Comments on: DEADLY YELLOWJACKET STINGS – UPDATED SPRING ‘09

By: sandstone

sandstone — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:23:46 +0000

kimc:

If your vision is suddenly blurry and you have other symptoms that didn’t exist before the stings you are not necessarily paranoid. I was sick for many days after I was last stung. Again, I had been stung in the past and never suffered any serious consequences until last summer. My reaction to stings this year was even more rapid and severe.

You might consider seeing a doctor if things don’t improve.

By: kimc

kimc — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:34:28 +0000

Two years ago I rushed myself to the ER after a yellow jacket attack while mowing my lawn. I was lucky to have a bee keeper within a couple miles of my house. The nest he dug up was 6 layers deep. Stung again this week thought nothing major but durng a job physical 2 days afterward my blood pressure is 130/97 which has always been lower than average before.I also have a headache and my vision is slightly blurry at times. I read an artical on acute disseminated encephalophathy.Now I’m paranoid.

By: sandstone

sandstone — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:58:11 +0000

Lois:

So sorry to hear this. My guess is those swarming bees were yellowjackets … two different things. You will probably be miserable for the next few days.

To help your itching and swelling go to your local drug store and get epsom salts and soak. This is an old remedy but it does help. Also, if haven’t do so already buy some Benadryl or other brand name allergy medication. I know it’s after the fact but this should also help with the itching.

My druggist recommended a liquid dye-free allergy medication. It’s over the counter and easily found at CVS, Rite Aid, etc. Just for the heck of it I visited the Benadryl site … more info here:
http://www.benadrylusa.com/#/Adult_Products_Allergy/

By: Lois

Lois — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:20:00 +0000

Yesterday I was stung by little yellow swarming bees.They got under my close and repeatedly stung me.Ihave about one and a half dozen bites.Swelling,itching and pain where the larger cluster of bites are.I have done ice and Cordizone-10.What else can I do for releif fast?

By: Beverly

Beverly — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:18:11 +0000

I, too, am allergic to vespids, and have had two emergencies in the past 6 years. I have an “atypical” reaction like you: dizziness, nausea, abdominal cramping with total loss of body control, and delayed congestion/raspiness. After having progressively more severe local reactions to bee stings over the years, 6 years ago I was stung once on the elbow, and it dropped me with the “atypical” reaction. Fortunately, the ER doc recognized the seriousness of the sting, and I had to have daily infusions of steriods and antibiotics for a week. He sent me to an allergist, and I’ve been taking weekly bee antigen shots to build up the immunity. However, in 6 years of shots, I’ve had to be hospitalized twice due to reactions to the shots, and only have been able to get up to on-half of a bee sting in venom concentration. In Feb. of this year, the allergist questioned if I even was benefitting from the shots….I got my answer last week when I was stung 7 times while raking up pine needles in the cool of the evening. I usually have my EpiPen on me, but had left it in the house, so when I felt the first sting, I ran for the phone and dialed 911, then grabbed four Benedryl Instant Wafers and put them under my tongue. Although I had waves of dizziness and nausea, and felt confused, I did not lose consciousness. The responding paramedics and fire crew, however, expressed doubt that I was allergic, even though my MedicAlert Bracelet was on me, because I did not have hives, throat swelling, or lung congestion. My daughter convinced them to take me by ambulance to the hospital, and of course 40 minutes later I was rasping and severely swollen. Because I never did experience a loss of airway during the initial minutes, I did not use the EpiPen–I am quite overweight and in my late 50’s, and I worried about giving myself a heart attack with the epiniphrine. Frankly, I honestly believe that the immediate use of the antihystemine and the cummulative effects of the antigen shots saved my life. I am annoyed, however, at both the paramedics and the triage nurse, who seemed to pooh-pooh my condition because it did not present as the “typical” bee sting. Frankly, a lowered heart rate and sudden drop in blood pressure are more threatening than a swollen airway, which can be bypassed artificially! Thanks again for posting—I am somewhat consoled knowing that there are others out there who have had a similar “atypical” experience.

By: admin

admin — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:45:54 +0000

I had to go out and buy a second yellowjacket trap this afternoon. Today I saw a couple of the critters and it’s only mid April. Both traps are outside … hope they perform as advertised!

BTW, I read a few more facts about the the YJ’s that surprised me … like they have teeth in addition to their stingers and unlike bees they can sting multiple times and not die! Who knew?

Enjoy your gardening . . . I know what your mean . . .and take care.

By: catsden

catsden — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:22:53 +0000

I too have to carry Epi-pens everywhere I go; Usually the first sting is painful but not deadly; the second can kill you in four mins or so if you are severely allergic. I’m glad you wrote about this and I hope your post saves someone’s life. By the way, the sting of a honey bee or a black widow could cause a severe reaction too, so while you are checking the yard look for them too. I leave my honey bees alone and stay out of their way, but I don’t allow black widows. Thanks for the post, really; I get sloppy in my yard sometimes because gardening makes me so happy.