PF docs - swelling from Yellowjacket stings?

[LittleLebowski]

I’m fine, just my face is swollen from an encounter yesterday. I’ve already taken naproxen and I’m not in any danger from the two stings. Just looking to see if there’s anything else I should be taking. I made those fuckers pay, I flooded their ground nest and then started burning them with my propane torch until I could dig up the nest and torch that too. They’re all gone.

[Leroy Suggs]

Three fingers of good whisky would be my advice. Every two hours for twelve hours, or until swelling subsides.

[RoyGBiv]

I'm a fan of hydrocortisone cream for all kinds of stings.

Careful not to get it in your eyes.

** Not a Dr, just a frequent patient.

[Oldherkpilot]

I carry Benadryl with me as I am almost allergic to the stings. It makes a huge difference for me but not sure it would do much good this long after the event.

[Caballoflaco]

I carry Benadryl with me as I am almost allergic to the stings. It makes a huge difference for me but not sure it would do much good this long after the event.

This. In bad years when they’re thick I’ve been stung a lot. Some Benadryl soon after and time is the only thing I’ve found that works. Even with that, there were a couple of times I took so many stings on the leg I had difficulty walking for a couple of days.

[fatdog]

My wife keeps "normal saline solution" for this purpose as we get stung living out in the country. Amazing how it seems to help, warm it, soak a sponge, keep it on there for 15 minutes. I also like the topical benadryl cream for bites and stings.

[JohnO]

I've been hit by yellowjackets multiple times. I had a Doc tell me that the more you get stung the higher the likelihood you could experience an anaphylactic reaction.

Last time I was stung I was at my son's graduation late spring 2020. Due to Covid we were in a parking lot with chairs arranged in family unit groups. There was a crack in the asphalt near my feet. During the ceremony the little bastards came out and went in and up the leg of my pants. At a very inopportune time in the ceremony I jumped up and said I have to go. I heard afterward I ruffled a few feathers.

I made a beeline (no pun intended) for the nearest concealment because I was getting stung repeatedly and I could feel the bastards closing in on my junk. I ended up behind some bushes with my pants around my ankles. After I cleared them out I headed back. I had a number of "what happened" questions as my departure was rather abrupt and looked out of place. When I explained what happened everyone understood.

[Clusterfrack]

...I made a beeline (no pun intended) for the nearest concealment because I was getting stung repeatedly and I could feel the bastards closing in on my junk. I ended up behind some bushes with my pants around my ankles...

LOLOL!!!

[Crow Hunter]

I've been hit by yellowjackets multiple times. I had a Doc tell me that the more you get stung the higher the likelihood you could experience an anaphylactic reaction.

Last time I was stung I was at my son's graduation late spring 2020. Due to Covid we were in a parking lot with chairs arranged in family unit groups. There was a crack in the asphalt near my feet. During the ceremony the little bastards came out and went in and up the leg of my pants. At a very inopportune time in the ceremony I jumped up and said I have to go. I heard afterward I ruffled a few feathers.

I made a beeline (no pun intended) for the nearest concealment because I was getting stung repeatedly and I could feel the bastards closing in on my junk. I ended up behind some bushes with my pants around my ankles. After I cleared them out I headed back. I had a number of "what happened" questions as my departure was rather abrupt and looked out of place. When I explained what happened everyone understood.

Had the same thing happen to me 2 days ago.

Luckily mine was a just an angry sweat bee. Not as painful as yellow jackets but it still wasn't much fun. :D

Growing up when we would get yellow jacket stings my Mom and/or Grandma would mix baking soda and water into a paste and "draw out the poison". I think it was just to make us think they were doing something.;)

I have been stung in the face several times over the years, especially while mowing and usually in late August/early Sept, I feel for you. Especially if they get behind your glasses. OUCH.

[LittleLebowski]

I got hit on my hairline and on the edge of a nostril, both the right side.

[Malamute]

...Growing up when we would get yellow jacket stings my Mom and/or Grandma would mix baking soda and water into a paste and "draw out the poison". I think it was just to make us think they were doing something.;)

.

I was hit in the arm when riding my motorcycle ages ago, we were almost at a buddies house. His wife said "put this on it" it was a folded up paper towel, wet under the faucet and baking soda on it. I did as instructed, there was no swelling after a few minutes, so I took it off, it immediately started swelling, I put it back, the swelling went down,...repeat,..."Hey that actually works......"

Ive used it several times since, with similar results. At a friends place, his daughter, who is allergic to bee stings, had a yellowjacket crawl up her pants leg and sting her, she got her epi pen out and gave herself a shot, I got the baking soda and wet folder up paper towel and had her put it on it. She said it was the first time she ever was stung and it didnt swell. She put some in her daily kit.

No idea how or why it works, but the times ive used it it always has.

[blues]

I've been stung quite a few times. No bad reactions, so far, though a few were worse than others.

I take it personally and won't rest until I've wiped all the SOBs out...every.last.one.

Ever vigilant.

[Artemas2]

Last summer I was taking apart an old hay bale and found a nest of something angry. I got away with just one sting at my ankle, which swelled into what resembled a potato. That was my first serious reaction to being stung.
Early the next day I took out the nest in the most redneck way possible with a 1301 loaded with as much #7 birdshot as I could fit in it.

[5pins]

I agree with Whiskey and Benadryl, it should take care of it.

[RevolverRob]

Mrs. RR went out to let the dog into the backyard a few nights ago. She was wearing a pretty, flowy, flowery, dress. One of our little European Paper Wasps mistook her for a flower and flew up the dress and got her twice on the posterior for posterity. She smushed it flat, came in took some benadryl, swore off of wearing floral pattern dresses, and is fine a couple of days later.

[Rick R]

Growing up when we would get yellow jacket stings my Mom and/or Grandma would mix baking soda and water into a paste and "draw out the poison". I think it was just to make us think they were doing something.;)


I’ve used the baking soda poultice several times over the years on different stings by different bastard bugs. It seems to help with both the pain and swelling.

[Oldherkpilot]

This. In bad years when they’re thick I’ve been stung a lot. Some Benadryl soon after and time is the only thing I’ve found that works. Even with that, there were a couple of times I took so many stings on the leg I had difficulty walking for a couple of days.

I have wondered whether I should get an Eppie pen in case of a bunch of stings but always manage to put it off. Maybe I'll rethink that again.

[TGS]

I have wondered whether I should get an Eppie pen in case of a bunch of stings but always manage to put it off. Maybe I'll rethink that again.

Totally anecdotal and I might be misremembering, but the majority of people I remember us transporting for anaphylaxis were people in your situation...."on the verge" of being severely allergic, "but the last time wasn't so bad that I needed an epipen, so I didn't bother getting one". I quoted that line because it sticks in my memory as being almost verbatim, sort of like how people suffering heart attacks tend to use the words/concept of "impending doom" when describing how they feel.

As someone else mentioned, anaphylaxis to bee stings is a learned response by your body continually overcompensating....it's generally not something you are born from the get-go with, albeit those people exist as well. So, thing is, at some point you need to just ante up for the epipen because if you've been having progressively worse reactions to bee stings over a period of time, the next swarm could be your last. At the very least, even though it's not necessarily something you need to run out to the doctor tomorrow about, you're right to rethink it and bring it up the next time you see your doc. If you've got any outdoor trips away from civilization coming up (i.e. backwoods stuff vs canoing at the town lake where an ambulance can pull up), I'd encourage you to do it sooner rather than later.

Epipens are expensive which unfortunately puts a lot of people off from either getting an epipen initially or later resupplying when appropriate (damaged, expired, etc).

[Oldherkpilot]

As someone else mentioned, anaphylaxis to bee stings is a learned response by your body continually overcompensating....it's generally not something you are born from the get-go with, albeit those people exist as well.


Boy, you nailed that one. My almost allergic status is the result of trying bee sting therapy for an autoimmune condition. After 12 years it was finally determined to be psoriatic arthritis, but before that my wife made me try a lot of voodoo stuff. After the third series of stings, I spent the rest of the day in bed and told my wife that one more would kill me. Thanks for the explanation and I'll be getting an epi pen asap.

[Malamute]

Having an epi pen could well save someone elses life also. Not too many years ago, besides for my own possible use, I had seen enough news bits about people dying from anaphylaxis just out hiking in large parks etc and not able to get treatment in time to save them, that I decided to get one. What had formerly been around $25 or so I believe, had suddenly become $200-ish per*. Well great. Now not in my budget any longer for an expendable, limited time "maybe possibly some day" item.


*Gads! I just looked them up, theyve gone up again.

[Dog Guy]

TGS nailed it. You don't have a full anaphylactic reaction until you do. It's not a guaranteed to be a steady progression of worsening reactions. And, there is at least one generic epi pen on the market ow that is notably less expensive than the brand name.

[LittleLebowski]

Totally anecdotal and I might be misremembering, but the majority of people I remember us transporting for anaphylaxis were people in your situation...."on the verge" of being severely allergic, "but the last time wasn't so bad that I needed an epipen, so I didn't bother getting one". I quoted that line because it sticks in my memory as being almost verbatim, sort of like how people suffering heart attacks tend to use the words/concept of "impending doom" when describing how they feel.

As someone else mentioned, anaphylaxis to bee stings is a learned response by your body continually overcompensating....it's generally not something you are born from the get-go with, albeit those people exist as well. So, thing is, at some point you need to just ante up for the epipen because if you've been having progressively worse reactions to bee stings over a period of time, the next swarm could be your last. At the very least, even though it's not necessarily something you need to run out to the doctor tomorrow about, you're right to rethink it and bring it up the next time you see your doc. If you've got any outdoor trips away from civilization coming up (i.e. backwoods stuff vs canoing at the town lake where an ambulance can pull up), I'd encourage you to do it sooner rather than later.

Epipens are expensive which unfortunately puts a lot of people off from either getting an epipen initially or later resupplying when appropriate (damaged, expired, etc).

My reaction has certainly gotten worse over time.

[Doc_Glock]

Benadryl.

I hate those fuckers.

[Clusterfrack]

Benadryl.

I hate those fuckers.

I've heard conflicting information about whether other allergy meds will help prevent severe wasp or bee sting reactions--separately or combined with Benadryl. Can any docs comment on:

Cetirizine/Zyrtec
Loratadine/Claratin
Allegra/Fexofenadine

[JCN]

I've heard conflicting information about whether other allergy meds will help prevent severe wasp or bee sting reactions--separately or combined with Benadryl. Can any docs comment on:

Cetirizine/Zyrtec
Loratadine/Claratin
Allegra/Fexofenadine

You can use them in place of Benadryl but not in conjunction with.

Generally at double dosing of the regular “seasonal allergy” doses.

Or so I have heard from someone who stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

[Clusterfrack]

You can use them in place of Benadryl but not in conjunction with.

Generally at double dosing of the regular “seasonal allergy” doses.

Or so I have heard from someone who stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

Interesting. I've heard that, but my doc told me to take both Benadryl and Claratin after I got stung repeatedly.

[JCN]

Interesting. I've heard that, but my doc told me to take both Benadryl and Claratin after I got stung repeatedly.

Claritin (just FYI spelling).

You can… but it’s like taking Advil and Aleve together.

Generally taking both just reduces the amount of each you can take without a whole lot of extra additive benefit.

[Doc_Glock]

I've heard conflicting information about whether other allergy meds will help prevent severe wasp or bee sting reactions--separately or combined with Benadryl. Can any docs comment on:

Cetirizine/Zyrtec
Loratadine/Claratin
Allegra/Fexofenadine

Histamine causes the reaction so I imagine any antihistamine will work. I always carry Benadryl as one of the three drugs in my outdoor emergency kit.

[willie]

Pepcid is a histamine blocker. We learned that when my wife had a reaction to meds after surgery. Take 4 of the otc dosage with the benadryl. It works.