question about bee stings...

[b.information]

Anyone here have expertise in bee stings?  I was stung by a bee 3 weeks ago still have a welt on my leg that looks similar to


Mine is redder and appears more scar-like but that's the closest thing I could find on google and according to the site it's a "local toxic reaction" to a bee sting, which sounds pretty bad heh but according to various webmd resources, every bee sting has a toxic reaction of some kind even if just a bit of redness.

How long do these things go for?  I've had bee stings in the past and never had an allergic reaction or even a wound lasting longer than a couple hours.

This time it seemed I did have some delayed allergic or toxic reactions as this ring didn't appear for several days and I had some other typical symptoms of insect bites such as stiff neck and sore knees.  I've taken antihistamine to no effect and I'll probably go have it checked out by my GP if it doesn't go away in a couple weeks but if anyone has had any similar experiences or knows what's up I'd appreciate if you could drop a note in this thread.  Everything I've read on the internet indicates 5-10 days as an outside range of recovery time for any bee stings.

thanks folks, never thought I'd ever be on a bee site since I stay far away from bees but it's pretty interesting to see the work that goes into it in some of these threads

[Anybrew2]

I'm no expert by I have read with Spider bites/Bee's that infections often occur from not the bite or sting but from the bacteria on our skin.  Which is generally just there and by scratching the area we introduce more and more nasties. I use antiseptic spray on spider bites as a matter of course.

[JackM]

Get it checked sooner than later, that is not normal for a bee sting, spider bite, etc.

[Kathyp]

In the mean time, dress it with some triple antibiotic.  Walmart has the best prices on the stuff. 

[b.information]

thanks or the replies y'all.

if it turns out to be anything interesting I'll report back, in case people find this thread with similar concerns in the future

[rwlaw]

My grandma always called a wound like that "mad looking". Got to agree with anybrew,  that pic looks like a secondary infection. Get some antibiotic salve on it and if it don't start clearing up in a couple days, get in and see the doctor. You don't want to screw around with it if it's a staph infection.

[GSF]

What Kathy said plus - look in the .88 cent tub/container. It's the exact, I said exact, same thing as Neosporin. Same weight, same ingredients, same amount of ingredients per weight.

[Kathyp]

It's the exact, I said exact, same thing as Neosporin

it is and it's ok if that what you have/find, but I prefer the triple because it gives a broader spectrum coverage when you don't know what you are treating.

also, check that you didn't leave part of the stinger in there.  The tissue can be irritated from a foreign object left in it an can harden around that thing to protect the rest of the limb.  If it is hot, read, or tender, it's infected in one way or another.......

[flyboy]

If it were myself I would use my zapper. 20 minutes and any infection is gone and no antibiotics issues.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xzapper.TRS0&_nkw=zapper&_sacat=0

[Wombat2]

Surprised at all these beekeepers and no one said coat it with honey and seal out the air !!!!

[b.information]

Hey guys wanted to update the thread.

Got in to see the GP a few days ago and he didn't really know what it was.  "Are you certain it was a bee that stung you/ Are you sure this is the location of the sting?" etc lol.

Basically he assumes it's scar tissue from the skin dying for whatever reason after the bee sting... toxins or allergy or whatever.  It's not currently infected and he didn't even prescribe antibiotics.  Wait for a month or two and see if the skin heals itself the bump goes down, else I got a nice present from my friendly local hymenoptera, Ms. Bumblebee

thanks again guys.  friendly board appreciate your concerns

[mikecva]

In the past I would always rub fresh grass on the sting area to sooth the initial sting, knock the stinger out and hide the pheromone that tells other bees to attack. As for your sting site, I would agree with others that it is a secondary infection from your skin but it looks like you do not have an open irritation so I would doubt that honey will help this late in the game (weeks after it happened) maybe someone else will know if honey could help now.  -Mike

[BeeMaster2]

I would not bee surprised if that was a bumble bee that stung you with that mark. I have not seen that type of reaction from a bee before but my cousin had a nasty 1" boil from a bumblebee when I was young. I have seen spider bites like that recently. My daughter was bit by a spider that was like that only larger. Dr. thought it might be a mild bite from a Recluse Spider. It took about a month to heal. The venom killed the skin and meat and it had to regrow from the inside out.
Jim

[Michael Bush]

>In the past I would always rub fresh grass on the sting area to sooth the initial sting..

Plantain will stop it instantly...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#plantain

[GSF]

Michael,  That the first thing that crossed my mind. btw, plantain (probably broad leaf) will draw the brown recluse's venom out as well.