Ant bites

mainer

New member
Mar 22, 2002
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I got an ant bite shortly after we got here. It really stung, and my foot was numb for a few hours. The next day there was a small red bump. No further problems

Two weeks ago, I got three bites on my inner forearm by the same ant. It was a teeny-tiny little thing. Same burning and numbness, but then these became eraser-sized vesicles that looked like chicken pox. These took a full week to stop some pretty serious burning and itching. I had to take benadryl, which really knocks me out.

Two days ago, I got another bite on my toe. Same burning and numbness. Now, I have a white lump the size of a dime on the side of my toe, and the whole toe is a little swollen. Need to take benadrly at nite d/t the burning and itching.

Question is: Is this a normal reaction to ant bites here, or am I develping an allergic reaction? Noone else in my family seems to have any complaints.

And yes, HB, I do wear shoes!!
 

GHABG

New member
Oct 8, 2002
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You describe a classic allergen-antibody reaction. A visit to an allergist should be your next step, and soon. If this progresses to anaphylaxis (hypersensitivity) things could become very bad. AM
 

mainer

New member
Mar 22, 2002
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That is what I was thinking. I just wanted to see if it was common before I got too concerned. I do keep a bottle of liquid benadryl around. Anybody know of a good allergist in the sosua area. I don't have a car, but I can rent one.
 

Larry

Gold
Mar 22, 2002
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Walk into Clinica Dr Whembe in sosua and ask them to refer you to an allergist.
Larry
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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For an allergist, mainer, you will almost certainly have to go to Santiago or Santo Domingo. I can give you a name in SD; Hillbilly should be able to recommend someone in Santiago.

On the subject of reaction to insect bites and contact with certain plants, people new to the area often have trouble adjusting to things they previously didn't come in contact with. The first year I was in the DR, something caused me to periodically get a huge blister in the ankle zone. I saw a dermatologist in Santo Domingo who advised me to prevent infection and prescribed a cream (Betametasona) to apply to any bites, etc., that seemed to be causing any trouble, but explained the reaction experienced by newcomers was often much more severe than normal. What caused those enormous blisters, I have no idea. Have never had them since the first year.

But in your case, the advise to talk with an allergist seems worth heeding.