allergic reaction

[Michael Palmer]

do hands normally swell more than other areas of the body?

I would say yes. When stung on the hand, or head, the swelling has nowhere to go but out because under the skin is bone. On other parts of the body, that are soft with no bone beneath, some of the swelling goes in.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I did get talking to someoe else with a bee allergy who said they were offered the desensitizing injections but... They cost £10,000 for the course

Doesn't your health insurance cover desensitizing? My daughter nearly died from a bee sting, and our insurance covered the course of injections…minus a small co-pay of about $15/visit.

 

[MartinL]

do hands normally swell more than other areas of the body?

My fingers and head do!

Wouldn't consider the thought of being stung elsewhere let alone the idea of exposing those areas in the first place!

Even at the heights of a summer heat-wave, Budgie Smugglers and flip-flops would not be my choice of dress when visiting the girls, (I do have to walk past the pub you know).

 

[itma]

Update: Went to see the doctor and he told me that the while the risk of anaphylaxis is there it is low. He said that many people are allergic to a lot of things but exposed themselves to those things anyway. I didn't get an epipen but he proscribed me peritin tablets to take before i inspect the bees. I also got a referral to a specialist. I did get talking to someoe else with a bee allergy who said they were offered the desensitizing injections but... They cost £10,000 for the course and involve traveling to Belfast twice a month for two years and staying in the clinic for three hours observation after each injection.

Piriton is a simple antihistamine, available to buy over-the-counter in most pharmacies (probably more cheaply than the prescription cost, unless you qualify for free prescriptions. Drstitson has advised that the generic with the same active ingredient is equally good and can be found for a fraction of the price. But it isn't expensive, especially when on a BOGOF offer ...

Referral is *exactly* what you needed.

Desensitisation is available in the UK under the NHS, for free.
It is a course of injections. Weekly for the first 12 weeks, then less frequently. All those I have heard from have been kept under observation for just one hour. Dpearce4 ran a thread on here blogging his experiences.
I don't believe it costs the NHS very much. Certainly less than the cost of an emergency admission if you take a bad one.

See the specialist.
Describe your symptoms to him (write down a list beforehand).
Ask him for the RAST score.
Then, after testing, discuss epipens and desensitisation with him.
Meanwhile ensure there is a 'bee-buddy' on hand when you are around the bees, and increase your care in working with them to minimise their disturbance. Be gentle, be prudent but don't be scared!

 

[Susan1]

I had a rast test and the Doctor said I am allergic to point 12 -something like that. I didn't have the wit to ask what that meant. He would not give me an epipen though. Ijust get very swollen and sore but no rash so I suppose its ok. I think bee stings can go either way for some people either get easier or worse. or vary.

 

[Dishmop]

Even at the heights of a summer heat-wave, Budgie Smugglers and flip-flops would not be my choice of dress when visiting the girls, (I do have to walk past the pub you know).

Wear your veil and they wont know its you.

 

[dpearce4]

this is my thread that you may want to read.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21905

my last injection at the end of jan I had no reaction at all to didn't even look like I had been bitten by a gnat and that is equivalent to 2 stings. I am still very careful though go fully suited when opening up the hives, but I will happily not have my suit done up while just walking round them before inspections.

it is hard but worth it.

 

[MartinL]

Wear your veil and they wont know its you.

Yes, they may think it was the wife!

 

[Michael Palmer]

I had a rast test and the Doctor said I am allergic to point 12 -something like that.

Might be the size of the weal left by the venom injection. That's what they did with my daughter. Measured the size of the red mark. When small enough, they increased the venom content on the next injection.

 

[thorn]

Doesn't your health insurance cover desensitizing? My daughter nearly died from a bee sting, and our insurance covered the course of injections…minus a small co-pay of about $15/visit.

Michael, very few people over here have private health insurance. We don't need it for general medical treatment.

 

[MartinL]

America, land of the free,
but not the free medic, dentist, ambulance or lawyer.

 

[victor meldrew]

Get involved in an RTA in this country and you'll find the priority of the ambulance authority is to demand payment , why? Because there's insurance money available . Trip over a kerb , no problem all !
VM


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[Briarfield]

Get involved in an RTA in this country and you'll find the priority of the ambulance authority is to demand payment

Not just about insurance. It all goes back to the Road Traffic Act 1934.

Hospitals and GPs can also charge. There is a cap £46,000 or thereabouts for inpatients.


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[itma]

Doesn't your health insurance cover desensitizing? My daughter nearly died from a bee sting, and our insurance covered the course of injections…minus a small co-pay of about $15/visit.

Michael, very few people over here have private health insurance. We don't need it for general medical treatment.

And to reiterate that this desensitisation treatment *IS* available for free, on the NHS. For those that need it.
But because the serum for injecting has to be stored very carefully, and there is a possibility of a reaction to the treatment, you should expect to discover that getting the treatment means regularly attending the specialist clinic in a large hospital, which can involve a bit of travelling. For example, in the county of Kent, it seems that the treatment clinics are only held in the Medway Maritime hospital. Which can easily mean a 45 minute drive in each direction (hint: allow lots more time, traffic and parking at Medway Maritime are the stuff of nightmares).

 

[MartinL]

Michael, very few people over here have private health insurance. We don't need it for general medical treatment.

No every expenditure is more than covered by the car parking revenues!

 

[Beesand]

And to reiterate that this desensitisation treatment *IS* available for free, on the NHS. For those that need it.
But because the serum for injecting has to be stored very carefully, and there is a possibility of a reaction to the treatment, you should expect to discover that getting the treatment means regularly attending the specialist clinic in a large hospital, which can involve a bit of travelling. For example, in the county of Kent, it seems that the treatment clinics are only held in the Medway Maritime hospital. Which can easily mean a 45 minute drive in each direction (hint: allow lots more time, traffic and parking at Medway Maritime are the stuff of nightmares).

The good thing is the clinic time is 8am so the parking isn't generally a problem, traffic getting there on the other hand can be a nightmare.
The clinic always seems to run to schedule too, you don't get any backlog of patients before you, its all quite efficient.

 

[dpearce4]

The good thing is the clinic time is 8am so the parking isn't generally a problem, traffic getting there on the other hand can be a nightmare.
The clinic always seems to run to schedule too, you don't get any backlog of patients before you, its all quite efficient.

Same down here at the Brighton clinic. the only issue is this time of year when they do the pollen injections for hay fever sufferers (they have to pay). normally about 20 more people.

 

[Dishmop]

Good job this bloke doesnt have an allergy.[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpidR6Wb8Wg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpidR6Wb8Wg[/ame]