Aargh! Bitten - Attack of the insects hoards

[fausto copy]

[foxyrider]

Wasps are evil.

No disagreement from me there...

A couple of years ago i was enjoying my day, on tour in Bavaria, and i saw a wasp, as i was minding my own business i thought nothing of it until it flew straight at me landed on my thigh, stung me then buggered off! Yep definately evil.

My real nemesis though, are those big brown things often found in woodland, big and painful swelling that can take a week to subside, once had seven stings on the same day including on my eyelid - that was fun, not

[greyingbeard]

My worst wasp experience
Summer, drinking from a can of fizz, felt this thing in my mouth, buzzing and wriggling, it stung its way out. VERY painful, I screamed aloud lots and danced about and probably fell to the floor, lip swelled up like a golfball. Had it stung the back of my throat I'd probably have suffocated.
After that I NEVER drink out of cans. EVER.

[Jdsk]

After that I NEVER drink out of cans. EVER.

Avoiding drinks in cans is part of the advice to children with allergies to insect stings.

Jonathan

[greyingbeard]

I'd advise it to everyone after that. Blinking flip !! it hurt and was frightening too.

[Cowsham]

.

My real nemesis though, are those big brown things often found in woodland, big and painful swelling that can take a week to subside, once had seven stings on the same day including on my eyelid - that was fun, not

Same here -- I was on holiday standing in a place near trees and water. Next thing I feel I nip on my elbow. Two large horse flies ( we call them Cleages ) were feasting on my blood -- two big itchy lumps there for the rest of the holiday about 4 days. Bought some antibacterial cream which sorted it eventually.

[Jdsk]

Horsefly bites can get infected, but for most I'd recommend soothing stuff, painkillers, antihistamines and, if needed and with precautions, steroids rather than anything "antibacterial".

Isolated travellers should have appropriate plans and products before setting off...

Jonathan

[Pebble]

My worst wasp experience
Summer, drinking from a can of fizz, felt this thing in my mouth, buzzing and wriggling, it stung its way out. VERY painful, I screamed aloud lots and danced about and probably fell to the floor, lip swelled up like a golfball. Had it stung the back of my throat I'd probably have suffocated.
After that I NEVER drink out of cans. EVER.

I have twice had bee's in my mouth whilst cycling, and can certainly attest that the pain is considerable compared to a typical sting on the arm, the pain seems to go on for twice as long too.

The last time I was eating an apple (whilst riding) at first I thought I had broke a tooth, I had an agonising 20 mile home, on getting home and looking in the mirror the tooth looked fine but I could see something stuck in the very back of my mouth, this was the first I realised it was a sting, a quick trip down to the surgery and the doctor pulled what we guessed was a large bee stinger out of my mouth - I must have just swallowed the rest of it. Thankfully I don't react badly to things like that or I could have been in bit of trouble had it have caused swelling.

The other one was a bee went into the mouth and got me on the inside of the lip - that fair made my eyes water.

[roberts8]

Got a wasp sting a couple of days ago and it is still hurts and swollen. Painful but not as bad as man flu.

[Brucey]

Out on the road today, a wasp inserted itself between the slats on my cycle helmet....

I react quite badly to wasp stings and I am sure to wear a helmet with a mesh in the front vents during the summer months. Not all helmets are made this way; I'm guessing yours doesn't have the mesh?

Getting stung anywhere in the face /head seems worse than other parts of the body; about three years ago I got stung in the head which meant I felt weird ('sensation of impending doom' just about covers it) and looked like Quasimodo for about a week, but I've been stung subsequently on the leg and it wasn't so bad, so maybe for me its getting better not worse.

For some reason I react worse to wasp stings than bee stings.

cheers

[Icsunonove]

Update on my wasp sting.
Sympathetic GP has advised me to continue as usual. Any further problems should be reported asap for further consideration.
Note to self: Don't get stung!

I had, what sounds like, a very similar reaction to a wasp sting about 12 years ago. Stung on the neck that after about 30 minutes resulted in an itchy rash across my whole upper body which took a couple of hours to disappear.
Went to GP, was given a couple of epipens and made an appointment to see a specialist at the county hospital. Was subjected to repeated testing where I was exposed to increasing strength of 'sting'. Result showed that I was sensitive, but not dangerously so, was told that on balance of probabilities I didn't need to carry epipens in future.... although to be aware sensitivity can and will change. But advised it's wise to carry antihistamine to "knock any symptoms on the head".

BTW I had not been stung by a wasp before, and haven't since.

[Jdsk]

For some reason I react worse to wasp stings than bee stings.

The local trauma and the processes related to histamine are similar, the venom is very different including its acidity, and some of the peptides and proteins are common but lots aren't.

So in the absence of systemic reactions such as anaphylaxis I'd guess that the difference in immediate reactions is the dose and composition of the venom.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Went to GP, was given a couple of epipens and made an appointment to see a specialist at the county hospital. Was subjected to repeated testing where I was exposed to increasing strength of 'sting'. Result showed that I was sensitive, but not dangerously so, was told that on balance of probabilities I didn't need to carry epipens in future.... although to be aware sensitivity can and will change. But advised it's wise to carry antihistamine to "knock any symptoms on the head".

That was for diagnosis, rather than desensitisation as treatment? How dd they measure the effects...skin reactions, laboratory tests, both?

Thanks

Jonathan