Beware the Blandford Fly in your field.....it bites!

[andylinney]

remember to keep it elevated Eddie - let the swelling drain away.

Sorry to hear it flared up so badly!

[Janek]

In the summer months I always carry insect repellant, and a good supply of Piriton (a good anti-histamine, now available over the counter). If I get bitten I immediately start taking Piriton,, because once the swelling starts it'll take days to come down, if you take Piriton early enough it reduces the chance of major swelling.

Also note, that standard antihistamines (one a day stuff) taken for hayfever have little effect on this type of bite (Your's looks like a Horse Fly bite).

Get some serious advice from your quack, and get yourself prepared. . . . . too late after an hour or so, let alone a day or two. Sorry to say you'll have the swelling for about a week ! (Shame it's not lower down, I hear you mumbling)

[Mart61]

Crikey! Get well soon Eddie! No flying for you today eh?

[jiberjaber]

I think it was around this time last year when I was bitten by a blandford fly (in Essex), I swatted it away not thinking anything of it at the time. It bit my leg, where I now have a scar the size of a 5p.

I didnt bother with going to the docs at first, it was only the next evening on the way home from work when the Mrs said I realy should go and see them.

What followed was about 2 trips to the docs each day for a week, initialy it was just a pen mark the nurse put around the swelling, the swelling got bigger, diagnosis was Cellulitis, which leads to septicemia if not treated. I started on standard antibiotics and was on horse strength by the end of the week, then spent 2 weeks with my leg in the air!

If you dont get it sorted then it's a case of hospital IV antibiotics to try and head off
the septicemia. This is where a guy at work has found himself 3 times now!

The cellulitis isnt from teh actual fly, it is the natural germs on your skin getting underneath the skin from the puncture wound, so it can happen from any puncture of the skin, most usualy on the leg/feet. They guy at work got his through an ingrowing toe nail mine just happened to be through an insect bite.

Seriously - if you get a bite mark, clean it immediatly and (as suggested also by Janek) start popping anti-histameans, draw a pen mark around any swelling / rash so you can judge if it has increased or not, if you get any unexpected lumps / bumps else where or the rash/inflamation gets bigger, get yourself booking in an emergency appointment with the nurse/doctor, make sure you mention suspected cellulitis - better safe and sure than in a hospital bed or worse still dead!

Hope it gets better Eddie, I didnt realise the implications till the nurse told me what it was and I recognised the name from what the guy at work had had.

Some further reading.

Wikipedia cellulitus, picture of the infected shin looks like mine did when it was infected

NHS Direct link

Wikipedia Blandford fly

There was another link which shows the spread of the fly around the UK (which includes Essex and Anglia as known areas for the fly!) but I cant find it.

[daren]

Eddie you sure it was a bite!

When i was younger i was told to much w@nking would make your hand swell
Hope you get better soon mate, If you want to go flying give me a shout you can watch while i fly your helis

[Janek]

I spent over a week in Hospital with really bad cellulitis, having IV industrial strength antibiotics by the bucket load. Got it during the first week of a 2 week Spanish holiday, from a minor kitten scratch, delayed seeing a quack until I got back to the UK. BIG MISTAKE !

[Sao]

I've been lucky and never had a bite turn into a serious problem. I will be covering myself in DEET from now on though! Hope you get better soon Eddie

[leckylee]

they are nasty little blighters i got bitten three times on me lower leg and had to go on antibiotics it's not nice, go and see the qhack if it gets worse

lee

[Eddie]

Well, since taking the anti-histamine and anti-biotics.....all seems to be going well, swellings gone dowm and so has the gland pain in arm pits and neck area, it never reached my groin thankfully!!!....

I'd also like to thank all that wished me well and for some really great personnal stories and tips.....

Cheers everyone...

[Mart61]

Glad you're on the mend Eddie.

[Tim Procter]

Eddie you sure it was a bite!

When i was younger i was told to much w@nking would make your hand swell

Classic.

[Eddie]

Eddie you sure it was a bite!

When i was younger i was told to much w@nking would make your hand swell
Hope you get better soon mate, If you want to go flying give me a shout you can watch while i fly your helis

Come to think of it ......might be a bit of both!!!!!...........

[Mart61]

I love a bit of self abuse me. This is my theme tune:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkqfa-kaRFM"]YouTube - I'm A Wanker (Ivor Biggun)[/ame]