Should I go to the doc's?

[madmaggot]

I had an insect bite whilst in the garden on Monday which became very red and swollen so I started taking anti-histamine and got some cream from the pharmacist to help with the itching.
The redness has now (Thursday evening) subsided and it is not quite as swollen but my calf and ankle diameter is still 1/2" bigger on the bitten leg than the other.
Does this mean that the bite has become infected or is it still too early for the antihistamine to have taken effect? Do I need anti-biotics?
I don't want to waste the doctor's time or my own, any qualified opinion (sqad?) would be welcome.
Thanks in advance.

[boxtops]

Maggot, I would go to the doc, if you have already had advice from your pharmacist. It sounds like it might have been a horsefly or similar. I react really badly to mozzie bites but it doesn't swell like yours, it's more skin breakout for me.

[Greedyfly]

Do you have a local 'drop in' centre? You could pop there if not maybe ring NHS direct?

[lilacben]

hi madmaggot........I have been bitten by a horsefly and they come up really nasty and it swells up for days. hope it is better soon.

[smurfchops]

madmaggot, it could be infected, don't worry about bothering the doc, that's what they are there for.

[madmaggot]

General consensus seems to be 'go to the doc'!
OK, if it's still the same in the morning I will get an appointment.
Greedyfly, we don't have a drop-in centre unfortunately and I had a look on NHS Direct, doesn't tell me a lot really!
Thanks everyone for your answers.

[Greedyfly]

They have a number you can call for advice Mad, just a thought. They may be able to tell you whether the doc is needed?!

[madmaggot]

NHS Cymru is different from England Greedy.

[Robinia]

They can take a while to go down again once they've become swollen. Put a cold pack on it if you haven't already done so & see how it goes.

[stonekicker]

if your foot is still swollen after four days, i would certainly seek medical advice - even a horsefly bite should not cause such a prolonged reaction. swelling of the leg could be indicative of cellulitis or infection from the bite (due to the timeframe you describe) and you need to see the doc...x

[Sqad]

MadM from what you say it is unlikely to be infected.
Lie down and feel your groin on the same side as your bite and if it is painless to touch, and you feel well in yourself,then everything is fine.
Take Ibuprofen 600mgms, perhaps twice a day and that that should settle you down by Monday.
NHS Direct is a total waste of time and a complete waste of money.
Good luck.

[rowanwitch]

Sqad, I agree with you re NHS direct, I would go so far as to say it is dangerous...

[Greedyfly]

NHS direct has helped me a couple of times.

[woofgang]

good grief, I agree with Sqad!

[jackthehat]

Mrs JtH got bitten by a horsefly (although being up in Scotland at the time, it was called a 'cleg/g') and her arm swelled a little.

She ignored the bite, the swelling went down but 2 years later she had to have a small operation to remove the nasty cyst that had formed around the horsefly's mandibles, which it had thoughtfully left behind when it bit her !!

[China Doll]

I wouldn't bother. I currently have a slightly swollen ankle which was quite painful and hot on tuesday because I react to mozzie bites on my foot sometimes. Two days later, a bit of elevated leg action, several applications of hyrdrocortisan cream and some anti-septic and it's more or less back to normal. I'd only go to docs if this time next week I'm still having bouts of the way it felt on tuesday.

[madmaggot]

Swelling was less this morning and the itch has almost subsided thank goodness.
I expect that tomorrow there will be no swelling at all.
Thanks everyone for your answers. I suspect that it was a mozzie bite (been doing a bit of reading up about bites) I've never reacted like that before, even when abroad. I think in future I will buy sun cream with insect repellent in it.