Importance of Bee Stings

[Jen]

ablanton- on the average it takes up to about 20 stings to not itch or swell anymore. This has held true with my bee sting clients. When I'm teaching them to sting themselves, I tell them to sting then wait until the swelling goes down then sting again until they no longer swell. Every one is a little different. With me it took about 3 weeks, stinging every three days.

[Jen]

Iddee- ""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.""

After I got past the initial stinging stage, I can now take up to 6 when I'm having a bad back day.

[Woody Roberts]

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!

Wow! I don't keep count but it'll be over a hundred. I always suit up completely but my bees can be persistent.

[Jen]

When I'm working with a sting client, we keep count. It's part of the process.

I try and put at least one bee on a week during the winter, that way I don't have to go thru the 20 stings in the spring to get immune for the summer.

[Woody Roberts]

Jen
I tried the sting therapy on the little woman. It was a no go!

[Jen]

You mean you  tried to sting her or you suggested BvT?

[ablanton]

Guess I better get some meaner bees.  I don't own a bee suit and only use a veil on rare occasions.  My girls just don't sting that much.  I was working them Sunday afternoon.  Three of five observers got stung.  None got me.  We determined they don't like blue because all three of the victims were wearing blue shirts.   

[Woody Roberts]

I just suggested! I know better than to try.

[Bakersdozen]

Baker- Interesting, how come no benedril with glaucoma?

I don't know what Benedryl does specifically, but my ophthalmologist said to read all over the counter meds.  If the label cautions those with glaucoma to not use it, then don't use it.  Although I have received treatment to control the pressure in the eyes, and see the doctor on a regular basis, I have to continue to be cautious.
Some cold remedies are off limits too.

[lazy shooter]

Bakerdozen:

Has modern day medicine found a way to contain glaucoma?  In the old days, it was a very bad scenario. 

[LazyBkpr]

I don't get stung all that much. When I do I don't swell much, doesn't really ever itch...
   But my incident where I got.. 30 - 40 stings +?...   No idea how many, the 30 - 40 number is the stingers that got removed by father and wife...     I felt fine, the stings burned a bit, but nothing I couldn't handle.. went to bed as normal.. woke up about 3 AM or so, sweating, feeling nauseous...   about an Hour later I threw up..   after that I felt better and went back to bed..
   Most stings on hands and head. Didnt swell, never had much of a reaction as far as turning red or breathing difficulties, but I can tell you this..   If I take 200 plus stings I would probably be a bit worried. I have no fear of 200 stings, but if 30- to 40 stings make me sick what will happen with 200+ ??
    Think I am going to have to make an effort to annoy the ladies a bit more.


   Woody.. your doing it all wrong!   Wait till she is asleep!!     

[Woody Roberts]

Lazy
She wakes up grouchy enough anyway!

[tbonekel]

Iddee quote:
The time I was carrying a hive in bathing trunks when the bottom fell off.

Wait, are we talking hive or trunks? Either way, I'm sure you would get stung. 

[Jen]

Lazy- ""I felt fine, the stings burned a bit, but nothing I couldn't handle.. went to bed as normal.. woke up about 3 AM or so, sweating, feeling nauseous...   about an Hour later I threw up..   after that I felt better and went back to bed.""

In the world of apitherapy, that reaction right there is considered "Excellent!" meaning that your body really zero'd in and nailed down the immunity for you. A flu like episode is as good as it gets for venom immunity.

[BoilerJim]

After my bad reaction to a wasp sting last fall my doctor wrote out a prescription for an Epi-pen. I went to my local Walmart to fill it and they asked me for $340 for a pac that included a pair of Epi-pens. I told them to put it back on the shelf. I bought a couple of bottles of liquid Benedryl to get me by if I need it. Been stung since by my girls with no reaction at all.

[Leather Jim]

The wasp has different venom than honey bees. Not unusual to have a reaction to one but not the other. 

[Jen]

And a wasp can sting repeatedly and bite.

[riverbee]

leather jim~
"The wasp has different venom than honey bees. Not unusual to have a reaction to one but not the other."

jim is correct on this, we can be allergic to wasps, hornets or yellow jackets, but not to honey bees. it is unusual. more mystifying, if a beekeeper develops an allergy to honey bees, it is unusual that they are allergic to other stinging insects, most notably the yellow jacket.  this is uncommon.

some of us, like myself, managed to develop an allergy to all of the stinging insects, which is not common. 

i always say, if you do something, do it up good........ 

i think my eppy's and i are going to be life long friends....

[Edward]

And a wasp can sting repeatedly and bite.

When the bees are realy angy they also bite and sting , they look like "C" 


mvh Edward 

[Edward]

The stuff about people getting sick from the venom dust is probable, angry hive smell, all those bees with their butts in the air and stingers out spreading a venomous sent 



mvh Edward