Hi all,

I'm loving it here in Oz but I have to admit that insect bites are getting me down a bit.

At the moment I have 22 on one leg and about 10 on the other leg! My legs look terrible plus I'm waking up in the middle of the night itching!

I had read about insect bites but never expected them to be quite this bad.

I've researched remedies and preventative measures but wondered if there was any magic solution anyone on here knows of.

I've heard of taking a Vitamin B supplement but I already do this and thats obviously not working, I've tried mozzie coils, citronella candles, and smothering myself in all sorts of lotions & potions. I've given up wearing perfume as I hear the mozzies love it, and I've tried to stop wearing dark clothes as apparently they love them, too.

Anything else I can try?

Thanks.

If you are really having problems then it is time for the big guns. Google Ben's safari / jungle formula. NOTHING will bite you if that is properly applied. May have to get it from the States though. Very high in Deet so no use if you are expecting.....

Get fly screens fitted.

To yourself?

Have you tried Calamine Lotion for the itching. Won't stop them biting you, but it DOES stop the itching.

Rid is excellent, both as a repellant and also on bites:
http://www.rid.com.au/

(and no, I don't work for the company, this is an endorsement from personal experience, the mozzies love me too!)

OFF! works for me keeping them away and doesnt smell bad.

and try Tiger Balm for the stings i findthat relieves them - it however stinks like deep heat :-)

Poor Mrs K - It does get better, trust me I used to react really badly to the bites but they're not so bad any more (famous last words!)

Here's a couple of links with advice (I had heard from someone that taking Black Walnut as a supplement is really good, heard about taking B12 too but have not heard anyone it worked for!)

http://www.ehow.com/how_2361953_repe...eat-bites.html

(I like the last tip ... avoid breathing )

And this thing is great - need to click as soon as you notice the bite.
http://www.mosquitoclick.com/

Should get it in most chemists - costs around $20 but lasted the whole summer for family of 4

Also keep an ice pack in the freezer and hold it over the bad bites - really takes the itch/swelling away.

Oh yeah, one last thing - make sure you use TROPICAL STRENGTH of whatever mozzie spray you're using

Vitamin B takes about three months before it will work (maybe )

found RID is the best for protection-cream not the spray
-
for itching use STOP ITCH or
make up 50/50 baby oil and Dettol

Personal experience says that you very quickly become immune to the clicker. Worked brilliantly for a couple of months then we'd click and ouch but it didn't stop the itch.

No advice you haven't already received Mrs Kiwi, just sympathy. Thankfully we rarely get bitten and in fact don't see that many mozzies and no sandflies around here for which I am exceedingly grateful.

Antihistamines will work on the swelling and itching. Take some hay fever medication.

Best of luck with it.


Mozzie zapper as well.... get a really good one. One that sucks.... good luck understanding that

White vinegar dabbed on the bite............ or was that for ant bites
Ah bugger it....its cheap enough to try

Eat garlic - Apparently mozzies hate it. (So will your work-mates, but at least it'll stop the itching )

Hello Mrs Kiwi, sorry to hear about the nasty bites

Citronella apparently keeps the mozzies away - they do sell the processed forms of it in the chemists. It's natural, doesn't contain DEET, and smells like, you guessed it, lemon grass . Doesn't do that much for sandflies or midges though.

If you've already been bitten, you could pop over to the local doctor's and ask for a script for Dermovate (Clobetasol) 0.1% - it'll bulldoze the swelling down and limit the wheal/flare response.

Ozzieeagle's suggestion re. anti-histamines is worth considering too - Clarityne or Zyrtec can be bought off the counter without the need for a script.

Calamine works along the same principles as Tiger Balm - it cools/heats the skin, distracts us from scratching, and gives the patient temporary relief.

Good luck!

Thanks guys - loads of weird & wonderful solutions on here that I haven't heard of - just what I was hoping for so thanks a million. I have written them down and am going to click on the links and google this exciting sounding Bens safari / jungle formula. Like the sound of that!