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From: smessier
Date: 06-11-2005, 01:39 PM (1 of 16)
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Hi Everyone, I woke up today with what looks to be a bug bite on my eyelid. It's all red and swollen..looks like I was in a boxing match (and lost)! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to treat this? I've already put an ice pack on it, some hydrocortisone cream and I took an antihistimine about an hour ago. It's still very itchy, very red, and VERY swollen.  Thanks for letting me vent, Sandy |
User: smessier
Member since: 09-03-2004 Total posts: 114 |
From: Magot
Date: 06-11-2005, 01:57 PM (2 of 16)
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That's about it, Sandy, I have a friend who recommends lavender oil as a good topically medicine for bites, cuts and so on , but I wouldn't recommend it on the eye. How about sunglasses so you don't feel so obvious?
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: smessier
Date: 06-11-2005, 02:22 PM (3 of 16)
LOL! That's a great idea. Sunglasses it is!  Thanks, Sandy |
User: smessier
Member since: 09-03-2004 Total posts: 114 |
From: June Harlow
Date: 06-11-2005, 02:31 PM (4 of 16)
As long as the white of your eye isn't bloodshot you should be okay with topical medication. Resist the urge to touch it and use saline eyedrops if it gets itchy. If it's not getting better in a couple of days I'd check with an eye doctor. I had a bug fly into my eye once while I was biking, the whole white of the eye went red, but I ended up okay, other than I looked weird for a couple of weeks 
June ~
"If only I could find that missing pattern piece!" June sews on a Pfaff 1209 and a Babylock 5180 serger |
User: June Harlow
Member since: 05-30-2005 Total posts: 100 
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 06-11-2005, 02:46 PM (5 of 16)
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My Mom's remedy always was a wet tea bag. Something about antioxidents in it & it draws out things that don't belong. I don't know how it works but it does for Stys in the eye.
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115 
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From: smessier
Date: 06-12-2005, 11:52 AM (6 of 16)
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Woke up today with it at least as swollen as yesterday. I put more ice on it and it did help. I can actually see the bug bite now, about a half an inch under my eyebrow. I'm going to try the tea bag treatment, sounds like it might work! I also got some Benedryl ointment yesterday and may try that. Thanks for the help everyone.  (I'm not really winking...my eye is swollen shut!) tee hee!!Sandy |
User: smessier
Member since: 09-03-2004 Total posts: 114 |
From: Hogmami
Date: 06-12-2005, 12:16 PM (7 of 16)
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I feel for you. A couple of years ago, i got bit by a bug in the corner of my eye. It was swollen, couldn't wear my glasses. It turned black and looked awful. Ended up at the doctors. She gave me some cream that wouldn't hurt the eye and some pills. It took a couple of weeks for it all to go away. Had to go to the eye doctor to make sure the bite didn't hurt the eye. Not fun.
Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800 
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From: DragonLady
Date: 06-12-2005, 12:31 PM (8 of 16)
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Don't use the Benedryl ointment & the oral antihistamine together. The ointment is absorbed through the skin & reacts (badly) with the oral stuff. I used to use some stuff called Sting Stop on my kids -my son is severly allergic to bug bites of all kinds. That always helped, but I'm not sure it could be used near your eye. "No more twist! No more twist!"
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User: DragonLady
Member since: 11-10-2004 Total posts: 152 
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From: Sancin
Date: 06-12-2005, 06:39 PM (9 of 16)
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I can't recall why, but one is not supposed to use hydrocortizone cream near the eye unless specific one (are different types and strengths) prescribed by physician. Cool compresses and tea bags sound best to me. Bendryl cream on eyelids may be uncomfortable. Oral antihistamines may make the eyes dry. Use artificial tear drops (not antihistamine eye drops which will make eyes dryers) or saline drops, but artificial tears have a substance that makes the saline stay on the eye longer. Be prepared for the redness to turn blue or brown (like a bruise) when the swelling goes down. May or may not happen depending upon the degree of swelling. Can call it an 'allergy shiner'  Do you suppose you could have a spider bite? I have reactions to all sorts of bites and we have lots of biting bugs here in north country, but spider bites seem to be more painful and last longer. Of course most time one never sees what is biting you until a reaction shows up. Nancy 
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: smessier
Date: 06-14-2005, 01:46 PM (10 of 16)
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Thanks everyone for all the great advice! The teabag did the trick for the swelling. I held it to my eyelid for about 20 minutes and the swelling has not returned. I do still have visible bite and it is still itchy, so I've been using a tiny dab of benedryl cream and that really helps. The urge to scratch is unbelievable!! And I'm a grownup!! I did get my doctor's permission to use both the hydrocortisone and the benedryl creams...not together of course. And I knew (read the directions) not to take the benedryl by mouth at the same time as using the benedryl cream. So thanks again everyone! Crisis over. Sandy |
User: smessier
Member since: 09-03-2004 Total posts: 114 |
From: Magot
Date: 06-14-2005, 02:16 PM (11 of 16)
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Glad you're feeling less like Popeye the Sailor Man, Sandy.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: June Harlow
Date: 06-14-2005, 05:38 PM (12 of 16)
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Glad you're feeling better Sandy You'll need those eyes to catch up on your sewing !
June ~
"If only I could find that missing pattern piece!" June sews on a Pfaff 1209 and a Babylock 5180 serger |
User: June Harlow
Member since: 05-30-2005 Total posts: 100
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 06-14-2005, 05:56 PM (13 of 16)
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I always knew my Mom was a smarty woman. Glad the tea bag worked for you. I wish I had all of my Mom's old recipies for home remedies but no one thought to write them down. She used to whip up egg whites & salt to put on spraines & they were always better overnight. She also made a mustard plaster for soar backs that really stunk but seemed to do the trick. The only one I ever used was the tea bag. You can also but them in a tub of water to sooth a sun burn. I did this when I was 9 months pregnant & couldn't take the pain It did help a lot until I went into labor & my legs still hurt. Glad I could help Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115
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From: DragonLady
Date: 06-14-2005, 06:28 PM (14 of 16)
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I hear ya, Mom of Six! My Grandmother always had the best home remedies -and they really worked. Unfortunatly, everyone -including me- used to kinda roll our eyes and try everything else first. And of course, none of us had enough sense to write any of them down. Now that she's gone, I think often of her knowledge and lore that I totally disrepected but wish I had now.
"No more twist! No more twist!"
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User: DragonLady
Member since: 11-10-2004 Total posts: 152
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From: Sancin
Date: 06-15-2005, 02:58 AM (15 of 16)
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Fun stuff - a Goggle search found the following on home remedies FYI *http://www.otan.us/webfarm/emailproject/rem.htm - an ongoing email project *http://www.myhomeremedies.com/ - discussion list and user submitted remedies *http://www.answerbag.com/c_view.php/505 home remedy FAQ's - rated as to effectiveness *http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/47/1.cfm - abbreviated from Prevention Magazine's Doctors's Home Remedies - books readily available in stores - very brief information *http://possumsal.homestead.com/health.html - one person's interesting personal collection *http://www.geocities.com/homeremedysecrets/HomeMedicineDatabase.html - an international list of remedies * http://www.recipegoldmine.com/health/health.html example Puffy Eyelid Treatment 12 chamomile tea bags 2 cups ice cold water Put tea bags in the ice water in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator. Whenever you suffer from puffy lids, apply a tea bag to each eye for about 10 minutes. For best results, lie down with two pillows under your head while bags are in place. This will reduce the swelling and soothe and refresh eyes. NOTE: If puffy lids continue to be a problem, try sleeping with extra pillows tucked under your head for all-night elevation. This will help cut down on water retention. AND LAST but NOT LEAST Historical interviews that include memories of home remedies! STIFF NECK: Wrap a pair of underdrawers which have been worn more than two days around the neck. 
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895
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From: smessier
Date: 06-16-2005, 12:27 PM (16 of 16)
HA!!! I'm sure the sore neck disappears because you can't get your mind off what you've got around your neck!! Yuck!  Thanks for the links, Sancin. Very interesting. Sandy |
User: smessier
Member since: 09-03-2004 Total posts: 114 |
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