Insect Biting Better! Is It The Pred?

A target for midges & other insects. Since being on pred. (May 2017) . Very few bites! Or is it my dampened immune system not reacting? Another positive for pred. or maybe not? I'll take that one!

[Hidden]

I have noticed that too, and had the same thoughts about the medications. Obviously unproven but if it is due to the meds at least that is a side effect I don't mind at all.

[SheffieldJane]

Do you know, I quietly thought the same thing. No mosie bites in Oz usually bitten to bits. They’re not daft, perhaps it’s the side effects?

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

Certainly bugged me over the years. Golden this year! Never underestimate our senior ancestors! Eh!

[scats]

I mentioned in a reply a few weeks back that I thought they itched less with pred but I'm not getting bitten less! Something at last to be grateful for.

[Hidden in reply to scats]

Gratitude indeed. They do seem to hone in to some & not others. Best to to hang around with someone who the blighters are going for more than yourself! Never found yet in my case!!

[scats in reply to Hidden]

Nor me. We must be tasty!

[SnazzyD]

Same here. I just assumed it was the Pred damping down the inflammatory/histamine response. I got a wasp sting and a brush with a stinging nettle. Both hurt like hell but the resulting redness didn’t happen. Now I’m below 5mg, it’s not so effective.

[Hidden in reply to SnazzyD]

Ahh! Stinging nettle! Had a brush with those as well! Pain over quickly. Wonder if nettles were used in the past for arthritic pain as a distraction rather like "deep heat" rub etc! You have tapered down remarkably well SnazzyD, hope it keeps going well for you. ATB

[SnazzyD in reply to Hidden]

I certainly have in nearly 18 months and feel a bit like I’ve got my head well above the parapet. The Endocrinologists want me to go faster to get my adrenals going because the Rheumy apparently says I’m fine for GCA now 🙄

This is where I’m glad the NHS is overrun so my clinic appointments are few and far between.

[Hidden in reply to SnazzyD]

Yes I know what you mean! You have self managed well.

[Jean56]

Having always been a target for anything flying that bites, it never occurred to me that the reason I seem to have avoided the blighters for the past three years was down to Pred. How daft can you get! I’m putting my stupidity down to Pred as well.

[Hidden]

Pred hasn't helped with the harvest mite bites, bitten more than usual, though they're calming down now the weather is cooler.

Oh Pepperdoggie had just started picking my runners, but the wind has blown down all my wigwams, right on top of the sweet corn on the next plot. It's an American lady tends the adjacent plot, she grows lots of leeks, pumpkins and sweet corn. She was only saying last week that the good weather had grown her corn to American sized portions. I have offered her my sweet corn but they haven't even got their tassles yet let alone getting to a decent size. She always laughs at us Brits growing runner beans, she can't understand why we bother when french beans are so much easier.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Don't know what dose of pred you're on Chris! I'm on 17.5 at the moment. The bugs have always targeted me & maybe yourself. I don't think it a random thing! Harvest mites don't sound much fun! Scratching at the thought!! Bad luck with your runners hope you can rescue them. My potted wigwams got bowled over a couple of times too. Can't beat a couple of posts & wire for proper support. Battle at the moment for me is the tomato moth caterpillar chomping it's way through the greenhouse toms. Had a good crop but I'm taking anything now remotely turning red! ATB

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Probably - the pred is suppressing the inflammation. But of course - there is a lot of evidence there are lots fewer bugs about...

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

I'm not getting bitten as usual! They certainly seem to have preferential targets! Maybe it's the quiet rage!!!

[sennetta]

Was on Saarema - notorious - for mosqitoes and I got bitten to bits as usual with no sign of quicker healing - just saying!

[Hidden in reply to sennetta]

Is that Estonia sennetta? What dose are you on? Maybe personal experience again with pred is different for us all!

[sennetta in reply to Hidden]

Yes - Estonia and 2.5 - 3mg

[Hidden in reply to sennetta]

Maybe too low to have any effect on the midges. !7.5 myself. Not too far away from the magic zero yourself then. ATB

[S4ndy]

Yep me too. Former mossie diner but not since I have been on Pred. Also cat fleas don't seem interested in me anymore. Definitely a positive Pred side effect.

[Purple-Owl]

Opposite effect on me! I've always been a tasty morsel for mosquitos and gnats. A golf ball sized blister from a bite could well be what precipitated PMR in me last year. I still have a red circle on my calf where it was. I had a river cruise booked at that time but cancelled it as I was so afraid of getting another mosquito bite. I went on prednisolone for the PMR of course, but still got several more bites at home in my garden a month or two ago. They inflamed to bright scarlet and spread to crimson patches on my legs, which I attributed to the exaggerated inflamatory response of the PMR. This time, however, no blisters and the inflammation faded away.

[Hidden in reply to Purple-Owl]

Seems different responses to the pred.! Wondered why certain of us are targeted in the 1st place by the midges! Something else at work there in their sensing! Only a couple of bites for myself this year, normally I get a lot. ATB