Zyrtec
- I have also tried everything after I've been bit, and none of the creams work. Even when I have used 100% deet I still get bit all over my legs and back. I have found that taking Zyrtec before I go outside (when I know I might be bit) will actually prevent the swelling and itching most of the time. I hope this helps!
- —Guest Nicole
seriously man?
- In the past two days i have been bitten 9 times at my boyfriends house. Two have swollen up to the size of a golf ball in just a few hours after 5 minutes of standing outside. Another is about the size of a large orange, warm to the touch. I've never reacted this bad to a bite, but now it seems i can't escape them :/
- —Guest Emily
Bitten in the back!
- My cousin had a party outside....big mistake!! I was complaining about feeling mosquitos biting my back, so I used a lot of "off spray" and when I woke up the next morning....dun dun dun!! I had about 20-30 bites all over my back not to mention about two on the back of each of my legs! Now they itch like crazy and I'm tryin' not to scratch!:(
- —Guest Anissa
Off Clip-On Mosquito Repellent
- This clip-on has batteries that turn on a fan. I clipped it on my chair two different evenings hoping to enjoy dinner and fun with friends on the deck two different evenings without being eaten alive. I am happy to report -no bites! I will continue to try this. I appreciate all the ideas!
- —Guest B in Portland, OR
7 year old
- my son is also incredibally allergic to mosquito bites, he got bit on his forehead and it swelled up like a apple later in the evening the swelling travelled down to the bridge of his nose and has partially swelled both his eyes, im very concerned about him and benedryl dosent seem to be working, my poor baby!
- —Guest nadia
Daughter is a sufferer/I was too
- My daughter, 4, suffers severly from mosquitos. Somtimes they become infected and is put on antibotics. Nothing eases the severe swellilng although I give her Children's Benedryl to try to slow the swelling and itching. I haven't heard of garlic pills or the tea tree oil. I think we will make an appt for an allergist to see if there are any preventative meds. I reacted nearly the same way as a child as did my grandmother. We both grew out of it though. Currently, her eye is nearly swollen shut and her leg is double the size of the other. Poor girl!
- —Guest Sara
mosquitos...
- every time i go out for a bit of fishing or a barbecue i end up with a bunch of bites. when i first notice them their normal size but over night they swell up to the size of a wallnut, i've got one on my palm at the moment and it itches like hell. i tried all the creams and other crap like that but none of it seems to help, the only thing that manages to successfully sooth the bite is when i rub some lemon juice on the bite.
- —Guest Simon
Wow, I thought we were alone on this
- Last year when I looked up mosquito allergy I couldn't find anything and people act like I'm crazy when I say my daughter is allergic to mosquitos. The first time she ended up in the ER with a huge swollen, bruised, and water blistered ankle after being bitten. It has happened every time she gets mosquito bites, the ones on the bones are the worst. On her legs she can't walk the next day after being bitten, the more walking, more swelling, more pain, and I mean huge and feverish. Her Dr. recomended cortisone cream and Bynadryl cream together, which didn't stop the horrible swelling, so far just not walking and lots of ice along with benadryl liquid and cortisone cream helps, but no quick cure. I'm glad to find this site and will try many of the suggestions, but so far just keeping her inside in the evenings, long pants and bug spray are the only big helps to prevent it. I will be looking for an allergist who treats bug allergies. Now I don't feel like we are the only ones.
- —Guest Thought we were alone
Odd repellant...
- Avon sells a line of products called Skin So Soft. The original scent (comes in blue-ish green-sh bottles) is most effective. Get the body wash for sure... I'm sure the other products help also. The body wash is all I have tried. I didn't this summer and I'm kicking myself in the butt for it. For 5 days I have been suffering allergic reactions to about 20-30 mosquito bites (through sweatpants and only about a 15 min exposure, to beat it all). I got a few more bites yesterday and today. Now, I'm experiencing facial swelling (lips and eyes). (But no difficulty breathing!) Does anyone have any ideas? This gets old-and I'm sure eating Benadryl like candy isn't that great for you...
- —Guest JessicaLynn1102
No sympathy for regular sufferers
- Ever since I was a child, when I get bitten by mosquitos, they go from being about the size of a dime (right after the bite) to the size of an orange over 24 hours. I've heard a variety of cures for this, after-bite, baking soda, so on. but they never seem to really work. Also, they seem to be worst on my legs and back for some reason. My arms rarely suffer this issue, (this allows me to experience both normally bug bites and extreeeeemmme bug bites, and I can tell you, the bigger they get, the worse they are) Also, I have a unique problem in that I have an allergy to Deet, and most other chemical bug repellents! How cruel. I try to use non-chemical repellents, but they are typically less effective and stink like the dickens! The most effective cure I've found is benedryl creme. It doesn't stop the swelling a whole lot, but it does keep me from itching too bad, and making things worse. Avoiding bugs is pretty impossible. I live in a varitable sea of wet-land. Any advice? Help!
- —Guest Hannah
Mosquitoe bites of hell
- when i get bit by mosquitoes it's another days of suffering! just yesterday this mosquito while I was sleeping bit me about 15 times and no matter if I scratvh pr not they swell up as big as a doughnut and I cant fo anything about it. Sometimes take an advil for the pain and put ice on the bites even though they dont unswell y dont have the need to scratch them. Just know ill try the vitamin B1 suggestion and the applying salt to the bites and taking antihistemines. Also its weird that I ate a lot of banana the days before so maybe it is linked. Anyways hope this stops one dy but for now I continue my battle against those little creatures
- —Guest Pec
Fantastic Article
- I've always been a major target for mosquitoes, but never thought that it was possibly an allergy to them. My friends haven't been bitten yet, and insist that 'mosquitoes aren't in the UK', but trust me, they are! I've been bitten 18 times already! There's one on the back of my leg, which, despite the fact that I haven't itched it, has swollen up. After taking an anti-histamine, putting benadryl on the bite and anti-freeze too, the swelling just ended up getting bigger and bigger. I'd say it's taken over about 1/2 of my leg now, and it also makes me struggle with walking. Even typing this was hard, as I have 5 mosquito bites on my left hand. The swelling on my arm was massive, and the school refused to give me ice to cool it down. Overall, this is a fantastic article, which I'm going to bookmark, so that I can come back to it whenever my mosquito bites are hurting & look at the tips.
- —Guest Megan
June Penn
- I have CLL (lymphoid leukemia,I have a severe allergy to mosquito bites and until happened upon this site I had no idea why I was suffering so, which started about 2 yrs. ago after 4 chemos. If I could get a printable version shortened so I can take it to my oncologist. Think he is going to be surprised! Thank you for the info, it hasn't detered the mosquitos but has given me relief just knowing I am not some freak!
- —Guest June
Increase the B vitamins & use Caladryl
- I get an immediate histamine reaction if I get more than 3 bites sends me over the top and can result in hives so the woman that wrote about getting 100 bites, they could be a combination of bites which then caused an allergic reaction creating hives. It's hard to tell the difference. I have found that increasing the B vitamins make me less of a target for mosquitos. The pink Caladryl is best for immediate itching. Benadryl tablets cuts the hystamine reaction but puts me to sleep so I can't always use it. Getting Caladryl on the bite area immediately will cut the reaction. As soon as you feel the itching before you can even see the bite swell up start spreading a thin layer over the area. Of course this means having several bottles (work, home, car, purse, garden) and it can stain some clothes. I have found the clear Calagel is not as effective in addressing the itch. You need a product that contains the ingredient Calamine.
- —Guest Eve
Combo Birch Oil, Tea Tree Oil
- I've been swelling (larger than walnuts)from mosquito bites in the past couple years. I also get short of breath from the intense itch and swelling. I've used Birch Oil and Tea Tree Oil with a hand cream as well as a hydrocortisone rub-on. The Birch and Tea Tree seem to relieve the local symptoms within minutes with or without the Hydrocortisone. I highly recommend this all-natural approach. I've tested it on others, who usually have forgotten they've been bitten 5-10 minutes after application. I also love to say "I Told You it Works".
- —Guest Swelly
