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Late 80s Hokie

Joined: 10/29/2001 Posts: 23139
Likes: 7594


Yes, you CAN develop a bee sting allergy over time.


When I was young, I was stung a few times. Nothing outrageous, but hell, I don't remember how many times between ages 1 and 25. I said "ouch", or 1 time cried (hey, I was 5 and the bee went UP my nose and stung me there, so I get a pass on the crying) and moved on with life.

Age 25 to 40 or so? 1 or 2 bee stings, maybe. No big deal.

40 ish, while cleaning up after some storm damage, I gripped a branch not realizing I had wrapped my hand over a bee. Said "ouch", cleaned it, moved on.

One or 2 years ago? I forget the circumstance, but I was stung, again said "ouch" and moved on with life.

Friday 10 days ago? I got stung by one bee but 3 times. While riding the mower and cutting the grass, I felt a pain behind my left knee. I swatted at it, and then zap, zap in my left side (through a shirt, no less). I motored away as fast as I could swinging my hat. No swarm, just one smallish bee. Got away, went inside to check and clean the damage, but started to feel a little bit off.

Over the next 20 or 30 minutes, I had a bite to eat (it was lunch time) and continued to feel just a bit worse. I started to itch EVERYWHERE. Looked up bee sting reactions. Yup, that's a symptom. Took a zyrtec. No benadryl in the house. Top lip started to swell. Right ear started to swell. Right neck started to swell. Yup, all symptoms of an anaphylaxis reaction. OK Hon, take me to Urgent Care please (after spending 15 minutes on the line with my insurance confirming who was in network....the lady didn't understand that this was kind of urgent?)

Get to urgent care and there's a short check in process but then I was called in immediately, jumping the line for the 4 or 5 other folks in the waiting room. They checked vitals, asked about symptoms and the situation and gave me 2 pepcids (about 15 minutes apart. At this point my stomach was feeling a little off, and it felt like I needed to burp), a benadryl and then a substantial steroid injection. I had to show my butt to a very pretty nurse.

10 minutes after that.....VERY lightheaded, cold sweats, really felt like I had to vomit. No one in the room with me, and no one responding to my ringing the bell, so I'm thinking "I really don't want to faint from 4 feet off the ground" so I get down into a chair, puke bucket in front of me and ring the bell some more. They finally come.

I still don't know if that last paragraph part was the next step in 'bee sting reaction' or a reaction to the big steroid injection. Anyone know?

So then I'm into a wheel chair and moved onto an actual medical bed (ish) with rails up. They're talking about putting in an IV and some other stuff. Like 5 nurses all popping in over 3 minutes checking on me. Eventually someone must have overruled the IV....and I started to feel better. Cold sweats went away. Feeling faint went away. Itching and stomach upset went away. I laid there for maybe 30 more minutes as they checked me on occasion, sometimes texting my wife to give her an update, and after another 15.....OK, you're good to go.

Posted: 10/18/2021 at 10:35AM



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Current Thread:
 
  
Yes, you CAN develop a bee sting allergy over time. -- Late 80s Hokie 10/18/2021 10:35AM
  Entrapment ** -- MEHOKIE 10/18/2021 5:30PM
  Whew. Glad you recovered some. ** -- PhotoHokieNC 10/18/2021 11:40AM
  Next time could be worse reaction..buy epipen. ** -- capitals1 10/18/2021 11:21AM
  I would buy several, just in case -- EDGEMAN 10/18/2021 11:28AM
  Careful what you wish for 😉 ** -- AZHokie59 10/18/2021 11:51AM

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