Treating bee stings

[johnnybgood]

Every year 90-100 people die due to anaphylatic shock as a result of being stung by a bee or venom injecting insect. If stung immeadiately pull out the stinger and apply ice or a cold compress. Meat tenderizer works well , like wise a crushed aspirin directly applied to sting site . If nothing else take a Benadyl to be on the safe side because a serious allergic reaction can occur even after years of non-symtomatic bee stings . A severe reaction begins about 10 minutes after the sting but can take as long as 4 hours to occur. Symtoms include dizzyness , feeling nausea and itching and/or swelling arounds the eyes . Seek medical attention at once if this happens because life threatening restrictive airway ( trouble breathing) is much too often the next in a series of acute reactions . Thought I might remind people hiking ,when the weather warms up of course, about the dangers of something as small as a bee. ALSO , I might add did anyone destroy the huge hornets nest located on the spur trail leading to the Maupin Fields Shelter ? Might be a good time to do that . Happy hiking :)

[emerald]

ALSO, I might add did anyone destroy the huge hornet nest located on the spur trail leading to the Maupin Field Shelter? Might be a good time to do that. Happy hiking :)

Why, it's their home, not ours. We are only visitors.

I happen to know of a hornet nest near a shelter. Few if any knew it was there and not surprisingly it was let be. The resident hornets didn't bother anyone either.

Is this how we want the next generation to conduct itself and what we'd like them to pass on to those who follow in their footsteps?

[johnnybgood]

Shades , I share your philosophical position here don't get wrong but I also understand that shelters are often the places where over indulgence of alcohol can impair ones ability to use common sense and either he/she becomes the victim or an innocent bystander does.

[emerald]

It's not the responsibility of A.T. maintaining clubs to protect the inebriated from themselves. Maybe such folks should be stung. It might do everyone good.

[Speer Carrier]

ALSO , I might add did anyone destroy the huge hornets nest located on the spur trail leading to the Maupin Fields Shelter ? Might be a good time to do that . Happy hiking :)

I believe in live and let live, but yellow jackets that decide to build their nest right next to the trail are a danger for anyone and when I'm doing maintenance I spray them with yellow jacket killer.

I've been maintaining a section for about 8 years now, and have been stung every year. Granted, I'm not too careful while using my swing blade, and usually manage to chop right into a nest.

Worst I ever had it was about 15 stings on one arm. My arm swelled up about twice the normal size despite immediate medication.

My advice is to carry some form of medication if hiking in the summer to mid-fall.

[johnnybgood]

It might do everyone good.
huh ?

[Wheeler]

You see? Even hacking through the nest he only got 15 stings.-leave 'em bee.

[johnnybgood]

:-? It would only benefit everyone if said intoxicated fool runs away from the shelter , bees in hot pursuit.

[2011_thruhiker]

You never mentioned carrying an Epipen with you if you are allergic. I am severely allergic. The last time I was stung-it took 4 epipens to keep me breathing long enough to get the ambulance here-once in the ambulance and at the hospital I received much more ephenphrine to save my life.

I have now 6 Epipens that I carry with me all the time when it's bee season. That may sound excessive-but when you are 45 mins to an hour from the hospital (where I live) it isn't.

But, please don't destroy the bee nests. They have just as much right as I do to live.

[YoungMoose]

i heard that if you find "fine grained soil' and make it into mud. put it onto the spot were u got stung. the mud will clean it up as well as get thing stinger out if it stayed in.

[johnnybgood]

I believe the verdict is in ; the hornets nest should stay . I have amended by earlier position.

[JERMM]

Johnnybgood- I know the nest you're referring to, I found this note posted on the blue blaze trail leading to the Maupin Field shelter last Oct.

[Panzer1]

If the bees leave you alone, then you should leave them alone. That's the motto I live by. Having said that, if the bees don't leave you alone, then kill them all. Remember, If the bees were in charge, that's what they would do to us.

Panzer
(an eye for an eye)

[Trail Bug]

Two more ideas that worked well for me when I lived in the country. Take the tobacco from a cigarette and moisten it in your mouth and apply to sting. If available you can pull the leaves from ragweed and rub them with your hands to grind them up, moisten in mouth and apply to sting.

[leeki pole]

Two more ideas that worked well for me when I lived in the country. Take the tobacco from a cigarette and moisten it in your mouth and apply to sting. If available you can pull the leaves from ragweed and rub them with your hands to grind them up, moisten in mouth and apply to sting.

Don't know about the ragweed, but chewing tobacco works. I've been stung out in the country and put it on the bite, and the swelling and pain was gone within 15 minutes. And this was one bad dude, a red wasp.

[Lone Wolf]

Every year 90-100 people die due to anaphylatic shock as a result of being stung by a bee or venom injecting insect. If stung immeadiately pull out the stinger and apply ice or a cold compress. Meat tenderizer works well , like wise a crushed aspirin directly applied to sting site . If nothing else take a Benadyl to be on the safe side because a serious allergic reaction can occur even after years of non-symtomatic bee stings . A severe reaction begins about 10 minutes after the sting but can take as long as 4 hours to occur. Symtoms include dizzyness , feeling nausea and itching and/or swelling arounds the eyes . Seek medical attention at once if this happens because life threatening restrictive airway ( trouble breathing) is much too often the next in a series of acute reactions . Thought I might remind people hiking ,when the weather warms up of course, about the dangers of something as small as a bee. ALSO , I might add did anyone destroy the huge hornets nest located on the spur trail leading to the Maupin Fields Shelter ? Might be a good time to do that . Happy hiking :)

i know exactly what you're talkin' about now. on monday afternoon i was stung around 3 PM. 4 hours later i was in the hospital. hives covered my body, my tongue and lips were swollen and i was itchy all over. i went to the ER when my BP dropped rapidly to 60/40. i was having some chest pain so due to my recent heart history they kept me overnight. i've been stung by all types of bees all my life and never had any reactions til now. scary stuff

[MintakaCat]

i know exactly what you're talkin' about now. on monday afternoon i was stung around 3 PM. 4 hours later i was in the hospital. hives covered my body, my tongue and lips were swollen and i was itchy all over. i went to the ER when my BP dropped rapidly to 60/40. i was having some chest pain so due to my recent heart history they kept me overnight. i've been stung by all types of bees all my life and never had any reactions til now. scary stuff

Same thing happen to me about 25 years ago. I never had a problem before and I have'nt seen it since, but that bee sting just took over my body in a matter of a couple of hours. I ended up in the ER too but they knew what to do once I walked in.

Still the whole thing seems strange that it was only that one bee sting that got me.

[littlelaurel59]

If one is highly allergic to bees and plans to hike into the backcountry- hours or days from a trailhead- he or she should talk to his/ her doctor about a plan of action to manage anaphylaxis. This is truly a life-threatening reaction.

My recommendations would include:
Multiple Epi-pens (or Twinject, another type of kit)
Liquid benadryl
Prednisone
And possibly an inhaler.

The hiker should know how and when to use all of the above, and should be sure that hiking partners know as well. This is one condition that requires you to think like an ER doc, and to think quickly. Bees kill more people than bears.

[Wise Old Owl]

little Laurel best answered some of the issues but please most folks have no clue how to identify a Italian bee, a PA bee, an african bee, or and most important a Hornet or Wasp. Most of you are uninformed on the sting. When most folks get stung its a hornet or wasp and for the southerner a african is a death decider so get up to speed and start googling images. When and if you arrive at the hospital you had better know what you are talking about and your identification of what happened.

[Tinker]

i know exactly what you're talkin' about now. on monday afternoon i was stung around 3 PM. 4 hours later i was in the hospital. hives covered my body, my tongue and lips were swollen and i was itchy all over. i went to the ER when my BP dropped rapidly to 60/40. i was having some chest pain so due to my recent heart history they kept me overnight. i've been stung by all types of bees all my life and never had any reactions til now. scary stuff

Happened to me last year while I was working around the church. I hit a yellow jacket nest with a backpack blower. I was allergic as a child, seemed to have lost the allergy as a young adult (stung every year, often several times, while landscaping). I was a heartbeat away from heading for the emergency room before the Benedryl began to take effect. I don't use the Epipen if I can help it, it gives me heart palpitations. Last time I used it I had to call the local emergency due to the palpitations and feeling short of breath (from the palpitations, it turned out).

[mindi]

A series of allergy shots might be a good idea if you are planning a long hike and know you are allergic.

I was stung as a child and went into anaphylactic shock, and I didn't even know anything was wrong with me. I was barely breathing and had swelled up like a balloon, and my blood pressure dropped dangerously low. I thought I was just 'tired' and wanted to go to sleep. If my parents had not been around, I probably would have just gone to sleep and never woken up. I needed 8 injections of epinephrine before I was stabilized.

This is something to think about..from what I read most adults know when they are having a reaction, but there's a possibility that you might not even realize anything is wrong. If you're hiking with someone who is stung and they exhibit signs of reaction, try to get them to help ASAP.

I had allergy shots after my childhood sting and have been stung since without problems, although I still carry Benadryl. This post has reminded me that I should probably get an Epipen before I go, too. Luckily I'm only allergic to honeybees, and I didn't encounter any (that I know of) last time I was on the trail.