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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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Bees and More Bees !!
Sorry to say that Mrs. Diver took a ride to the hospital today. She has had mild reactiions to bees and critters in the past but today was like
nothing else ! She was stung twice and within 20 minutes, her face was so swolen that you could barely see her eyes. Luckily she didn't seem to have
any breathing issues but when we got to the hospital her blood presuure was WAY down and heart rate was WAY up. She is doing better now but will have
to be watched carefully tonight and then for the next 48 hours.
Here are some things I learned;
1. When you are stung, if you feel tingles or itchiness in any area other than the immediate sting then you are having a serious reaction.
2. If any part of your body has a reaction ie swelling, other than the sting site then you are having a serious reaction.
3. If you have any light-headedness or difficulty breathing; high heart rate etc then you are having a serious reaction.
If you have a serious reaction, immediately call anyone who can help; you may be incapacitated within 15-20 minutes !! Do not try to drive unless you
have no help; you could pass out while driving. Get to help - a clinic or hospital immediately !
Here are some suggestions in case you have a bad reaction:
1. Epi pens are available in adult and child sizes. They are applied in the leg and must be held in place for at least 10 full seconds to inject all
of their drug. If you will be far from help, consider buying 2 pens as the reaction can return in 20 - 60 minutes.
2. Benedryl pills are 25 mg and they recommend that you take 2-4 immediately on determining that you are having a bad reaction. If you are uncertain,
take 1 or 2 when you are stung anyway.
3. Prednizone is prescribed for additional symtoms and may also be a good idea to carry if you will be far from help. Talk to you doctor about this
when you get the Epi-pen scripts.
4. Drink water as you can to help keep hydrated.
5. Try to keep cool or apply ice pack to the neck and wrists and crotch.
More reason to never travel alone when you are far from help.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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WOW!!!!
all our best!!!!
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BajaNuts
Super Nomad
Posts: 1085
Registered: 5-11-2008
Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
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Mood: no worry, no hurry....it's all good!
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So sorry to hear about Mrs. Diver!
Hubby is reactive like she seems to be. You will have to be careful for the next month or so since bee stings seem to compound when they happen close
together. Both Hubby and kid had stings within 2 weeks of the first sting and they both reacted more severely to the 2nd sting.
We always carry some homeopathic pills make by Hylanders- Apis Mell. (apis Mellafica), they really do the trick for us and work on other kinds of
bug bites also. I would urge you to find some at a local health food outlet and try them.
Hubby was driving down the road with the truck window open, a yellowjacket got into the truck and stung him on the neck. Within 10 minutes, he was
home, alone, and his neck was swelling to the point of cutting of air. He took the pills as prescribed on the bottle, and the swelling went down
right away. Didn't need any other medication.
I'm not saying homeopathic pills can replace any of the other suggestions, we have just found them to be an excellent help for usl
Others have touted tea tree oil. We haven't tried it since we use the homeopathic pills.
Here's another thread-
http://www.talkbaja.com/showthread.php?t=511&highlight=s...
And Mrs. Diver............make sure to maximize the opportunity for the kids to cook, get a foot massage from hubby,and make sure the kitchen gets
cleaned before you're back on your feet!
Other than that, we wish you a speedy recovery.
the 'Nuts family
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noproblemo2
Super Nomad
Posts: 1088
Registered: 4-14-2006
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All the best to her her for a speedy recovery. And thank you for the "sting info" think I'll print it and put in our first aid kit..
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jorgie
Nomad
Posts: 430
Registered: 8-25-2006
Location: on another road,again
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Mood: on the road....again,again
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Diver , were you able to get an I.D. on the bee ? Wasp ?
Hope all will turn out OK please keep is informed
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65289
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Hope she recovers fully!
Our reactions change as we change! I got stung on the hand last week (By a bee) burned like fire at first, but I put tea tree oil on it right away and
that neutrilized the pain. It swelled up more than I had expeienced before... got bigger the next two days, itched a lot... saw a doctor (just in
case). Took benedryl and applied anti itch cream.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13049
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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poor Ms.D...but i sure like bajanuts advice and so will P....thanks for the warning and suggestions of what to do. Giver her a hug from all of us
here.
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oldlady
Banned
Posts: 1714
Registered: 10-31-2005
Location: BCS
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Thanks for all the advice, never had a serious reaction, but think the Benedryl "just in case" is a really good idea!
Feel better Mrs. D.!
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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When did she first discover that she was allergic? I had a bad allergic reaction to a sting as a kid and when I was stung again in my early 20's
almost no reaaction at all - read somewhere that most kids outgrow the allergy.
Really hope she is doing better!
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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Please tell Mrs.D hello from both of us and that we hope she is completely better right away.
While I am a believer in alternative medicines for many things, for bee sting allergy, I would definitely go for the other along with the alternative
medicine.
While some people do outgrow the allergy, I do know others for whom the reaction is worse every time----
Tell Mrs. D I will have a couple of Negro Modelos for her recovery.
Diane
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Mike99km
Nomad
Posts: 178
Registered: 5-23-2007
Location: San Dimas and ? in baja
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I glad she's OK.
You might want to get your wife tested as to severity of her allergic reaction. Once you know then you can decide if you want to put her through a
desensitization program. (Lots of shots over a 6 month time frame). Every sting is different, the venom is a product of what the bee have been
ingesting. Some will hit you harder then others. I am very allergic to bee stings and have been stung a lot. The desensitization shots helped, but I
still carry a kit. When you get the Epi-shot or shots you're cured, itching ears, eyelids and swelling throat or tongue just stops. Without the kit I
would be dead. Nothing else works as well as the Epi-kits.
All the advice you give is 100%.
You live the life you settle for.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W. C. Fields.
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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Mrs Diver is doing much better, still a little swelling and some red lines but much better. She will be taking Benedryl each 6 hours, prednizone and
Zirtec each day for 2 days after the reaction or until the swelling is gone (if longer).
She has never had much of a reaction in the past. Contributing factors to this reaction's severity include being stung once a few days before and then
having multiple stings yesterday (2). Also, stings to the face can cause worse reactions.
I guess the best suggestion is to be aware of the symtoms of a more serious reaction so you don't try tea tree oil or poultices when you need much
more. You may be dealing with less than a 30 minute window to save your life.
If you have had any type of reaction in the past such as excess swelling in the area of the sting that continues for more than 2 days; think about
buying an Epi-pen. Even if you have no insurance, the pens are only about $100; well worth the cost of last night's reaction or worse.
Now we will always have them and if someone visits that thought they would never have a bad reaction .... we are ready.
Thanks all !!
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jorgie
Nomad
Posts: 430
Registered: 8-25-2006
Location: on another road,again
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Mood: on the road....again,again
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Good news and advice , take good care
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turtleandtoad
Senior Nomad
Posts: 730
Registered: 1-20-2005
Location: Wherever I park. See sig for current location.
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If you're one of those people that have no or very little reaction to stings, be aware that that can change as you get older.
Both myself and my younger brother were pretty much immune to bites and stings most of our lives. Then one day my brother got stung while we were
knocking down a wasp nest in my garden shed and swelled up like a ballon. He was also having trouble breathing. We rushed him to the emergency room
and they stuck him with an epi pen. The breathing problem and swelling went away almost immediately.
The doctor said that allergies change as you age, some get better, others get worse; and you can develop ones you never had before.
When I got home, I suited up in a bee-keeper's outfit to complete the job.
My brother got stung two more times and reacted the same way both times. His epi-pen came into use both times.
Even though I don't know whether my immunity is still in effect or not, I no longer go after things that stings or bites without the proper
protection.
And I have an epi-pen in my coach.
Mike & Robin; Full-Time RV\'ers
37\' Georgetown w/3 slides & 275 Watts of Solar Power
06 Taco TRD
www.turtleandtoad.com
I am here
To paraphrase Frank Lloyd Wright; I\'m all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let\'s start with keyboards. --
Mike Dean |
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astrobaja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 952
Registered: 5-22-2006
Location: near San Pedro Martir Park
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Glad to hear Mrs. D has recovered! Does anybody know where in Baja Norte one can get epipens? Maybe at the Del Sol pharmacias?
\"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.There is another theory which states that this has already happened\"
Douglas Adams
our website: http://bajadarkskies.com |
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
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Location: Nopolo
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Turtleandtoad,
I also have been stung many times during my life by wasps, bees and scorpions, without any reaction. This changed last year, when a little beesting
made my arm swell up to twice its size with multiplt blisters forming around the sting site. Took the better part of 2 weeks to go away. Thought it
was a fluke till, a month later, I got stung again by a small bee, and this time the reaction was even worse.
Since epi-pens are not to be had in Mexico and I live here permanently, I'm now very much aware of stinging insects around me. Have no idea what the
treatment in hospitals is here, if there is no adrenaline treatment. I guess keep tons of anti histamine at the ready ??  
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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You folks are great, this goes with my "list" too...
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k-rico
Super Nomad
Posts: 2079
Registered: 7-10-2008
Location: Playas de Tijuana
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I once had an allergic reaction after I ate a mango, hives all over my back and a swelling of the mucous membranes, most noticable in my face and my
inability to breath. I called the local emergency room, explained my situation and what I ate and the doctor said "I don't care what you ate, if you
can't breath you better get here quick."
duh....OK
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
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i keep multiple epipens in my tackle boxes, fishing vests, console of both vehicles, computer bag, etc....the last time i was stung,(one sting in the
shin), i legally died and the guys at the firestation brought me back...bee stings are not to be fooled with.
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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lingililingili
Nomad
Posts: 449
Registered: 2-24-2008
Location: La Paz, Bahia Asuncion
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Diver: Glad to hear Mrs. Diver is on the mend. Bug bites are scary business.
BajaNuts: I'm going to be looking for Apis Mell since even the smallest of spider bites affect me.
•Life is just one damned thing after another
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