Mosquito bites turning dark & looking ugly -- am I going to die of Mosquito Super AIDS??

[Dan Druff]

The facts:

- Got 3 bites on my left hand in the woods -- one on Sunday, two on Monday. Presumably mosquitoes, as the area was full of them. They bit me despite my usage of a tons of anti-mosquito spray.

- Bites hurt more than they itch. They are darkening. One is spreading out, the other two are becoming raised and dark.

- All are on my left hand.

- Also have about 15 other bites -- all of which are standard-looking, except one on my stomach which is starting to look like the ones on my left hand. That one also happened on Monday.

- I have no other symptoms. No fever, no vomiting, no fatigue.

- Despite the presence of these, I hiked 5.5 miles on Tuesday, half of which was uphill, with no problem. I'm mentioning this to demonstrate I don't have any other issues.

- I am still getting over the cold I caught about 10-14 days ago at the WSOP Main Event. The cold has decreased to just nasal congestion with no other symptoms. As far as my colds go, this one was about average. I'm only mentioning this in case this might be some sort of immune system strangeness related to my body still fighting the cold.








Anyone ever have anything like this?

[vegas1369]

Those don't look like any mosquito bite I've ever seen.

[Dan Druff]

Those don't look like any mosquito bite I've ever seen.

That's what I was thinking.

So either something else bit me, or my body is having a really odd reaction to them.

The other weird thing is that these happened in two places fairly far apart on two different days, so I would be surprised if the same unusual bug hit me twice in what is close to the same spot.

Also, as I said, aside from one other bad bite on my stomach, the other 15 or so bites I have look like super standard mosquito bites.

[Dan Druff]

But is it really possible for this to be dangerous if there are no symptoms for over 24 hours (aside from the skin looking bad and hurting)?

Like, should I be fatigued and suffering from a high fever if I'm really in some kind of danger?

Just doesn't seem like I would be able to hike 5.5 miles the next day if there was seriously something wrong.

[BCR]

Those don't look like any mosquito bite I've ever seen.

If your other ones are standard, I'd question I got bit by something else.


The one turning dark almost reminds me of the beginning stage of nasty mrsa/staph infection I got on leg in 2007 that eventually needed lanced. I mean, it has to be a bite, so it's not that, but looks like the beginning of trouble.

Are they warm to the touch? You running a temp assuming you didn't have one from cold? I'd slap some otc hydrocortisone cream on those and get to a doctor soonish if you feel them getting worse.

Edit-was posting while you were replying, and missed your temp is normal in op, I'd go cortisone and monitor.

If they itched, I'd almost think you brushed your hand against something and had an allergic reaction like poison oak. Google shows some strange immune reactions to mosquito bites, so it's possible given you were sick, but it seems like the others would also give you issues

[vegas1369]

It is possible you're just having a weird allergic reaction. If you're positive it wasn't a spider and don't see a redline running up your arm you're probably alright, but I'd definitely keep an eye on it. Those are some odd looking bites.

[BeerAndPoker]

I live near woods and in summers where we get a ton of rain the mosquitoes can be terrible but never in my life have I seen bites swelling like this.

It looks like something else or an allergy of some sort which I'd do things to keep the itching away because if you don't do that then it will get worse.

What works for some might not for others but I'd want to cool it and then keep it dry with some body powder that you won't be allergic to. The powder might not be as necessary some places but if you live in a humid environment thien this is huge imo

If it don't improve then doctor is the way to go, especially if it swells up more.

[BeerAndPoker]

Now can we discuss your will for a minute.

Do PFA members have at least a 1% freeroll of all the assets?

[Dan Druff]

It is possible you're just having a weird allergic reaction. If you're positive it wasn't a spider and don't see a redline running up your arm you're probably alright, but I'd definitely keep an eye on it. Those are some odd looking bites.

Yeah, arm looks normal.

I don't have allergies, but I suppose an allergic reaction is possible anyway.

I also think it's possible that my body is acting funny as a result of fighting off the cold, but it's weird that it's only certain bites, while the rest look normal.

I don't think it's MRSA because these are not warm to the touch, and I have no fever to go along with it.

So weird, though.

I just hope I won't be posting soon from a hospital bed.

[vegas1369]

Honestly dude that looks more like a shingles outbreak to me. The black and blue mark is definitely going to get ugly and I've seen shingle outbreaks with exactly that same thing happen.

[vegas1369]

Yeah man. I don't think those are bites. Do you have any swelling or soreness under your armpit?

[Dan Druff]

Honestly dude that looks more like a shingles outbreak to me. The black and blue mark is definitely going to get ugly and I've seen shingle outbreaks with exactly that same thing happen.

I had shingles in 2010.

I don't think it's that. Doesn't feel like shingles, and it would be a coincidence that it showed up right when bugs bit me.

From what I read, I also have a 96% chance of never having shingles again, because I already had it once.

[Dan Druff]

Yeah man. I don't think those are bites. Do you have any swelling or soreness under your armpit?

Nope.

Seriously, absolutely no other symptoms.

Well, I have had some lower back problems for the past month, but oddly that has vastly improved over the past 2 days, after hitting its worst point earlier in the week. I don't think it's related.

[vegas1369]

Honestly dude that looks more like a shingles outbreak to me. The black and blue mark is definitely going to get ugly and I've seen shingle outbreaks with exactly that same thing happen.

I had shingles in 2010.

I don't think it's that. Doesn't feel like shingles, and it would be a coincidence that it showed up right when bugs bit me.

From what I read, I also have a 96% chance of never having shingles again, because I already had it once.

It's not a super aggressive form of shingles but it's shingles none-the-less. They attack you when your immune system is down. You just are getting over a cold and were bit by insects on top of it.

[Dan Druff]

I live near woods and in summers where we get a ton of rain the mosquitoes can be terrible but never in my life have I seen bites swelling like this.

It looks like something else or an allergy of some sort which I'd do things to keep the itching away because if you don't do that then it will get worse.

What works for some might not for others but I'd want to cool it and then keep it dry with some body powder that you won't be allergic to. The powder might not be as necessary some places but if you live in a humid environment thien this is huge imo

If it don't improve then doctor is the way to go, especially if it swells up more.

It doesn't even itch much. The other standard-looking bites itch like mosquito bites. These more hurt and feel swollen (because they area).

I am wondering how I could have gone 45 years without ever having mosquito bites looking like this. I sent pics of these to my brother, who is a doctor but not a dermatologist. He is sleeping so I will have to wait until morning for an answer from him on this.

[WillieMcFML]

#ThanksMcCain

[vegas1369]

After carefully studying these pics my unprofessional opinion is that this is coming from the inside out. Meaning it wasn't a bite but instead an infection coming from inside. Whether or not it shingles or some other type of infection that's up for debate. The circular spot on your wrist is a giveaway. If you zoom in on it you will see there are several small starts of blistering. That's not indicative of a mosquito bite. That is indicative of an infection of some sort.

[WillieMcFML]

it's warts bro

[Dan Druff]

it's warts bro

Might look like it from the pic, but definitely not warts.

I actually had a wart on my hand once, and it looked nothing like this.

[Dan Druff]

After carefully studying these pics my unprofessional opinion is that this is coming from the inside out. Meaning it wasn't a bite but instead an infection coming from inside. Whether or not it shingles or some other type of infection that's up for debate. The circular spot on your wrist is a giveaway. If you zoom in on it you will see there are several small starts of blistering. That's not indicative of a mosquito bite. That is indicative of an infection of some sort.

You know, this is possible.

Maybe I'm focusing too much on the mosquitoes, when in reality I had something brewing at the same time, and it's just a coincidence that the first issue showed up on the same day I went out into the woods.

I'm also wondering if the lower back issues, which seemed to resemble back spasms, could possibly be related to this in some way?

Well, if I stop posting suddenly and the forum goes down in a few months, it was nice knowing you all.