General Cycling Discussion - Bee sting

Hey everyone,

So I was out for a ride today, feeling really good to get up early and get a ride in before the traffic and heat came out to play, and while going about 30 mph a bee hits me dead square on my bottom lip. I pulled it off my face, but it was too late, and it already stung me. I turned around and headed home, iced it and took some benadryll. I'm not allergic, but the damned thing is so swollen its stretching out my bottom lip.. Anyone have some advice on how to get the swelling down? Here's a pic for your entertainment lol

Hey everyone,

So I was out for a ride today, feeling really good to get up early and get a ride in before the traffic and heat came out to play, and while going about 30 mph a bee hits me dead square on my bottom lip. I pulled it off my face, but it was too late, and it already stung me. I turned around and headed home, iced it and took some benadryll. I'm not allergic, but the damned thing is so swollen its stretching out my bottom lip.. Anyone have some advice on how to get the swelling down? Here's a pic for your entertainment lol
Benadryl will help. An ice pack may also help. But most of all, time.

While you don't have allergies per se, that is an allergic reaction to the bee venom. Try some benadryl, first, and if it continues to swell, or starts affecting your eyes or throat, call your doctor or head to an ER.

If you can get to it quick - household ammonia applied to the sting will neutralize the venom. There are some products on the market that contain this as their main ingredient - such as Afterbite. All in all:

http://www.umm.edu/non_trauma/bee.htm

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While you don't have allergies per se, that is an allergic reaction to the bee venom. Try some benadryl, first, and if it continues to swell, or starts affecting your eyes or throat, call your doctor or head to an ER.

Oops! Disregard--->[Probably not an allergic reaction to a bee sting; more likely "just" a reaction to bee venom.] <---Disregard.Oops!
All the same, looks uncomfortable and the advice to seek help for more generalized symptoms, esp. affecting throat, is spot on. Any problems with the airway/breathing should be dealt with by calling 911 or going fast to a nearby ER.
I had a similar localized mouth swelling reaction to a sting decades ago; repeated stings may increase the odds of developing the potential for an allergic reaction.

Hope the OP has a quick resolution of discomfort.

Anaphylactic shock is often shown by a swelling of the throat. This is what kills you if you're allergic to bee venom, wasps, spiders, etc. If I showed swelling like that in your picture I wouldn't f*** around. I'd talk to a physician STAT (Latin for 'statum' - right away quick) and get an EpiPen. These are single-use hypodermics filled with d,l-adrenaline. This counteracts the venom and reduces the swelling fast.

I carry one when I'm on the road with other folks. I'm not sensitive to stinging-insects, but I am trained as an EMT. I can't tell you enough as regards why I recommend this training to everyone. Check with your local hospital.

If you can get to it quick - household ammonia applied to the sting will neutralize the venom.Applying ammonia on one's lower lip doesn't sound too appetizing.

Neither does having your lip swell-up like an inflamed hemorrhoid.

If you can get to it quick - household ammonia applied to the sting will neutralize the venom. There are some products on the market that contain this as their main ingredient - such as Afterbite. All in all:

http://www.umm.edu/non_trauma/bee.htm

The first thing I think about is one of the more recent movies the guy gets stung by a stingray or jelly or something, the lady pees on him to neutralize the venom... you could try that.

Well, the swelling went down, my throat didn't close up, and no one had to pee on me.. Thank you for the help, Ice and time were the winners, i'm still calculating the odds of that ever happening again lol

errr.... you said you ain't allergic.


ummm, yes you are. that lip don't lie. that is classic I and wish I could
get stung like that and walk around with a fat lip someday....(kinda yes, kinda no..)

protip: it can get worse x50 the next time you get stung, you just don't know.
you may want to have an epi pen somewhere around you from this point forward

I can get stung, and it hurts, but nothing swells up like that. if you
sucked in a bee and it stings the back of your throat, you could be in serious deep
(last year I had one sting the back of my throat, and while it was annoying and painful,
no swelling)

anyhow, props on the fat lip. dang !

I think that it swelled up like that because the lip isn't the toughest type of skin around.. if I were allergic, it would have been way worse.. I was just annoyed by the swelling and the fact that I had to go to work that day

That swollen lip is indeed a sign of a Type I Hypersensitivity Reaction - caused by sensitivity to an allergen. Anaphylaxis would be a severe Type I Hypersensitivity Reaction.

I got stung 10 times last Sunday while mowing my lawn. Five of them were above my neck. Hardly any swelling but they hurt like hell just the same. That lip looks like it was more uncomfortable all by itself than all 10 of my stings.

10 times? Man! I can't imagine how much that would hurt! Glad to know you're still hanging in there!

Taking Benadryl and applying crushed ice gently on your lips help reduce the swelling.
Also steep a teabag in hot water then allow to cool slightly. Press the teabag against your lips for five to 10 minutes at a time until the swelling goes down. This is a natural remedy to treat swollen lips.