Can mosquito bite reactions vary year to year? Is aging a factor?

As a kid, I got _a lot_ of mosquito bites, so much so that my mom used unscented everything to wash me and my clothes AND hung up a bug zapper in my bedroom. I didn’t have full-blown skeeter syndrome, but I did get larger than usual welts. As I got older, I started using more effective repellent and now take oral antihistamines. That meant fewer bites and less swelling…

until this year.

I’m now 49 and live in a medium-sized town in Virginia. I have to apply insect repellent -every time- I leave my house or I get bitten. Any bites swell to the size of a dime and grow extremely itchy. Nothing seems to stop the itch despite my use of antihistamines and After Bite, Benadryl spray, etc.

I’m curious if other people have had this experience, if you know why it’s happening, and if you have any suggested remedies. I wonder if I’ve just gotten bitten enough in recent years (despite repellent, etc) that I’m sensitized to them? I’m also perimenopausal and apparently that causes _everything_ now. Could that be a factor? Can I just slap some estrogen cream on them?!?!?

I ordered a Heat It last night at 3am when I wanted to claw off my skin, but any experienced and suggestions are welcome!