My beekeeping days may be over

[Millet]

Both decent suggestions.
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!

I use Blue nitrile Gloves that i get from a car parts dealer,,even the angry bees do not attempt to sting through them BUT i have been stung through them..my own fault every time through crushing bees... i did use a different glove a a few years back that i only ever got stung through once from very very angry bees.. with them being black and blue did not help.. if you are interested in the gloves i will try to find a link.. i know the name is SHOWA but i do not remember the exact type..you could always but the blue nitrile gloves over them as they are tight fitting (to hide the black)..

 

[Stedic]

Yeah, so the sting before this was on my chin, drew blood and caused a few hives. Maybe 5 or 6 stings earlier in the season - very little reaction.

Of course what is unclear is whether the last two were just unfortunate or whether I’ve become sensitive in a way I wasn’t beforehand.

 

[Dutchman]

I have been keeping bees for 45 years but about 10 years ago after a series of stings I got a serious reaction: Hives all over my body terrible itching on palms of hands, feet and groin, shortness of breath and a face that was swollen and redish purple in colour. I have continued beekeeping but I now always take my phone and my epipen. I also wear an ozzy armour suit and seriously thick gloves which I get from a beekeeping supplier in France (Ickovitch). I have had to change my approach, I cant handle queens and try to avoid any manipulations that might disturb the bees. My bees seem to appreciate my efforts, they are relatively peaceful and very productive. Now I only get stung very occasionally and my reactions are much less severe.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Tbh I don't think you've had any worse reactions than many of us have taken... I've had the elephant man eye... Totally swollen arm etc

 

[B+.]

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

You seem to have approached this very sensibly. Whatever you choose to do, I'm sure that it will be the result of the same level-headed process that you have shown so far.

My wife is in her second year of desensitization at Addenbrookes so she is on full-dose every two months now (the strength is increased initially until the full dose is reached, then the interval between treatments is increased). The last time we were there, her doctor (Dr Shelley Dua) mentioned an article she was writing on allergies for "Bee Craft". You might like to keep an eye open for that.

 

[coffindodger]

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

Yes, anti-histamines as a prophylactic did seem to help me when I had really aggressive bees who had a 3 mile exclusion zone.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

They sound fun bees lol

 

[Somerford]

Damn and blast.

Popped to the hives today to check them after the winds. All upright. A couple were low on fondant so I decided to top up those that were low. Very quick lift off the board and fondant on. All 6 alive, brilliant.

Then, zap. Sting to the back of the head. Dead bee later found in my t-shirt so must have gotten in to the veil somehow. It hurt but not more than normal.

But then my nose started running, I developed hives on both arms and my chest. Tingling in my face, which swelled a little. A quick stop on the drive home to pop an antihistamine (Fexofenadine I use for hayfever). Pit stop home, then off to A&E. Never anaphylactic (or close) but certainly a good going systemic reaction.

After waiting to be seen in A&E (4 hours but no harm), the antihistamine I took has done its job. I’m absolutely fine, the sting isnt even swollen. I’ll go to the GP on Monday and start the process of seeing what the future holds.

I know it could have been a whole lot worse, but I’m really gutted. I’ve been so excited since finding beekeeping 3 years ago. I’ll look into desensitisation, better impenetrable suits etc. but my assumption is I’ll be starting the season by selling my colonies.

Still, at least they are all alive so far.

Have you been taking Ibruprofen in any form ? I've noticed increased sensitisation when taking the tablet vs when I don't. I've also heard from others who have experienced similar.

eg. had a reaction like this a few years ago, thought the worst, never had it since but then I don't use Ibruprofen now. Had a sting on my temple this week, just local swelling as you'd expect to that area by the eye. no other issues.

KR

S

 

[Stedic]

Have you been taking Ibruprofen in any form ? I've noticed increased sensitisation when taking the tablet vs when I don't. I've also heard from others who have experienced similar.

eg. had a reaction like this a few years ago, thought the worst, never had it since but then I don't use Ibruprofen now. Had a sting on my temple this week, just local swelling as you'd expect to that area by the eye. no other issues.

KR

S

Interesting, but not that I can think of.

The complication for me is that during the summer, we’ll from now onwards, I take a prescription antihistamine every day. Given popping this after the sting resolved the symptoms, my suspicion is that it has been masking (or treating) any reaction for a while.

So my decision is as follows:
- No MORE hives this year, but keep the current ones.
- My friend/mentor will check my bees for fondant on Friday, I don’t go near.
- Buy an Oz or Sentinel suit at BeeTradex (but nothing else I guess!)
- Beekeeper with a friend, pens available. I won’t drliberately get stung but if I do, will retreat to safety and see what happens!

Hopefully things will be OK until I get desensitised. If I’m unlucky enough to have a severe or anaphylactic reaction then I’ll stop for the season and reassess after desensitisation.


Thanks for all the advice, support and personal experiences.

As said before, this is my decision based on personal, expert advice. If you get here via a search then you need your own advice

 

[dpearce4]

Interesting, but not that I can think of.

The complication for me is that during the summer, we’ll from now onwards, I take a prescription antihistamine every day. Given popping this after the sting resolved the symptoms, my suspicion is that it has been masking (or treating) any reaction for a while.

So my decision is as follows:
- No MORE hives this year, but keep the current ones.
- My friend/mentor will check my bees for fondant on Friday, I don’t go near.
- Buy an Oz or Sentinel suit at BeeTradex (but nothing else I guess!)
- Beekeeper with a friend, pens available. I won’t drliberately get stung but if I do, will retreat to safety and see what happens!

Hopefully things will be OK until I get desensitised. If I’m unlucky enough to have a severe or anaphylactic reaction then I’ll stop for the season and reassess after desensitisation.


Thanks for all the advice, support and personal experiences.

As said before, this is my decision based on personal, expert advice. If you get here via a search then you need your own advice

Good Decision

 

[For want of a better word]

Have you been taking Ibruprofen in any form ? I've noticed increased sensitisation when taking the tablet vs when I don't. I've also heard from others who have experienced similar.

eg. had a reaction like this a few years ago, thought the worst, never had it since but then I don't use Ibruprofen now. Had a sting on my temple this week, just local swelling as you'd expect to that area by the eye. no other issues.

KR

S

Reported problems with ACE inhibitors..
Some years ago I had been prescribed Diclorphenic for CIDP by my GP, immediately taken off it when my consultant found out I was a beefarmer!

https://medsafe.govt.nz/profs/puarticles/bee.htm

 

[Somerford]

Reported problems with ACE inhibitors..
Some years ago I had been prescribed Diclorphenic for CIDP by my GP, immediately taken off it when my consultant found out I was a beefarmer!

https://medsafe.govt.nz/profs/puarticles/bee.htm

Thank you for this 'Cheers' - it's a similar report to one I read a while back but had lost it. I will keep this and pass to my GP as they were very interested to understand why and where I got my information from at the time (they hate Google!! but it does have it's purposes)

Funnily enough I think I might just have been on Diclofenac around 10 years ago after having kidney stones for a while and recall a similar event then.

Luckily I've almost given up the booze (well excess anyway) so don't need pharmaceuticals to support a banging headache or other pains the next day any more....!

thanks again

S

 

[Stedic]

A final update from me, hopefully!

Been back to the GP with my referral stuff, Epipens (Emerade 500mcg at recommendation of consultant) prescribed, required blood tests ordered and referral sent. Mentor chatted to, farm owners chatted to, plan in place for next few weeks. The unknown is now how long it will take for allergy clinic referral and desensitisation. Oh, and what my next reaction will be.

Nervously optimistic. It will be interesting to see how I feel next time I open a hive.

As for the scarcity of epipens and their ilk, I had expected a day ringing round various pharmacies or ordering them in. Nope, 4 in stock in the small village pharmacy.

NHS working well this morning.

Fingers crossed and suit very carefully zipped up!

 

[mike99]

Not sure if it's been mentioned or is actually relevant. One of the senior members at my association said that every case of severe reaction he had witnessed was where the sting was near the head or neck. He made sure that we had our Veils securely fastened. He wondered if the proximity of the sting to the brain meant that the bee venom was stronger. It just stuck in my memory about it. As I say, there is nothing scientific about it but just an observation by a senior member.

 

[Anduril]

Not sure if it's been mentioned or is actually relevant. One of the senior members at my association said that every case of severe reaction he had witnessed was where the sting was near the head or neck. He made sure that we had our Veils securely fastened. He wondered if the proximity of the sting to the brain meant that the bee venom was stronger. It just stuck in my memory about it. As I say, there is nothing scientific about it but just an observation by a senior member.

As an example for research purposes https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.da...mine-nose-scrotum-worst-place-bitten-bee.html

 

[mike99]

As an example for research purposes https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.da...mine-nose-scrotum-worst-place-bitten-bee.html

Now why would you subject yourself to that much pain for the sake of research?

 

[B+.]

Not sure if it's been mentioned or is actually relevant. One of the senior members at my association said that every case of severe reaction he had witnessed was where the sting was near the head or neck. He made sure that we had our Veils securely fastened. He wondered if the proximity of the sting to the brain meant that the bee venom was stronger. It just stuck in my memory about it. As I say, there is nothing scientific about it but just an observation by a senior member.

It doesn't.
My son was stung on the leg.

 

[mike99]

Thanks B+. I was just repeating what someone had suggested. I didn't have anything scientific to back it up.

 

[dpearce4]

It doesn't.
My son was stung on the leg.

Mine was back and chest that put me in hospital, but regularly whole arm swelling from stings to fingers.

 

[Poly Hive]

Venom strengths seem to vary quite a bit. Some stings are oh was I stung and others are ouch... Personally, on my forehead or nose are the worst so I now use a circular helmet under the fencing veil.

I have real sympathy for those who react. I honestly don't know how I would cope without the bees myself.

PH