[timothyvanwing]

I've been stung plenty of times by Carolinian bees and it would sting and then it would be a little itchy. But now I got stung by a Buckfast bee on my wrist and my hand swelled up to about 4 times the size, the swelling went all the way up my forearm and swelled all my fingers. Today I got stung again by the same bee (buckfast) and I hardely swelled up at all, but it was still worse than when I get stung by a carny. Is this just a bad reaction or am i allergic to a buckfast breed of bee?
Thanks so much!

 

[Monie]

I'm not a doctor, but I think ANY reaction to a sting is an allegic reaction.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

What I've heard are that localized reactions are non-allergy based, no matter how bad the swelling but systemic reactions are usually allergy based and can be life-threatening. But very few things are "absolute".

 

[Onehorse]

Based on my quick discussion with a nurse in the allergist's office (fiance' went the anaphlactic shock direction, so we get to go visit the allergist for testing), there are 5 different types of honeybees that they test for, so apparently all venom is not created the same. An localized reactions usually aren't considered allergic, even whole body reactions may or may not be considered allergic depending on where you get stung. If my fiance' got stung in a vein, it would trigger anaphlactic shock, but isn't necessarily an allergic reaction, just a direct line dose to the heart and the heart isn't very tolerate of things like that.

 

[sqkcrk]

I'm not a doctor, but I think ANY reaction to a sting is an allegic reaction.

Yes and No. Yes, you aren't a Doctor. I'll take your word on that. No, any reaction to a sting is not an allergic reaction.

A true allergic reaction is one that results in anaphylactic shock. (sorry if i spelled it wrong) The most noticable part of this shock is a swelling and closing of the throat obsructing the airway.

Any other reaction to a bee sting is considered normal and not life threatening. Sweeling, itching, being stung here and swelling and/or itching somewhere else, all of these are normal reactions that often occur in people who don't get stung much or very often.

It doesn't mean that they aren't uncomfortable, just that they are normal, not life threatening and not to be feared. If you are going to keep bees, unless you are truely allergic, you aught to get stung every now and then so you won't have these normal reactions. Not having them will become the new normal.

I'm not a Doctor either. So don't take any of the above as medical advice. It isn't.

 

[dbest]

I always tell my workers that its either going to kill them or its good for them.

 

[sqkcrk]

there are 5 different types of honeybees that they test for, so apparently all venom is not created the same.

Is that what they said at the Doctors? "5 different types of honeybees"? Did they say honeybees? 'Cause here is where we can be instructive to allergists, because I think, if they didn't say it they actually meant "stinging and biting insects, including honeybees".

I wasn't there, so I don't know. But other than honeybees(apis mellifera) and bumblebees(bumbus bumbus) there probably aren't any other bees that they would be testing for.

Yellow jackets and other wasps are wasps, not honey bees. So, it would be nice if the Doctors knew that and didn't lump all allergic reactions to insect bites and stings on our honeybees. It gives the general public something else to fear.

So, please learn about bees, honeybees and other bees, and about wasps and then teach the Doctors the difference. It could matter. It could make a difference.

If nothing else, Doctor aught to know that if the stinger is still in the skin, at the sting site, then it was a honeybee. Otherwise it wasn't, most likely, unless the stinger was brushed off.

 

[sqkcrk]

I always tell my workers that its either going to kill them or its good for them.

Not good for your worker bees though, right?

 

[Bee Bliss]

Based on my quick discussion with a nurse in the allergist's office (fiance' went the anaphlactic shock direction, so we get to go visit the allergist for testing), there are 5 different types of honeybees that they test for, so apparently all venom is not created the same. An localized reactions usually aren't considered allergic, even whole body reactions may or may not be considered allergic depending on where you get stung. If my fiance' got stung in a vein, it would trigger anaphlactic shock, but isn't necessarily an allergic reaction, just a direct line dose to the heart and the heart isn't very tolerate of things like that.

In general, bee venom is very good for the heart, the brain and the body. It is just that your fiance is allergic, and a vein sting (never heard of that before) would probably make things happen faster which for him is not good.

Bee venom does enter the blood stream for all others also. It's not a bad thing and does have medicinal value as long as the person is not allergic. An allergic person, once over the bee venom allergy, can practice apitherapy (BVT) and benefit from that also.

Bee venom, like honeybees, gets a bad rap! ::Bee icon goes here::

 

[timothyvanwing]

Thanks guys for all of the thoughtful answers. So, Sometimes I can get stung in a more sensitive area and I swell more. Or is it just that the bee released more venom that time? So how long would it take for me to get "immune" towards the bee sting?

 

[Bee Bliss]

When a honeybee stings, the stinger and the venom sac remains behind. The venom will continue to pump into the tissue for up to 25 minutes or until the sac and stinger is removed. The longer it remains in the skin, the more venom is delivered.

Individuals and individual stings can be different. Some areas just swell more because it is a small area (hand/finger) or an area with little tissue (forehead) so swelling must go outward.

 

[sebee]

Yesterday I got stung a handful of times doing a cutout. The reaction to the stings ranged from swelling and itchiness, to not even being able to find the sting location after 5 minutes. And these were all bee from the same colony.

I think, as with so many things with beekeeping, there are enough variables, ie location of the sting, how long the stinger was in you, the particular bee that stung you, etc, that it is difficult to say, "I react to bee stings like...".

As long as reactions are localized and non-systemic, you are not what I consider to be allergic. But then again, Im not a doctor.

 

[Idahobeek]

I find my variations in reactions frustrating and/or interesting, depending on how you look at it. Just when I think I am past having lots of swelling and itching, one of them hammers me and I swell and itch like crazy. I wonder if their venom varies in either potency of volume given different factors, perhaps age or something else. Like the previous poster stated, one time I won't be able to find the sting site in a few minutes, the next one looks like I was beaten by a gang of thugs.

Although, as explained by my dr. an allergic reaction is much different from the bodies natural reaction and defense to a sting, and usually involves breathing difficulties which require medical attention even if an epi pen was administered. I think he was making sure I knew that as he prescribed me a pen so I wouldn't just skip a visit should I have an allergic reaction. It's almost like he knows me to well.

 

[Onehorse]

In general, bee venom is very good for the heart, the brain and the body. It is just that your fiance is allergic, and a vein sting (never heard of that before) would probably make things happen faster which for him is not good.

Bee venom does enter the blood stream for all others also. It's not a bad thing and does have medicinal value as long as the person is not allergic. An allergic person, once over the bee venom allergy, can practice apitherapy (BVT) and benefit from that also.

Bee venom, like honeybees, gets a bad rap! ::Bee icon goes here::

We don't know if he is allergic to bee venom or not, that's for the allergist, but I would think that bee venom is similiar to antibiotics or vaccines, in that IM injections are good, IV cause shock. Both wind up in the blood stream, but the heart can't handle IV antibiotics or vaccines and probably not bee venom either. I could be wrong and waiting for August 31st for answers.

 

[Onehorse]

Is that what they said at the Doctors? "5 different types of honeybees"? Did they say honeybees? 'Cause here is where we can be instructive to allergists, because I think, if they didn't say it they actually meant "stinging and biting insects, including honeybees".

I wasn't there, so I don't know. But other than honeybees(apis mellifera) and bumblebees(bumbus bumbus) there probably aren't any other bees that they would be testing for.

Yellow jackets and other wasps are wasps, not honey bees. So, it would be nice if the Doctors knew that and didn't lump all allergic reactions to insect bites and stings on our honeybees. It gives the general public something else to fear.

So, please learn about bees, honeybees and other bees, and about wasps and then teach the Doctors the difference. It could matter. It could make a difference.

If nothing else, Doctor aught to know that if the stinger is still in the skin, at the sting site, then it was a honeybee. Otherwise it wasn't, most likely, unless the stinger was brushed off.

I asked that question, did she mean honeybees or honeybees, wasps, yellow jackets, etc. She seemed to think it was 5 different types of honeybees; wasps and yellow jackets were additional, but I will clarify in the near future. We did pick this allergist because they do work with beekeepers and want to try and get him back into the hive, versus the others that I talked with that recommended staying away from the hives at all costs.

 

[AltamontBee]

I've been reading this thread with interest- I've been keeping bees for 3 years, and up until now, reactions have ranged from slight redness to an extremely swollen foot - all of which I considered to be local reactions.

We did a cutout the other day, and I got stung 3 times. On the way home, I noticed my lips felt tingly (but did not look swollen), my tongue felt thick, and my throat felt slightly swollen-like when you've been sick or crying. Breathing did not seem to be affected at all. I chalked it up to multiple stings, or the amount of dust and debris in the old shack we were getting the bees out of.

We went back to get any remaining "field bees" that might have been out, and I got stung once and had the same reaction.

This is sounding more like a allergic reaction to me, which seems bizarre after three years. I have an appointment with an allergist on the 30th. We'll see....
Jennifer

 

[Onehorse]

What you are experiencing is similiar to my fiance' experience, but he also got the hives and the shortness of breathe, was yawning a lot for 8 in the morning. Starting to recommend epi-pens for all beekeepers to carry. I know, I know, you should have been from the beginning, but who ever thinks it's going to happen to them.

 

[FindlayBee]

My experience with bee stings this year.

I am a first year beekeeper.

I got stung hiving a package on my second hive. She got me on the wrist. It hurt, turned a bit read, and there was some swelling about the size of a quarter where the stinger had been.

The next day I got stung on the palm of my right hand. It hurt, and soon after it just turned a bit red. Nothing major with it. This was during the hiving of another package of bees. About 20 minutes later I got stung again on the neck while getting ready to get in my van and leave. That one also swelled up around the sting about the size of a quarter and turned red.

A couple of weeks ago I got stung on the first joint on one of my fingers on my right hand. The second joint swelled up as far as my skin would allow it to swell. It hurt to bend my finger due to the pressure caused by the swelling. It took about 3 days for the swelling to go down.

I got stung again this past Sunday on the knuckle of my my right hand middle finger. She put the stinger is straight and she looked like a bee on a stick wiggling about. I was holding a bar using both hands so she was there for a bit while I put things back. Flipped her off... and flicked the stinger out. It hurt, but didn't do anything until the next day. My hand has swollen up nice and puffy making it hard to make a fist. The joints on all my fingers have swollen up to about 2x the normal size, and I my fingers are a bit swollen as well. During this inspection the bees did not like me at all being in the hive. I have a black handled knife that I brought to harvest some honey from the top bars. As soon as I used the knife to cut through some propolis 10 or more bees attacked the handle. I didn't get stung, but I could see them trying to sting the handle. I need to find a white handled knife.

These pictures do not show my knuckles very well. Most of the swelling either had not started yet or had already gone down. The swelling of my knuckles was mostly during Sunday afternoon. The swelling as gone down as of today (Monday Morning).

 

[beemerry]

A year ago when I bought my first Canadian Buckfast bees I thought the stings were more painfull than previous stings which I had received.(like having jalopena juice dabbed on a cut). The duration of the pain was no longer than that of other bee stings. Also, these bees do not sting a lot-I do not often wear protective gear to examine hives. I also have varied reactions to stings - the most prolonged seem to be those on my forearms.

 

[honeyman46408]

FindlayBee

I hope you dont get stung on the ring finger you could bee in trouble if you do, so think about removeing the ring before working the bees.