..h

Hi folks,

My wife, daughter and I moved to the Philippines last week and we intend to stay for a year or so. I am scottish, wife is Filipino. I have been here 4 times before but this time I am under constant attack from Mosquitos, my legs and arms are covered in at least 15 bites, my daughter is the same. We use mosquito repellant lotion, 50% deet, we have an electrical exterminator, a plug-in bygone repellant and mosquito coils. We cover ourselves after dark, you name it but still we get bitten. I could post photos but they are too gross. bright red hard lumps that are incredibly itchy, but not sore, not infected either. Does this eventually go away, will the mosquitoes stop after a while?

What is the best way to repel them?
What is best as bite relief, at the moment I am using hydrocortisone 1% steroid cream which is pretty ineffective if i am honest.

I am also wondering if maybe it's ant bites?? We have a few ants, nothing major
But you occasionally see them on the floor. Would these red lumps be cause by ants? The only ants I have seen are tiny black ones if that makes a difference.

How to white expats survive in the Philippines. I don't know if I can take this for a year..

I have years of experience living and woking in central Africa so I am no stranger to protecting myself against mosquitoes and the scottish midges too..but these Philippine mozzies don't play by the rules!!!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Regards, H

Gazza-d

I'm wondering if they are not mosquito bites. Do you only seem to get them at night? The local don't seem to be so bothered by them, it's not because they are not bitten it's because the body become accustom and stops reacting to the bites. Bed bugs are another favorite but doesn't sound quiet right. I tend to suffer similarly when I visit and have wondered about ants but I think they are heat bumps, blocked pores. Antihistamines are probably what you need to stop the itching.

Catchafire

Bed bugs could be another source.

I found that mosquitoes tend to like me more than my wife and I am the one with the Filipino blood.

Cover up.

..h

Thanks for the response guys. Visited the pharmacy today to get some antihistamines. The pharmacist was reluctant to sell them to us and suggested that we visited the doctors as the symptoms are not typical. They will sell them but they wanted to make sure we know what is causing the red lumps before we buy them so will go there tomorrow and see what they think. It's getting less now but I have expat friends in the philippines and the topic of mosquito bites have new never come up so it makes me think its an allergic reaction, so antihistamines is the way to go.

Cheers folks...

tropicofcancer

The local repellent is called "OFF" it is pretty effective. Here in Cebu anyhow.

..h

Great. We just bought some and so far it's appears to be working. Cheers..!

nonthaburi

I'm sure you're not like this but it reminds me of a Scottish guy I used to know .He was a bit of a drinker and the locals used to say :

In the night he's too drunk to notice the mosquitoes and in the morning they're too drunk to notice him !!

nonthaburi

I'm sure you're not like this but it reminds me of a Scottish guy I used to know .He was a bit of a drinker and the locals used to say :

In the night he's too drunk to notice the mosquitoes and in the morning they're too drunk to notice him !!

..h

Lol. I have tried that technique, doesn't work!! Still get bitten. We have got so many bug killers in our house now it's bloody ridiculous. Soon it will be a local visitor attraction...lol
Last night my daughter and I caught a butiki and put in in the bedroom to catch mozzies. Don't know if that is effective or not but shouldn't do any harm. The OFF cream seems to be doing the trick though..so far so good.

Lukejbarnes

had the same issues. Secret was to get into a system of regularly applying the repellent.

tartantbird

Sand fly are a pest too....might be those biting

Gazza-d

They may also be chigger bites which fits the description of a red utchy bump, usually on the legs more to the feet

multivitamins

The best mosquito repellent I tried so far: Aromatherapy with citronella oil. They have them at SM malls. You can also buy some oil flavors and mix it with citronella (I like it mixing with Bamboo flavor) just in case you don't like the smell of citronella. You want this to burn overnight so buy the big Aromatherapy they have (I am using the electric version with a bulb inside. The ones that use candle don't last overnight).

Stokkevn

Eat Marmite, it is full of vitamin B which keeps mosquitos away

bakedbean

Serious? I love marmite.