A question regarding bee/hornet stings.

cassanova · #1 08-15-2010, 04:04 PM

Long story short, I was out mowing the yard and got ambushed by either bees or hornets. I took about 5 stings. One to the face just above the eye, one on each foot, one on my the right side of my forearm just below the wrist.

I grew up being told I was allergic to bee stings but so far so good. I also did some research and it said to look out for excessive swelling so that's what I'm doing. Problem is, I haven't been stung since I was a little kid, so I have no idea of what normal swelling would be around the afflicted areas. Ex: The one on my wrist has small lump but a red ring around it about the size of a JFK half dollar coin. I'm thinking this is normal though.

Any advice on what to look for would be appreciated.

Much Love:
Mama Cass

MIJ-VI · #2 08-15-2010, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

Long story short, I was out mowing the yard and got ambushed by either bees or hornets. I took about 5 stings. One to the face just above the eye, one on each foot, one on my the right side of my forearm just below the wrist.

I grew up being told I was allergic to bee stings but so far so good. I also did some research and it said to look out for excessive swelling so that's what I'm doing. Problem is, I haven't been stung since I was a little kid, so I have no idea of what normal swelling would be around the afflicted areas. Ex: The one on my wrist has small lump but a red ring around it about the size of a JFK half dollar coin. I'm thinking this is normal though.

Any advice on what to look for would be appreciated.

Much Love:
Mama Cass

Don't chance it. Please contact a doctor.

Bee Stings: Anaphylactic Shock Explained

jp58 · #3 08-15-2010, 04:10 PM

I'm highly allergic to most insect stings and at the least bee/wasp/hornet/yellow jacket stings result in half dollar sized welts. If I got more than 2-3 at a time, I need an epi pen shot.

Shortness of breath and tight lump in throat are things to look for because it can mean that your having a severe allergic reaction/shock type reaction.

bassbrad · #4 08-15-2010, 04:17 PM

If you are still breathing then you should be okay, but it might be prudent to take a benadryl and perhaps aspirin to alleviate any symptoms.

Stingray89 · #5 08-15-2010, 04:19 PM

Going to the doctor is the last thing I want to do, but if you start having shortness of breath and the area you got stung starts swelling up more than I would recommend going to see one.

poorbassist15 · #6 08-15-2010, 04:26 PM

I hate bees, wasps and hornets. I try everything to remove them from my house on a regular basis. Pressure washers and gasoline work the best

Back to topic, see a doctor. Just to bee safe. There see what I did there, I made a funny.

Mozilla · #7 08-15-2010, 04:32 PM

For minor stings...

Have some mint, comfrey or lemon balm growing in your yard.
Chew a handful of one of these plants with your back teeth for about five bites...mix in as much spit as you can muster in those five bites...and slather the compound on the bit, immediately. The stinging or ant bits will stop hurting in less than a minute.

Note: don't try to chew on these plants much more than five bites...they get very overpowering if you swallow some of the juice. But, what's bad for your belly is great for the sting.

If you feel short of breath, though....see a doctor ASAP.

cassanova · #8 08-15-2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbrad

If you are still breathing then you should be okay, but it might be prudent to take a benadryl and perhaps aspirin to alleviate any symptoms.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I'm still breathing and would think any symptoms would've shown by now. I wound up taking Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and even some of my sisters Pamprin.

I knew stings hurt, but I would never had thought that yellow jacket stings could be this painful. These things now earned even more of my respect.

jp58 · #9 08-15-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I'm still breathing and would think any symptoms would've shown by now. I wound up taking Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and even some of my sisters Pamprin.

I knew stings hurt, but I would never had thought that yellow jacket stings could be this painful. These things now earned even more of my respect.

Nice to hear you're ok.

And I'm sure pamprin will definitely help with the stings

MIJ-VI · #10 08-15-2010, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I'm still breathing and would think any symptoms would've shown by now. I wound up taking Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and even some of my sisters Pamprin.

I knew stings hurt, but I would never had thought that yellow jacket stings could be this painful. These things now earned even more of my respect.

How much time has elapsed since you were stung?

hover · #11 08-15-2010, 05:29 PM

Dude, if you've EVER been issued / prescribed an epi-pen, you're allergic. If that's the case and you DON'T currently have one, get your ass to a doctor, stat.

I am highly allergic, to the point wherein 25-30 minutes my airway closes. Not fun.

i_got_a_mohawk · #12 08-15-2010, 05:46 PM

Just to point out that the Epi-pen isn't the be all and end all. If you are that allergic to a sting, get yourself medical attention ASAP, the pen just gives you more time!

(I'm sure you guys know this, but still worth a mention).

Were there stingers left in you (ie did you have to pull them out).

If so it was probably bee's that stung you, if not, probably wasps or hornets.

Either way, you seem somewhat uncertain of your allergies. Did you get stung by bee's and have a bad reaction in the past? Go get checked out and take an allergy test. Not something to mess about with.

My mother is badly allergic to either wasp or bee stings (can't remember which), to the point of a sting could be fatal.

hover · #13 08-15-2010, 05:56 PM

that's what i was gettin at Mohawk but thanks for the clarification!!!

hbarcat · #14 08-15-2010, 06:45 PM

There are two concerns with bee/wasp/hornet stings. One is the local pain and swelling due to the toxins in the sting and the other is the possible allergic reaction that a relatively few people have which is a serious and immediate medical emergency.

To add to what was was already pointed out by MIJ-IV
Anaphylaxis:
https://health.google.com/health/ref/Anaphylaxis

As far as the local pain and swelling, most bee stings are small and mere annoyances. Wasp and yellow jacket stings make larger red marks and are more painful. Hornets are brutal and can make the entire area swell up and are extremely painful.

The BEST treatment for the local pain and swelling from stings is ICE. As soon as you are stung, get some ice and put it in a ziplock bag and apply to the area. Keep the ice on the sting for about ten minutes and then let it off for about two minutes. Then ten and two ten and two ten and two for a total of about an hour. The two minutes in between the ten is to keep the skin from becoming too cold.

In many cases, ice treatment will completely eliminate any pain and swelling and it will almost always significantly reduce it.

MIJ-VI · #15 08-15-2010, 07:10 PM

I hope that cassanova is OK...

jp58 · #16 08-15-2010, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

My mother is badly allergic to either wasp or bee stings (can't remember which), to the point of a sting could be fatal.

My mother is the same way.

I'm mildly allergic to some- half dollar sized welts
and not so mild to others- Epi pen + potential visit to the doc.

I've only had to go to the doc twice. First time got me an allergy test and an epi pen, the second was with my mom because we both got stung, and only had 1 epi pen.

Now I know my mother was protecting me, but she should've taken the epi shot because she had to drive....

Jay Ralston · #17 08-15-2010, 07:29 PM

Take some Benadryl and on the bee stings, mix some baking soda with water and make a paste and put the paste on the stings. It will actually absorb the poison and reduce the swelling. I too have had allergic reactions in the past and that is what I have had to do.

In junior high I got stung on the left butt cheek by a bee and my one butt cheek swole up about 3 times it's normal size. It was the oddest looking thing I had ever seen, when I would look in the mirror and see a normal butt cheek and a huge butt cheek.

If you start feeling any tightness in your chest or trouble breathing or yor heart start to race, call and doctor right away.

cassanova · #18 08-15-2010, 11:06 PM

I think it's safe to say that my mother was wrong in telling me I'm allergic to stings. I never had anything other than swelling and pain from the stings I got earlier today. Freakin things still hurt but nowhere near as bad as they did earlier.

Come the morning, I'm going to be calling my doctor to schedule an allergy test. I want to know exactly what I'm not allergic to that I've been told I was.

Munjibunga · #19 08-15-2010, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I'm still breathing and would think any symptoms would've shown by now. I wound up taking Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and even some of my sisters Pamprin.

I knew stings hurt, but I would never had thought that yellow jacket stings could be this painful. These things now earned even more of my respect.

OH NO! Menstruation is now imminent!

MIJ-VI · #20 08-15-2010, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

I think it's safe to say that my mother was wrong in telling me I'm allergic to stings. I never had anything other than swelling and pain from the stings I got earlier today. Freakin things still hurt but nowhere near as bad as they did earlier.

Come the morning, I'm going to be calling my doctor to schedule an allergy test. I want to know exactly what I'm not allergic to that I've been told I was.

'Good plan.