My beekeeping days may be over

[Stedic]

Behind the ear or on the happy sacks.... nasty!

I had a very minor reaction to the previous sting, a few hives on my arms. On that occasion I was stung through the veil and she drew blood, so I was hoping (despite knowing better) that it was just where I’d been stung.

I guess I might be incredibly lucky and just have beeen incredibly unlucky but sadly I don’t think so. An allergen test will provide a definitive answer.

 

[Ian123]

Once took 1 up the trouser leg in an area that would make any man cry.. on telling a fellow beek what happened he asked what I did......my reply was after the initial pain I went home and showed off

 

[Ian123]

In fairness it may have been what I deserved as I had just purchased 10 hives for £50 each and picked them up driving them straight onto a farm and a load of rape just coming into flower

 

[Bryang]

There is a shortage of EPIPENS...My son in law has failed to get his re-newed for 8 months......

There is a text service available for mobiles run by the National deaf society. It is very simple to set up....the service is run/ answered by the normal 999 oparators...
Follow these instructions....Send a text msg " register" to 999....you will get a reply from them. read it carefully and reply "yes" You will then receive a reply saying you are know registered with them...For full info go to....www.signhealth.co.uk/healthinformation/emergencies/ Hope this helps..I'm registed because I have no voice, so cant communicate via speech..

 

[Bryang]

There is a shortage of EPIPENS..my son in law has been unable to renew his for 9 months

There is a 999 text service available with mobiles.....go to www.signhealth.org.uk/healthinformation/emergencies/ and follow the instructions which are easy to follow..I'm registered with the service (because I have no voice). they do not ask if you are disabled etc, and it is run by the normal 999 emergency service.... Hope this helps.. If you need any advice just ask ...

 

[denise washington]

Hi Stedic i was like that when i first started beebkeeping so now i take a few hay fever tablets a hour before i go to bees been a lot better so now i dont take them and i have no probs

 

[Hachi]

I mostly wore a smock and the times I've been stung on and round the crown jewels is too many to mention. Dancing round the garden like tigger on speed in agony had to stop

 

[B+.]

There is a shortage of EPIPENS...My son in law has failed to get his re-newed for 8 months......

SOME distributors seem to have problems. Others don't.
I get 8 epipens for my family every year

 

[Stedic]

Hi Stedic i was like that when i first started beebkeeping so now i take a few hay fever tablets a hour before i go to bees been a lot better so now i dont take them and i have no probs

That’s interesting. I suffer pretty badly with hayfever, so I’ve probably been on antihistamines during each beekeeping season. I probably start them around March/April.

The difficulty is that testing the theory is probably unwise!

 

[Stedic]

GP visited today. Fairly unhelpful, referral to NHS allergy clinic. In 9 months.

So the money earmarked for a new extractor will be covering a private appointment, hopefully by the end of the month. Until then I’m on a total bee ban (enforceable by divorce!).

 

[Millet]

GP visited today. Fairly unhelpful, referral to NHS allergy clinic. In 9 months.

So the money earmarked for a new extractor will be covering a private appointment, hopefully by the end of the month. Until then I’m on a total bee ban (enforceable by divorce!).

Wise decision i suppose and the best of luck..

 

[HelenHP16]

You could consider immunotherapy. I’m 2 years into my treatment after a very similar reaction to yours. I have been stung “in the field” since then with no reaction. One year to go....

 

[Stedic]

You could consider immunotherapy. I’m 2 years into my treatment after a very similar reaction to yours. I have been stung “in the field” since then with no reaction. One year to go....

This is very much on my list of things to consider. I'm hoping to get referred once I can see the allergy specialist. There might be a bit of time lag involved in actually getting the treatment but I'll just have to take things one step at a time.

 

[Stedic]

Private appointment booked with the local allergy expert. Less than the cost of a new extractor (but less shiny, I suspect). Seeing him in about 10 days time. Have taken advantage of working with doctors and sought a couple of opinions. Non-specialists, but all broadly positive.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Queen Brenda]

I was stung last May and had an anaphylactic reaction - dropped blood pressure fairly catastrophically, collapsed etc and required paramedics. My GP referred me and I finally saw an allergy specialist in January, allergy confirmed by blood test, and am now on the list for desensitisation injections, hopefully starting in March. I was stung through 2 layers of gloves on Thursday while applying Nozevit and immediately chewed 2 piriton and apart from very minor lip tingling, no reaction, although I sat for 30 minutes with my adrenaline pens in each hand.

The specialist completely understood that I didn’t want to give up bee-keeping and said that as you can easily take a sting from a bee if you aren’t a bee keeper and it could be fatal, desensitation is completely reasonable, available on the NHS, works well, and it’s not a question of merely avoiding the allergen - bees are unavoidable.

 

[Stedic]

So, I’ve just gotten back from the allergy specialist.

I’m aware that this post now pops up on Google searches, so I’m going to highlight to anyone reading that the advice relates to me and my situation. Seek professional advice face to face if you are in any way concerned or reacting to bees.

So, I had a consultation and described my reactions. These were confirmed as systemic rather than local, but mild/moderate rather than severe or anaphylactic. Essentially what I knew already. A skin allergen test confirmed an allergy to bees and not to wasps. Again, sort of knew that.

A note is being sent to my GP asking them to prescribe an EpiPen (Well, an EmerAid , but same thing). Also a request for a couple of further blood tests. Letter also asks for me to be referred to the NHS for desensitisation, but he said Leicester are in a particularly bad way, so no idea of timescale. Hopefully not too long as I’ve slready been triaged and tested.

All as expected in that regard really.

As for my beekeeping, he wouldn’t really commit either way. I have a higher risk of further systemic and or anaphylactic reactions, but neither are certain. There is also no way of knowing until I get stung. We both agreed that if I keep bees I WILL be stung, one way or another at some stage.

So my options are;

1) Carry on as before, Epipen and antihistamines at the ready. I don’t think this is entirely sensible as I use an out apiary and generally go on my own.

2) Find a minimum risk strategy - Sentinel or OzArmour suit, extreme care with zips/gloves/handling etc, maybe reduce down to 2 or 4 hives. Have someone with me to raise the alarm/stab me if extreme reaction. Maybe look for a better/safer out apiary.

3) Sell the colonies this year, keep the kit and await my referral. Start up again later this year or next season, if safe.

4) Pack up, sell up and skulk off. Or take up wasp-keeping.

I prefer options 2 and 3. Sort of. Probably leaning toward 2, with as many safety precautions as possible, at least until I see what happens with referral or stings. Losing that site would be a huge shame as I live being there, but if I have to then I have to.

Forumites - my brain is fried - what do you all think?

 

[Ian123]

Anyone you trust enough to put any bees out on loan to even a couple of hives...just a thought

 

[Millet]

Option (2) for me if you get a full body Oz Armour suit..and obviously keep gentle bees that do not follow..i have a couple of iffy hives that will be Re Queened this year..they do not follow as such but what they do is walk around my suit when i am walking away..
I am not allergic but i basically do not like getting stung..what i do with these troublesome bees is walk to my car fully suited up and check in the windows of my car to make sure i have none on my back or head before i take the suit of..if i have any on me i gently brush them of with my bee brush and wait a little longer and then check again..
It is a 50/50 situation that only you can really judge.. Ian's comment is a good one if possible..
Good luck again..

 

[Stedic]

Both decent suggestions.

My mentor has offered to help. I’m sure he’d be happy to move the bees to his garden (he has more than enough room!) while I work out what is going on. I guess that will be easier now than once there is a flow. He’d no doubt come with me or check them for me until I know the score.

I see OzArmour and Sentinel are both at Tradex next week, so if I decide to press on I’ll likely choose one of those suits. My bees are generally OK temper wise so long as the conditions are right. A bit swarmy though, so was planning to requeen some anyway.

What do you use for gloves Millet? I’ve worked my way down to nitriles (and picked up fewer stings), but of course I’m questioning everything now!

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Just a thought.... Reading op.... Head stings generally are Worse.... What reaction have you had on arm leg etc.... Have you been stung much