[Greenerlife]

Spent the whole morning tending bees with no stings.  Went in with my chickens later in afternoon and a bee came and sought me out and stung me between my second and third finger!  I am very allergic to beestings and spent two nights with no sleep and scratched almost all the skin off my hand, which resembled a marigold glove that had been blown up.  Now in three years of beekeeping, I have been stung about 6 times.  Each time the affected area blows up enormous - last time I was stung on the forearm and when I went to the pharmacy to ask advice theirs was "go to your GP immediately" which I did and all they said was carry on taking Piriton. 

Now I have heard that with some people, the more they get stung the less reaction becomes, (my fellow beekeeper hardly notices stings and works with no gloves!) and equally, some peoples issues seem to get worse!  Just looking to see if anyone has any advice/experience natural remedies etc worth sharing?

[Beewyched]

My father used to have a friend who was allergic to bee stings - & I really mean USED TO! He'd had several bad reactions, each time worse then the one before - my father saw him die at a garden party somewhere (it wasn't my fathers bees that got him - honest).

This was about 40 years ago, possibly before Eppipens were invented/commonly used - I would advise you to discuss with your GP the possibility of you carry one though - never heard of someone being allergic & becoming desensitized.

[jaykay]

I think if you're that allergic you need to take precautions (Epipen as Beewyched suggests).

I've heard people react less as they get older but I think that's from a pretty minimal response anyway.

Just different genetics I suppose - my hubby gets the tiniest red mark from a midge bite, I get a lump 2" across

Sounds like you're sensitive to bee stings and probably always will be  My dad is and takes his antihistamines before he goes anywhere near his hives.

[Anke]

I am not allergic to beestings per se, but before I go into my hives I take an antihistamine. It just reduces the swelling (and I need my hands for milking twice a day!) I now also wear a thin pair of marigolds under my proper bee gloves, seem not to have been stung this year yet.

I would definitely start and carry an epipen, it sounds as if you are allergic and you never know when it will be really bad!

[Plantoid]

Spent the whole morning tending bees with no stings.  Went in with my chickens later in afternoon and a bee came and sought me out and stung me between my second and third finger!  I am very allergic to beestings and spent two nights with no sleep and scratched almost all the skin off my hand, which resembled a marigold glove that had been blown up.  Now in three years of beekeeping, I have been stung about 6 times.  Each time the affected area blows up enormous - last time I was stung on the forearm and when I went to the pharmacy to ask advice theirs was "go to your GP immediately" which I did and all they said was carry on taking Piriton. 

Now I have heard that with some people, the more they get stung the less reaction becomes, (my fellow beekeeper hardly notices stings and works with no gloves!) and equally, some peoples issues seem to get worse!  Just looking to see if anyone has any advice/experience natural remedies etc worth sharing?

 I played with 50 commercial hives of bees for nearly 12 years ..I  belonged to a commercial honey cooperative , met lots of keepers who knew what they were doing as well as hunderds that didn't .
 There used to be a British Bee Keepers ( don't know if it is still a running concern ) their membership fee let you have a monthly magazine
In it and else where I found that Bee stings can have a cumulative effect especially if you have been taking anti histamine .. that long term keeper who is never bothered by a sting can one day suddenly go into an anaphalatic ( SP ) shock .. I nearly died when it happened to me .

 One thing to do is scrape the bee sting out the sting site and leaver the area ASAP to stop the bees homing in on the attack pheromone coming out the embeded sting  & thus you .

 I used to work bare handed most of the time and smoked my hands a few seconds before smoking the hive.... repeated it on each hive .. it seemed to help
 I carry an Eipen ,t the GP was most reluctant to let me have one as you can be damaged seriously if you use it at the wrong occasion . I also have some very strong anti reactive  tablets to take right away   and  some high strength antihistamines to take every hour till I can get to medical help.

[Greenerlife]

Thankyou for your reply Plantoid.  I am going to badger my GP for an Epipen.  i do regularly take antihistamines as I get hayfever for 6 months a year.  I have been doing some reading up on treatments for stings and the squeezing out of the venom sac seems quite key.  Also recommended is ice, and, weirdly enough honey (at least I know I have some!).  I did try to squeeze the venom out - they suggest a credit card to do it to stop the flow.

I don't want to have to give up beekeeping as I know a few who have as a result of reactions to stings.

[OldGaffer]

Not sure if it will help you but I use a device that works well for me, although I am not allergic to bee stings and that is a heat pen called "Bite Away". The short burst of heat, which I apply several times to the sting site, apparently breaks down the proteins in the venom.

Hope you find a solution soon.

[Plantoid]

Not sure if it will help you but I use a device that works well for me, although I am not allergic to bee stings and that is a heat pen called "Bite Away". The short burst of heat, which I apply several times to the sting site, apparently breaks down the proteins in the venom.

Hope you find a solution soon.

 Yep they work well , another old time  solution for things like  stings on the face and head is to  get a bath towel soaked in very hot water  as hot as yoi can wiot out scalding yourself and wrap it arounfd the area .. the heat neutralizes the venom


Greeenerlife,
 I noticed you mentioned " squeeze the venom out."  & reference to the venom sac not recommended .. the sac will still pump venom into you through the barbed sting .
SCRAPE the  sting and sac off you using that card but it is easier to use your thumb nail or a hive tool . .. press in firmly slightly  away from the sting site and slide the nail/tool over the sting to remove it  .. the quicker its done the less venom enters your body but do not compress the sac or you'll get a bigger dose.

[Greenerlife]

Doctor didn't recommend Epipen for me.  Double dose of Piriton (two tablets) immediately after being stung and then regularly afterwards to ease the itching and subsequent scratching!  Hopefully I won't need to report back to you as I won't get stng any more, but en again...

[Tiva Diva]

An epipen is  for a full-on anaphylactic reaction: it won't stop the itching or swelling. If you start getting wheezy, have difficulty breathing or get swelling/tingling in your lips or tongue after being stung then you should have an epipen. What you describe sounds like a severe local reaction: this does not mean you will go on to develop anaphylaxis (but it doesn't mean you won't, either.....).
I would advise doing what Anke suggests and take some piriton or other antihistamine before working on the hives (yes I know that's not when you got stung) or are doing anything that's likely to get you stung. A steroid cream may also help.
You could talk to your GP about desensitisation but:
Most GPs know sod all about it.
A lot of NHS boards won't fund it.
There's a nationwide shortage of allergy specialists.
You could probably get it done privately though!

[pottsie]

Sat here with a swolen face having got a sting on my lip yesterday, looked a bit like a spitting image doll for a while, but feeling better now, funny thing was i was just working outside and not on the hive were i am always well protected as i know i swell a bit. The piriton method works well for me but i do keep a pen in the house, will speak to my G.P about desensatisation though, hes a country bloke and may be able to help. Thanks for the advice.

Rob. 

[OhLaLa]

Firstly, definitely SCRAPE the sting out.
And secondly, carry a tube of Anthisan in your bee box.