bee sting :-(

[SaxDragon]

I haven't been stung in over 2 years, and it really didn't hurt that much. Probably some poor drone who had the misfortune to fly into my arm while I was feeding the outside cats (or maybe he was suicidal?)

 

It's been almost 9 hours since I removed the stinger (but I had nothing available at the time to draw out the venom), and the underside of my forearm is now swollen from elbow to wrist, slightly red, and the edges between affected and nonaffected areas itch. I've never swollen like this with a bee sting - I guess it's my age or something (I'm a tad worried about the various health constitions and medications I take, and any interactions with the venom).

 

Since this isn't my dominant hand, I haven't been hampered much - except that I can't knit or crochet. You wouldn't think that holding the yarn would pull and stretch the skin of the forearm, but, surprisingly, yarn holding is not a static state. I do move my hand/wrist as I work. Typing isn't too great a feeling either :-)

 

So, I was wondering how to imbolize my wrist, and I drug out my stiff bowling glove, turned it inside out, and put it on. Not totally imbolized, but enough that I find it awkward to work. I'm fighting the swelling and the glove, and the yarn (keeping it free of the velcro).

 

I tried running the yarn through a variety of homemade contraptions to hold it for me (saw something online once for crocheting after a stroke), but my tension is off, and I find trying to work the hook and yarn one handed is weird. I suppose, over time and effort, I could figure it out. By then, though, the swelling will be gone.

 

I suppose I'll give up for the night, hide my yarn from the cats, and satisfy my yarn urges by browsing the net shops :-)

 

hmmm ...

can I call a credit card purchase for online yarn as therapy for a bee sting? and get insurance to pay for it?

 

LOL

[Shell]

be careful, bees are one of the few things you get MORE allergic to as you get more exposed to their venom. So the first time you may have no reaction, the third you could anaphylaxis. It's just an oddity of nature. Most things you become more immune to, some you don't.

 

Immobilising your arm may make crocheting easier but the lesser movement wont allow the venom to get into the bloodstream as easy and it may cause it to stay swollen longer. You should see a chemist or a dr for advice as your arm shouldn't be so swollen anyway.

 

That said, I'm no doctor! but that's just my opinions on it all. Hope it heals quickly!! Wouldn't that insurance claim be nice

[ErinLindsey]

If you're still swollen, try putting ice on the sting for about 20 or 30 minutes. The ice will slow down the allergy response. Altho it might be too late now for that, the ice will still probably make it feel better.

 

I'm not a doctor, and it's bad ju ju to recommend taking any medications if you're not a doctor, but I do know that antihistamines like Benadryl (diphenhydramine) can also help reduce the swelling.

 

If you start noticing the swelling getting worse, you might want to go visit the ER just in case.

 

My mom has a life threatening allergy to bees. We keep an Epi-pen in the house during the summer. (that reminds me...we probably need to re-new that Rx)

[DameErin]

You can get topical benadryl, too, if you're really afraid about mixing up medications, although it's been my experience that the tablets work better than the spray.

 

I don't know if this will work on stings or not, but the lidocaine in those sunburn gels sometimes help me with itches.

[lindy]

I am sorry about your bee sting. Hopefully it won't take too long to clear up. Hopefully a Dr. can give you something to make you feel better.

If you can't crochet comfortably maybe you can make yarn balls out of your skeins? That's what I do when it is too dark in the car while travelling. I just sit there and make yarn balls. It satisfies my yarn craving.

[lhasaapsolady]

I feel so bad for you, here's a to cheer you up.

[tobybob]

I use destin that you use for babies. But I have been a couple of times and did nothing and ended up going to the doctor as I had gotten an infection from the sting. So if the swelling gets worse by time get to the doctor and don't try fixing it your self.

[Auntie Kellie]

I don't know much about beestings, but perhaps a tension bandage on your arm would help you with the crocheting. However; don't let that be a reason to stop shopping the online crochet stores.

 

Hugs and Cookies

Auntie K

[shifio]

i am petrified of getting stung, run a mile when i hear a noise , i would get it checked out if i were you

[fran]

For people who are not allergic to bee stings meat tenderizer mixed into a paste with water may alleviate the symptoms. It contains papain which helps to break down the components of the bee toxin.

[Ladykats]

If you are on medications for other problems, then I suggest you contact your doctor befoore taking anything and he will advise you on what to do. I am allergic to bee's and lionfish ( another story ) You are having a reaction and you should consult your doctor about it. Though this one is mild, the next time it will be worse. As a kid, I never had a reaction, as a young adult, I swelled like you are describing. The last time, I was in the hospital for three days. This was over a 28 year period from first reaction to a total blown reaction. You never know when you will become allergic to bees. Oh and Lionfish contain the same venom as bees only 10x stronger.

[SaxDragon]

Gettin' better :-) The swelling has moved into the heel of my palm - it's itchy - but overall, all the swelling is less red and less hot, and I'm not as hampered while typing. I've been rolling an ice cold soda can up and down my arm most of the night (once the can warms, I pour the soda over ice and get another cold can LOL). Looks like I'll be crocheting again by midnight :-)

 

I've susspended most of my meds for a couple of days, except the insulin.

 

Last time I was stung, I was walking barefoot IN my apartment and crammed my big toe into the bee on my carpet. Really painful, but hardly any swelling (I bought a screen for the patio door after that). I used a baking soda paste to draw it out (no meat tenderizer in the house then either LOL). No box of it this time around, so I think I'll get a bee sting kit for my storm supplies - at least then I know I'd have something. As a kid, for jellyfish stings, we used mud, but the dirt around the house has a fungus (already got an infection from gardening), and of course, cat feces ... ick. I didn't want to trade bee ting for infection :-)

 

The abandoned house next door has a bee hive in the wall, wasp nests in the trees, all kinds of spiders (some kind of big fuzzy ones that live in all those neat round holes in the ground) and big red ants. I've been here almost two years with no poblems. Only bites until now have been mostly mosquitos. As much as I like growing flowers, I have not done so here because of all the bees (I miss my flowers, but the ivy keeps me just as busy). We also have snakes, but only the garden variety, not rattlers :-) Lots of squirls and 'possums, an armadillo, and on rare occassions, even deer (needless to say, I spend a fortune on fleaand tick repellant for all the cats).

 

I sometimes get hives, bad, like this (even once ended up in the ER), but in all my stuff, no antihistamine. I suppose I used it all up earlier this year with the seasonal allergies. I still have decongestants, but I figured that wouldn't help :-) So, my grocery list today is allergy pills, bee kit, and propane for the heater (cold front coming), might as well get more mosquitto spray since its also supposed to rain, test strps and inslin syringes, glucose tabs which I noticed I don't have any of, laundry soap, cat food, more yarn if I go to walmart, and something for dinner I won't have to cook (mcrowave isn't really cooking).

 

I can hear my bank account whimpering ...

[krzykajun]

If you are able to medically, an antihistamine would really help. It seems your reaction to the sting was really bad, so I would speak to a doctor. Usually with allergic reactions, the second is worse than the first, and on and on. He may want you to purchase an epi pen or something in case you get stung again. Oh, and if your insurance pays your yarn purchase, let me know. I want to switch insurance companies !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[double2]

When ever I get a bee sting I cut a potato in half and rub the cut side on the sting. You get immediate relief. This has worked for me for years.

Those stings are not to be fooled with if you sweel so much with them.

double2

[ErinLindsey]

If the reaction to this sting was worse than the last one you had, you probably should check with a doctor, preferabbly an allergy specialist. Everytime you're exposed to a major allergen like bee venom, it can make you more and more sensitive until you develop an anaphylaxic (sp?) allergy.

 

Can you complain to the city or county where you live abou the abandoned house that has all the spiders and beehives in it? It sounds like a possible health hazard. Maybe the city can clean it up for you?

 

 

I have a shellfish allergy...I dont have an Epi-pen, so I carry Benadryl and Claritin with me all the time just in case I end up with an allergic reaction from cross contamination in a restaurant (it happens to me a lot) I'm sensitive enough to the shellfish allergy that if I go into a grocery store where they're preparing lobster for a customer, the fumes from the cooking will set me off. (hives, watery eyes, swelling lips)

[SaxDragon]

I got lucky! I drug out my bassoon (gotta' play an xmas job, needed to check my reeds), and found some tylenol pm from last year (also really stale stick of gum), which has the benedryl stuff (dyphenhydromine?). I only took one, don't need a nap yet :-)

 

I did put a call in to the doc, but too late I guess to get a return call. The skin under my wrist hurts still, and there's still a little swelling, but mostly it's going away. Generally I worry more about the fuzzy asps than bees (swell really bad with asps), but I guess with age I'll have to worry about the honey makers, too. I should be able to go back on my other meds by tomarrow.

 

The house next door has bees, my house has spiders :-) A little sparkly spray paint and those cobwebs on the porch will look like xmas decorations LOL The city already mows the abandoned property a couple of times a year, and keep it boarded up. They know about the bees, but I haven't been outright attacked so they won't do anything. Bummer.

 

I live on a strip of older houses (no central heat/air, pier foundations), and each of us has at least an acre of brush behind us. Lots of room for me to play my sax and my cats to chase butterflies :-) I hate winter here - hard to keep warrm, but 10 months of the year are hot and the window a/c is fine :-) If my one heater isn't enough this year, I'll go get another one. It's a lot like living at a hunting lease - lots of room, lots of quiet, lots of wildlife - except I have television and the store is less than a mile away, not 50 :-)

[ErinLindsey]

Tylenol PM is probably the perfect thing...it's got the antihistamine (diphenhydramine) and the painkiller acetominophen in it, so it'll stop (or lessen) the histamine reaction and take care of any pain from the sting.

 

The dosage of the diphenydramine in it is the same dosage that you would take of regular Benadryl too...I think Tylenol PM is what I have in my emergency stash of antihistamines that I carry everywhere.

[mythunderbird]

also i would do as fran said and get some meat tenderizer as that will work almost right away, it also works on mosquito bites and as a cheap thing you can get at the dollar store. everyone prerry much summed it all up hon. good luck and stay away from those pesky bees hon:manyheart