Chiggers!

[1905]

My skin is on fire. Yesterday I went to the derm. and I got a steroid topical cream plus 2 kinds of pills. I want to set my skin on fire, thinking this will take care of the pain, that's how bad they are. I would cry all day if I could. husband and I went for a walk in the park. They are everywhere, even on my most intimate area! There are hundreds of bites. Maybe a thousand. I'm not even kidding. husband does not have any. Please - I forgot to ask how long for this to go away, more are on my neck and face this morning. Did anyone ever have this? Thank goodness I can stay indoors- I look like a leper. Sunday was the day of our walk. I keep feeling like they are still stinging me. The derm offered steroid pills, but they make you gain weight, right? Any words of advice?

 

[hearts and roses]

How about an oatmeal bath? That may soothe the skin. Jeez, how awful. I'm sorry you're so uncomfortable! I hope the cream and medications work fast.

 

[Hound dog]

The bugs are bad this year. Thanks to the lovely drought.

Chiggers are horrible. Brandon and Connor had a run in with them earlier in the year.......though no where near what yours sounds like.

Mosquitoes are rampant this year, especially due to very little rain......I've not quite figured that out yet, but it's obvious they're not lying. Nichole had a vast mosquito cloud in her back yard.....she's still trying to get rid of it. Other pesty bugs seem to have come out in large numbers as well. Flies, oddly I haven't noticed as much........the biting flies seem to have vanished altogether and Rowdy certainly is NOT complaining.

Bad thing with the mosquitoes is they're carrying West Nile.........and we've been seeing cases now. ugh

I'd follow docs orders. If it's still driving you mad, put a call in to him and see if there is anything else you can do. And weight gain wouldn't be enough to matter per the steroids.....it's short term, you most likely won't gain any.

((hugs))

 

[muttmeister]

If they're really chiggers, paint the bites with clear nail polish. They'll be itch and pain free within an hour or so.

 

[1905]

muttm- They are chiggers according to the derm, but won't the nailpolish ruin any chance the cream has of working? More of these blister things keep popping up. I have one refill on this cream.

 

[hearts and roses]

Myths About Chiggers: One of the biggest myths or misconceptions about chiggers is that they can burrow under your skin and drink your blood. This leads to the common treatment for chiggers of putting clear nail polish on chigger bites to suffocate the chiggers. Since chiggers don't actually burrow under your skin, this 'treatment' is unnecessary.

Treatments for Chigger Bites: anything that can help control the itching can be helpful, including:
take a bath or shower as soon as possible after any possible exposure to chiggers
apply your favorite OTC anti-itch medication, such as hydrocortisone, Calamine lotion, Sarna, oatmeal baths, etc., oral Benadryl, a prescription strength steroid cream.

Although chiggers in North America don't usually carry any diseases, the bites themselves can get infected.

 

[muttmeister]

I've tried the nail polish and it does work but I always figured maybe it was just because it kept the air from getting to it because I know that they aren't still there. Yeah, I think since you have real cream from the doctor I'd stick with that but the nail polish does work to give you some relief if you don't have fancy stuff.

 

[DammitJanet]

Chiggers are a small red bug that burrows under the skin. I would think you should have taken the steroid shot though, that would have killed them out. We use the nail polish method but it sounds to me like you have a way to advanced case to try that. Maybe shellac yourself completely...lol. Since the doctor has confirmed they are chiggers, I wonder what the pills are he gave you? I would think it would have to be something that would kill a mite. That really has me wondering. I dont know of anything like that. I know of pills to stop itching but I would think he would have given you like a week or so's worth...maybe something like vistaril or atarax. Hmmm...I cant find a prescription for getting rid of chiggers. This has me stumped. Maybe it is a steroid pill.

 

[witzend]

Please do tell us what the doctor prescribed. I got bit this Spring and I'm sure I'll get bit again. They gave me blisters! I'd like to be able to ask my doctor to give me some next time. I've never had a worse bite in my life and I'm allergic to fleas. I won't even go into what they do to me.

 

[muttmeister]

You don't have to worry about killing the chigger because by the time you have the bite, the chigger is gone. However, when they bite they leave a bit of themselves behind, embedded in your skin (I've heard it referred to as a "feeding tube"). That's what causes the reaction. Usually they prescribe a hydrocortisone cream to help with the itching. Apparently some people are lots more susceptible than others.

 

[InsaneCdn]

The weight-gain impact of steroids only comes with long-term use. Short-term gains are usually fluid and self-correct. A steroid "shot" is way different than having to be on a daily rx for months or years.

 

[1905]

The derm gave me 2 medications, 1 is called Montelukast- 10mg 1x per day, the other is called Hydroxyzine HCL 10mg at bedtime. The cream is working now, I feel so much better. The pills he said will make me tired, but they didn't. I really have no idea what they are supposed to do. I was never offered a shot, only steroid pills instead of the topical steroid cream that I opted for.

 

[witzend]

Well, I looked it up, and Montelukast is a broncho dilator. The brand name is Singulair, and you've probably seen the asthma commercials for it. Your doctor must be concerned that your allergic reaction could be bad enough to cause breathing problems.

Hydroxyzine HCL is an antihistamine with an anti-anxiety effect.

I'm glad the cream is working for you. All you can really do is wait it out.

 

[1905]

Witz! Thank you for looking that all up for me. That really put into perspective for me someone who suffers from some chronic illness that you can't get relief from.

 

[DammitJanet]

Im glad you are getting some relief. Hope you dont get a bad allergic reaction. Jamie got a really bad chigger attack because of his job and his legs are badly scarred.