Sting response nightmare

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Illo

House Bee
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
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Location
Cheshire
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
20
Having had numerous stings over the years, mad most of little consequence, I was more than a little distressed over the weekend when I suffered a huge systemic response to a single sting thanks to a bee inside the veil. Still not sure how she got in there!

It felt like a normal sting, but within five or ten minutes, I had started to itch, broken out in a rash all over, particularly down the arms, across the shoulders and down the legs, was flushed and had palpitations. Shortly afterward, I had tingling in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, then tingling and swelling of the lips, and a tightness in the throat and chest. This last bit was pretty alarming to say the least.

I read with renewed interest some of the threads on the forum from those who have had a similar response and particularly been referred for immunotherapy - so to today... I was prescribed two epipens and referred for immunological testing to see if another exposure is likely to bring about a similar response, but under controlled conditions in case it all goes horribly wrong. If it does, then there is the possibility of venom immunotherapy. I'm greatly encouraged by the reports here from those who have already been through this, so thank you to those who have had information to share.

I've never before had an allergic response to anything, and still can't quite believe that this is happening. Bad day at black rock to be sure. :(

LJ.
 
as per o2o - any recent meds.

also stings to the loose skin of the head and neck will tend to allow venom to perfuse further. plus if inside veil unlikely to be got at before most of the venom sac emptied into you.

but referral to immunology is the sensible way to go.
 
Illo,
Oliver has a good and relevant question.
I have been through this and have posted details on this forum.
I am more than happy to offer you details and info if you want to ask or PM me.

Suffice to say that now nearly two years after the start of the monthly injections a bee sting for me is practically nothing.

Very good luck and I wish you all the best

Michael
 
When was the last time you took anything with ibuprofen in it ?
 
Let's hope it was just a one-off, Illo. Best of luck with the testing.
Meanwhile, try to find out where the bee got into your veil...?
 
From my own experience,it depends very much where on the body I am stung,what the reaction is.On my hands,I get about 24hrs swelling followed by a day's itching.Arms and legs,a small itchy lump the size of a 10p which is gone in a day or two.
Once I was stung on the septum of my nose.Excruciating pain,dizziness,rash on upper arms and shoulders (symptoms lasted about 1hr) and a nose that looked like a pig's snout for 2 days after.
This was entirely caused by complacency on my part (left veil down while filling feeder) and the lesson has been to dress well for beekeeping,and ALWAYS make sure the veil is properly closed....
 
When was the last time you took anything with ibuprofen in it ?

I found that if I had taken ibuprofen the sting would be really painful, like a hot spark had landed on my skin. I avoid it now at the weekends and Fridays.
 
All good and relevant questions - I take carbamazepine but have done for years and have never known of any interaction or immune response effect.

When was the last time you took anything with ibuprofen in it ?

Ibuprofen is a different matter - I had been taking it in the previous week for a wonky shoulder, but thought it would be out of the system by then. The half life is just about 2 hours and ibuprofen is excreted renally, which is pretty efficient. I know there is evidence in the literature of an exacerbation of immune response following ibuprofen administration, but would this still be the case after a 24 hour washout period?
 
After 24 hours, or 12 half-lives of the drug, there will be 1/4096 (didn't do the maths myself by the way!) of the dose left in your system which is pretty much equivalent to zilch I guess, so shouldn't have any effect.
 
Keep it in context. If you took 2 tablets, there would still be around a hundred micrograms left in the system after 12 half lifes. Now let's think - how much venom has been injected via that sting? Not a lot! Presumably the drug produces metabolites as it acts and these could be around a lot longer than the raw drug? I'm not up on these things, but I wouldn't discount a far longer period of effect
 
I had a similar reaction in June of this year. After having a mild reaction to stings for a number of years, they have gradually worsened. One evening in June, my veil touched my face and a bee clipped my forehead. The result was burning / itching on the palms of the hands, groin, arm-pits followed by shortness of breath etc. I went to the doctor as a precaution. I was given two shots of adrenalin and monitored for a few hours. I have a few EPI pens now that I am supposed to carry with me. I have also been referred to the allergy clinic also. I considered giving up the bees, but they're too much fun. I am super careful now and wrap up like an onion.
 
You can have been stung many times before without a major reaction but become allergic over time can't you? Allergy UK state the people most likely to become allergic to bee stings are beekeepers.
 
Ibrufen allergy side effect can last for 3 months.

That seems remarkable. Do you know what kind of mechanism underlies this, or whether there is anything published. A couple of days I could understand, but that length of time, if that is really the case, is quite something. Drug pharmacokinetics is not my forte, but I have to confess scepticism...
 
I have had a couple of stings this year - of little consequence other than localised swelling and itching (albeit about 4" across each time) I was stung on the head while minding my own business in the garden on saturday and had itching soles, palms, skin flushing and generalised weakness for a few hours. The localised reaction has travelled down to my neck - and is still there. No ibuprofen for the past week at least. I'm booked in to see the quack next week to hopefully get an Epipen in case anything develops further next time! I'm hoping my aggressor was in a bad mood because of wasps, rather than there being a queen issue - planning to check next time there's someone about - just in case!
 
Reaction bee stings for someone who is allergic do become worse over time.
in the same way that a non allergic person gets used to stings during the bee season.

Putnamsmif do not give up get yourself allergy tested and you will be able to continue.

I did it and now a bee sting is nothing. I have loads of info and experience on this and I have also posted about this subject on this forum.

I am more than happy to help others and share my info etc

Keep bee keeping
Michael
 
I have just completed week four of my desensitization course - and have to say this week the reaction has been minimal. So if you get a chance to do it - go for it ! It's a big commitment for the first twelve weeks but well worth it.
 
I don't think the sensitisation results from ibuprofen (or NSAIDS ins general) will last that long. There have only been a few documented cases of this occurring.

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUarticles/bee.htm

The mechanism involved is unknown but it is likely to be the same seen in aspirin and ibuprofen induced bronchospasm. In my opinion this is most likely due to a prostaglandin feedback mechanism.

I am afraid the probability is much higher that you have developed a sensitivity over years of exposure.
For those not sure about their sensitivity it would be worth keeping some childrens antihistamine about (as it is in liquid form and absorbed more rapidly) and a strong coffee can often help :)
 

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