Subject: sting relief

From: [email-masked] (Francis Miquet)
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 11:27:48 -0400

It's my second year bee-keeping. Yesterday I was stung on my hand and it
has ballooned to the point where I can't move my fingers. (I've been stung
numerous times with little or no reaction.) I thought that by now I should
be immune to these kinds of reactions. Why do I still get such violent
reactions to the odd sting? What can I take to relieve the swelling? (I am
taking anti-histamines.) Is there any long-term treatment to reduce such
adverse reactions? How long or how many stings does it take to get immune
to bee stings? I have read the FAQ on the subject but it deal primarily
with systemic reactions.

Thanks for your insight.

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From: Jenny Ryan <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 12:41:49 -0600

Francis Miquet wrote:
> to bee stings? 

i remember reading somewhere sometime (love those precise references
eh?) that you need to get at least 10 stings a year to develop an
immunity.

i've had bees for 9 (or 10?) years and have always had the same mild
reaction 'till last summer. we had a lousy spring in Colorado, and the
bees were as grumpy as could be. i got stung several times throughout
the spring, and then one day i went out to mess around without being
properly dressed. 

i got a bazillion (that's a lot!) bees inside my shirt and got plenty of
stings. i felt a little icky afterwards, and they itched for a few days.
but then for the rest of the summer i had zero reaction to stings!  i'd
feel the sting, but then nothing afterwards! the really amazing thing
was that it seemed i also hardly reacted to mosquito bites last summer
either. coincidence?

i've only been stung once so far this year, and had my usual mild
reaction. i'd rather not be immune than go through what i went through
last summer !

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From: [email-masked] (Thomas Storey)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 04:09:43 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Francis Miquet) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (Francis Miquet)
>Subject: sting relief
>Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 11:27:48 -0400

>Thanks for your insight.

This just might be the beginning of the end of beekeeping for you, as happened 
to me.  I became progressively more sensitive to the stings until I started to 
break out in hives and had trouble breathing.  This was after two or three 
stings at once.  I got the message and sold my hives.
Good luck,  Tom

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From: [email-masked] (Vandy Terre)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 13:56:10 GMT

On Fri, 14 Jun 1996 04:09:43 GMT, [email-masked] (Thomas

>>to bee stings? I have read the FAQ on the subject but it deal primarily
Try taking the anti-histamines before working with the bees.  Are you
eating honey and getting enough vitamins?  Both are important,
deficiencies can make reactions more violent.  Venom usually acts as a
cumulative poison.  Reaction worsens up to the point of severe
reaction, then the body gains a higher tolerance and reactions become
less violent. 

 I am basing this on my problems with a wasp/hornet allergy.  I have
had severe enough reactions to need a doctor to save my life.  Now
when stung I quickly take an anti-histamin, concentrate on relaxing
and have very mild reactions.

I do not have bees yet.  My family kept bees when I was a child.  I
did not suffer from hay fever until our last hive died in hard winter
and my source of local raw honey died with the hive.  I have been
lurking here for a while trying to learn as much as possible before
getting our first hive.  I am in west central Georgia, USA.  Any bee
keepers close?

Vandy Terre
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (CAMILLIUS LAY 19870601)
Date: 14 Jun 1996 16:55:04 GMT

> to bee stings? I have read the FAQ on the subject but it deal primarily

	Some individuals become MORE, not less, sensitive to bee stings
	with increased exposure.  As noted previously, you may be one of
	those individuals, and this may be the end of casual beekeeping
	for you.

	GO SEE A DOCTOR!  Preferably an allergy specialist who is familiar
	with this phenomenon.  DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU!  People have died 
	from this.  Perhaps some of them were even taking ill-informed 
	advice to go get stung.  Anaphylactic shock is an ugly, ugly way
	to die.

	Good luck,
	C

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From: [email-masked] (Paul Petty)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 10:26:47

In article <[email-masked]>
 [email-masked] (Francis Miquet) writes:

>reactions to the odd sting?
===============snip==========

The human immune system is at best poorly understood.  An exposure to an 
antigen today may cause decreased sensitivity to future exposure but then 
something changes and the opposite effect happens.  A friend of mine kept bees 
for 20 years without problems, but then a few years ago he started getting 
reactions to stings similar to what you describe.  He decided to give it up at 
that point.  One thing you could do is to see an allergist who can test for 
sensitivity under somewhat controlled conditions.