An unusual medical ailment

adrianm4492 · Jan 26, 2019

Long time reader, second time poster. Thanks for all the hints and tips.
So I've just arrived into SJPdP for my second Camino. But until a couple of days it was looking like not happening due to a very unusual ailment. I'm wondering if anyone has had something more unusual potentially sabotage their walk.
I was in Bolivia in December and spent a week in the Amazon there. I got what I thought were four infected mosquito bites around my ankles that just wouldn't heal. In fact they got slowly worse to the point where I seriously considered cancelling my walk. Antibiotics did nothing to help.
Then a couple of days ago I was in my room in Paris and noticed something sticking out of one of the wounds. When I grabbed it, to my horror, it moved! I tugged it out to discover a one centimetre long maggot. (apologies if you're eating). Three more maggots came out that night and the last stubborn bugger came out yesterday. Turns out bot flies had used mosquitoes to lay their eggs inside my legs. Disgusting, but fascinating at the same time.
Can anyone match this for bizarre ailments threatening their Camino? Very excited to start my winter walk. Weather is perfect today, hopefully it keeps up.

flewitheagles · Jan 26, 2019

I'm going out on a limb, adrianm4492, and declare you the the winner.... However, I bet the thread has some interesting posts!

Rosalinda · Jan 26, 2019

Look up bot fly. It sounds like that is what you have.

Rosalinda · Jan 26, 2019

For treatment of bot fly they suggest putting petroleum jelly over location.

Rick of Rick and Peg · Jan 26, 2019

My camino was almost ruined when this little guy later ran off with my trekking poles:

Former member 49149 · Jan 26, 2019

Rick of Rick and Peg said:
My camino was almost ruined when this guy later ran off with my trekking poles:

Has Peg got the Creative Writing Diploma framed?

Former member 49149 · Jan 26, 2019

adrianm4492 said:
Long time reader, second time poster. Thanks for all the hints and tips.
So I've just arrived into SJPdP for my second Camino. But until a couple of days it was looking like not happening due to a very unusual ailment. I'm wondering if anyone has had something more unusual potentially sabotage their walk.
I was in Bolivia in December and spent a week in the Amazon there. I got what I thought were four infected mosquito bites around my ankles that just wouldn't heal. In fact they got slowly worse to the point where I seriously considered cancelling my walk. Antibiotics did nothing to help.
Then a couple of days ago I was in my room in Paris and noticed something sticking out of one of the wounds. When I grabbed it, to my horror, it moved! I tugged it out to discover a one centimetre long maggot. (apologies if you're eating). Three more maggots came out that night and the last stubborn bugger came out yesterday. Turns out bot flies had used mosquitoes to lay their eggs inside my legs. Disgusting, but fascinating at the same time.
Can anyone match this for bizarre ailments threatening their Camino? Very excited to start my winter walk. Weather is perfect today, hopefully it keeps up.

I began reading about this. Then I decided I do not need to. Glad you are not carrying anything not on your packing list, so do have a buen camino, minus bot flies.

Cayou · Jan 26, 2019

I've just scratched the Amazon off my bucket list!

Joodle · Jan 26, 2019

adrianm4492 said:
Long time reader, second time poster. Thanks for all the hints and tips.
So I've just arrived into SJPdP for my second Camino. But until a couple of days it was looking like not happening due to a very unusual ailment. I'm wondering if anyone has had something more unusual potentially sabotage their walk.
I was in Bolivia in December and spent a week in the Amazon there. I got what I thought were four infected mosquito bites around my ankles that just wouldn't heal. In fact they got slowly worse to the point where I seriously considered cancelling my walk. Antibiotics did nothing to help.
Then a couple of days ago I was in my room in Paris and noticed something sticking out of one of the wounds. When I grabbed it, to my horror, it moved! I tugged it out to discover a one centimetre long maggot. (apologies if you're eating). Three more maggots came out that night and the last stubborn bugger came out yesterday. Turns out bot flies had used mosquitoes to lay their eggs inside my legs. Disgusting, but fascinating at the same time.
Can anyone match this for bizarre ailments threatening their Camino? Very excited to start my winter walk. Weather is perfect today, hopefully it keeps up.

We had that happen to our dog. It was a bit creepy. It must have been horrifying, i mean fascinating to watch. I'm a nurse, but i probably would have screamed just a little.

Iriebabel · Jan 26, 2019

Wow...I mean ...wow Happy you got the little buggers out at least it wasn’’t mothra. Happy you survived the infestation . I’m with @Joodle as a former medic I have a certain morbid fascination but yeah I would have to scream a little @Cayou it’s off my bucket list too or at least I’m wearing steel gaiters To the amazon

Rebekah Scott · Jan 26, 2019

eeeeeuuugh! So glad you got rid of those freeloaders before you started your hike! What did you do with them, once they came into the light? Flush them down the loo?

MeandIan · Jan 26, 2019

The good thing about maggots is that the wound is clean. They eat all the infected bits. As a theatre nurse we used to use hydrogen peroxide (which my mother used as ear drops). It will cause them to ‘bubble’ out. I think all pharmacies should sell it. You can then use vinegar thereafter. Hope you sort it out soon. Buen Camino

Iriebabel · Jan 26, 2019

MeandIan said:
The good thing about maggots is that the wound is clean. They eat all the infected bits. As a theatre nurse we used to use hydrogen peroxide (which my mother used as ear drops). It will cause them to ‘bubble’ out. I think all pharmacies should sell it. You can then use vinegar thereafter. Hope you sort it out soon. Buen Camino

Here, here! My mother always told about hydrogen peroxide from when I was young. Works wonders on open wounds

Camino Chrissy · Jan 27, 2019

Cayou said:
I've just scratched the Amazon off my bucket list!

Me too!

nycwalking · Jan 27, 2019

kirkie said:
I began reading about this. Then I decided I do not need to. Glad you are not carrying anything not on your packing list, so do have a buen camino, minus bot flies.

It’s too bad you were seriously bitten!

Buen camino.

alaskadiver · Jan 27, 2019

I have nightmares about Bot flies! Bless you for having such a positive attitude.

Vacajoe · Jan 27, 2019

And folks here worry about bedbugs....

adrianm4492 · Jan 27, 2019

Rebekah Scott said:
eeeeeuuugh! So glad you got rid of those freeloaders before you started your hike! What did you do with them, once they came into the light? Flush them down the loo?

Actually I gave them to the doctors I saw in Paris. They were fascinated and thought it was "wonderful ". I kid you not. Felt like I was in an episode of House the way they all gathered around poking, prodding and videoing it all for training purposes!

adrianm4492 · Jan 27, 2019

Thanks for all the medical advice but rest assured they are all gone now. And yes @Vacajoe I thought the same thing. Imagine if these were the bedbugs you got here. It would cure the overcrowding issue pretty quickly!

PanamaFrancis · Jan 27, 2019

adrianm4492 said:
Long time reader, second time poster. Thanks for all the hints and tips.
So I've just arrived into SJPdP for my second Camino. But until a couple of days it was looking like not happening due to a very unusual ailment. I'm wondering if anyone has had something more unusual potentially sabotage their walk.
I was in Bolivia in December and spent a week in the Amazon there. I got what I thought were four infected mosquito bites around my ankles that just wouldn't heal. In fact they got slowly worse to the point where I seriously considered cancelling my walk. Antibiotics did nothing to help.
Then a couple of days ago I was in my room in Paris and noticed something sticking out of one of the wounds. When I grabbed it, to my horror, it moved! I tugged it out to discover a one centimetre long maggot. (apologies if you're eating). Three more maggots came out that night and the last stubborn bugger came out yesterday. Turns out bot flies had used mosquitoes to lay their eggs inside my legs. Disgusting, but fascinating at the same time.
Can anyone match this for bizarre ailments threatening their Camino? Very excited to start my winter walk. Weather is perfect today, hopefully it keeps up.

You were bitten by a bott fly - I’ve lived in Central America for 17 years. Easiest local remedy - put duct tape over the bites

JamesVT · Jan 27, 2019

adrianm4492 said:
Long time reader, second time poster. Thanks for all the hints and tips.
So I've just arrived into SJPdP for my second Camino. But until a couple of days it was looking like not happening due to a very unusual ailment. I'm wondering if anyone has had something more unusual potentially sabotage their walk.
I was in Bolivia in December and spent a week in the Amazon there. I got what I thought were four infected mosquito bites around my ankles that just wouldn't heal. In fact they got slowly worse to the point where I seriously considered cancelling my walk. Antibiotics did nothing to help.
Then a couple of days ago I was in my room in Paris and noticed something sticking out of one of the wounds. When I grabbed it, to my horror, it moved! I tugged it out to discover a one centimetre long maggot. (apologies if you're eating). Three more maggots came out that night and the last stubborn bugger came out yesterday. Turns out bot flies had used mosquitoes to lay their eggs inside my legs. Disgusting, but fascinating at the same time.
Can anyone match this for bizarre ailments threatening their Camino? Very excited to start my winter walk. Weather is perfect today, hopefully it keeps up.

Yuck!

Former member 49149 · Jan 27, 2019

adrianm4492 said:
Long time reader, second time poster. Thanks for all the hints and tips.
So I've just arrived into SJPdP for my second Camino. But until a couple of days it was looking like not happening due to a very unusual ailment. I'm wondering if anyone has had something more unusual potentially sabotage their walk.
I was in Bolivia in December and spent a week in the Amazon there. I got what I thought were four infected mosquito bites around my ankles that just wouldn't heal. In fact they got slowly worse to the point where I seriously considered cancelling my walk. Antibiotics did nothing to help.
Then a couple of days ago I was in my room in Paris and noticed something sticking out of one of the wounds. When I grabbed it, to my horror, it moved! I tugged it out to discover a one centimetre long maggot. (apologies if you're eating). Three more maggots came out that night and the last stubborn bugger came out yesterday. Turns out bot flies had used mosquitoes to lay their eggs inside my legs. Disgusting, but fascinating at the same time.
Can anyone match this for bizarre ailments threatening their Camino? Very excited to start my winter walk. Weather is perfect today, hopefully it keeps up.

Can’t match it, but after re-reading it, you sound such a cool cucumber, I hope you write a few posts as you walk along on your camino. Master of understatement. As in, well, snakes almost bit my head off. Did you see that lovely sunset?

adrianm4492 · Jan 27, 2019

kirkie said:
Can’t match it, but after re-reading it, you sound such a cool cucumber, I hope you write a few posts as you walk along on your camino. Master of understatement. As in, well, snakes almost bit my head off. Did you see that lovely sunset?

Hehe, well I am from Australia. If I was really tough I would have cooked them and ate them! Will probably post from time to time. I have got a lot from this forum and it would be good to give something back.

Hiawatha · Jan 27, 2019

Be grateful you weren't bitten on the eye

willydp · Jan 28, 2019

Nature is fascinating
Buen Camino

G3n0 · Jan 28, 2019

Are Bot Flies like Bedbugs?

Deleted member 73526 · Jan 28, 2019

Similar thing happened to a close friend of mine after her return from The Gambia - Tumbu fly larvae (similar to bot fly). One of the larvae didn't hatch and required surgical removal and a course of antibiotics. Glad it all worked out for you.

Charles Zammit said:
Be grateful you weren't bitten on the eye

That would be bad. According to the literature, the scrotum and (for women) the breasts are common sites to be affected. I think that this might be because the flies can lay eggs on laundry that is hung outside. I have heard that ironing your underwear is advisable in regions with Tumbu fly for this reason.

Anamya · Jan 28, 2019

So, I lived in Brazil for many years (not close to the Amazon, though). We always heard of bot flies, and every now and then my friends' cows would have issues with them.
The way my acquaintances dealt with it was to cut a sucullent cube of bacon or salami and put it with a bandage over the wound. The maggots would them go towards it, because appearantly bacon is tastier than humans. And they crawl out by themselves.

We were always terrified of it happening to us. Now I could not avoid having a chuckle imagining you walking the camino with bacon around your ankle! Luckly Spain has amazing jamón!

loumura · Feb 2, 2019

adrianm4492 said:
Long time reader, second time poster. Thanks for all the hints and tips.
So I've just arrived into SJPdP for my second Camino. But until a couple of days it was looking like not happening due to a very unusual ailment. I'm wondering if anyone has had something more unusual potentially sabotage their walk.
I was in Bolivia in December and spent a week in the Amazon there. I got what I thought were four infected mosquito bites around my ankles that just wouldn't heal. In fact they got slowly worse to the point where I seriously considered cancelling my walk. Antibiotics did nothing to help.
Then a couple of days ago I was in my room in Paris and noticed something sticking out of one of the wounds. When I grabbed it, to my horror, it moved! I tugged it out to discover a one centimetre long maggot. (apologies if you're eating). Three more maggots came out that night and the last stubborn bugger came out yesterday. Turns out bot flies had used mosquitoes to lay their eggs inside my legs. Disgusting, but fascinating at the same time.
Can anyone match this for bizarre ailments threatening their Camino? Very excited to start my winter walk. Weather is perfect today, hopefully it keeps up.

OMG!!! I am sorry you've had to endure this malady, but actually it's not all that uncommon when traveling in these areas! I worked in the medical field and know about it. But you are very brave indeed. I am not so sure I would have had the courage to start the walk. Good luck!!!

trecile · Feb 2, 2019

G3n0 said:
Are Bot Flies like Bedbugs?

Not at all

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An unusual medical ailment

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