Insect bites and reactions

[ciyoung]

I've always gotten bitten by mosquitoes etc... But since diagnosis reactions have been far worse. I got bitten by something on Sunday, by Monday whole leg was huge, hot, red. So got antibiotics from doctor. That night had a red line up my inner thigh, called NHS direct and explained on MX, they weren't bothered. By Tuesday could hardly walk- went back to doctor as straight to hospital for IV antibiotics for 4 day. Thankfully am allowed home and need to go up each day to sit with the IV. The infection had tracked into lymph nodes and into groin.

Had anyone else noticed bites are much worse on MXT or just me? And any quick solution so I font miss another weeks work- took priton within an hour.

Sorry- this should have been a question, not a blog!!xxx

[Hidden]

that red tracking is infection lines... piriton deals with itching ,, it is am sure know an atihistamine not an antibiotic..

Your bite obvioulsy became infected.. either the bite was from an infected insect or you accidently infected it yourself by scratching it?

As you know Methotrexate lowers the immune system so anything entering the body/blood stream possess a risk.. to have been given I.V.antibiotics you must as indicated by the track marks been very badly affected.. some insects are attracted by perfume so dont wear it if possible except indoors.. they dislike the smell of citronella.. we used to sell a lot of citronella when I worked in retial pharmacy.

[Hidden]

perosonally nhs direct can be a bit variable so always be cautious

[cherry2]

Hi, I have noticed that bites take a lot longer to settle down and often leave scars now which they didn't before. I try to remember to apply repellent.

I am appalled that NHS didn't recongnise your red line as a serious sign- its called 'tracking' and more often then not needs I.V. antibiotics. What can be useful if you have a lot of redness from a bite or wound is to draw around the edge of redness with a pen and if despite antihistamines it continues to spread or whenever you get a tracking line always back to doc asap, this stands for everyone but obviously even more so for us special people on methotrexate!! Hope it all settles soon, x, p.s the other worrying signs are flu like symptoms.

[Hidden]

nhs direct are often "untrained! " they use a database interrogation system and flow charts.. sometimes students etc do this job. If are lucky some times you might get a trained nurse doing this as a job.. it is very variable.. often the medical knowledge isnt there ie thinking outside the box.. interpretation of symptons.. hope no one here works them?? ... discalimer applies personal experience.opinion only....

[ciyoung]

Thank you- am pleased to report am on the mend- discharged from hospital and resting with strong antibiotics at home xxx

[Gina_K]

I also have found the mossies and small flying creatures love the chemical mix in my blood. Have plug in thing in room does the trick most of the time. Prevention better than cure, get a repellant spray, they love mtx, poor mites, at least their joints will be healthy.