Feeling so blessed!!!

[Tinhack]

That is a dangerous allergy to have. Especially living in the country. You are very fortunate indeed. I don't have the allergy, but I hate being stung just the same. It hurts! And I share your feeling towards all first responders, doctors, nurses and even the helpers. They all had a part in saving my life back in 2018 during a blood loss heart attack. Listen to your body. Feeling lightheaded or dizzy is not normal. Get help.

 

[ning]

That is a dangerous allergy to have. Especially living in the country. You are very fortunate indeed. I don't have the allergy, but I hate being stung just the same. It hurts! And I share your feeling towards all first responders, doctors, nurses and even the helpers. They all had a part in saving my life back in 2018 during a blood loss heart attack. Listen to your body. Feeling lightheaded or dizzy is not normal. Get help.

Most people won't develop them, but it's possible.
If you do, it may not be all at once - you may get a sting and have a bigger reaction than previously, and then the next time worse, etc.

If you do regularly get stung, see if you can get an epipen (or the generic, same thing). I sent my doctor a note online, she wrote the prescription, and with my insurance I think it was under $10. The "just in case" is worth it.

 

[dodge man]

I have a reaction to stings, wasps worse than bees. It seems to get a little worse each time. Last time I got hit by a wasp I started getting some welts on my back. I carry Benadryl I took one right away last time but it takes time to kick in.

 

[ultrarunner]

Know folks with same issue and heard that the kit has become quite expensive…

Had 11 clearing hillside brush and took lots of Benadryl

 

[Mtsoxfan]

ER gave me 2 epi pens and told me to get benedryl and Pepsid AC as well, in case it happens again.

 

[oosik]

I wonder if there is some way a person could be tested for this sort of reaction. Short of going thru a real life experience.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

My wife tells me that it is our body that "over reacts" to the bee sting that sends us into anaphylatic shock. Each person is different...

 

[groundcover]

It is, it usually not the first time that gets you. The first time the body gets ready for another attack and the histamines are over produced, can end quite poorly! Epi can save a life, been there done that .

 

[scootr]

I have a reaction to stings, wasps worse than bees. It seems to get a little worse each time. Last time I got hit by a wasp I started getting some welts on my back. I carry Benadryl I took one right away last time but it takes time to kick in.

I seems to me the more often you get stung the stronger the reaction will be if you are allergic. Interestingly I was not allergic to bee stings as a kid but my brother had big reactions to them. now 50 yrs later I'm allergic and he's not. Go figure.

Another severe reaction I had was to budlight. Seriously. I guess when your straight you should expect such a reaction.

 

[Tinhack]

I seems to me the more often you get stung the stronger the reaction will be if you are allergic. Interestingly I was not allergic to bee stings as a kid but my brother had big reactions to them. now 50 yrs later I'm allergic and he's not. Go figure.

Growing up in Texas puts you eye-to-eye with yellowjackets all the time. As kids, we were always getting stung. Mom would make a paste out of baking soda and put that on the sting. I don't remember having Benadryl back then. Later on, someone said ammonia will stop the burn and found out the bite sticks used to have ammonia in them. I guess they stopped that. In a pinch, you could even spray Windex on a sting to help. I don't think that even has ammonia in it anymore.

A few of years ago, I got hit in the face with perhaps 8-10 yellowjackets while I was fixing some loose house trim. One went up my nose, hanging on and was stinging me on the outside of the nose. I was dancing around trying to blow air out of my nose while trying to swat it off. I took some Benadryl then and laid down from all the excitement. The side of my face was swollen and sore for about a day after. That's when I declared all-out war on wasps. I now kill all nests I find with the foaming wasp killer. There's plenty of room around here so they don't need to be where I am.