Insect bites

[Gidgeclev]

I have always been one of those people that insects quite like to bite but I haven't been anywhere particularly mosquito infested since I started taking Thyroxine. However I have just come back from Romania with a huge crop of nasty horsefly and mozzie bites. The bastards were biting me even when I was covered in suncream with insect repellent, plus extra insect repellent and even bit me through my clothes! Has anyone else found that thyroxine has made them far more attractive to the insect world?

( on the upside - I was there to see the wildlife so have contributed to the breeding of the insects that the birds eat).

[Treepie]

Not been bit more or less on my birding trips since on levo ....but not been to Romania .Might not have on the to do list after your experience.

[Gidgeclev in reply to Treepie]

Just cover yourself in DEET... worth the bites for the fabulous Danube Delta birds. Pelicans are my new favourite!

[Treepie in reply to Gidgeclev]

Been using Picaridine based repelants which some reckon is better than Deet but run out ,not easy to find. Will be seeing many pelicans in Greece later this year.

[mourneadventurer]

Being hypothyroid yet treated and in range can cover up an immuno compromised system.

Check the bites for a target lesion (looks like a dart board with concentric rings), if you have this go to your GP asap. 9 days between bite and antibioticss maximum.. Current German reatment for such a bite is 3 weeks of Doxycycline.

Horse flies are also vectors of Lyme disease in Europe

[Gidgeclev in reply to mourneadventurer]

Fortunately no rings, but blisters and bruising. I get bitten in the UK too but not as badly as this.

[mourneadventurer in reply to Gidgeclev]

You are fortunate not to have target lesions. Try Googling insect bites and Vitamin B deficiency. Might be worth having levels checked?

[heathermr]

Try using Thai Tiger Balm (white) it works really well on bites and calms them very quickly helping them to heal and stop you scratching them. You can now purchase the Tiger Balm in most health shops.

Heather

[Gidgeclev in reply to heathermr]

Nothing stops me scratching them... it's my new hobby! Fortunately all the inflammation has gone down since getting back home and the temperature being more moderate. I am sure that the heat causes all sorts of inflammatory responses in the hypothyroid including massive water retention.