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Hi, why is it that when I'm stung or bitten, I have huge amount of swelling and soreness. From March to October I take an allergy/anti histamine tablet, but still suffer. Most creams do little to help. I'm beginning to hate/fear my old favourite time of the year.

I can't help, but have noticed that people seem to be reacting more and more to mosquito bites than I remember from my younger days. I wonder if there is a reason for this?

Hello fellow sufferer,
I have noticed over the past few years that every time I am bitten by a mozzie that I have the same reaction and tend to feel unwell for a couple of days. I take cetirizine and use creams to help the reaction but to little effect. I like you am dreading the summer days and being bitten. They seem to find any part of my skin exposed when I am outside even though arms and legs are covered. I am sure that the mozzies are getting more ferocious or I just have lovely sweet blood they like. I don't know the remedy but I agree a lot more people seem to react now than ever before. I am sure there must be a study going on somewhere as to why.

local reaction to bites/stings can be very bit, red, itchy, swollen and persist for a few days. As long as there are no difficulties breathing or dizzines they are not dengerous. Sometimes using 2 cetirizine/loratadine tablets for a few days in addition to hydrocortisone cream might help; some patients require a few days of oral steroids. Please discuss with your GP or ask for a referral to an allergist