Bee stings

[Beegarden]

All good advice from everyone. The main thing is to be prepared and act quickly. I seem to react stongly and take a tablet before, just in case. I also use a 'bite away' tool from Amazon. Not cheap, but it sends a 6 second pulse of intense heat to the bite area, and if administered straight away, will denature the protein in the sting. (Can't be used on the face, but having suffered that twice, I am ultra careful now! )

 

[Buzby]

That works on snake bites?????

Research under way but lack of living data at the moment

 

[Lee28]

Thank you all for the advice like many of you being stung on the hand or arms only itches but yesterday 2 had me on the forehead while I was working in the garden ( I don’t think they liked the smell of the wood preservative I was using as they came straight over and no warning just stung me ) today I look like an umpalumpa from Willy wonka much to the amusement of the boys at work.

 

[oliver90owner]

Apart from the pills, a Therapik might well help to reduce the local swelling. Works for insect bites.

 

[Swn58]

Just out of interest, does anyone think there could be a connection between people who have hay-fever and suffer more of a reaction to bee-stings? In fact, people who react to any insect bites?

 

[madasafish]

Just out of interest, does anyone think there could be a connection between people who have hay-fever and suffer more of a reaction to bee-stings? In fact, people who react to any insect bites?

My son suffers from hay fever.

Bee stings do not bother him. He hardly reacts.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Just out of interest, does anyone think there could be a connection between people who have hay-fever and suffer more of a reaction to bee-stings? In fact, people who react to any insect bites?

I suffer from hay fever.
Bee stings don't bother me. I hardly react.

 

[Heather]

Vodka and orange, with ice.. put ice on sting area! And don't think any relationship to hayfever.. just depends on site of sting. Head and face not nice, hands and arms, much less painful.

 

[A.Bumbler]

With time and more stings you will hopefully develop immunity and suffer progressively less swelling.

I had been stung several occasions on hands resulting in my arm swelling but one sting on my face through veil resulted in 6 hours in A&E with a severe reaction (not anaphylaxis thank goodness) Have been undergoing immunotherapy for 18 months plus which is definitely helping. They told me the reaction to stings gets worse not better!

 

[viridens]

I had been stung several occasions on hands resulting in my arm swelling but one sting on my face through veil resulted in 6 hours in A&E with a severe reaction (not anaphylaxis thank goodness) Have been undergoing immunotherapy for 18 months plus which is definitely helping. They told me the reaction to stings gets worse not better!

I did say hopefully.
Even those with good immunity may suffer some swelling if stung on sensitive areas,

A sting on the head or face can result in dramatic swelling and a day or two looking like elephant man/woman, with maybe an eye swelling closed. This I would consider a bad but normal reaction. Most A&E staff have little actual experience of such stings or what is 'normal', and may even refer you to a tropical medicine unit or similar. They told you the reaction to stings gets worse not better?...
Good luck with your immunotherapy.

I have probably told this story here before, but here it is again. I was speaking to a worried householder having collected a swarm.
I'm allergic to bee stings she said.
Oh really, how do you know?.
A bee stung me and my throat swelled right up.
Oh dear. Where did it sting you?
On my throat...

 

[Hiveanidea]

It hurts, but now l know that, l try to stay focussed as it usually happens in the middle of an inspection. Fortunately l seem to have mild reaction with pain soon passing off and not very pronounced swelling or itching. All through double nitrile gloves and scraping off the venom sack as soon as possible, so maybe not the full dose. That being said, in the early part of this year l was showing my nine year old grandson (keen to learn) how the bees reach fondant on the top of the crown board. It was not too cold, so l very briefly lifted up just the edge of an eke so we could quickly take a peek in. Concentrating on being careful, as l do...with my tongue out and with my veil pressed against the hive for a close view, a bee saw an easy target and stung me, through the veil and right on the tip of my tongue! I tried not to let it show....but that did really hurt and we returned home for a gin and tonic with extra ice. Just for me that is, my grandson couldn’t drink for laughing, l on the other hand, could hardly speak!

 

[Swarm]

I had been stung several occasions on hands resulting in my arm swelling but one sting on my face through veil resulted in 6 hours in A&E with a severe reaction (not anaphylaxis thank goodness) Have been undergoing immunotherapy for 18 months plus which is definitely helping. They told me the reaction to stings gets worse not better!

It can go either way, bit of a lottery.

 

[Frenchie]

Never heard of a "bite away " tool. Does anyone else use this and how effective is it. Once got stung twice on the face,unfortunately 5 hours before I was due to be attending a wedding. Elephant man face with one eye almost completely closed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Never heard of a "bite away " tool. Does anyone else use this and how effective is it. Once got stung twice on the face,unfortunately 5 hours before I was due to be attending a wedding. Elephant man face with one eye almost completely closed.

 

[viridens]

I have played with one of these. It is just a small electric heater:

"The ceramic contact surface of bite away® is placed on the bite or sting. After pressing one of the two buttons just once (3 seconds for the inital treatment and for more sensitive skin / 5 seconds for a regular application) a temperature of around 51°C is reached and maintained for the selected time."

I don't know if it 'works', but I would think that the same results could be achieved at home with a cup of tea, hot water bottle etc.

 

[Robert Denny]

I have played with one of these. It is just a small electric heater:

"The ceramic contact surface of bite away® is placed on the bite or sting. After pressing one of the two buttons just once (3 seconds for the inital treatment and for more sensitive skin / 5 seconds for a regular application) a temperature of around 51°C is reached and maintained for the selected time."

I don't know if it 'works', but I would think that the same results could be achieved at home with a cup of tea, hot water bottle etc.

Your home remedy rings true for horse fly bites where the recommended treatment is to apply the back of a teaspoon recently removed from boiling water - as hot and as long as you can bear.

 

[boywonder]

I have played with one of these. It is just a small electric heater:

"The ceramic contact surface of bite away® is placed on the bite or sting. After pressing one of the two buttons just once (3 seconds for the inital treatment and for more sensitive skin / 5 seconds for a regular application) a temperature of around 51°C is reached and maintained for the selected time."

I don't know if it 'works', but I would think that the same results could be achieved at home with a cup of tea, hot water bottle etc.

I had an experienced Beekeeper tell me recently that the back of a hot spoon did the trick... Especially if applied soon after the sting ... Something to do with the breakdown of the proteins in the venom.

*Assuming* this to be true, I have to say that I never have a hot spoon, cup of tea, hot water bottle to hand when the inspecting my bees. Strange, that ... So that piece of equipment is interesting.

Thankfully, I have appear to have become increasingly desensitised over the years, though I do know that there's no guarantee that I won't get a systemic reaction "the next time."

The only thing I can say is be prepared (mobile phones etc...) and, if you have a remote out apiary, as Pargyle says, get familiar with your What3Words location.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I had an experienced Beekeeper tell me recently that the back of a hot spoon did the trick... Especially if applied soon after the sting ... Something to do with the breakdown of the proteins in the venom.

*Assuming* this to be true, I have to say that I never have a hot spoon, cup of tea, hot water bottle to hand when the inspecting my bees. Strange, that ... So that piece of equipment is interesting.

Thankfully, I have appear to have become increasingly desensitised over the years, though I do know that there's no guarantee that I won't get a systemic reaction "the next time."

The only thing I can say is be prepared (mobile phones etc...) and, if you have a remote out apiary, as Pargyle says, get familiar with your What3Words location.

You have a hot smoker though

 

[user 819]

I use a bite away pen/stick which is ammonia based to dab on the sting area.

 

[boywonder]

You have a hot smoker though

True ... usually
Lateral thinking not my strong point ! Lol