I stupidly mowed wearing crocs and no socks and at some point must have stepped on a mound of fire ants. I felt that telltale stinging/burning sensation, took off my shoe and saw a couple of bites. I woke up yesterday with a very swollen right foot. By last night it was nearly doubled in size. I have been applying ice and using benadryl spray. I hate taking benadryl because it really whacks me out, so it is always a last resort, the spray at least relieves the itch a little. Earlier this year I had two ant bites on my foot and they hurt and itched but the swelling wasn't anything close to this. This time it looks like I have a least four bites :-(. If anyone has some good healing remedies for fire ant bites, I am open to suggestions!
I will probably be moving slowly again today, since it is hard to walk on this swollen foot. I am okay with that, it's raining and I have a book to read and Etsy orders to ship. The trailer will still be waiting to get unpacked once this foot is better.
We could get together and scratch, I stepped in a tick nest last week!
ReplyDeleteI don't know about ants, but for the tick bites, chiggers and yellow jacket stings, we have soaked in oatmeal baths that relieve the itching and swelling sooo much. It seems to be the only thing that relieves massive bites for us. I take a cup of oatmeal, grind it in the blender and pour in the tub. Aveeno also makes an oatmeal bath but it's just as easy to use Quaker oats.
you need to take some oral benadryl.
ReplyDeleteYou can become more allergeric to these things. Wtach for other signs of feeling badly and take your self to either doc in the box or the Doc if it gets worse instead of better. We almost lost a friend to bites once. He had been bitten before but the last time was very bad and he ended up at doc in the box- what saved him was the oral benadrly we put down him.
similar to Tracy's oatmeal remedy, try baking soda mixed with water like a paste (or slip, ha) and apply to the bites topically or take a baking soda bath, the benadryl counteracts the histamine allergic reactions, good to use and keep around for emergencies. hope you feel better.
ReplyDeletethose ant bites sound worse even than Scottish midges!!
ReplyDeleteScotch.
ReplyDelete;)
FIRE ANTS!!!? Oh gosh, poor you!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Meredith on this, take the pill at night before bed time at least. I hope it gets better soon.
ReplyDeletethanks to all for suggestions! I am definitely going to get some benadryl to have on hand. my foot is much better today, the swelling is almost gone, it just itches like crazy!
ReplyDeletei think i will wear sneakers and socks for lawn mowing from now on!
Michelle, also maybe try some apple cider vinegar swabs and then the paste of baking soda. That took the sting out of a wasp bite and might soothe your itching. they are nasty little bugs.
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