Bad Reaction to sting

[Mike a]

Warning to everyone.

I would call this a moderate reaction compared to the last time I was stung which is almost 2 years ago now which I blamed on the heavy dosage of painkillers I was taking at the time.

Minding my own business chatting with a couple of friends and I got stung just below my bottom lip. At the time I was a good 50+ meters and down wind from the four colonies which being inspected at the time.

5 minutes my eyes felt like they were really sore as if I had sand in them. Started to feel hot and sweaty as my body started to react.

10 minutes I started to see small blisters appearing on my arms and shoulders. Took a piriton tablet.

30 minutes large blisters covering arms, shoulders, armpits, chest and other areas feeling very very itchy by now.... cheek started to swell up.

2.5 hours later most of the smaller blisters have gone, itching gone. The larger blisters on my arms, shoulders and chest are still visible but slowly going down and now have huge hamster style swollen cheek and fat lip.

Currently got my feet up dribbling a cup of tea that I'm trying to enjoy.

I will be going to see my doctor about getting on a course as I can't continue beekeeping and suffer with bad reactions if I'm stung again.

 

[Polyanwood]

Unless you are a beard model or similar, I wouldn't worry. It looks like how I react to stings on the mouth or eye.... they all seem to give the most dramatic reaction. I also notice that the frist few stings of the season are by far the worst too, perhaps because the Winter bees have been building up their venom stores all Winter.

If however, your airway or your ear canals start to close (you will feel it) then you need hospital treatment, otherwsie, I just reach for the anti histamine tablets.

 

[oliver90owner]

It looks like how I react to stings on the mouth or eye....

It is the reaction on the shoulder that is the bigger problem ...

 

[nosmoking]

Bloomin' heck Mike. Don't you dare give up beekeeping, lol. Hope your better soon and this morning went well for you.

 

[waverider]

I recall reading a journal last year that examined ibuprofen and how sensitivity to A.mellifera venom is elevated even a month after consuming the painkiller.

Sorry, i cant remember the journal name, year, author.

 

[Excession]

You are supposed to take Antihistamine before getting stung for it to have time to take effect.

If you take it after getting stung it can actually make the reaction worse.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I recall reading a journal last year that examined ibuprofen and how sensitivity to A.mellifera venom is elevated even a month after consuming the painkiller.

Sorry, i cant remember the journal name, year, author.

Normally I have little reaction to stings but on the one occasion I was stung on a finger while taking ibuprofen my arm swelled considerably up to my elbow.

 

[Luminos]

How is it today, Mike?

 

[Suzi Q]

You are supposed to take Antihistamine before getting stung for it to have time to take effect.

If you take it after getting stung it can actually make the reaction worse.

Really? What is the effect on the immune system, then, if antihistamine is taken when not needed, which hopefully will be 100% of the time?

 

[Mike a]

How is it today, Mike?

Through the day it slowly went down. Over night my cheek swelled up a little, enough to wake me when I rolled over but now my cheek only looks a little puffy compared to the opposite side, my lip is the same.

 

[Swarm]

Really? What is the effect on the immune system, then, if antihistamine is taken when not needed, which hopefully will be 100% of the time?

I've often wondered the same.

 

[BKF Admin]

You are supposed to take Antihistamine before getting stung for it to have time to take effect.

If you take it after getting stung it can actually make the reaction worse.

Have you read this or been told ?

 

[alysonmaria]

You are supposed to take Antihistamine before getting stung for it to have time to take effect.

If you take it after getting stung it can actually make the reaction worse.

NO NO NO NO NO! As a registered nurse I can confirm that antihistamines are taken AFTER the event for bites and stings, and on a regular basis for conditions such as hayfever.

Thank you.

 

[victor meldrew]

I have read that once the mast cells have fired,antihistamines have little effect!
Advice was pop the pills before manipulating a colony !
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Excession]

Oops, I had best admit my mistake, it's anti inflammatories you should not take as they can make the reaction worse.

Anti histamine you should take before an apiary visit as it is more effective if its already in your system when stung.

I got my wires crossed...

 

[pargyle]

I have read that once the mast cells have fired,antihistamines have little effect!
Advice was pop the pills before manipulating a colony !
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Got to be careful with Piriton (normal antihistamine)... can make some people (me for instance) very drowsy ... not great if you are intending driving but should be fine for bee handling. Takes about 3 hours for effects to wear off.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Warning to everyone.

I would call this a moderate reaction compared to the last time I was stung which is almost 2 years ago now which I blamed on the heavy dosage of painkillers I was taking at the time.

Minding my own business chatting with a couple of friends and I got stung just below my bottom lip. At the time I was a good 50+ meters and down wind from the four colonies which being inspected at the time.

5 minutes my eyes felt like they were really sore as if I had sand in them. Started to feel hot and sweaty as my body started to react.

10 minutes I started to see small blisters appearing on my arms and shoulders. Took a piriton tablet.


30 minutes large blisters covering arms, shoulders, armpits, chest and other areas feeling very very itchy by now.... cheek started to swell up.

2.5 hours later most of the smaller blisters have gone, itching gone. The larger blisters on my arms, shoulders and chest are still visible but slowly going down and now have huge hamster style swollen cheek and fat lip.


I will be going to see my doctor about getting on a course as I can't continue beekeeping and suffer with bad reactions if I'm stung again.

Have you recently taken ibroprofen or a blood pressure pill?, seen similar ulceration as your shoulders with someone on ACE inhibators for blood pressure

 

[Mike a]

Apart from the odd anadin tablet for a headache the last tablet I took Dihydrocodeine for my back operations was over a year ago. Since then I've been careful to wrap up well when dealing with my bees.

Almost two days on I can still feel a slight swelling in my cheek and the gland or glands under my jaw feel a little tender but nothing to worry about.

 

[Sean.]

You are supposed to take Antihistamine before getting stung for it to have time to take effect.

If you take it after getting stung it can actually make the reaction worse.

I have prescription anti-histamines, for a different allergy. They are very useful on inspection day, I take one in the morning before inspections.

 

[psafloyd]

I'd have thought most if not all winter bees likely to be dead, now. Possibly more about our own exposure to the venom and rebuilding antibodies for the season?