Odds & Sods

[CMChris]

Going back to the mossie problem the best anti mossie 'stuff' that my hubbie has found was Boots roll ons. They contain DEET which is the only effective mossie deterrent, he's a mossie magnet and luckily for me they hate me lol. DEET was 'invented' by the US for their soldiers in Vietnam and since then nothing new has come onto the market. All the citronella in the world won't keep mossies away but go for any product with DEET and its very effective, also good for sand flies but you have to reapply after going in the water. I've done extensive research on fly repellents using my horses as guinea pigs poor things lol

[lyndsay552]

Mossies really are my biggest worry about moving to Egypt. We where in Thailand for a month last year and I was like the Elephant Woman. My legs where tore to pieces, to the point when I went for a Thai Massage, the woman thought there was something wrong with me!! I normally use the Jungle Formula roll on which works quite well but all it takes is to miss one bit and they have a field day!!

Is it possible to get stronger anti-histamines? My doctor gave me piritin before I went but I still took a reaction. Is there a version for horses? If so how can I get some lol

Lyndsay

[CMChris]

Don't think you'd want to take horse meds lol they come in BIG doses, Doc might be able to prescribe stronger but they say eating garlic helps and there's another herbally substance which I don't know if it comes in a human version but cedar helps too to deter them (in horses). Check the back of the jungle formula against Boots own and see which DEET content is higher cos the higher it is obviously the better it is.

[queenie40something]

Hi Lyndsay - ask Britney about the horses!!

Avons skin so soft is also very good. My son gets bitten to pieces in the UK but didnt get bitten in Egypt. I had a few last time but not as severe as you. I do feel for people when I see them covered and they take an age to go dont they?

[lyndsay552]

Oh yes!! The scars are still on my legs from Thailand. The worst is the sand flies, the last time I got bit by one was on the middle of my thigh and it swole to 4ins x 4ins and about 2ins out the ways!! My husband took a photo because there is no way anyone would believe just how bad it was.

[queenie40something]

Hi Lyndsay - the sandflies must have been what got me in Dom Republic. We went a few years ago for Xmas and New year. We had a severe storm that lasted for 2 days. After being couped up indoors for 2 days I thought it would be a good idea for us all to go beach combing. Big mistake. By the time we had departed and were sitting in the airport my legs and arms began to swell. I was wearing jeans and they were getting tighter and tighter. I had to swap trousers with my teenage daughter as she was wearing joggers. It was really worrying.

[lyndsay552]

The best cure I found was cold towels. I spent two days in our bungalow with soaking wet towels wrapped around my legs to try and take the swelling down. I also got stuff called tiger balm which is a local concoction, not sure if the egyptians have something similar?

[queenie40something]

I was sat in the departure lounge with joggers rolled up above my knees and wet hand towels all over my legs!

[lyndsay552]

It works a treat!!

[CMChris]

What you need for the bites is to poultice them to draw the yuk stuff out. Find a horse tack shop and get yourselves a Robinsons Animalintex Poultice. Its like a large rectangle (which you cut to size) of lint and you soak it in cool boiled water and bandage it over the infected bite. Use vetwrap bandage which sticks to itself to hold it in place then give it overnight and usually the bite will have spat out the gunky stuff and started to go down. Why is it animals have a better medical kit at their (our) disposal than humans?