Bee sting desensitisation course

[simoncav]

Thank you...

Thanks so much for these postings - I start my treatment in April after waiting almost a year and it's great to get someone else's experience...

 

[dpearce4]

It would be great to see how urs goes to after.

 

[itma]

...
Today i was given my first injection, this was given in the muscle at the back of the top of the arm. The first injection given was less than 10% of a normal bee sting. I was asked to stay for 30mins just incase i had a full reaction which im glad i didnt have.

I was adivsed not to exercise for 24 hours after the injection as it may bring on anaphylactic shock.

While on the train going to work after I could feel my eye lids puffing up slightly and had a peppery taste at the back of my throat (both of which i had when i reacted badly). When i got to work i could see a rash on my neck either sides of my adams apple and could feel a little tightness there to. This did not get any worse over the next couple of hours and so didnt need my eppy pen which i had with me.

Most of the symptoms have now gone with the execption of itchyness on my arm where i was injected.

....

Had my second injection today of the course, the amount was still extremely small, about twice the size of last weeks one.

About 5mins after the injection the area that was injected started to hurt but it wasnt bad, felt sort of like i had been stung. This lasted for about 30mins. When i got to work about 2hrs after i checked my arm and it was swollen slightly about the same as some people get with a normal sting. I have been keeping an eye on it dring the day and is has spread to maybe 2inches round where i was injected, with a little redness but not excessive.
...

Seems to me like you are experiencing plenty of 'effects' from the treatment.

Have you had any response from the clinic as to how usual this sort of experience might be?

"The cure" doesn't seem like a totally painless option!

 

[dpearce4]

Will be chatting to them about it next week more see what they think. Im sure they are in the low range of what they experience with people that are alergic to stings.

Also when you consider that when i would take a single sting in the finger the whole of my arm up past my elbow would swell with a red track mark running up under my arm pit.

 

[BeeJayBee]

They must be increasing the dosage each time, have you any idea by how much?

 

[westart]

Hi Dp,
Great to read your weekly reports on this. Went for my tests yesterday and am being refered to the Birmingham City hospital to start my treatment over the next week or two. Nearest one to Stoke on Trent that is able to carry out the task. It actualy works for me as I work in the area during the usual week, but for anyone else in that area it would be a total night mare. I've also been told that my blood presure tablets would not help my reaction to the stings. I take rampril and infact was told that any blood presure tablets that end with ril aren't good where stings are concerned.

Cheers Westy

 

[Karol]

Hope things carry on going well.

Just out of interest, did the allergy clinic give you any idea of how much protection you'll get once you finish the course?

 

[drstitson]

Itma - the whole point of the treatment is that you respond to the venom and obviously as the dose escalates from tiny towards normal sting amounts then the LOCAL reaction will presumably obviously increase towards what most people experience. The goal is to reset the body such that it doesn't produce the excessive SYSTEMIC effect which those who are accepted for treatment will already have experienced at least once.

It's not a magic bullet that makes subjects complete non-responders to stings.

Karol - the immunology nurse i spoke to about it says that bee sting sensitivity is their most successful intervention (95% responders). BUT all beeks attending get advised to avoid/stop keeping bees. As in much of medicine, few if any actually follow that advice!

 

[itma]

Itma - the whole point of the treatment is that you respond to the venom and obviously as the dose escalates from tiny towards normal sting amounts then the LOCAL reaction will presumably obviously increase towards what most people experience. The goal is to reset the body such that it doesn't produce the excessive SYSTEMIC effect which those who are accepted for treatment will already have experienced at least once.

It's not a magic bullet that makes subjects complete non-responders to stings.

Understood.
However, the mild but definite systemic reactions described by DP are more severe than the descriptions I had heard previously, including in conversations with a 'graduate' - where local itching was about as bad as it got (as reported anyway!)
Hence I was wondering whether the course was "pre-determined" (even 'one-size-fits-all) or tailored and adjusted based on the individual's response.

 

[drstitson]

i presume that the dose escalation is varied according to the response each individual has rather than fixed increments.

Must be reassuring though for the subjects to know that they have tolerated X amount of venom with only minor systemic problems and that by the end of it can be exposed to at least a normal sting and be ok.

BUT i presume that subjects are still expected to have epi-pins etc. in case of problems (especially in beeks eg dropping a brood box and getting stung many times through suit whilst bending to pick it up.)

DOI: should really be looking into this for OH since her scary experience in september.

 

[dpearce4]

they are DrS there is a lady on mine that has half then waits 30mins for the second half due to really bad reactions to them.

Interesting you said that Beeks are advised to give up. The guy i saw didnt suggest i gave up. his comment was to get it started sooner so i was ready for the new season.

 

[BeeJayBee]

DOI: should really be looking into this for OH since her scary experience in september.

 

[whoosling]

Interesting - Good luck

 

[dpearce4]

Week 3

Well not so good today.

The injection size was increased from 1mg of venum to 10mg (the Dr that did the injection was surprised at the increase).

Fine for the first 1hr but while on the train going from brighton to work kept getting hot flushes across the face and could start to feel some swelling on the back of the arm where i was injected. By the time i got to work I just wanted to cry due to the pain in my upper back and neck, this wasnt due to the actual injection but because i had swollen across my shoulder blades and the swelling was pressing onto a ruptured disc i have in my upper back. I have spent the rest of the day having to work not able to move my head/neck due to the pain.

There is a plus side to it though, even though I am still in pain due to my disc the swelling did go down within 2hours, and even though i know i will be pain with my back for at least 3days i know it wasnt the actual venum that was causing the pain.

Im glad i have my eppi pen.

 

[richardbees]

dp - sorry it didn't go as well as last time.

1 mg to 10 mg seems a hell of an increase!

 

[hedgehog66]

Hi dp
Thanks for the update
I look forward to weds.
How are you feeling now, 12 ish hours later ..?
Good luck and keep smiling

 

[Excession]

10mg! Well good news is that's equivalent to 100 stings, if average honey bee delivers 0.1mg...

How much do they go up to?

 

[itma]

I started today my bee sting desensitisation course at Brighton hospital.
...
Today i was given my first injection, this was given in the muscle at the back of the top of the arm. The first injection given was less than 10% of a normal bee sting. ...

Over the next 12 weeks i will have increasing amounts of venom injected upto the amount i would receive from 2 stings at week 12.

...

Well not so good today.

The injection size was increased from 1mg of venum to 10mg (the Dr that did the injection was surprised at the increase).

...

Im glad i have my eppi pen.

Somewhere along the line, someone's maths has gone off the rails.

If week 3 was 10x week 2 ...
... I think they gave you what they said they would give you at week 12. (Week 12 would have been just 20x the week 1 dose - if the info at week 1 was accurate.)

This really doesn't sound in any way like they are "tailoring" the course to you, based on your reactions.

Sounds more like someone screwed up.
This is really not the way things are supposed to progress.
I'm also very glad you have your Epipen.

I think you should report your condition back to the clinic (and your GP) pdq.
It shouldn't be about being a hero.

 

[dpearce4]

perhaps i got my measurements wrong i thought they said 10mg, its not sposed to be anywhere near 1 sting yet wonder if it was sposed to be microgram or something not milligram. I have never understood the difference.

 

[dpearce4]

Hi dp
Thanks for the update
I look forward to weds.
How are you feeling now, 12 ish hours later ..?
Good luck and keep smiling

Im feeling ok no swelling or anything from the injection, just cant move my neck at all from the pain. My pain drugs will take care of that over the next few days so thats ok, will just look a bit daft walking around like someone strapped a broom handle on my back stopping me moving for the next couple of days.