirl, I feel like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
I think I’m a tad tasty to some of these pesky insects too! I don’t know Smelliott re biologics and bites, but think you might have something there! I’m itching at this very moment and I’m uncomfy with several bites on my tum and legs after a weekend and end of week gardening and over the last few years I get bitten every August. They go hard and risen up and itchy. Ugh. I’m using Anthisan which helps. Probably need some calamine too. Wondering if vitamin B12 could make a difference in preventing them next year as I usually stop being bitten around September time. I remember going on a month long summer holiday in 1982 and my GP saying I should take Brewers yeast tablets and start a couple of weeks before I went due to my sensitive skin and any insect bites I might get. I did as advised with the BY and I wasn’t bitten once and we went all over Italy and Greece and many other hot countries. Not sure/can’t recall what strength or if it’s ok to take with RA meds but it’s worth asking the pharmacist I think.
Just seen this on Amazon:
Colour photo of orange rubber insect repellant wrist band.
I hadn't thought of antihistamines, that's a good idea. And vit B12 is a good anyway as I'm a veggie. I do eat a lot of Marmite, but maybe that's not enough.
I've got a bit scar on my arm now from where the golf ball popped, and my torso is covered with various clusters of bites (midges?), and just now I noticed a new one on my little finger too!
All this just gives me yet another reason to hate the summer, which is already by far my least favourite season.
I have found as I get older (well just old now!) I react more to insect bites. Perhaps because my skin is thinner? I use insect repellent, but the pesky things find bits of me that haven't got it on and bingo - big red sore and itchy lump. I'm on antihistamines for hay fever already, and I put hydrocortisone cream on them (unless they look infected like horse fly bites)
My friend went to the pharmacy and was given Loratadine tablets (antihistamines which I always have at hand) and hydrocortisone cream - and strict instructions to ring 111 if things got any worse! Thankfully she's much better now. I've ordered some Skin So Soft to be delivered to her tomorrow 😊
I have been having rashes on my arms and legs for months. I was diagnosed by a dermatologist (on the phone) who thinks it’s due to leaking capillaries. I will add a photo so that you can see if it’s anything like your rash. I am presently taking 7mg Prednisolone a day.
I was told the same when I was first diagnosed a year ago. Mine seem to be circular ie the size of a 50p piece with blisters on the circumference, Then I had these rashes all over my body but now it seems to be restricted to my legs. They faded when I was on high doses of prednisolone 60mg daily to start with tapering down to my present 7.5. The latest rashes have been there since February.
I have been on adalimumab for nearly 4 months now and spend a great deal of time working around my land and river. I get a lot of insect bites and they are a little worse since I have been on the drug but still nothing that is of real concern in my case.
Hi Smelliott, that's interesting. I'm not having huge swollen bites like you, but definitely getting bitten a lot & by things like horse flies that sting horribly and the sore lasts ages. I'm also on Adalimumab, but only started it 7 weeks ago. Depressingly it's not kicked in yet - how long did it take for it to work for you? Sounds like you've been on steroids & anti=inflamms the whole time? But glad you're able to reduce them and are feeling a lot better. Take care.
Hi. I understand it varies from person to person, and can take up to 12 weeks. I was lucky; it kicked in within 48 hours! I am also on triple therapy (methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and hydroxychloroquine) AND naproxen though, so they're getting a lot of help! My prednisolone use is now down to <2mg per day, so doesn't really count any more. I hope you start feeling better soon!
Thanks so much smelliott. waw you're on a lot of things at the same time! Do hope your Bite situation improves - roll on Autumn!? Thanks again and good luck.
Yup, I'm like a human pharmacy. I does make me a bit nervous, I must admit, but my quality of life was zero before so I guess I'll take it. If I drop dead I drop dead, ha!
All my life I have reacted badly to insect bites, but when on biologics and now JAK inhibitors the reactions have been very subdued. It is so difficult to tell what causes what.
I am on a biologic called Orencia and I do get inflamed from Insect bites. I have a steroid cream that really helps with reducing the inflammation and itching.
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