posted
I just got stung behind the ear by a Yellow Jacket. Ouch. I've been stung many times, but this one made my head spin literally. My eyes started watering, my whole body turned red, Chest pounding, and I couldn't catch my breath. It was right as work was ending, so I wasn't even sure I could drive. Very dizzy. I had been feeling absolutely fine all day, and the sting sent me into a tailspin. On the ride home, I was having some pretty scary chest pains, almost like the worst indigestion you'll ever have.
It's been about 45 minutes, and I seem to be settling a bit. I was supposed to work out tonight, but I think I'll skip it. I feel like I got run over by a truck full of Yellow Jackets. Why do bugs hate me so much?
Should I be aware of anything that Lyme patients need to know in regards to bee/ wasp stings?
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linky123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19974
posted
It sounds as if you might be allergic. Do you have any Benadryl on hand? If so, I would take some and monitor symptoms.
Liquid Benadryl works faster than the pills.
-------------------- 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28 Posts: 2607 | From Hooterville | Registered: Apr 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If you send someone out for Benadryl, most drugs stores also carry STING-KILL
Topcially:
Sting-Kill, either swabs or wipes really help calm the pain.
If used near the back of the ear, though, when sleeping, this could work into the eyes and that is best avoided by a gauze pad over the sting (and maybe some other precautions).
The swabs come in a small clear tube that you break open in a plastic tube. VERY bright green and works so well as long as it stays moistened with this for a day or two. A band aid or gauze pad, also moistened helps the area stay saturated.
Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 31149
posted
It sounds like you need to keep an epi pen with you (allergic).
Maybe you could detox to deal with the venom too (lemon water)?
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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lymeboy
Unregistered
posted
I am ok now, just tired and a bit woozy. Any chance that the bee venom will kill bugs?
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posted
You need to be VERY careful!! I kept an epi-pen for awhile and then got lazy about getting it refilled as they would expire. But if you are outdoors a lot you REALLY NEED one.
The next sting could kill you because what you had was a VERY STRONG and unusual reaction.
I have a fear of wasps because the last time I was stung was at age 15 by an black and red wasp.
He was buzzing around my head (came right at me) and I swatted at him and got stung on the finger. My whole hand swelled up for a week and I couldn't use the hand. I even got a steroid shot for it and it was still bad.
NO, I don't there is any benefit from a sting. (because it's a wasp, not a bee)
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- A super strong DITTO to TuTu:
"NO, I don't there is any benefit from a sting."
You need to be very careful for a while and take it easy. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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linky123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19974
posted
I wouldn't exercise either. When my son had an allergic reaction to some meds he was taking, he broke out in hives off and on for a month.
Getting overheated always exacerbated his symptoms.
-------------------- 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28 Posts: 2607 | From Hooterville | Registered: Apr 2009
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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lymeboy
Unregistered
posted
I do. I didn't get hives, I just turned red! Nothing really swelled. But my breathing was fast and hard for about 5 minutes. bloodshot eyes, and then just a feeling of being drugged and beaten!
Yes, I was afraid that was my heart. It felt like heartburn, but worse. Deep breathing soothed it, and it was gone within a few minutes.
I'm wondering why the next bite could be fatal. I was under the impression that we build tolerance, but this isn't the case? This sucks! I've been stung so many times by every type of creature, including spiders (that earned me a trip to the hospital). Now not only am I ill, but I'm allergic? Dammit!
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posted
As with just about anything, you can suddenly become allergic to it. Even abx you've always taken can turn on you.
Due to your serious reaction, I would suggest you speak to your Dr about it the next time you see him. See what he says.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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lymeboy
Unregistered
posted
I definitely will. We meet on Monday.
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AuntyLynn
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35938
posted
Yeah, shortness of breath and chest pains are suspicious for allergic reaction ...I agree. You should keep Benedryl or an Epi-pen within easy access at all times.
As for the initial pain -
Our old time remedy is BAKING SODA!
Put some in a teaspoon and add enough water to make a paste ... then plaster the paste onto the sting site.
The alkaline counteracts the acid in the venom, and pain resolves immediately!
Posts: 1432 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jan 2012
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posted
Funny I just got stung too and had a similar reaction. I got bit on the hand. They are aggresive this time of year due to the shortage of pollen left. So I did some research because I felt herxy about 20 min after the bite. Here is what I found.
The antimicrobial agent melittin exhibits powerful in vitro inhibitory effects on the Lyme disease spirochete.
Lubke LL, Garon CF.
Rocky Mountain Laboratories Microscopy Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840, USA.
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi has demonstrated a capacity to resist the in vitro effects of powerful eukaryotic and prokaryotic metabolic inhibitors. However, treatment of laboratory cultures on Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly medium with melittin, a 26-amino acid peptide contained in honeybee venom, showed immediate and profound inhibitory effects when they were monitored by dark-field microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and optical density measurements. Furthermore, at melittin concentrations as low as 100 microg/mL, virtually all spirochete motility ceased within seconds of inhibitor addition. Ultrastructural examination of these spirochetes by scanning electron microscopy revealed obvious alterations in the surface envelope of the spirochetes. The extraordinary sensitivity of B. burgdorferi to mellitin may provide both a research reagent useful in the study of selective permeability in microorganisms and important clues to the development of effective new drugs against lyme disease.
PMID: 9233664 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Posts: 433 | From new york | Registered: Dec 2004
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lymeboy
Unregistered
posted
Cleo, thanks for this. This is why I asked. because right away I felt loaded with die off, In addition to the semi-allergic reaction. I felt just wiped out and toxic. Another odd thing is that my ear (which is the ear I was stung behind, incidentally) is pretty much always clogged up. Immediately following the bite, it was horrendous, and Pulsating and felt like it was closed up for good. 30 minutes later, I enjoyed complete relief for a good 2 hours. I cannot say what that is all about, but I will say that I have only had relief one other time in 6 years, when I had accupuncture. So who knows. The accupuncture gave me about 10 hours.
However, I was stung by a Yellow jacket wasp, which is different than a honey bee. They hurt more, for one. Not sure how disimilar the venom is, but I am guessing it is different.
In any case, I have no plans to get stung again on the off chance it is killing bugs. So nobody worry. If I could give some advice to all the people of the world, right now I would say DO NOT GET STUNG ON THE HEAD, IT SUCKS!
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
interesting...sorry bout your bites but sure hope someone follows up on possible new treatment
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
It seems that they both contain melittin, although honey bees contain more. People use apitherapy to control RA and MS. That does not sound like fun to me though. ouch
Posts: 433 | From new york | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
I recall a video/news article of a woman who treat her Lyme with honey bee stings. Anyone heard of that too, I looked for the link to share but couldn't find it.
Posts: 274 | From United States | Registered: Feb 2012
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posted
how weird, i got stung by a honey bee on my head the other day, and almost immediately had herxy stiff neck, sore body symptoms.
Posts: 43 | From RI | Registered: Apr 2011
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