Bad reaction to sting.

[Cellectronic]

Hi All,
I am now in my third year of beekeeping and have had around ten stings, Some minor discomforts with most of them and one (poss number 5) I had to go to the doctors for medication.
A week ago I had a small sting in my hand , no problem!
3 days ago I had a sting to my foot.
NOW PAY ATTENTION.
Within ten minutes I felt my ear canals swell and itch , got home within twenty minutes to find my palms itching , face starting to swell and blisters (hives ?) on several parts of my body.
Next stop , Hospital.
I was informed I was allergic to this particular venom, and then I had the pleasure of a cannula being stuck in my hand and being pumped full of piriton and other stuff.
Cool stuff or what ???
Not really, As I was informed the next one could be fatal !!
I had no respiratory problems at all , but a strange acid burn below my diagphram.Anyway I am now left with a slightly swollen itchy foot .

Question is , Am I correct in thinking there is a course of medication that can be taken to lessen my reaction to this particular venom?
An Epipen was suggested by the Doctor.
I have no wish to quit beekeeping, maybe just not keep the small black type that I found dead in my shoe.
Any similar events happen to anyone else I wonder ?
Best regards to you all.

 

[REDWOOD]

First, what protection did you have against bee stings and how did you get one in your shoe, why were you wearing shoes ??? and how did you get one on the head ???
There is a desensitisation course available
Hope you are feeling better

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I got stung a couple of times this weekend (long,deep manipulations) and my forearms have swollen like balloons, where normally stings don't bother me. Is the venom more powerful at this time of year, maybe?

 

[Davelin]

To be honest if I were you no matter how much I love keeping bees I would get rid of them pronto.
Is it really worth the risk?

 

[Mrs Shoot]

Have you been on any medication such as anti inflammatories (even ibuprofen ) ? If so this will effect the way you react to a sting.

 

[Foxylad]

Have you been on any medication such as anti inflammatories (even ibuprofen ) ? If so this will effect the way you react to a sting.

Also try take up the doctors advise on a epi-pen, it's a worst case scenario. Not that bad to carry around, take it with you every time you do an inspection.

Take better precautions when you go near your bees. Gloves, wellys and a quality suit.

This was a warning, you don't gave to give up beekeeping. Just be more care full.

 

[jd101k2000]

As Mrs Shoot says, sometimes other medications make the reaction worse. There is hearsay about ibuprofen falling into this category. http://www.beesource.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-267500.html
and http://www.beevenom.com/Beevenomallergy.htm

As you have gone all winter without being stung, your body has forgotten how to deal nicely with stings so stings at this time of year can be worse.

On the other hand, that does sound like a really nasty reaction. There are desensitisation courses. If you want to continue to keep bees, those and an epipen should be your next area of research.

 

[madasafish]

Happened to a girl near us.

Full course of anti sensitisation and FULL protection - gauntlets etc.. She suffered breathing difficulties...ambulance etc..

 

[Erichalfbee]

There is hearsay about ibuprofen falling into this category.

This person can attest to the potentiating effects of ibuprofen on bee venom

ouch ouch ouch OUCH !!!!

Now ibuprofen along with holidays is banned in the bee season

 

[sipa]

Last summer I got stung on the chest, the sting itself wasn't too painful.

However, within mins I was agitated, had sweliings in the palm of my hands and up my arms and terrible itching almost everywhere.

Lips were tingling, didn't feel very well at all. As directed by my doctor previously I took two piriton, these did calm things down after a while.

To be honest, I was scared.... didn't like the experience.

Been stung occasionally since, so take piriton immediately and this does help.
I've got an Epipen now too.

 

[Cellectronic]

First, what protection did you have against bee stings and how did you get one in your shoe, why were you wearing shoes ??? and how did you get one on the head ???
There is a desensitisation course available
Hope you are feeling better

Stung on my hand, not head and it was through my glove (bee got trapped in the outer creases)
My full length all in one suite is BBwear, Which I am very pleased with. I was stung on my foot because the bee went down the inside of my shoe, Next time I will be wearing wellies or my walking boots.
I am now looking into getting a de-sensitising course and an Epi-pen.

I had done the hive inspections and all was ok , it was afterwards when I was doing some weeding around the hives.

I was not taking any other medications prior to sting , But I was working at a fast pace hacking weeds off with a knife , I was stood but bent over , maybe that had something to do with it, I was quite warm and blood pressure would have been elevated because I was in an almost upside down position !!

 

[YorkshireBees]

I got stung a couple of times this weekend (long,deep manipulations) and my forearms have swollen like balloons, where normally stings don't bother me. Is the venom more powerful at this time of year, maybe?

I don't believe so. No evidence to the fact. I, through my own fault, took nearly a dozen stings to the arms on Saturday. I took an antihistamine tablet after and besides some local swelling and itching for a couple of days had no other reaction.

To be honest if I were you no matter how much I love keeping bees I would get rid of them pronto.
Is it really worth the risk?

Although an option, for people that want to keep beekeeping there are other options.
A member of our BKA (probably on hear) became allergic and carried on. He gave a very interesting talk last year about his experience and the thorough research that he performed. Is or has done a de-sensitization course and wears appropriate protection for inspections.

 

[dpearce4]

Hi All,
I am now in my third year of beekeeping and have had around ten stings, Some minor discomforts with most of them and one (poss number 5) I had to go to the doctors for medication.
A week ago I had a small sting in my hand , no problem!
3 days ago I had a sting to my foot.
NOW PAY ATTENTION.
Within ten minutes I felt my ear canals swell and itch , got home within twenty minutes to find my palms itching , face starting to swell and blisters (hives ?) on several parts of my body.
Next stop , Hospital.
I was informed I was allergic to this particular venom, and then I had the pleasure of a cannula being stuck in my hand and being pumped full of piriton and other stuff.
Cool stuff or what ???
Not really, As I was informed the next one could be fatal !!
I had no respiratory problems at all , but a strange acid burn below my diagphram.Anyway I am now left with a slightly swollen itchy foot .

Question is , Am I correct in thinking there is a course of medication that can be taken to lessen my reaction to this particular venom?
An Epipen was suggested by the Doctor.
I have no wish to quit beekeeping, maybe just not keep the small black type that I found dead in my shoe.
Any similar events happen to anyone else I wonder ?
Best regards to you all.

I know exactly how you feel, I have been through this.

To be honest if I were you no matter how much I love keeping bees I would get rid of them pronto.
Is it really worth the risk?

Sorry Davelin I would say this is typically poor advice. There is no reason if your careful you can still keep bees. I know I do , at present over 20 colonies and getting stung every couple of weeks (you will see from my thread below what I have been through to be able to do this), and am allergic to bee venom.

Also try take up the doctors advise on a epi-pen, it's a worst case scenario. Not that bad to carry around, take it with you every time you do an inspection.

Take better precautions when you go near your bees. Gloves, wellys and a quality suit.

This was a warning, you don't gave to give up beekeeping. Just be more care full.

This is a good idea but you will need 2 epi pens but your doctor will know abut this. If you carry on beekeeping before you have a chance of talking to him/her, take some 1 a day antihistamines with you and you can chew them to get the effects fast if you need them.

Also read my thread as I am going through the desensitisation process at the moment.

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

 

[Matt king]

A couple of weeks ago I was catching a swarm and got stung on the head, it was unexpected and late and I was rushing around. Within ten minutes my palms and legs were incredibly itchy, I started to break out in hives and had stomach cramps, luckily my airways remained clear. The next day my face swelled up to the point where I couldn't see out of one eye. The next day my wife (nurse) convinced me to get to the doctors as I may now have a severe reaction the next time. I now have an epi pen just in case!!. HOWEVER.. I was stung last night on the arm, I tried to remain calm and took an anti histamine, and apart from a little local swelling and itching am completely fine, so not sure if the reaction was due to rushing around !!