On the fourth of July, Ryan and I were at a friend's house watching the annual pyrotechnics and enjoying the cooler weather. I could tell that there were bugs around as I kept swatting away at things as they came near my face, but I wasn't too concerned. Now usually, with mosquitoes (the only thing I've ever really been bitten by), it takes a day or so for me to notice a bite and feel the itch, and I just get a very typical tiny bite bump. On the fourth, something out there bit or stung me and I don't think it was a mosquito. I felt the itch almost immediately. I was scratching even before the fireworks ended and I could tell something was different as the whole back of my leg was itching, not just a tiny spot. On Sunday, it was still itching a little, but it wasn't too intense yet. I scratched a little more before Ryan ever so gently told me to "quit it!". That night I iced it and it felt MUCH better.
Today...10 times worse! The spot was swollen and kind of hard. I found an ice pack at work and pretty much iced it all day. The only time it doesn't itch is when I'm icing it. As soon as I stop and my leg warms back up, the insane itching starts up again. I've been putting benadryl anti-itch gel on it (that works for 5 minutes, MAX) and I took some benadryl too. I haven't scratched at all today but MAN ALIVE, I want to!!I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but the main red part is big enough, then there is about an inch thick border around that that's pink and swollen as well. This BITES. Pun intended.
Anyway, I'm kind of torn. Do I go to a Dr. for this only to hear "well, you've been bit (or stung), here's some cream". Or do I just wait it out? I CAN wait it out if it's just a few more days, but since I've never had a reaction like this, should I be concerned about what did it...not that the Dr. would know by looking. But still...I don't know what to do. In general I'm a 'wait it out' kind of girl, but this does concern me a little.
3 comments:
K you're not going to believe this, but this weekend I got a spider bite....on my BUTT! I will spare you the pics....but its about that big!
Some bug bits can really be bad. You can get MRSA which isn't good and the longer it goes untreated the harder it is to treat. I've known people hospitalized for it. After this long you should probably see a dr. It looks pretty bad. Also if you can pop it and get the gunk out that's really good but you still need a strong antibiotic to get rid of it all.
I'm like you...if I'm not bleeding profusely and can breathe just fine I'll wait things out. My thought would be that as long as it's not spreading, making you feel sick or giving you a fever, just wait it out.
Although, my mom got a spider bite once and she is a total hypochondriac...well, she waited a day and the spot was like your, big and swollen, and the doctor said it was a good thing she came and gave her some serious antibiotics.
If you have good medical insurance with a small copay, I'd spare yourself the torture and go to the Dr., they will probably give you and antibiotic, and you can ask for some prescription strength itch cream to alleviate the itching!! That might be worth the copay alone!!
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