An interesting bee related day

So yesterday I am working my honey bee hives, inspecting them and just generally poking my nose in there and I got stung. No biggie, I have been stung by my gals several times and it does not hurt. I got stung on my left forearm on the inside, the soft fleshy bit. No worries, I dug the stinger out, smoked it and went on with the inspection. After all, I was kinda expecting to get stung.

Later on in the day I noticed that the sting site was getting all red and hot feeling, and the spot where the stinger had been looked angry. By bedtime it was pretty swollen and uncomfortable, but I was not having trouble breathing and I took a Benadryl and went to sleep. This morning it was about the same so I went in to work and showed everybody my Popeye arm and one of my co-workers even drew an anchor on my forearm with a ball point pen because it looked so much like Popeye's arm.

Photo is just for reference, I do not actually smoke a pipe

So while at work today it really starts to hurt, it's really hot and it's so swollen I fear it may actually explode, which would be a mess to clean up, so I head over to the urgent care down the street. I am apparently having a reaction not to the toxins in the bee sting venom, but to something the bee had on her, most likely poision ivy or sumac based on my experiences with those plants in the past. Thirty minutes later I have had a Tetanus shot, a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot, with the Tetanus and the steroid shot both in the same arm, as well as a scrip for a steroid and antibiotic to take for the next week - 10 days.

If you have ever had a Tetanus shot and a steroid shot in the same arm in the same day, you understand me when I ask you to NOT punch me in the arm if you happen to come in my shop. I will kill you on the spot. LOL

Does poison ivy do this to you? It could be the be sting venom as well. All alergic reactions happen on the second or later exposure to the alergen. First time is free, so to speak. I hate to suggest it, but if this happens again or gets worse, you should consider a new hobby.

There is a poison ivy extract that an alergy doc can give you that will desensitize you. It does work. I can get the name/manufacturer for your local doc if you want to try that. It's basically a shot a week for a month or so, then a shot a month for a year or whatever.

Good advice, and certainly I asked lots of questions of the doc related to the bee allergy side of things as I do not want to walk blindly down the path of massive bee allergy reactions.

The doc was very sure that had my reaction been solely bee-related I would have had much more severe reactions much sooner. He said it was "something" that the bee had on her and I suggested the ivy since I have reacted very badly to poision ivy & sumac in the past. I never really had much problem with it until one day years ago when I was helping to clear a new mountain bike trail and helped move a log that had this big fuzzy vine on it. I hoisted that puppy right up onto my shoulder and we walked it way off the trail. It was the middle of winter and there were no leaves present to help me identify this vine and sure enough the entire left side of my face, neck, arm and boobie were covered in poision ivy welts that evening. Since then my body has reacted with vengance and furious anger to any hint of the oils of these plants.

As a for instance, one day Chuck pulled up all the ivy that was growing up inside the fence because I kept getting it from petting the dogs after they would walk in it. He wore latex gloves, pulled up all plants and placed them in a heavy duty plastic bag, placed the gloves in the plastic bag and put the bag in the trash. Then he touched the doorknob with what he assumed to be clean hands to come into the house to wash his hands and yep, I touched that doorknob and got a whole mess of poision ivy.

I did not hold it against him because I would have made the same assumption that he had taken all the necessary precautions, but it defiately drove home the message that I am very senstive to the poision ivy & sumac.

Well, you should consider the shots then, especially if you're around it. I'm sensitive as well, and I live in the middle of 10 acres of it. The shots have helped me a great deal. Find a local alergist. And keep some Tecnu around for when you're exposed. You may also need more heavy duty emergency stuff if you're reacting that bad.

Thanks, I will definately look into it. I never knew there was a preventative other than a physical barrier such Ivyblock or just sweatproof sunscreen lotion, which I have used with pretty good results in the past. Only works if you know you are going to come in contact with it though. I will check it out.

You're in trouble - now the hive knows that PI is your kryptonite. No more stealing their sweet, sweet honey. :)

As one beekeeper to another, why on earth do you expect to get stung? You shouldn't expect it, and it shouldn't happen. You smoke them well, suit up appropriately, and work with care and attention.

My reaction to getting stung varies a good bit with the location. On my arms, it swells up a whole lot more than on my fingers or legs. As well the variation from individual bees and hives, and stinger depth, and duration.

Because if I expect it and it doesn't happen it's nicer than the other way around. Keep in mind I have only been a beekeeper for five weeks now, I'm still a n00b.

EastCoastMojo wrote: I will kill you on the spot. LOL

The 'roid rage has already begun

OH CRAP SHES GOT A CAN OF SPINACH!!!

I feel for you. I used to be able to be able to pull poison ivy up with my bare hands. I got hit in the face with a fresh cut vine about 1/2 inch in diameter about 10 years ago. I have never been so sick in my life. Both eyes were swollen shut, I ended up with the stuff everywhere. Ever since then if I look at the stuff hard I break out. Good luck with the bees and try not to kill anyone.

My reactions were different. After years of poison ivy and bee/yellowjacket stings my reaction to both have become much milder.

Mojo, I think you said you have Italian bees? There are several different bees here but they are only prevalent when there are flowers here in the desert, which can be more intermittent than your environment. When the palo verdes bloom there are hundreds of bees on each tree and the hum is amazing. Kind of creepy until you get used to it. After a bloom they aren't around.

There is a hive between a huge cracked boulder where we hike and an ominous hum resounds from that spot that really creeps me out. It must be huge. I'll stop and observe from about thirty feet but no closer. Give me a rattler any day!

I would love to hear that hum, the thought of it made me smile.

My spinach came in handy, today I took and passed the practical portion of my exam to become a certified beekeeper. I should get my certificate in the mail soon. Momma always said I was certifiable

ECM, this may sound a lil' insensitive while you're still in pain..

But I for one am glad that it was something other than the bee venom. Some people gain new allergies with age.

Popeye? We created new lyrics back when we used to show the old cartoons..

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, I live in a spinich can. But I don't feel no pain, `Cuz I smoke crack cocaine... I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.

Q: Why does Popeye want Olive Oyl? A: Any porthole in a storm..

I am super duper relieved that it was not a reaction to the bee venom as that would truly suck to suddenly become allergic to bee stings now that I am a beekeeper. The swelling is all gone now and except for the massive black bruise on my arm where the tetanus and steroid shots were given it's like nothing happened.

The house is also really really clean now and my feet don't hurt either - both things I contribute to the steroids

Um, does your state certify you a a beekeeper on is it Uncle Sam on the federal level. What does the cert do for you? Do you have a secret handshake? I have always wanted an apiary and now that I'm in the sticks I may look into it.

It is through the state. After I took my beekeeping course I had the option of taking the written portion of the exam to become certified and passed. The practical is a separate portion and is better done after you have actually been in a hive a few times or even have bees of your own so that you can more easily identify the different things going on in the hive. The exams are free in NC.

The certification doesn't really do that much other than make me feel good. The next step would be to become a journeyman beekeeper, which requires certification plus two years beekeeping experience and 5 units of public service such as speaking to groups about beekeeping. I plan to go for it

We have a secret handshake, but if I show it to you I have to kill you.

I definately encourage you to do it - I have found it to be very rewarding and Chuck is even getting into it.

Congrats, that really sounds like fun. Master Craftsman someday? Did you happen to go to the NCSBA meeting in Pinehurst last summer? When I lived there we would buy honey from a guy down the road. He had many hives and sold different kinds of honey. Really cool set up.

Hasbro wrote: Congrats, that really sounds like fun. Master Craftsman someday? Did you happen to go to the NCSBA meeting in Pinehurst last summer? When I lived there we would buy honey from a guy down the road. He had many hives and sold different kinds of honey. Really cool set up.

Thanks! I hope make Master Craftsman someday I have not been to the big meetings yet, I wanted to go last year and this spring but it just hasn't worked out yet.

Why do you need to be a certified beekeeper? Are they concerned that you will train and use your bees for evil?

Dr. Hess wrote: Does poison ivy do this to you? It could be the be sting venom as well. All alergic reactions happen on the second or later exposure to the alergen. First time is free, so to speak. I hate to suggest it, but if this happens again or gets worse, you should consider a new hobby. There is a poison ivy extract that an alergy doc can give you that will desensitize you. It does work. I can get the name/manufacturer for your local doc if you want to try that. It's basically a shot a week for a month or so, then a shot a month for a year or whatever.

Dr Hess,

I'm interested in this. Both my youngest son and I are extremely sensitive to PI and it might be worth a try.

walterj wrote: Why do you need to be a certified beekeeper? Are they concerned that you will train and use your bees for evil?

Good idea. My legion of trained helper monkeys isn't working out so well.

Monkeys can be so stubborn The training of my minions is coming along nicely.

Certification is not required by any means, I am doing it to further my education and hopefully give something back to the cause once I get to the point where I know something.

Cory, I gonna suggest you contact an alergist and ask them to start you on a poison ivy desensitization program. Make an appointment and when the doc says "Hello Mr. B, what brings you in to see me today?" reply: "I'm very allergic to poison ivy and I want the shots to desensitize me." Word choice is so careful when dealing with doctors. Say it wrong and you don't get treated, just a script for prednisone. They should have a source for the extract, or PM me and I'll dig out the manufacturer. The stuff my allergist uses comes from Ft. Smith, AR. I'm down to one shot a month on that, and I haven't had an outbreak in about a year now. I got off the shots for a while, then weed whacked some of it last April and got hit. I went back on the shots and haven't been hit since, despite plenty of outdoors activity cutting trees, etc. I still avoid it and wash with Tecnu if I think I've been exposed, but I haven't had an outbreak. I used to be very sensitive. If I got some on me, it would flare up in hours, not the two days like it is supposed to with a Type 2 Hypersensitivity Reaction, which is what is usually happening.