Mosquitoes

[Jeanjean16]

I y in Tobago and doing ok, but I am plagued by mosquitoes. This is my third holiday here and it hasn't happened before. I am using repellent and wipes and spraying my bedroom but I am still covered in nasty bites. Could this be because of preds?

[Hidden]

Does the attraction follow timings of pred or carby food both of which can cause blood glucose spikes. The little buzzing females love sweet blood and they love my high glucose diabetes blood. They love certain peoples pheromones too. Pred can be used to treat severe bites but no reason it doesn't attract them via above mechanism.

I have always been a mosquito magnet. I always wear repellant and long sleeves. Sometimes if it's a particularly humid year you get more of the little biters. Obviously once bitten try not to stratch and get antihistamine and topical cream for stopping itchiness. Keep surrounded by citronella candles and if it malaria area take relevant malaria meds if suitable to take with other meds. If all else fails get a bucket of ice and melt ice cubes on the bite! Good luck👣🦟🗣️

[YuliK]

Nasty little flyers.

Jean poor you, I honestly don't believe it's the pred , just some people are more prone to getting bitten than others.

Check if there is any exposed stagnant water in the vicinity...even a water hose pipe dripping.

If you are staying in a hotel there, ask if they can help your plight.

Keep covered with long sleeves.

Don't scratch or rub bites.

Enjoy your holiday...

[SnazzyD]

Have you got air con? Mozzies don’t like it cold. Where are the bites? Bed bugs are a growing problem where travellers stay. Are you spraying all over? Clothing is often no barrier.

[YuliK in reply to SnazzyD]

😱. Bed bugs 🐜

[S4ndy]

Just interested, do you happen to be O neg blood group? They love us for some reason.

I use Avon Skin So Soft dry oil which apparently is a SAS trick! It works most of the time. I usually try to keep covered though. Was thinking of getting a Mossie net as this year seems bad ..... I am in UK!

It's almost impossible for me not to scratch. I use hydrocortisone cream and take Piriton should I get bitten. Bites raise up in huge sore bumps with me. Suffice to say I do all I can to avoid getting bitten but they still manage to find me!

[Hildalew in reply to S4ndy]

That's the first time I've heard that - about O neg being attractive to little biting creatures. Is that a 'scientific' fact or is it a widely-held belief based on lived experience?

[S4ndy in reply to Hildalew]

I think it was a scientific study but I cannot find the link.

[Hidden in reply to S4ndy]

Hi S4ndy,

I could write a similar story to you. I attract like a magnet but they leave my wife alone. Must be something to do with Pheromones maybe.

I'm going to the USA and Canada soon so I will make sure I'm covered in repellant. That should keep them away and probably everyone as well

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I was once walking with a group and heard giggles behind me. They were laughing because out of around a dozen people I was the one with a 4ft column of midges circling above my head. Not even a one over everyone else's head. I knew they liked me but not that much. I was in my early 30s then.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Not much fun is it 🤗😁

[Hellyowl]

Hi , I was in Poland last week and my mozzy bites on my legs look like chicken pox, And I was wearing long trousers. I have never been bitten so bad and it is my third year on Pred and I am down to 3 mg. I think mozzies are getting more prolific. I even get bites that swell like golf balls here in England. I am more inclined to blame climate change than pred. Although this is against advice, I take one a day antihistamine twice a day 12 hours apart and use antihistamine cream. That just about stops me scratching. Cold compresses or ice helps the swelling

[Hildalew in reply to Hellyowl]

I recently posted asking advice on relieving the irritation from such bites. Among other things suggested was aloe vera cream, or even aloe vera sap/juice - if you happen to have an aloe vera among your house plants. I tried some gel I found in my locally pharmacy and it was very effective.

[Purple-Owl]

I am Flavour of the Month for the mozzies. Two years ago on a river cruise I got mosquito bites that came up in blisters the size of golf balls. I have a theory that this was what caused the start of PMR.

[Hidden in reply to Purple-Owl]

That's Interesting. I had a very bad insect bite (not sure what) when working in my garden 5 years ago. My lower leg became swollen as a result. I eventually went to the doctors. He gave me antibiotics which cleared the trouble up. A few weeks later I got symptoms I now know as PMR and was eventually diagnosed two months later. Now 5 years on I'm on 1.5mg of pred.

[Purple-Owl in reply to Hidden]

I was very interested to hear your experience too.

[Koalajane in reply to Purple-Owl]

I also got PMR about 3 months after suffering with hives and bites

[Purple-Owl]

Thanks for sharing jeanjean16. It does seem possible that the immune system reacts to the stress of dealing with these bites.