Some bugs are worse than others

[e.e.cummings]

It is enough that I cannot open my mouth on my commute in some places, but I ended up with a couple of nasty bites on the inner part of my arm on Monday. Thought nothing of it. However, it had not gotten better the entire week, and after getting back yesterday from a long ride it was really red and swelling. Went to the pharmacist who said it was probably an allergic reaction to the bites (possibly wasp or bee), told me to put ice on it, and an allergy cream. First allergic reaction of my life!

[Tri Girl]

eek!
How strange that this is your first allergic reaction in your life. I get swollen for days with just a mosquito bite.
I have to carry an epi-pen. I haven't had a bee sting since I was a kid, but the allergist told me I'm very allergic to them now and I better carry one just in case I get stung or I might go into anaphylactic shock. Ummm.... OK

[ny biker]

I had a bite on my thigh a few years ago from a rather tenacious fly that bit me through my shorts while riding at about 15 mph. By the end of the week I was at the doctor being treated for cellulitis which had spread up my leg. If I'd waited much longer to see the doctor it would probably have landed me in the hospital.

[JennK13]

Most of my rides parallel a creek at some point and the skeeters are brutal right now....i have a couple huge bites right at my knees and on my shins (i wear knickers) and one on the inside of my elbow. Like tri girl, i get a pretty good reaction just from the mosquitos. Cant even count how many Ive inhaled the last two weeks - It sucks this time of year!

[BikeDutchess]

If I'd waited much longer to see the doctor it would probably have landed me in the hospital.

Yikes! Whatever bit me through my shorts during Little Red last week was pretty nasty too. By day 2 or 3, the main welt was 2 inches across and the secondary redness/swelling got up to about 8 inches across. I was trying really hard not to scratch so it wouldn't get infected. I was about one day away from seeing the doctor when it started getting a little better, thank goodness.

[7rider]

A bunch of years ago (maybe 3-4?), I was out for a ride on a day off (DH was at work), when I got smacked in the lip by an unidentified bug. Maybe a bee. Maybe it stung me or bit me. Anyway...my lower lip swelled up to about the size of a baseball! I took a picture of myself in the mirror and emailed it to DH (I think I posted it here somewhere). He absolutely freaked out, had me call my doctor immediately, and came home to take me there. Lots of antihistamines and steroids later, it finally came down. We went out to lunch afterward (when it became apparent I wasn't going to die) at a local Chinese restaurant. We got quite a few strange looks, and eating was a challenge!

[OakLeaf]

I've probably told this story here before - but not long after DH and I started dating, I was sitting at a stoplight on my moto with the helmet visor flipped up, and a bee flew right under the earpiece of my sunglasses. I tried to dislodge it before the light turned, and got stung for my trouble. I had a beautiful shiner, and DH got the dirtiest looks everywhere we went together for the next week or so.