Bug Bomb or Painful Bites?

[GracieJ]

I am heading into spring and summer with a rock-and-a-hard-spot decision to make. Last year, after months of fighting corn allergy, I began to react badly to bug bites. Spider bites turned into tennis ball sized, painful and itching swellings that took about two weeks to go down and left scars. Mosquito bites were torture. It seems I was a mosquito magnet, with over twenty spots on me at a time, all large and swollen. Any bug bite would break open and ooze. I am buying mosquito netting soon, and stocking up on essential oils to dilute and spray on bedding and clothing to repel bugs.

I used enough Benadryl over time to experience its most nasty symptoms - including a break with reality. I tracked it back to the Benadryl quickly, and was okay in about four days. Not fun at all. Not doing that ever again, occasional use only.

MCS has been one of my worst symptoms the past three years or more, but -

To those of you here who have MCS, do I dare spray for bugs, or set off a bug bomb in my apartment? Those bites were torture. Which is worse, increased weakness from the extra chemicals, or suffering from bites? I really do not know. I am thinking avoiding the bites would be the greater relief.

 

[Sherlock]

Have you tried Avon Skin-So-Soft as a bug repellant or is that also too much to tolerate? (Do they still make it?)

I'd found that works somewhat when outdoors. Since getting sick, though, I am no longer a mosquito/gnat magnet.

 

[GracieJ]

I will look at it again and read the ingredients.

Oddly, most or all of those bites happened indoors while I was asleep and were mostly on the left side of me, arm and leg. I tuck both outside the sheet for comfort. I was a fanatic last summer about getting indoors fast, only outdoors going to and from my car. I gave up evenings on my balcony and gave up having the sliding door open late in the evening or overnight. Not having fresh air was hard.

I never caught up with the mosquitos that made it inside. I could hear them sometimes, buzzing by my face. It was so odd. Darn things.

It was a tough and long experience over several months. If there is any way to avoid a repeat it would be nice to do so.

 

[Sherlock]

Oddly, most or all of those bites happened indoors while I was asleep

I was getting bit while sleeping in 2014 by spiders - sometimes on the very tip of my nose. I could not find a single spider to kill because they hid during the day. Then one early Sunday morning while reading in bed on my laptop, I saw one come rapelling on a strand of silk, right down at me. I clapped it into oblivion, then more or less used myself as bait over the following weeks until I got them all - 3 or 4 of them, sometimes at night reflecting the laptop light. They must have infrared or something.

When I go walking now around 0F the tip of my nose gets red and I can see where those old bites occurred, still not completely healed.

I don't see that you've posted in the mast cell forum. Have you tried mast cell stabilizers like quercetin, tart cherry or other flavonoids? You surely seem to have overactive mast cells. You might also think about having an epi-pen in case of a hymenoptera bite. Theoharides does that for all his patients, because even though all might not get anaphylaxis, the downside for any that might is so dangerous..

There's also toothpaste for use right after a mosquito bite.

 

[GracieJ]

Okay... @Sherlock You not only look for clues, you provide them!

Just started reading about mast cells. So I take it MCS can activate issues? I will continue that discussion on other threads.

I am on my own medically. When I can make a trip to my doctor who is sympathetic and listens, I am paying HIM to learn about what I find. He is great with going with it. I won't be able to see him anytime soon.

There have been half a dozen things to suspect, no strong indicators which to pursue. It sounds like this could cover a lot of ground.

So... Off I go, will work on the insect "war" best I can. Can see I have some homework to do.

So what else is new, right?

Pretty amazing for a non-existent whiney condition of wanting to be a deadbeat malingerer in society. Ha, ha.

 

[Sherlock]

Welcome to the MC club, Gracie Though nobody wants to be a member.

I am on my own medically.

Me, too.

A great test is to take 500mg of regular niacin. If you flush tremendously, that's a big, big clue The internet has lots of people going nuts in videos or writings because they flush at head and neck, which is the normal amount. I flush to my ankles.

Then you can try 500mg of ordinary quercetin beforehand, and that likely abolishes the flush.

Can you drag a fingernail over your sternum and leave a red line? That'd be worse than me. It's called dermatographia or dermographia.

I don't, but some have terrible gut problems eating histamine rich foods.

I do believe high histamine can cause isomnia.

 

[Sherlock]

and histamine in lungs can probably cause sensitivity to airborne things, aka leaky lungs. I can't stand chlorine in a glass of tapwater when I'm sick, and I can smell it from across the room.

 

[brenda]

What about using citronella candles?

 

[Dreambirdie]

I would smear garlic on my body, use orange oil to kill and repel bugs, make sure my home is really clean. SPRAY IS POISON. I would never consider that option.

 

[AndyPandy]

I have had bad reactions to bites - similar to you @GracieJ - for my whole life. Also MCS which is worse since ME/CFS. I use essential oils and essential oil based lotions and sprays from the chemist or health food shop as repellents for the body. I am fine with these.

I wouldn't touch the usual insecticide sprays or those bombs.

Years before I became sick I was exposed to Baygon surface spray and one of those bombs. Also house fumigation for fleas. Made me very very ill. Insecticide spray of any kind makes me ill. Agree with @Dreambirdie - that stuff is poison.

Citronella candles give me asthma. I react to Benadryl.

Not many options other than avoid!

Best wishes.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

Once the little biters have had their way with me, I take prescription Hydroxyzine 25mg, one capsule every 4 to 6 hours as needed for itching. I just feel slightly drowsy with Hydroxyzine and in the USA it's about $6.00 for 30 capsules. I can't take Benadryl as it makes me restless and agitated.

I still have scars from mosquito and/or spider bites.

 

[GracieJ]

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

I am going with organic pesticides on the outside of the doors and windows, and I think by using the items mentioned I will be able to stay ahead of any problems. It was such a drawn-out experience, months-long, that anything is tempting by comparison. I came close to missing work when the bites were on one arm and swollen. (Massage therapist here - it got a bit scary-looking.)

The best part about asking fellow patients questions like these?

I am beginning to understand better why my immune system is doing what it does and how it all links up. In the past four months, energy tanked. In the past six weeks, breathing issues became worse, intermittent dysphagia upon awakening became worse, and arthritis flared big-time. Little did I know, thinking I was just asking about pest control and avoidance issues, and it is all related.

It of course would be the best route to find the underlying issues for the aggravated immune reactions to bites. This is something I have been working on with little progress. You still hope and research and trial things - and avoid bug bites!

I skipped the niacin test and went straight to starting quercetin and cannot wait to learn more. I do not even DARE do the niacin challenge.

The scratch test on the skin? I have had that since childhood.

See you on the mast cell threads.