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Newly diagnosed - insect bites

M

Mungobean

Well-Known Member
Messages
88
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, I was diagnosed around three weeks ago. I sat in the garden for a short time on Saturday and was absolutely ‘eaten’ by bugs of some sort. I stopped counting at 30 - big red swollen bites.

I don’t usually suffer at all, so I was wondering whether or not the extra sugar in my blood, or the insulin, have made me that much more tasty to creepy crawlies? Has anyone else started suffering like this, or was I just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Thank you in advance

Bean
 
The ranges of a lot of biting insects are moving northwards, and each year I seem to get more bites - I am on the south coast so right in the firing line.
Fortunately I don't react to Blandford fly bites as badly as some people in the area.
I think that sunbathing, or even sitting in the open air is going to become less common as time passes due to the dangers blood sucking insects present.
 

I've always wondered this, as insects definitely seem to prefer me to my non diabetic husband. But as I was diagnosed at 8 there's no way to tell whether diabetes makes a difference.

But this article below suggests that blood sugar is not a factor

Debunked: Diabetes and Insect Bites - Diabetics Weekly (diabetics-weekly.com)

though it may be a factor in healing from those bites.
 
Mungobean said:
and was absolutely ‘eaten’ by bugs of some sort. I stopped counting at 30 - big red swollen bites.
Click to expand...
That sounds like the Scotch Grey's that are prevalent in Brisbane they leave a big itchy lump behind, it's the only mosquito you can put a saddle on.
 
Biting things have always loved me, and for many decades before diabetes
 
I am on the south coast too and I just don’t know where all the blasted things came from on Saturday!
 
Doctor our local Irish radio covered this recently. Turns out everyone gets bitten, some people are allergic to the bite/sting so they have the bad reactions.
 
Ronancastled said:
Doctor our local Irish radio covered this recently. Turns out everyone gets bitten, some people are allergic to the bite/sting so they have the bad reactions.
Click to expand...
That’s interesting
I tend to not get bitten much that I know of but my ex used to be a magnet for them. He wasn’t diabetic (but does have a very rare blood type) and we thought just certain people were more attractive to insects
 
Before diagnosis I had some insect bites that became badly infected. This was one more indicator that I had very high blood glucose levels.
Having said that biting insects have always loved me. I'm sure I get invited to BBQs etc to keep the biters off everyone else!
 
Bugs do however just seem to like some people better than others - I'm currently suffering from two on the same leg and now have antibiotics (one big red angry blotch got to about 4inch in diameter, the other wasnt quite so bad at 2-3 inches before the doctor was involved)

The bugs have always liked me for some very annoying unknown reason (admittedly I've also always been diabetic - ok not quite but close enough), but then I was talking to one of the guys at the archery club I go to on sunday, he said his wife was the bug magnet, he said he could almost see bugs just turn round and go after her if she went past them, she is not diabetic
 
Andydragon said:
That’s interesting
I tend to not get bitten much that I know of but my ex used to be a magnet for them. He wasn’t diabetic (but does have a very rare blood type) and we thought just certain people were more attractive to insects
Click to expand...
Interesting! I know it is anecdotal but I also have a rare blood type and biting insects flock to me.
 
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