General Holiday Enquiries, Hints and Tips

General Holiday Enquiries? Got General Hints & Tips? Post Them Here.
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As a fellow sufferer my advice is probably nothing that you don't already know, but have you really "maxed out" the prevention route??

50% DEET applied first thing in the morning, ALL OVER and re-applied after swimming/showering, re-applied at lunchtime and then re-applied before you go out at night....

Also, avoid the beach early morning and late afternoon (sand fleas rampant at those times) and try not to take your beach towels back to the room (sand fleas again)

If a bite appears, rub/massage with BOTH anti-histamine and 1% hydrocortisone cream......

Of course, systemic anti-histamines might help as well, but anything effective enough will make you drowsy and mustn't be mixed with alcohol...

Anything there of help?

ATB,J.
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This really works for me- a couple of weeks before your holiday, take 2 garlic capsules( odourless) a day. I went from being covered in bites- to just a rogue one or two.
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Someone I met in St Lucia told me that she takes Vitamin B tablets for a fortnight before she goes away, and through the holiday, and it really seems to work in that the mozzies are less likely to bite. Anyone ever heard of this and, if so, does it work? :que
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Jane, not knowing where you are going I can only tell of my experience.
I buy a product called Odomos in India and bring enough back to take everywhere with me.
No idea it its available in the UK.
But I don't think I am affected anything like as bad as you seem to be.
Just repeating all the other advice I have had over the years in case there is something you haven't tried.

eating...garlic, marmite.
drinking...gin/tonic OK, brandy not
going out at wrong times
using deet...at all times
covering up
mossie coils on the balcony
fly spray in the room, especially bathroom
vitamin tablets, think it's B2 or similar (it's the one found in marmite anyway)
garlic capsules
avoiding standing water, drains, shallow streams, long grass etc.
Avon so soft dry oil spray.
Hope some of this helps

PS I assume you have had a word with your doctor?

edited to add
just had a look on the web and Amazon sell odomos but it's pricey!
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Have you tried Lifesystems Expedition Plus repellent spray? As the name suggests, it is designed for use in expedition conditions and it's pretty effective.

I'm like you - I react badly to bites and have to carry antihistamiine tablets and cream with me when I'm anywhere I might get bitten. I took the 50+ strength Lifesystems spray with me to Senegal and in over 5 weeks got bitten less than a week in Antigua, using Jungle Formula.

You can also buy Permethrin to treat your clothes with - I did this before going to Senegal, and am sure it helped. It lasts for a few washes before needing to be retreated. A treated mozzie net (Permethrin is used for this too) might help at night.

The anithistamine cream I use is Dermovate. It's prescription only, but as you have a history of problems with bites you shouldn't have too much difficulty getting your doctor to prescribe it as a 'just-in-case' treatment.

In case you've not tried them, here's a link to Lifesystems:

http://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/insect-repellents-insecticides/insect-repellents.html

They're not the cheapest option, but I'm sure that like me that won't worry you, if it works. You can also buy them in camping and outdoor activity shops.
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I suppose you have tried Avon Skin So Soft?
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Roseweb. My partner takes Vitamin B for two weeks before we go on holiday and it does seem to keep the bites at bay. Saying that we also use 50% deet repellant spray plus we shower with lemon gel, and as well as the plug ins we also leave lemon smelling liquid in he room, cant remember the name off hand called something like citrion, get it from health shop....as you might have guessed he is paranoid he may get bitten :really
M
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Years ago on our first holiday in Greece a local told us to wash/Shower in lemon soap, since doing this we do not get any bites, we still use Mosquito spray as well and no smelly perfume as they seem to like that.
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Have to say I have never heard about lemon soap. You learn something new every day :)
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I cant remember if I posted on here, but I got told just normal jiff lemon, which I guess is just like the lemon soap, we just squirt the jiff lemon on ankles, neck, and wrists, touch wood it works for us :-)

Roo
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skin so soft from avon the original one ( bottle has green writing on it ) swear by it
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Mozzies normally have a field day with me too, but since using Avon skin so Soft (as recomended above) I've never had any problems:)
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My other half is alergic to them too, although not on that scale but we always end up with anti biotics etc. He finds that a deet cream rather than a spray helps, I guess it sinks into the skin. Love the jiff suggestion! Not totally convienced but love the idea of sitting on the beach getting funny looks whilst covering ourselves in jiff. Will be trying the lemin shower gel
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Rather than Jif, you would be better off getting some Oil of Citronella from a pharmacy. Works a treat and isn't sticky like lemon juice would be. Just put some on a bit of cotton wool and then dab it on wrists and ankles.

SM
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Fly spray on leaving the room during the day and on an evening.- incase any of the little blighters are lurking in the room (if patio doors have been opened)- as this was when i always got bitten- when i was sleeping!!!

swear by avon skin so soft too! buy loads and loads of this stuff (just incase its ever discontinued)

belly
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We did the strong Vitamin B thing for years, eventually gave it up because it didn't work and the side effects were sometimes embarrasing... :(

ATB,J.
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I stuffer terrible with Mozzie bites too. This year going to try garlic tablets and vitamin b I think.
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Hi Travelmam67,

Although my husband doesn't really suffer from mosquito bites he has taken garlic tablets on a daily basis for the past 4/5 years and has neve suffered any bites since taking them ... might be something in it? As I said above I've always used Avon SSS, but, my son and his girlfriend returned from Mexico today, and although she used it every day, she was eaten alive .. so oboviously it doesn't work for everybody:(
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Hi Pat

I have heard a lot of people mention Avon SSS before, but I don't think it will work for me, I might be wrong!
Going to try the garlic tablets and a spray of some kind.
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