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HELP - Bug Bite Identification Needed.

Rabbit2047

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Last night something bit me on the back of the hand while I was smoking a cigarette in the back yard. No idea what it was because by the time I felt it, nothing was there.

When I went to bed last night it looked like it was just a mosquito bite. It didn't really itch or anything but I did put some triple antibiotic on it like I do every other time I get a bite or sting.

Whan I woke up this morning my hand was pretty swollen. I have been bit and stung by damn near everything and never had a reaction like this. Even when I got bit by a Bullet Ant it didn't swell up like this. So I have no idea what's going on.

I have tried a Vinegar Soak, Raw Aloe, Cold Compress, Calamine Lotion, Destin, an Ice Bath and Silvadene Ointment but it is still swollen, red, and it feels like it's got heat coming off it.

That's in addition to taking Benadryl, Motrin, Tylenol and Naproxen at regular intervals throughout the day, which seeks to have done nothing for my hand. I have not had any fever, dizziness, shortness of breath, other areas swelling, or any other possible symptoms except for my usual chronic heartburn.

Its been about 24 hours since the bite, and 18 hours since I woke up with it swollen. So far nothing I tried has reduced the swelling so I am getting concerned.

I doesn't hurt or itch or anything. I wouldn't even be able to tell something is wrong with it except for the fact I can't grip very well with that hand due to the swelling.

Any assistance as to what this bite could be or how to treat the swelling would be greatly appreciated. I prefer homeopathic remedies over using pharmaceuticals, but I am willing to try just about anything to make the swelling go down.

This whole thing has gotten me really upset because I picked up a really neat period modified 1870s snubnose blackpowder revolver today and I can't even work on it!

Here's a picture of the actual bite wound as it looks right now. My hand has ointment smeared on it....I am not actually that pasty white. LOL. The bite is that little red mark in about the middle of the picture. It's hard to see and even harder to photograph.
20210630_223828_HDR_(1).jpg



Here is a pic of my whole left hand. The swelling seems to start at the Carpus and extend, primarily up the the back of the hand, to the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint. The joints seem to be unaffected although the palm does appear to be slightly puffy also.
20210630_223836_HDR_(1).jpg

And for comparison, here's my right hand which is normal.
20210630_223843_HDR_(1).jpg



So what say you fellas? Any ideas on the perpetrator, or treatments? Like I said, it doesn't hurt, burn, itch, or anything. I am just having trouble using it because of the swelling.

Before people suggest visiting the ER, if it's not better tomorrow afternoon I plan on going to the VA in Athens.

This is a new one on me, and I thank y'all for the help in advance
 
Last night something bit me on the back of the hand while I was smoking a cigarette in the back yard. No idea what it was because by the time I felt it, nothing was there.

When I went to bed last night it looked like it was just a mosquito bite. It didn't really itch or anything but I did put some triple antibiotic on it like I do every other time I get a bite or sting.

Whan I woke up this morning my hand was pretty swollen. I have been bit and stung by damn near everything and never had a reaction like this. Even when I got bit by a Bullet Ant it didn't swell up like this. So I have no idea what's going on.

I have tried a Vinegar Soak, Raw Aloe, Cold Compress, Calamine Lotion, Destin, an Ice Bath and Silvadene Ointment but it is still swollen, red, and it feels like it's got heat coming off it.

That's in addition to taking Benadryl, Motrin, Tylenol and Naproxen at regular intervals throughout the day, which seeks to have done nothing for my hand. I have not had any fever, dizziness, shortness of breath, other areas swelling, or any other possible symptoms except for my usual chronic heartburn.

Its been about 24 hours since the bite, and 18 hours since I woke up with it swollen. So far nothing I tried has reduced the swelling so I am getting concerned.

I doesn't hurt or itch or anything. I wouldn't even be able to tell something is wrong with it except for the fact I can't grip very well with that hand due to the swelling.

Any assistance as to what this bite could be or how to treat the swelling would be greatly appreciated. I prefer homeopathic remedies over using pharmaceuticals, but I am willing to try just about anything to make the swelling go down.

This whole thing has gotten me really upset because I picked up a really neat period modified 1870s snubnose blackpowder revolver today and I can't even work on it!

Here's a picture of the actual bite wound as it looks right now. My hand has ointment smeared on it....I am not actually that pasty white. LOL. The bite is that little red mark in about the middle of the picture. It's hard to see and even harder to photograph.
View attachment 3334692


Here is a pic of my whole left hand. The swelling seems to start at the Carpus and extend, primarily up the the back of the hand, to the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint. The joints seem to be unaffected although the palm does appear to be slightly puffy also.
View attachment 3334698
And for comparison, here's my right hand which is normal.
View attachment 3334699


So what say you fellas? Any ideas on the perpetrator, or treatments? Like I said, it doesn't hurt, burn, itch, or anything. I am just having trouble using it because of the swelling.

Before people suggest visiting the ER, if it's not better tomorrow afternoon I plan on going to the VA in Athens.

This is a new one on me, and I thank y'all for the help in advance
I'm with you on being bit by damn near everything but it doesn't look like a bite from a normal culprit. I say don't worry about it unless it turns bright red or black. Wait til tomorrow and look at it again.........You're not having any throat swelling or shortness of breath are you if so go to the ER.
 
Buddy's wife got bit last Friday on the arm, swole up a bit, no issue. Woke up Saturday AM, much bigger, red streaks. Went to emergency clinic, 3 doctors looked at it, gave Benadryl and an antibiotic, drew around the swelling with a sharpie. Told her to come back if it got bigger.

Well, by 4 o'clock it was, she went back, they changed antibiotic and gave her a steroid, started clearing up within the hour.

Looked like a mosquito bite welp to begin with.
 
Buddy's wife got bit last Friday on the arm, swole up a bit, no issue. Woke up Saturday AM, much bigger, red streaks. Went to emergency clinic, 3 doctors looked at it, gave Benadryl and an antibiotic, drew around the swelling with a sharpie. Told her to come back if it got bigger.

Well, by 4 o'clock it was, she went back, they changed antibiotic and gave her a steroid, started clearing up within the hour.

Looked like a mosquito bite welp to begin with.
The damn mosquitos in Georgia are AH 64s.
 
Buddy's wife got bit last Friday on the arm, swole up a bit, no issue. Woke up Saturday AM, much bigger, red streaks. Went to emergency clinic, 3 doctors looked at it, gave Benadryl and an antibiotic, drew around the swelling with a sharpie. Told her to come back if it got bigger.

Well, by 4 o'clock it was, she went back, they changed antibiotic and gave her a steroid, started clearing up within the hour.

Looked like a mosquito bite welp to begin with.

Any idea what got her?

The red streaks your buddy's wife has, makes it sound like she got cellulitis, which is what I thought it might could have been, but it was only 6 hours from the bite till when it was swollen, which is way too fast for cellulitis to manifest.

Yeah, if it's still swollen I will go to the VA tomorrow afternoon, but till then, anyone have any suggestions?
 
Last night something bit me on the back of the hand while I was smoking a cigarette in the back yard. No idea what it was because by the time I felt it, nothing was there.

When I went to bed last night it looked like it was just a mosquito bite. It didn't really itch or anything but I did put some triple antibiotic on it like I do every other time I get a bite or sting.

Whan I woke up this morning my hand was pretty swollen. I have been bit and stung by damn near everything and never had a reaction like this. Even when I got bit by a Bullet Ant it didn't swell up like this. So I have no idea what's going on.

I have tried a Vinegar Soak, Raw Aloe, Cold Compress, Calamine Lotion, Destin, an Ice Bath and Silvadene Ointment but it is still swollen, red, and it feels like it's got heat coming off it.

That's in addition to taking Benadryl, Motrin, Tylenol and Naproxen at regular intervals throughout the day, which seeks to have done nothing for my hand. I have not had any fever, dizziness, shortness of breath, other areas swelling, or any other possible symptoms except for my usual chronic heartburn.

Its been about 24 hours since the bite, and 18 hours since I woke up with it swollen. So far nothing I tried has reduced the swelling so I am getting concerned.

I doesn't hurt or itch or anything. I wouldn't even be able to tell something is wrong with it except for the fact I can't grip very well with that hand due to the swelling.

Any assistance as to what this bite could be or how to treat the swelling would be greatly appreciated. I prefer homeopathic remedies over using pharmaceuticals, but I am willing to try just about anything to make the swelling go down.

This whole thing has gotten me really upset because I picked up a really neat period modified 1870s snubnose blackpowder revolver today and I can't even work on it!

Here's a picture of the actual bite wound as it looks right now. My hand has ointment smeared on it....I am not actually that pasty white. LOL. The bite is that little red mark in about the middle of the picture. It's hard to see and even harder to photograph.
View attachment 3334692


Here is a pic of my whole left hand. The swelling seems to start at the Carpus and extend, primarily up the the back of the hand, to the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint. The joints seem to be unaffected although the palm does appear to be slightly puffy also.
View attachment 3334698
And for comparison, here's my right hand which is normal.
View attachment 3334699


So what say you fellas? Any ideas on the perpetrator, or treatments? Like I said, it doesn't hurt, burn, itch, or anything. I am just having trouble using it because of the swelling.

Before people suggest visiting the ER, if it's not better tomorrow afternoon I plan on going to the VA in Athens.

This is a new one on me, and I thank y'all for the help in advance
Regarding the visit to the VA after looking at the difference between the two hands again I'd definitely go tomorrow.
 
Any idea what got her?

The red streaks your buddy's wife has, makes it sound like she got cellulitis, which is what I thought it might could have been, but it was only 6 hours from the bite till when it was swollen, which is way too fast for cellulitis to manifest.

Yeah, if it's still swollen I will go to the VA tomorrow afternoon, but till then, anyone have any suggestions?
Maybe ice it to slow the swelling?
 
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