9 replies to this topic

[andrea lee]

last year I found out I had dermatitis herpetiformis, and since then, my skin seems to be even more sensitive.

now, when I get bit by a mosquito, and I do not immediately take the medicine or use the steroid cream prescribed for the dermatitis herpetiformis, I get a severe allergic reaction, known as "skeeter syndrome".

these bites severely swell the entire area and are extremely painful, a deep pain that if bit on a joint can be incredibly hard to even move (ex, elbows, ankles, knees) the bite site is extremely hot and usually within 24 hours starts to bruise from the pressure of the swelling. this is all without even scratching the bite! this is a frustrating addition to my list of allergies, especially since I like the outdoors so darn much, and they only treatment seems to be "avoidance".
has anyone else experienced this? what has helped you? I would like to avoid products containing deet, are there any natural bug repellents you've used that actually work?
mosquitoes love me!!
thanks for your time, hope to learn more!
xo-a

[Adalaide]

While not particularly effective at peak hours of the day, my grammy puts a pinch of fresh citronella in her bonnet when she gardens and swears by it. She says she never has a problem with bugs while she's out. Due to the severity of the health risks involved with bites and the fact that she has battled lyme in the past and my family watched me nearly die of west nile virus we don't mess around with bugs. At dusk and dawn if we need to be out, we absolutely always use deet repellent. We also always use it if we will be going into the woods. Also, wear long sleeves and long pants. It may not be as comfortable as shorts and a tee, but with the symptoms you are describing, even barring a catastrophic illness associated with a bite it will be a whole lot more comfortable than being bitten.

[pricklypear1971]

My husband found a natural mosquito repellant at the sports store - don't know the name but I think it was eucalyptus oil. He said it works very well.

I use a Desert Essence blemish stick for odd things - bites, etc. and it seems to help with itch and pain.

Also, you may try ice packs on the bites if you haven't already. Ice packs seem to help everything "skin" for me.

[GFinDC]

Seems like I read that skeeters don't like people with high B vitamins in their blood and garlic. Might need some searching though to verify.

[ivy light]

I didn't want to use chemical bug repellants on my young daughter, so a friend of mine recommended Tea Tree Oil. I also put a Bounce dryer sheet in my pocket...crazy, but it helps!

I'm planning to put a bat house in our backyard. Bats LOVE bugs!

Best of luck!

[tarnalberry]

I am a freakishly effective mosquito magnet. And I'm allergic to them. Always have been, even before celiac. No bug spray (natural or DEET) or any other method outside of avoidance can be certain to keep them away from me. Some people are just that lucky.

(Here's my legs after an overnight backpacking trip, and yes, I was wearing socks:
IMG_1778.JPG by tarnalberry, on Flickr)

[1974girl]

Oh goodness! That looks horrible. I have the solution for you! My husband uses this for turkey hunting with my 12 year old daughter. It is the best $25 we have spent. It is the Thermacell mosquito repellant. It just clips on you or set it on a chair around you. It covers a 15 foot area around you! It is battery run and almost orderless. They say it is but I can smell a very, very faint "earthy" smell. There is nothing to spray on your skin. We take it to every campout, bonfire, and even the 4th of July fireworks. People want to sit around us! Here is the link from Bass Pro. 4.7 out of 5 with 112 reviews is pretty good! Buy some refills while you are at it!
http://www.basspro.c.../product/52165/

[bartfull]

I am so lucky! In the eight+ years I have lived in the Black Hills I have been bitten by a mosquito exactly twice! I used to get all swollen from them too. It's been about five years since I have been bitten so I don't know if gluten-free has helped or not.

I used to react even worse to gnat bites. The bitten area would swell like a balloon. If I got a bite on my ankle, that ankle would swell to twice the normal size. But there are no gnats here either.

When I lived in Connecticut I was a fishing fool. (Still am.) I had a fifty acre pond full of bass in my back yard and of course bass bite better around sunset (when the bugs come out). All of the neighbors who fished were out there in shorts and tank tops because it was hot, but I always had on long pants, long sleeves, and a wide brimmed hat with mosquito netteng that came down to my neck. They would all have to go in just when the bass started biting but I could stay out all evening. The only thing that got bit was my hands. I LOOKED foolish, but I sure caught a lot of fish!

[tarnalberry]

Oh goodness! That looks horrible. I have the solution for you! My husband uses this for turkey hunting with my 12 year old daughter. It is the best $25 we have spent. It is the Thermacell mosquito repellant. It just clips on you or set it on a chair around you. It covers a 15 foot area around you! It is battery run and almost orderless. They say it is but I can smell a very, very faint "earthy" smell. There is nothing to spray on your skin. We take it to every campout, bonfire, and even the 4th of July fireworks. People want to sit around us! Here is the link from Bass Pro. 4.7 out of 5 with 112 reviews is pretty good! Buy some refills while you are at it!
http://www.basspro.com/ThermaCell-Mosquito-Repellent/product/52165/

Problem with the "clip it to yourself" stuff is twofold:
One, it is questionable that there are no ill-health effects from the chemicals that are emitted into the air near you. As an asthmatic with sensitivities to airborne chemicals, I'm ridiculously leery of these things.
Two, and the most important one in my case, I hike. They're not effective if you're continuously moving.

[Juliebove]

Seems like I read that skeeters don't like people with high B vitamins in their blood and garlic. Might need some searching though to verify.

That's interesting! My B levels tend to be low despite taking a lot of supplements. And I do get bitten like mad if I go outside. Now I mainly just don't go outside. Which is okay because I don't like it out there anyway.