Insect bite

[Daisyellen265]

Okay soo I’m in The Gambia in west Africa at the moment and I’ve been bitten nearly a week ago. I was told to keep the open wound covered and to put antiseptic cream on it. The red stuff around it is apparently poison and I’m panicking like made because it isn’t going down if any hint it’s getting ever so slightly worse. Medical care over here is soo expensive even though I have travel insurance. What do I do?! Do I wait until I go back to the UK and if it’s not better go to see my GP? In the last like 4 hours it’s become really itchy and I’m scared I’ve been bitten again. I’m 18 and I’m here on my own ( staying at a British project) I’m soo scared and confused on what to do

[ssdw1958]

Ok I’ve never traveled out of the country but let’s see I’ve been bitten by a spider when I was working at a store and I knew the box came from out of the country my bite was not as bad as yours but I was told to keep an eye on it an if there is any change like a red line going up my arm to go back to the hospital. Here are my questions for you? Do you have any head person at your group you can go to ask them for help? Is there any way you can email a doctor at home to find out what to do? There must be someone to go to. How long is it until you go home? Keep an eye on that. My son travel to Argentina and there were times he got sick and the group he was with had a doctor that there group were able to go to if they needed help. Ask for help like you are from here.

Good luck

[Daisyellen265 in reply to ssdw1958]

I was just told by the head person to cover it an out anti septic cream on it then I’ve been told to keep it open 🙄 so I’m nit sure what to do. My flight is on the 26th so I have another 6/7 days left

[ssdw1958 in reply to Daisyellen265]

I am no doctor but is there any one at home you can contact for any help just to ask for there opinion. That’s all I can say but keep an eye on that if it should change at all you’ll need to get help.

[Madlegs1]

You say you have health insurance-there should be a contact number on your form that can give you guidance.

Otherwise do as others have said. Keep antiseptic cream on it and DO NOT SCRATCH.

Good luck.

[Daisyellen265 in reply to Madlegs1]

It costs a courting to call British numbers. £1.80 a min so for the 10 min hold it’d cost s fourtune😭

[sandylo]

Use your travel insurance

[BadHare]

This is what your travel insurance is for. Surely someone on the project where you’re staying can take you to a pharmacy, at least.

[Daisyellen265 in reply to BadHare]

I’m going to ask! Thank you

[BadHare]

Hope you get some help very soon, & that it's nothing scary! I've been stung in London & suffered the consequences for weeks,

Just a suggestion, maybe email or text your folks in Blighty, & get someone to call the insurance company, should it turn out to need more than antiseptic cream & a plaster.

[Daisyellen265 in reply to BadHare]

I’ve been using that and I’ve been bitten 4 times over night

[BadHare in reply to Daisyellen265]

NOOOooo...!

Surely you have a mosquito net & insect repellent?

[Daisyellen265 in reply to BadHare]

Yes

[Tracie4 in reply to Daisyellen265]

Do you have access to Benadryl? Or something to help with itching? I'm trying to think of something that may help to keep bugs off of you. You should probably see a doctor and identify what's biting you.

[Daisyellen265 in reply to Tracie4]

I’ve been taking antihistamines for the itching and garlic tablets and also have mosquito repellent

[Daisyellen265]

Been using aswell both

[BadHare in reply to Daisyellen265]

Check for holes in your net, & make sure you're taking malaria meds if that's necessary where you're located!

Do I sound like your mum?

[Daisyellen265 in reply to BadHare]

Haha no my mum is a lot more relaxed

[BadHare in reply to Daisyellen265]

She wouldn't be if she knew you'd been stung & weren't taking life saving preventative meds!

One of my friends is a microbiologist, & is involved with malaria research. You really don't want to live with a parasitic infection in your body for years after you get home as the treatment is as damaging to our bodies as the infection. Set an alarm, then another alarm to remind you to take your meds.

[Daisyellen265 in reply to BadHare]

She knows haha and I’ve been here 11 days and taken it 9 days so I should be okay!

[Daisyellen265 in reply to BadHare]

I will admit I’ve forgotten my malaria meds a Couple if days

[yellowsnowdrop]

The redness looks to me like a cellulitis which is an infection of the skin causing swelling pain and itchiness. You need to keep an eye on the red patch around the bite and if it gets any bigger then get medical help.Your travel insurance is there for a reason, if you need help then they have to pay for you to get that help. PLEASE don't sit there being lonely and scared it is all treatable and can be sorted I would imagine with a course of antibiotics.

TRY hard not to scratch as infection from under your finger nails can be transferred to the wound, if it's mega itchy you need an antihistamine to stop that.

I've travelled fairly extensively to places including Kenya and India, my hubby was bitten and it looked a whole heap worse that your bite and he recovered after a few days. get some help flower and don't be frightened to ask someone to help you do that x

get well soon x

[Daisyellen265 in reply to yellowsnowdrop]

It’s gone down a lot since yesterday I just have 4 more new bites to look after now

[Annaelizabeth]

Keep it covered at all times, wash your hands before you put the antiseptic cream on. Do you know that it is a mosquito bite? Watch the redness around, is it warm, is it spreading? If it is a straight mosquito bite and you have no temperature, stop panicking. Go to the leader of your project, with your travel insurance, ask him/her to get a doctor to look at.

[Daisyellen265 in reply to Annaelizabeth]

It’s calmed down a lot now but I now have z4 other hires to take care of

[Sazntef]

Itchy could be a sign of allergy, can you get our does anyone have antihistamines? You get all your jabs and pills for the trip?

You can also email, skype, IM, personal message someone back home to check in with your local GP for advice, cheaper than a phone call on Wi-Fi, if you can get it.

[Daisyellen265 in reply to Sazntef]

I’m taking anti histamines

[ssdw1958 in reply to Daisyellen265]

Daisyellen265

How is it going with your bits? I hope you haven’t gotten any more bits

[morphalot]

Personally I would speak to somebody local about the bite. They will have seen it before and will know what to do about it. Good luck! X

[AndrewT]

I'm VERY sorry to say this BUT......Get yourself Back, to the UK! Then contact The Tropical Disease Unit....Sorry but this bite is unknown and, to put this BLUNTLY is a Holiday more important than your LIFE??? Now sorry, but really GET YOUR ARSE BACK TO THE UK!!!!!!

Sorry but it IS THIS important.

AndrewT

[Daisyellen265 in reply to AndrewT]

I’m home now and I’m perfectly fine

[AndrewT in reply to Daisyellen265]

Well Thank GOD, for that! I didn't mean to appear 'Nasty', I was just VERY concerned for your health. Have you seen your GP?

[Daisyellen265]

Nahhh