Ralleh

Before yesterday it had been 20 years since I've been stung by a bee and I must say that I had completely forgotten how bad it was. My father is allergic, so maybe I have some amount of a predisposition toward bad reactions, or maybe this is just how they are. Anyway, I was halfway into a 20 miler going around 20mph and I experience what feels like someone hammering a nail into my finger. I quickly brake, see the beeless stinger and rip it out immediately. I don't know what to do, so I start trying to suck the venom out and spit it like it's a snake bite, but it doesn't help at all. Well, the pain is way worse than I would have imagined, but I don't care about the pain because the fact that I can't use my hand is much worse.
I considered calling someone because it was my right hand and braking and shifting were pretty difficult but I just thought, "what would pcad do?" and continued hammering until I was done as though I was in Nyack. So I get home and try ice and hydrocortisone and so forth and nothing worked. My hand wouldn't close further than it would normally, were I holding something the diameter of a tennis racket handle.
After 24 hours it still had some pain but I can use my hand, so tomorrow's ride should be no problem. What I'm wondering though is if you guys have slowly built up a tolerance to the venom and if it gets a little bit less bad each time or if bee stings are always this fun. I'm sure some of you have been stung in the face and someone will claim to have had a bee somehow make its way up their urethra, but being stung in the right hand really sucks.
The only upside was that the swelling made my right hand look like that of a lardass, which was pretty funny.

grafsk8er

as far as i'm concerned, or at least from my experience, bee stings don't get less painful. everytime i get stung, hurts just as bad as the one before. and depending on where i get stung, sometimes it sweels, sometimes it doesn't. when i got stung on my foot it swelled up real bad. but when i got stung in the arm, nothing but a lil welt. but man, imo, they are itchy

ravenmore

I'm lucky - I barely react to them at all. At least the honey bees around here (there's lots - Tx produces a lot of honey btw). It feels like getting thumped by someone - I'll have a bug bite bump for a couple days and thats it.

RacerX

every time you get stung will be worse than the time before. You have a pretty fast reaction so consider carrying an antihistamine or injection with you at all times- see your doctor to see how bad it really is.

consider if you swallow a bee- you could suffocate to death

FatguyRacer

I had the same thing happen to me on Saturday while out line painting for our clubs upcomming century ride. I never saw the bee, but the stinger was stuck in my arm. It felt like someone hit my arm with a hammer. I saw the small welt rise up and figured no big deal. After getting home from the chore, I noticed my forearm had swelled up pretty big and the skin was painfull to the touch. I took 2 benadrylls went out for a 2hr ride. The first 2 did nothing so when I got home I took 2 more, had a beer and I was out like a light. The next day the swelling had gone down some, but it was still present and my arm still hurt pretty bad. I took the day off from training and just rested as much as I could.

Today my arm seems to be back to normal, although I have a nice red welt where the stinger went in.

The last time I had a reaction this bad to a sting was 10 years ago in when I got stung in the face during a crit. I looked like a Sharpei with in a couple of hours and my eyes were almost swollen shut.

I dont do bees well.

Funny thing is mosquito bites to me are no big deal. The bumps come and go within a couple of hours.

Crayon

In addition to being a cyclist, I'm also a beekeeper. Having a swollen hand from a bee sting is a fairly normal reaction to a sting. Having it bother you for several days is also normal. Everyone telling you their allergic is also normal, but isn't really true. True allergic reactions to bee venom is much more severe as well as rare.

Most people don't realize that bee venom is a quite complex as well as potent, unlike mosquitos which have no venom. Bee venom has some similarities to snake toxins. You can develop a tolerance to stings as I have from keeping them and being stung hundreds of times. They still hurt for a short time, < 15 minutes, but the swelling factor is minimal.

It isn't true that every time you get stung it will be worse. Not all stings are created equal. A lot of it depends on the location of the sting, e.g. soft fleshy areas vs. areas with minimal flesh, how long the stinger remained in you, and the age of the bee. Forget about always scrapping the stinger out, remove the stinger as quickly as is possible using whatever means you can.

Bees for the most part are peaceful creatures and really don't want to sting you unless it's their last resort.

bigtea

Bee experience. A few years ago I was cruising at 18mph on a paved bike trail near my home. Up ahead I saw what I thought was a large swarm of gnats. I hit it full speed only to realize it was a massive swarm of bees. Instantly they were all over me, like being hit by buckshot. I powered through the swarm and frantically brushed them off of my jersey, shorts, arms, legs, face, and neck. Some were even in my helmet. I was stung several times. Fortunately I was wearing sunglasses, and that was a lesson learned forever about eye protection.

RacerX

This is not what my doctors told me-if you are stung frequently than you might build tolerance but 99% of us will be stung infrequently- maybe once a year or more than several years- in which case the reaction will be WORSE.

The real issue is that if you have a strong reaction to a bee sting, you need to be prepared for it as every one after will be worse. I think it is dependent on the person but you don't build a tolerance to venom.
The older you get, the more severe the reaction and the possibility of anaphylactic shock becomes more real.

Even if you have severe swelling that goes away in a day or several hours, that is no consolation if you get bit in the air pathway, eyes or inconvenient area or worse, go into anaphyl shock.

the harmlessness of bees does not matter as they usually are so freaked from hitting you, they usually sting you from being trapped in your helmet, hitting your skin. Basically, if you are attacking them or ride your bike through them, it's all the same to the bee.

obsidian6

I personally am deathly allergic to Bees (spiders too, but fortunately those don't come flying at you while riding!). I was stung on the face as a kid and I swelled up SO bad. Since that point I've had to keep an Epi-pen on hand because my whole body just reacts violently to bee-stings. I havent been stung in maybe 6 years now and I hope to keep it that way, but if I do. I'm screwed.

dark13star

I got stung a few weeks ago while loading my bike onto the car. It was right on the side of my knee where I get ITB trouble, so I was concerned about my ride. Nothing but a small welt though and the ride was fine. It felt more like a burn than a sting when it happened. I was lifting the bike and it felt like I had leaned against something really hot.

I immediately removed the stinger with my thumbnail, being careful not to squeeze the little pouch on the top. If you do that, you just squeeze all the remaining toxin into you. The best way to get out a honey bee stinger is to sweep in the direction it came in with a fingernail.

Crayon

Not trying to be contrary...

If you are allergic, yes each sting will get worse. Most people aren't actually allergic; the number is something like 1 in 1000. Bee venom allergy symptoms include rashes, hives, fever, tightness in chest, shortness of breath, and constriction of the airway. It does not include redness, itching, or localized swelling. Bee venom allergies are more common in family members of beekeepers due to them breathing venom dust from the beekeepers clothes over long periods of time.

It is a well known fact that beekeepers can and do develop a tolerance to bee venom. I thought at one time I was developing an allergy to the venom as my entire arm swelled up from a single sting. But every sting after that one was mild. In fact, I no longer wear any protective gear other than a veil while working with bees.

Bee venom contains the potent enzyme "Phospholipase A2" which destroys cellular membranes. Phospholipase A2 directly affects the bodies’ inflammatory response and also rapidly lowers blood pressure. In addition, it contains "Hyaluronidase," which causes the inflammation to spread.

Unfortunately, a lot of doctors have little to no experience with the enzymes and peptides in bee venom and their effect on the human body. They mistakenly assume that itching, pain, and swelling means the person is allergic to the venom. The reality is the venom is doing exactly what it was designed to do, cause pain and destroy tissue!

Less than 40 people a year die from anaphylaxis due to insect stings. You're far more likely to be hit and killed by an automobile driver or struck dead by lightning.

If it's any consolation, the poor bee gave up her life to sting you.

Doggus

Starting a thread about it was clearly the correct course of action if you want to emulate pcad.

RIC0

I had something get caught between my helmet strap and ear/face on saturday and commence to stinging the **** out of my face, yeah it sucked. NO idea what it was but it hurt like hell, felt like a red hot ice pic being shoved into my eardrum....

Crayon

Sounds like a yellow jacket, wasp, or hornet, all of which can sting you multiple times.

Iwannagofast

I think bike forums should make and sell rubber bracelets with "WWPD" inscribed on them.

caloso

To follow on Crayon's post, that sounds like my experience. I'd been stung many times over the years (sports, gardening, etc.) but it wasn't until I was stung on a ride that I had a full anaphlactic response. The bee got under my jersey and stung me right above the nipple. Within 5 minutes I was covered in hives and there was a ringing in my ears. Within 20 minutes I was vomiting and my breathing got raspy. Within 30 minutes I was at the ER.

The doc explained that with toxin allergies you can reach a tipping point instead of a tolerance. Apparently I'd tipped over the previous time I'd been stung on the foot (stupid clover in the front lawn!). Now I carry an epi-pen and benadryl on my bike every time.

Crayon

Caloso,

Unfortunately, that's spot on for an anaphlactic reponse to the venom. Truely sorry to hear you had to experience this type of reaction.

But the good news is that a lot of the people who have a reaction like this will not experience it again in their life time. Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

uke

That's no consolation; I'm sure he'd rather not have been stung with a living bee flying about. Besides, unless you're specifically stung by a honeybee, whatever stings you will have the potential to sting you repeatedly before flying away or losing interest. And that sucks!

I've never been stung, but I have a healthy fear of bees and wasps. I've had to kill several paper wasps that have found their way into my room in the summer, including at least two separate events where I woke up (as in, from an overnight sleep) to the buzzing of a wasp bumping against the ceiling in my room. Then it becomes a scramble to find the glasses, assess the situation, and kill that piece of hell. But I've never been stung. Fortunately.

CharlieWoo

When I ride w/ my jersey unzipped it sweeps up every damn bee in the county which prompted stings my on the tummy.


It can get worse, though. Once I sat on a wasp an it stung my right on my Botto.

D.J.M.

I was bitten yesterday by a horsefly and that hurt, even blood running down onto my newly washed white shoe covers (Euro!).

Today my right ankle is huge and the skin around my ankle feels very stiff when I move my foot..

Is there an antihistamine better than others on this kind of insect bite?

I've taken Allegra with great success against mosquito bites in the Florida swamps.

Crayon

Caloso,

From a beekeeping angle I'm curious about:

1) When you were stung in the past, did you have little to no reaction to the sting? There seems to be some correlation between not reacting to the event to severe over reaction.

2) Did you take acetaminophen or ibuprofen within 24-48 hours of the anaphylactic reaction? There is some anecdotal evidence linking them to anaphylaxis due to bee venom.

3) Are you considering allergy testing and treatment to prevent future reactions?

Thanks,
Erik

ravenmore

I remember a special on a news program a while back about bee sting therapy. People with a certain disease (I think MS?) were intentionally inflicting bee stings on localized areas of the body that the disease was affecting. It sounds like a bunch of crazies I know, but I was impressed with one woman who's disease had progressed to the point she was confined to a wheel chair. She started the bee therapy and some months later she walked into her doc's office under her own power. She said, (and I think they interviewed the doc and he did too), that his jaw hit the floor. Apparently there are some really weird chemicals in bee stings.

Crayon

Ralleh stated that a stinger had to be removed. In all likelyhood this was a honeybee. They only get to sting you once.

Fear comes from the unknown. Why would a bee, wasp, or hornet sting you? Only two reasons:

1) You hurt them or they perceive that you're hurting them; such as getting caught in your hair or cloths.
2) You fuss with their home, aka hive.

These behaviors are not all that different from us humans. Hurt us or mess with our house and we will defend ourselves.

Honeybees pollenate 90 different crop species in the USA. They contribute 15 billion dollars a year to AG. 1 out of every 3 bites on you plate wouldn't exist without honeybees. Most of the food we enjoy isn't possible without bees, e.g. fruits, nuts, and veggies.

I see no reason for anyone to fear honeybees.

caloso

Erik:

1) My previous reactions were very minor. Slightly worse than a bad mosquito bite.

2) I don't know. It's possible. But I don't recall.

3) Hadn't really thought about it. Like I said, I'm careful to carry my Epi-pen with me on every ride and hike. I've actually had to use it recently. The Epi-pen hurt more than the actual bee sting!

dark13star

Yes, I have an irrational fear of wasps and hornets (ok, maybe it is actually rational because I have stepped on nests...), but honey bees are cool. We have a hive in a tree across the street and every spring it sends a swarm out onto a tree in our yard while the scouts look for a new home. It is truly amazing to watch and they do wonders for our gardens.