[Closed] My Leg - will it wither and fall off?

If its that sore Id be getting it checked

Try NHS24 (peoples republic of Scotland) or NHS11

I’d be quite prone to reactions from bite and always treated with antihistamine and ice/ ibuprofen. That was all grand till the morning I couldn’t get my sock over my ankle and it turned out I had cellulitis........... go get it checked, worst they can tell you is you’re a big girls blouse.

Horsefly maybe? They hurt like stink.  I'd say go get it checked out if it's that bad - wouldn't go to A&E but I'd definitely seek some medical advice (in addition to the excellent input you'll get on here, that is 😀 )

Get to A&E and get it checked out pronto! Sepsis can occur from even minor scratches, so much better to be safe than sorry.

I’d go to a minor injuries clinic, rather than A&E, having experienced both in Leeds recently... unless I could get an appt with My GP within a few days

It's either an allegic reaction or an infection. If anti-histamines don't work they you'll probably need antibiotics to cure it. Not A&E but definitely an NHS visit required.

Get it looked at but use a walk in center/minor injuries unit NOT A&E it's not an emergency (yet)

OMERGERD! Have you not been listening to the Archers (sly public informational) broadcasts? Infected scratches and bites can KILL! Get thee to a doctor/prescribing clinician be it via minor injuries, GP same day appointment, or even ED, immediately!

(only half joking. Get it looked at. The forum is quiet enough as it is...)

Just reading the title and nothing else ...... yes the middle one .... it’s an age thing and little or over use ( it’s a fine line)

Thanks for the advice all. Who needs qualified doctors when you have a community of cyclists ready to solve all of your problems 🙂 . I'm slightly disappointed that noone has recommended I attempt to cure it with the all in one, universal tool, or that the only realistic solution to an insect bite is N+1.

Currently, I'm finding ibuprofen to be the most effective treatment at the moment, so will stick with that. Can't get a docs appt this week and am busy with work today / tomorrow, so if it's still annoying me on Thursday, I'll join the early morning scrum at the docs for an "emergency appointment" slot.

In the meantime, I will redouble my already prodigious efforts to kill any winged insects that come within my reach. Bloody things.

I had an infected insect bite on my arm.

Red, swollen, hot, itchy.  I marked with a pen where the swelling got to and as it didn't react to antihistamines, it was off to the walk-in clinic.

I ended up on antibiotics for a week and having to drain brown blood/pus mixture out of it a couple of times a day until the resulting abscess sorted itself out.

After the what can can only be described as a bright green pea sized plug of "substance" (not actually a pea) came out I was left with a hole in my arm that cleared up quite quickly.

So, you know, you've got that to look forward to!

Speaking as someone whose brother in law nearly died last year due to sepsis from a tiny graze, go to a fricking doctor. Today. Don't wait until the weekend.

I wouldn't be waiting after getting cellulitis from an insect bite and symptoms similar to your desription. 12 hours after the bite I had a course of horse pill penicillin and a week signed off, doc reckoned if I'd waited til morning it would be a hospital stay and IV drugs.

The clincher for me would be if you can see that the redness is spreading further from the bite point - I could see it moving out about 2cm an hour!

Hmm.

Well, urgent or not, I can't go to the docs now anyway, but if it's still painful tomorrow when I get up, I will join the early-doors scrum at the docs and get it looked at.

For the chap who mentioned sepsis, what symptoms did he show that suggested his graze was out of the ordinary. Like any mountain biker, my legs look like a battleground most of the time, so what told him that this one was different?

Get it looked at but use a walk in center/

Bit insensitive.

For the chap who mentioned sepsis, what symptoms did he show that suggested his graze was out of the ordinary.

From experience it was.....

very painful to the touch. It’s also very warm – much hotter than the other leg. It also constantly aches and itches like hell

I'd be pissing off to the walk (hop) in centre today.

I'd call 111 or visit a walk in centre, if its spreading sounds like its worth checking!

FYI - I found two ticks on my leg yesterday from my weekends rides, didn't realise it was the season again!

Just seen you got bitten on saturday. I'd be heading to a medical professional now.

With what you describe, even as a fake doctor, I'd tend to agree with all those suggesting you head off to the walk-in this afternoon. That sort of shit can get worse quite quickly, and the worst that can happen is you will be laughed at by a nurse practitioner.

Sadly, with the best will in the world, I've made my bed for today due to some unavoidable work commitments. Such is life.

I’d call 111 or visit a walk in centre, if its spreading sounds like its worth checking!

It's not spreading further than it did in the first 24 hours. At the moment it's not too painful, but I've got ibuprofen swilling about inside me which works a treat.

Thanks again for everyone's comments and suggestions and I promise that I will make best efforts to go to the docs first thing tomorrow and will report back here.

You could lob some antihistamine tablets down and see if that makes a difference in the meantime, if you're determined to be stubborn about it. It's probably infected, but it might just be an allergic thing.

But don't come on here complaining if the xenomorph has already emerged from the back of your calf muscle by tomorrow morning.

Go and see the pharmacist at your local chemist. They will give you something to deal with your injury or suggest you go and see someone more qualified. Don't go bothering A&E just yet with a mossie bite!

Been to Australia recently?

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/apr/16/tissue-destroying-ulcer-frequently-found-in-africa-spreading-rapidly-in-australia

You remember how people say not to Google health complaints because of what you read? Is there a similar warning about posting them to mountain bike forums...? 🙂

(no, I haven't been to Australia recently or, in fact, ever)

To rule out a tick here's some info with pics:

www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/about-ticks/

From another point of view, horsefly bites swell up a lot, hurt, itch, and are very very hot, or they are on me!  A medic friend recommended ice on them.  Obviously the other posts of getting it checked out are probably more valid than my own experiences.

I have to ride with antihistamine tabs in my bag all the time due to my increasing succeptability to horse fly/ mossie  bites.

if they don’t relieve the swelling go to the docs.

& press don’t scratch!

& nearly two pages and no mention of cat aids.

this forum really is down the pan.

as someone else says your local pharmacist may well be able to sort you out much quicker than the scrum for a Dr’s appt.  if the pharmacist says “ooh that needs a doc ASAP” then when you go to the docs you can tell that to the receptionist and they will usually find you a slot!

some pharmacist can now prescribe for minor ailments meaning you’d actually get some oral antibiotics in one trip rather than going to docs waiting for ages and then going to pharmacy.  If it’s not showing signs of infection they will be able to point you to the right antihistamine and help the symptoms.

wee on it .

Update please, genuinely internet concern.

And my Brother In Law's injury started from a small graze to the shin from a football boot. It got itchy, hot, red, etc. Started spreading, leg got infected, turned into sepsis. Very seriously ill.

Pics??

Good article here

Despite my forum name, IANAD.

I got cellulitis in my leg last year from an infected bite. Can get nasty quick.

I still have an itchy leg now, 6 months later.