Importance of Bee Stings

[tbonekel]

I just watched a little video by Michael Palmer about the importance of bee stings. He talked about immunity and T cells and E cells. It was really interesting because he said that the family of a beekeeper is more likely to be allergic to bee stings if they don't ever get stung. That was crazy and I tried to Google some more information about it, but only came up with sites with words I can't hardly pronounce, much less understand. Anyone have some more insight on this? I have been really close to getting some epi pens. Now I'm closer.

Here is the video if you have never seen it.

[Perry]

I may be off base here a bit but I believe the story goes something like this.
Workers as a large beeyard had their suits washed regularly and it was discovered that the workers in the laundry became sensitive to bee venom.
Same thing with your typical beekeeper. He/She works the yard, comes home and hangs up his/her suit, and the venom that has accumulated on the suit becomes airborne and is taken in by family members, creating sensitivity.
Kinda crazy but apparently quite true.

[Woody Roberts]

Very interesting. I don't think I could convince the little woman to hold still while I hold a bee butt to her.

Worth a try though!

[lazy shooter]

I first heard this from Iddee on the old forum.  It didn't seem plausible until I did some research.  Apparently, it is a very real, and true scenario.

Remember, Iddee says it is true. 

[Jen]

Well Woody- I wouldn't hold still waiting for you to put a bee on me either...  the anticiaption is too great. However, she could put a bee on herself... in time. But she would probably do better seeing you put a bee on yourself first, with a pair of long tweezers.


The American Apitherapy Society is a wonderful site. If you become a member for $45 a year. Upon request, AAS Vice-President Theodore Cherbuliez MD will mail you a prescription for how ever many epipens you want, at $20 a piece. Considering that a single epipen costs approx $250 a crack, it's worth considering.


http://www.apitherapy.org/

[iddee]

Jen, I don't know where you are pricing your epi=pens, but Wal=mart gets 65.00 each.

And yes, family members develop an allergy more than the normal populace or the actual beeks, not only from the equipment, but because as a rule, they are stung more often than the normal person, but less than the beek. The beek normally develops an immunity.

Knowing this, I have never tried to keep from getting stung, as I didn't want to fall into that middle range category.

[Jen]

Hi Iddee! $250 an epi pen is priced here in our town, northern california. I think it's rediculous because most cannot afford that.
Good to know about Walmart~ I would think that that price would be nation wide with walmart. Thank You.

And I myself don't mind getting stung, but of course I sting all year long ~

[tbonekel]

I don't think I work with bees enough for the venom to become airborne, but you never know. I have already been stung once this year so I'm probably good to go. My family doesn't have a desire to work with the bees. I was thinking about getting an epipen to have just in case, but I thought I read somewhere about Walgreens having something for $25. I must have been reading something else. I need to at least have some benadril handy.

[Jen]

Liquid Benedrill is the best. Not the liquid in the capsule, the liquid that's poured into the little cup.

[riverbee]

" It was really interesting because he said that the family of a beekeeper is more likely to be allergic to bee stings if they don't ever get stung. That was crazy and I tried to Google some more information about it, but only came up with sites with words I can't hardly pronounce, much less understand. Anyone have some more insight on this? I have been really close to getting some epi pens. Now I'm closer."

tb.......what do you want to know in plain english?..........

epi pens,(the brand Epi-Pen) are about $250, they come in a 2 pack with a trainer pen, with insurance for me, the cost is about $75. like jen said, carry the liquid benadryl, it's for children, but just take the dose required that equals the benadryl gel caps or tablets.  it works quickly.

[Woody Roberts]

I keep an epi-pen in my jacket pocket. I don't know what it cost. My insurance must have picked up most of it.

I don't think there's any danger of me falling in the middle category. Some people describe my bees as ( testy )

Everything I read about Beeweaver bees reminds me of mine!

[iddee]

RB, they come in both 1 pack and 2 pack with trainer. It has been about 3 years since you started buying them for me, "VA",    but at that time, the singles were 65.00 at wal-mart. I did not have any kind of ins. at the time.

[Jen]

Woody ""I keep an epi-pen in my jacket pocket.""

Excellent! All of us should have an epi pen near where we are working!

[lazy shooter]

Should the elipen be stored a some specific temperature?  If so, it would have to be added to the tool box each time it was used.  How long is the prescription in the epipen viable? 

[riverbee]

"RB, they come in both 1 pack and 2 pack with trainer. It has been about 3 years since you started buying them for me, "VA",    but at that time, the singles were 65.00 at wal-mart. I did not have any kind of ins. at the time."

ah yes, the VA......they do come in single and double packs, i think the docs write the prescription to your susceptibility to anaphlyaxis, i was and still am in the 2 doser category.....

"Should the elipen be stored a some specific temperature?  If so, it would have to be added to the tool box each time it was used.  How long is the prescription in the epipen viable? "

lazy, 1 year but.....the epis need to be stored between 70 and 77 degrees i think.....no extreme heat or cold,  there is a window on them to be able to tell if the epinephrine is no good, it becomes clouded.

EDIT AND ADD:
for those without insurance or assistance in purchasing epis, do a little work and google 'epi pen assistance program'......

[litefoot]

Knowing this, I have never tried to keep from getting stung, as I didn't want to fall into that middle range category.

Iddee quote:
"The 200 stings per day when I didn't know there were 5 hives in the same wall and was smoking only the one I was removing.
The 150 stings when I scraped off a hive when it was 46 degrees.
The time I was carrying a hive in bathing trunks when the bottom fell off.
Unloading 500 hives from a semi at night, with no veil. Countless stings.
And that's just the beginning."

You ain't kidding are you?

[Bakersdozen]

Liquid Benedrill is the best. Not the liquid in the capsule, the liquid that's poured into the little cup.

A word of caution:  If you have glaucoma, like me, just say no to Benedryl.

[Jen]

Good Info on epipens Riv-

Baker- Interesting, how come no benedril with glaucoma?

[ablanton]

So, how many stings does one need to get beyond that "middle ground"?  I usually get about 6 or 8 stings per year.  Already had my first this year!

[iddee]

I have no idea how many it takes. I would say each person is likely different. As for 6 or 8 a year, I've put that many on myself in a day, just for pain relief in my neck and back.