sting swelling

tlynn · July 16, 2008, 10:50:50 AM

How long did it take for your body to get used to stings and they stopped swelling and itching, if that's how your body reacted? My stings get all red and puffy and then have this deep itching you can't really scratch. I used to live in Central America, and they have these little bloodsucking flies called sandflies. I never liked the thought of spraying on DEET all the time so I let them bite. They bit really hard and in big numbers and left a red circle that itched fiercely. You'd scratch them until they bled. After about 6 months my body got used to them. No a red spot and no itching. Still hurt when they bit but it would go away quick. I am envisioning bee stings doing a similar progression with the immune system. True?

Kathyp · July 16, 2008, 11:22:14 AM

maybe...

i still swell up like a balloon. large area of swelling. itching. the whole works. if i take a swig of benadryl right away, it is better. also, and don't laugh, i have found that vagisil works well for the itching.

got stung two days ago on the hand and it is still swollen, but the itching is manageable. :-D

Tucker1 · July 16, 2008, 11:46:37 AM

I must be lucky. I had never been stung as a child and didn't get my first sting until I started Bee Keeping. It's more of an annoyance than anything else. It's a quick little sting with just a slight bit of swelling that goes away in a few hours.

I'd try the topical ointments and find the once that works best. Hopefully, you'll build up some immunity to stings.

Please see my tag line at the bottom of my reply. I think bee stings just come with the territory.

Hope you have a quick recovery.

Regards,
Tucker1

Irwin · July 16, 2008, 11:52:46 AM

Do you know how hard it is for a guy to buy vagisil :? I'm lucky stings don't bother me much.

Kathyp · July 16, 2008, 01:23:32 PM

it's not hard to buy. just throw it in with the beer and no one will notice :-D.

timdalyiii · July 16, 2008, 02:02:34 PM

My only sting so far was in the finger. It was swollen for almost a week. It was only sore for about a day. The selling and the soreness were not bad. More of an annoyance.

danno · July 16, 2008, 03:30:57 PM

this spring/summer I've been stung about 12 times. Hands dont bother me abit anymore. Once on the top of the head (I have alot of hair that catches them) hurt bad and itched bad but the other day I got one on the inside of the wrist maybe in a vein of tendon that was like no other. That one would wake me up at night it itched so bad for about 2 days and was very swelled right up my arm. Point is some places are worse than others.

Moonshae · July 16, 2008, 05:32:26 PM

I found that stings to thin-skinned areas (inner arm, backs of thighs) had a larger reaction than thick skinned areas (fingers, hands). In a sensitive area, I would get a lot of swelling over the next 24 hours, followed by intense itchiness for about a week. Going into this year, that reaction was pretty standard. After doing a number of removals and getting quite a lot of stings during one of them, I don't get the swelling or itchiness anymore, just the immediate small reaction right after I've been stung (mosquito bit-looking thing) that goes away in an hour or so.

I would say that stinging yourself on purpose on a regular basis is probably the best way to build immunity, rather than just wait and take the stings as they come...it will just be over much faster, and then you don't have to worry so much about being stung.

Keith13 · July 16, 2008, 05:43:33 PM

Quote from: kathyp on July 16, 2008, 01:23:32 PM
it's not hard to buy. just throw it in with the beer and no one will notice :-D.

YEAH RIGHT that is one of those things no matter what the cashier will announce she needs a price check on guaranteed. no man has good enough luck to get by with that one :-D

Keith

pcelar · July 16, 2008, 05:51:24 PM

My swelling is usually completely gone by 36-48 hrs. :)

tlynn · July 16, 2008, 06:10:36 PM

Quote from: Moonshae on July 16, 2008, 05:32:26 PM
I would say that stinging yourself on purpose on a regular basis is probably the best way to build immunity, rather than just wait and take the stings as they come...it will just be over much faster, and then you don't have to worry so much about being stung.

Moonshae, how do you sting yourself?

Flygirl · July 16, 2008, 07:44:44 PM

Last summer I got stung by two bees in the neck & my whole face & neck was swollen for a couple of weeks. It was horribly painful.

This year I haven't gotten stung but I always wear my veil as I don't want a repeat of last year. I bought some sting sticks & they work great! I got them from Dadant but the pharmacist also recommended vagisil or monostat cream. The sting sting gives longer relief.

FG

johnnybigfish · July 16, 2008, 10:08:25 PM

If I get stung at the ankle or calf area my legs get puffy like clay for a week( I thinks its edema...If I press on the meat it stays dented for a little while).
your friend,
john

the kid · July 16, 2008, 10:18:15 PM

Michael Bush has posted about a weed that takes the sting out ,,, may be we will luck out and he will post the name of the weed again for us ....

MB YOU OUT THERE SOME PLACE ?????????
the kid

Amanda · July 16, 2008, 11:37:30 PM

Was the weed Plantain? I'm also hoping the stings will get better with time. I got stung twice last week, and the swelling, pain and itching are just now starting to go away. I got stung today above my eyelid, and right now I can't open that eye at all. It's still swelling, too. It's swelling under the eye as well, and I know it will only be worse in the morning.
~Amanda

Moonshae · July 17, 2008, 08:37:07 AM

Quote from: tlynn on July 16, 2008, 06:10:36 PM
Moonshae, how do you sting yourself?

Grab a bee by the wings, and then touch her abdomen against the place you want to be stung. Usually, just the act of grabbing is enough to generate a sting as soon as she can touch you, but sometimes you have to touch a few times.

pcelar · July 17, 2008, 10:59:01 AM

Quote from: Amanda on July 16, 2008, 11:37:30 PMI got stung today above my eyelid

Didn't you have head protection?

tlynn · July 17, 2008, 11:12:48 AM

Quote from: pcelar on July 17, 2008, 10:59:01 AM
Quote from: Amanda on July 16, 2008, 11:37:30 PMI got stung today above my eyelid
Didn't you have head protection?

Ouch!!! I'm getting used to going without gloves, but I'm keeping the veil on. The way my arms are puffing up I can only imagine how my head would turn into a watermelon! My wife gets stung and you can't even see where it happened. At least neither of us is allergic. We were a little concerned about that until we both got stung. A puffy lump is vastly preferable to the alternative!

Amanda · July 17, 2008, 12:51:18 PM

Quote from: pcelar on July 17, 2008, 10:59:01 AM
Quote from: Amanda on July 16, 2008, 11:37:30 PMI got stung today above my eyelid
Didn't you have head protection?

No, I'm an idiot, but I'm paying for it. My dad got stung on his nose at the same time, and it didn't even turn red. It's a shame, I was really looking forward to seeing him with his nose all swollen.

rast · July 17, 2008, 10:00:52 PM

Uh Oh Amanda, you should not have admitted that. Now everyone will want a picture.
My swelling has gotten far less with more stings. First sting on the top of the forearm drove me crazy with itching and swelling. I was stung 3 or 4 times on Sunday, once on the face, some itching on my leg and ear, little swelling, all gone by Tuesday. Probably 15 stings this year.