Bug bites & Sjogren's

[Bucky]

Is it just me, or do you notice than when you get a bug bite that you get a worse reaction to it since having Sjogren's, than before you had Sjogren's?

The last couple of years when I get bit - it seems I get these huge whelps that will itch like crazy.  Then they go through the black and blue stage.  It seems to take forever for them to go away.

I get the feeling that all the bugs outside are just waiting for me to come out of the house so they can attack me!     No wonder I stay indoors!   

Does this happen to anybody else?

Bucky

[Pisces24]

Not sure about bugs but last year I had a cat scratch that got infected. Weird as I have gotten cat scratches a lot through my life, and other scratches, etc. and never got infected.
Not sure if the SJS "helps it along" or not but would not be surprised.

[Jellyb]

Bucky,
I have had just awful bug bites my whole life. They get soooo huge and turn purple and swell.

I just thought I was having an allergic reaction, never knew what else it could be.

First day of school in the 5 th grade I had a bite in my jaw and It swelled so huge it looked like I had been in a fight.

So i have been dealing with that a very long time. My doctor a few years ago ( before my sjs diagnosis) suggested making a paste with cortison cream and benadryl gel. So that does help if you catch the bite right away.

Oh! And dont itch!  :-))

[Patze]

Hi Bucky,

Like Jellyb, I've always had a severe local reaction to any insect bite (bees/wasps being the worst, and carry an EPI pen just in case these days).

The last bee sting I had (stepped on that bad boy), my foot swelled all the way up to just passed my knee (could only bend from the hip and walked like I had a cast on for about a week ).

And mine always itch like mad for weeks too...


Patze

[Joe S.]

I have had severe reactions to bug bites all of my life. There seems to be no difference now.

[DragonflyC]

I've always had bad reactions to bug bites, but I suspect I've had Sjogren's since childhood. I always get huge welts instead of little bumps after a mosquito bite.

The St. Thomas criteria for diagnosing lupus includes severe reactions to bug bites: "This is a feature of so many lupus patients. Not only are they susceptible to insect bites but often reactions are severe and prolonged - the skin is a major organ affected by lupus."  http://www.lupus-support.org.uk/diagnosis.htm

Lupus and SJS are so closely related that it makes sense to me that a number of us would experience this problem, too.

[Diane54]

I am a magnet to mosquitoes! I heard that bloody type O (which I am) is somehow more susceptible....don't know if that's true or not!

[One and only]

Bees will do me in,, I have three epi-pens,, one in each vechile and one in the house, been stung twice in gteh last 4 years and ended up in the ER ,, throat swolllen about shut,, hives over 100% of my body,, ya,, and bug bites seem to be worse now,, mosquiotoe bites seem to feel like I got hit with a nest full of wasp,, this all sucks,, they bug me :-)

[babycakes]

yep me too

I constantly have bites in the summer, they come up as big round discs and itch like mad, sometimes bleeding and then taking ages to heal.  Even if i get scratched by a twig, my skin swells around the scratch and i seem to have extreme reactions to any bites or scratches.

i also come up with a whole host of weird rashes and bumps on and off throughout the year.

[cat]

My husband calls me his bug repellant. Need I say more.

[dry2010]

I get huge welts from mosquitoe bites. Last night I was sitting out on the deck sun still up and got bit on my forehead smack dab in the middle wanna talk about goofy looking.

Dry2010

[Patty]

I'm glad you posted this. I was stung by a bee or wasp a good month ago and still have a mark. It has turned the skin purple and looks like a scar. I think it may never go away. Strange, I never used to have a reaction like this.

[lindaneall]

Yes, I definitely have a worse reaction to bug bits.  I often break out in localized hives from mosquito bites, or develop a rash that spreads from other bug bites.  I heard at a Sjs conference once that those with Sjs have a higher statistic of allergic reactions. 

[Smee]

Bugs aren't too much of a problem for me, but I'm a garlic fiend. A few years back I had a terrible year for flea bites with terrible big sores. My comment was cat scratches and dog bites. I've had 2 really bad infections (like need drains installed in my hand) from it in the last couple of years, and that was with rinsing and washing and washing... all I can think of is my immune system is NUTS and I just don't get it.

Cheryl

[Katybarstool]

We don't get bitten often in the UK, but in Cyprus it was different. I'm not usually bothered by the mosquitos, but the odd bite I got gave me only a minor reaction - possibly because I take antihistamines? My poor mum though was badly bitten and had nasty blisters. I wondered whether it was anything to do with her diabetes.

Kathyx