Is the Elephant Man look in this season?

[SireeDubs]

Took a sting to my head this afternoon. Had just put in the varroa trays to monitor and one of my relatively calm bees became tangled in my hair as I walked away. Thought I'd brushed it out, but no...

Anyway, the sting was to the crown of my head and after some faffing, I got the sting out, but I will have had a good shot of venom. Now, 4 hours later, one side of my face is swollen, as is my neck. I can also feel my ear canal swelling and one of my eyes is closing. It itches like hell.

Ive done the usual, chewed an antihistamine tab, used cream etc, but wondering if anyone has any other advice. Also, am hoping that this reaction is nothing out of the ordinary. Have never taken a sting to the head, so would appreciate any advice or similar(?) experiences.

Thanks (and sorry to be so stupid - I'm learning very fast).

 

[REDWOOD]

the head is worst place to get stung, took one to the chin a few weeks ago and looked like Bruce Forsyth, similar reaction swelling and itching
Had one on the hand last Sunday no reaction to write home about

 

[beebopalula]

Had a sting on the crown a few weeks ago - very little pain and just local swelling. Had one on the temple last year and my eye closed up.

 

[oliver90owner]

My wife had a sting on the top of her head and collapsed unconscious onto the ground in about two minutes. Just collapsed and oxygen administered fairly pronto. Adrenaline administered on the way to hospital with a blue light, and now carries an epipen. Only took the ambulance about 40 minutes to arrive!

 

[SireeDubs]

My wife had a sting on the top of her head and collapsed unconscious onto the ground in about two minutes. Just collapsed and oxygen administered fairly pronto. Adrenaline administered on the way to hospital with a blue light, and now carries an epipen. Only took the ambulance about 40 minutes to arrive!

Good grief! I feel extremely lucky... Was that her first sting?

 

[Terry G]

Got a sting on the upper lip last Saturday (Beauhawk's thuggish bees at it again) and within a few minutes I looked like a bearded Lesley Ash. I rubbed in anti-histamine cream, took a hay fever tablet, and reluctantly knocked back a quadruple vodka. 36 hours later I woke up and it was as if it had never happened. A true Bobby Ewing moment.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

the head is worst place to get stung, took one to the chin a few weeks ago and looked like Bruce Forsyth, similar reaction swelling and itching
Had one on the hand last Sunday no reaction to write home about

Got a sting from one of my SAS trained Ninja guards just in front of my ear on Tuesday. No particular pain but itched like mad Wednesday and could feel a lump at the site of the sting. Lump gone today

 

[Moggett]

If you have swelling in the neck it may be prudent to get checked out by a doctor. You don't want to start having difficulties breathing in the night.

 

[curry756]

my first ever was to the back of the head/neck (hairline) a few days ago. I had to ask an allotment stranger to remove the sting for me. But it didn't cause me any issues. No swelling, but a little sharp pain for about 5 mins - then nothing. Then, about an hour later, I got stung on my ankle. same thing. Hurt for about 5 mins then dull ache for 30 mins or so - stings left in both times.

I guess I am not anaphylactic - I was worried for a few minutes.

I also assume that different people have different reactions too based on what your reaction.

Hope the swelling goes down soon.

 

[beenovice]

I had a couple last year. One in the corner of my eye by my nose. The other in my ear. Swelling lasted about 5 days. Not a pretty site!

 

[VEG]

Took a sting to my head this afternoon. Had just put in the varroa trays to monitor and one of my relatively calm bees became tangled in my hair as I walked away. Thought I'd brushed it out, but no...

Anyway, the sting was to the crown of my head and after some faffing, I got the sting out, but I will have had a good shot of venom. Now, 4 hours later, one side of my face is swollen, as is my neck. I can also feel my ear canal swelling and one of my eyes is closing. It itches like hell.

Ive done the usual, chewed an antihistamine tab, used cream etc, but wondering if anyone has any other advice. Also, am hoping that this reaction is nothing out of the ordinary. Have never taken a sting to the head, so would appreciate any advice or similar(?) experiences.

Thanks (and sorry to be so stupid - I'm learning very fast).

The first thing you should do is post a picture of your swollen self and post it for us all to take the mick lol

 

[Ben90]

Took a sting to the eyebrow a couple of weeks ago, but I'm blessed with having next to no visible swelling from stings, so it just felt tender whenever I scratched my brow for a few days.

 

[SireeDubs]

The first thing you should do is post a picture of your swollen self and post it for us all to take the mick lol

Ha ha! I think the full majesty of the swelling is yet to reach its zenith.

Bizarre that the actual site of the sting is fine, but the swelling has transferred to the more meaty (fat?) bits of my head...

 

[oliver90owner]

Was that her first sting?

No, but first in about ten years.

 

[Heather]

Just a quick note to new beekeepers. Don't hold sting sac to remove.. you squeeze more poison in.. scrape the sting out, nail, hive tool, knife... credit card.

 

[pargyle]

Ha ha! I think the full majesty of the swelling is yet to reach its zenith.

Bizarre that the actual site of the sting is fine, but the swelling has transferred to the more meaty (fat?) bits of my head...

Yes ... I took one on the chin (blasted association bees - always seem to seek me out for their attentions !) and it was my neck and the soft bits under my chin that really swelled up - not on the day I got stung, the following day. Took another 24 hours to die down. Itched like mad but not a lot of pain.

Took a few stings to my hands over last weekend ... again, day after swelling and some nasty little blisters where the sting was. First real stings from my bees but they were provoked ...

 

[drstitson]

sounds par for the course. man up and sit it out.

 

[einsteinagogo]

I got a number last year my forehead swelled like a Klingon from Star Trek this was within four hours but as time moved on swelling got worse moved down my face swollen eyes and nose 36 hours later I woke up and thought I'd gone blind as both eyes were swollen badly the lids had closed so went to the Doctor for checkup and he prescribed very strong Steroids to bring down swelling!
The odd thing was the stings to my head were initially sore but not very swollen! If in doubt get checked by Doctor they were keen to see me as an emergency when I went to see them!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[bontbee]

The odd thing was the stings to my head were initially sore but not very swollen! If in doubt get checked by Doctor they were keen to see me as an emergency when I went to see them!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I'm sure a doctor will correct me, but I think that your head ie scalp, doesn't swell much as there is no fleshy stuff there to swell. oh er....

 

[psafloyd]

the head is worst place to get stung, took one to the chin a few weeks ago and looked like Bruce Forsyth

Didn't he do well?