I’ve dug into many ants and always act out the same as you did. They are nasty little buggers. I’m quick to brush them off but still get bit numerous times and then the ones I missed get me again by surprise!

I have never had the symptoms you decribe..are you sure you didnt whack yourself or jam something? If not, it sounds like maybe youve got something else going on...

Yeah, that's not typical. I think Formic Acid is the "active ingredient" in ant stings. Maybe something else that you are allergic to. Hopefully the nurse can understand your problem.

As long as your airway stayed open and you didn't have trouble breathing .....but it does sound like a pretty acute reaction. You could take a dose of benadryl or another anti histamine to reduce the immediate symptoms. Wash the area too with a gentle soap and cool water.

If this reaction is indicative of allergic reactions to other stings, such as bees, hornets and wasps then you need to be more pro-active and consider seeing an allergist. Maybe keep an antihistamine handy in the house for situations like this. Of course any tightening in chest, difficulty breathing, swelling tongue get someone to drive you to the ER fast.

Marie, that is great advice. I am impressed.

I'm allergic. I had some ants swarm my ankle. My fault. I stepped on the hill. I brushed them off and then passed out cold

"I brushed them off and then passed out cold."

Yikes! Did you pass out because an allergic reaction, or from the fright you got from the ants?

The pain is better in the swarmed arm today, but now the other arm has progressed to small oozing blisters and kind of burns. This is not good. I put antibiotic ointment on and covered with bandages. If it gets any worse I think I'm going to go to urgent care, don't want it to get out of hand and end up with an infection or tissue necrosis.

Oh I'm a country girl. No swooning over insects😊. It was an allergic reaction and probably intensified because there were no many bites.

country girls can also die of allergic reactions. Dont be silly. Go to the doctor, report and get tested if necessary. Come away with sensible advice which might include effective use of antihistamines or an epipen.

jeeze, passing out cold ..... i orimise thats not normal....

Yuck. Reminds me of what it's like to live in fire ant country. I hope it's not some new nasty ant that can live up north...

I hope it looks better this morning. Sounds like you're doing everything right, but I suspect the itching will start in another day or two, maybe someone has suggestions for that?

Otc 1 percent cortisone cream. very little very lightly.

wonder what the nurse aver said about it ...

she's still posting.. so i presume all is well ...

marie... hydrocortisone... or cortisone.. or is there a difference??? .. we always used it on squetter bites ...

ken

"wonder what the nurse aver said about it ..."

She said it looks bad (duh...LOL!) and if it doesn't get better I should go to urgent care, agreed hydrocortisone and antibiotic creams good thing I did.

They're much, much better here a week later. Not swollen, itchy, or oozing anymore -- just big red spots.

ETA: I didn't go to urgent care, I just kept putting on cortisone and antibiotic and re-bandaging over the weekend, all seems to be fine now (other than big ugly red spots).

Try to keep that area out of the sun, which can intensify the discoloration. It may burn more easily, too.l Use sunscreen and wear long sleeves. Which is a good idea in a world with or without ants.

That does sound like an extreme reaction. I got a LOT of ant bites. Most of them do make blisters. You're lucky that ants swarming up your arm is an unusual occurrence. It happens about any time I pull a weed or try to dig a hole here.

If you can ID your ants, you would be able to connect with the most accurate info. I hope fire ants haven't made it all the way to MI, even though I was born a buckeye. I wouldn't even wish that on any wolverine. I did see ant hills in KY last time we were up that way.

I'm back a year later to report that the little buggers got me again!! Again with the red, swelling, tiny oozing blisters, itchiness, burning -- all of it. Dammit! At least I don't have the achy, shooting pain like last time around, thank goodness for that -- there weren't nearly as many of them this time around, but those few that got me got me good. :0(

Wow! That does sound like fire ants. So sorry!! Unless you're trying to sustain an anteater, those things are just a scourge on the land.