could this be from tx ?

[carol411]

Does tx make allergy problems worse?  I have always been allergic to mosquitos and so am used to getting huge welts when bitten but I have never had a reaction like the one I'm having now.  One of the little buggers bit me on the cheek yesterday afternoon.  That whole side of my face is swollen now.  Under my eye is filled with fluid and the whole thing is ITCHY!!!!  Benedryl isn't helping much.  This is why I'm up in the middle of the night typing here.  I'm just wondering if I can blame the tx for the exaggerated reaction to the bite.  

Carol

[nygirl7]

Great news I am so glad it is getting better for you and you are getting back to your beautiful self :)

[spectda]

Glad to hear it's going better carol - Dave

[carol411]

I just want to let you know that I have taken more benadryl in one day than ever before, five pills so far, one every four hours, and the "horrid disfigurement" (thank you for that NY :) is diminished by two thirds.  So, I am convinced it is just my normal allergy made fierce by tx.  Thank you all for suggestions, support, and a laugh or two for perspective.

Carol

[carol411]

Everyone,

You are a great support group, each and every one of you.  I do appreciate the different perspectives.  

My doctor is unconcerned.  I could only talk to the nurse, she talked to him and said he wanted me to keep up the benadryl but call tomorrow if the swelling is still there.  Well, I've been allergic to mosquitos all my life, and though this is excessive, it usually lasts a few days so when I go for blood work tomorrow I will like pop in if it is still impressive enough to gain attention.  I'm pretty sure it is a mosquito bite because I was standing outside taking down the flag for the day and talking to people when I felt the bite, but no crawling on my face.  And Diane, whenever I am covered in bites I get a little sick, so one super bite could be acting the same way.

Of all the side effects I've read about, this one is a surprise.  Apparently interferon is like steroids to mosquito bites for at least one lucky woman!! (I hope and believe).  Any way, I worked this morning a called for help for the afternoon.  I think I deserve to nap off the benadryl!!

Carol

[meakea]

Carol, let us know what the doc says.  My guess is that, yes, it's the fact that your body is extra sensitive from the TX meds.  When I was on TX, my eyes would swell for several days each week and it was some sort of bizarre reaction to the meds.  I missed work several times because of it -- I didn't want to scare people at work...lol.  I also know of others who had their old tattoos get swollen, red and itchy during TX as if the ink suddenly didn't agree with the skin.  

[nygirl7]

My daughter was bit by some crazy azz spider when she was younger (that is what the dermatologist assumed) and they used every single known product to try and get rid of it but could not. It was right by her eye and she has a scar to this day. Finally he had me using 3 lotions at one time and it went away but it was pretty bad. I was pretty fearful it would just continue to grow until it closed her eye for good - I was pretty paranoid (you know when it's your kid) Spider bites are worse than just about anything they are just awful.

I'm wondering if that is what could have happened here and not a mosquito. Of course, that is completely a prejudiced statement because of my experience................and she's probably just fine.

I would see the doctor - just in case.

[Trinity4]

You actually think a bug bite from yesterday afternoon and given the fact Carol states she is allergic can turn into cellulitis in less than 1 day?   I have some experience with this subject also because I had cellulitis and it was a progressive thing.  It didn't just suddenly appear the next day.

Triniity

[Diane12855]

Actually I do have a little experience with the subject since I spent 4 days in the hospital after a bug bite turned unto cellulitis, which is an infection that develops between the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin, and has a chance of spreading to the blood very easily. I don't imagine they put all of those IV antibiotics in me just for fun.

Carol: Please be sure to tell the doctor what your temp is at the time you call. I never had a high fever when I was in the hospital... just around 100.

Better safe than sorry, is my way of thinking.

Diane

[nygirl7]

Good I'm glad to know you are not over reacting that is how i read your post (see you just can't really tell what anybody is saying on the internet) and I didn't want you to worry.  On treatment there is already enough to worry about without bug bites.  I agree it's probably gotten infected somehow - I dont remember ever seeing this problem before...........but then we can't see your horrid disfigurement to tell you how horrible it is (I am kidding..heck I have a zit on my cheek and it's making me extremely self concious today so I totally get it!!)

[Trinity4]

Very unlikely bacteria will get into a bite unless you pester it.  My son had very bad allergic reactions to bug bites.  His eyes would swell shut and never experienced any bacterial infection and he would scratch them raw.  

During tx my ANC was very low and I never experienced infection from bug bites.

If you have concerns, see your doctor.

Trinity

[carol411]

nygirl,

I'm calm!  I don't think this is an emergency.  There are only gps around here and they are very busy.  I will call and just in case he wants to see me I have arranged for someone to come cover for me.  My bigger concern is for the next bite.  What part of my anatomy will they deform next???  I'm laughing here :O)

Carol

[carol411]

Oh Dave, I'm not scared.  I'm usually the type of person to avoid doctors and so am never sure what they may need to know about and what is just whining.  I appreciate that all of you see something to wonder and ask about.  It gives me the confidence to ask what I need to.  

Again, thank you all very much.

Carol

[nygirl7]

I agree 100% with Dave. If you had a bad zit that got infected you wouldn't be that worried (just embarrassed and annoyed) right? Take it easy.........people are responding because you asked a question not because anyone seriously thinks you are headed downhill fast.

Just call a doc or derm doc and see if they can do something to ease your discomfort. As Dave said certainly we are not doctors and we know NOTHING about this at all to be giving you any advice. It's one thing to explain grade and stage of liver disease but another to be giving any advice about something we haven't even seen nor know nothing about.

STAY CALM..........just call and ask the doctor what he thinks you should do.

GOOD LUCK!

[spectda]

scared, not scarred. sorry

[spectda]

I don't think you should be alarmed or scarred. We aren't doctors and really don't know sh*t
That's why you should go, to make sure it all cool.
Be well - Dave

[carol411]

Diane, 99.6.  Not alarming.  But all this concern is alarming me so I will call my doctor as soon as the office opens.  

Thank you all!!

Carol

[Diane12855]

I think you should have your doctor take a look at it. There is a chance that some bacteria got introduced when the mosquito bit you. The swelling around your eye concerns me because there isn't much there to protect your brain from bacterial invasion. Check to see if you have a fever and don't take a chance if you do.

Diane

[spectda]

your usual reaction is most likely from the anticoagulant they inject, but that doesn't mean they haven't bitten something else previous to you that contained bacteria. again, just my thoughts, I don't really know.

I am glad to hear your are seeing your doctor right away.

good Luck - Dave

[carol411]

Dave,

I don't know either.  They are a vector in a lot of diseases.  I've always thought my reaction to them was probably the anticoagulant they inject so that they can get their fill.  I'm sure I'll call a doctor now.  I just looked in the mirror again.  It's a little early, but I'd be set for halloween if this were another month!

Carol

[spectda]

Interferon boosts your immune systems ability to fight viruses, it can often destroy your bodies ability to fight bacterial infections though (low wbc and anc). perhaps the mosquito has some bacteria that it spreads. I don't know if thats the case or not. Just a thought.

Dave

[carol411]

Thank you, Susan, your thoughts make sense.  I'm thinking of staying off work today because I look like h### and don't want to alarm the public!  So, maybe I'll call the doctor and see if an epi pen would be a good thing to have around.  I too am very curious to know if anything like this has happened to anyone else.

Carol

[portann]

When I think about it, ribavirin  interferes with the ability of the virus to reproduce and is a broad-spectrum antiviral drug. So I'd guess the riba has no effect on worsening your allergic reactions.

Interferon, though,  is a chemical that our own immune cells make . The interferon we inject during tx amplifies our own immune reactions. Since allergic reactions are overreactions of our bodies' defense to what are relatively harmless situations for other people, then I suppose it's possible that the interferon, which has ramped you up, caused the dramatic swelling on your face. I wonder if anyone else has experienced a similar effect.

For whatever reason, though, I find that since my SVR, I haven't suffered from seasonal allergies so far this year.

I'd see your allergist to make sure you have something on hand for the next mosquito, as allergic reactions can get worse from one episode to the next.

Susan