out of commission from a wasp sting

[s219]

In my continuing quest to accumulate more dumb injuries as I age, I'm temporarily one-handed since getting stung on the left wrist Friday morning. My left hand looks like an inflated rubber glove and is useless right now. I swear, this is as bad as the log splitter injury I had a few years ago since all my fingers are immobilized (hurts as bad too, but no pain pills this time). Like then, it makes me appreciate folks who learn to work with a handicap or permanent injury, because I am just not good at it (and I ran out of one-handed chores).

They say this sort of local reaction peaks around 48 hours after the sting, so hopefully I will be turning the corner soon. I've been stung many times before but this is the first time I've had such a reaction. I wonder if things like this change with age, or maybe previous insect bites have altered my body's histamine reaction.

I got the sting reaching under one of my trailers to make a measurement. Turns out there was a pretty good nest under there with 8-10 wasps (some huge). I am lucky I only got stung once!

 

[ovrszd]

I wonder if the severity is determined by where you get stung?? Maybe you were stung directly into a small vein or something like that??

I've never had as bad a reaction as you are suffering thru.

Those paper nest wasps are mean. And this time of year they have nests everywhere!!!

I've never been stung by mud dauber wasps. I've actually had them run into me carrying a load and not get stung. I sure don't like them in my shop though. One time I was going to use an air hose and couldn't get any pressure. Was a mud dauber nest in the coupler.....

 

[s219]

I have never been stung by a mud dauber, but they get into everything around here, a real nuisance.

 

[jaxs]

Hopefully you won't be stung in the future but if you are,put ice on the spot quick as possible. I've had countless stings over the years and getting ice on it quickly make's a remarkable difference. Applying an ice cube within a couple of minutes can reduce pain and swelling by 80%.

 

[the old grind]

Hopefully you won't be stung in the future but if you are,put ice on the spot quick as possible. I've had countless stings over the years and getting ice on it quickly make's a remarkable difference. Applying an ice cube within a couple of minutes can reduce pain and swelling by 80%.

This^^:thumbsup: I found this advice when dealing with spider bites. These were itching for hours before showing the slightest pink dot to pinpoint the locations within an inch. There was no pain involved, but true to expectations the eventual bump would itch for up to two weeks. Campho-Phenique wouldn't draw them down, Caladryl peel/rubs off, doesn't last.

We learn that Ice will delay/reduce the initial histamine response and swelling by a bunch, but is also a good remedy for lingering itch days later. (I always get that after wasp sting pain is gone.)

Hold your C&C, Bud Lite, Arnold Palmer, or whatever against a bite or local swelling to calm the lingering nuisance. I get hours of relief from just a few minutes. Can you get a rubber glove to fit over the swollen hand and take occasional few-minute dips in ice water?

 

[ruffdog]

Yes, ice it and take an antihistamine like Benadryl.

 

[Industrial Toys]

They always get you when you least expect it. Usually, you never even see them prior to the injury. I got stung once in the presence of a short lived GF and she just LAUGHED! Something both disturbing and kind of sexy about that.

 

[s219]

Yep I'm icing it as much as I can tolerate and taking benadryl & ibuprofen. It is odd to me that the initial pain wore off about 20 minutes after the sting, and all I had was a prick mark. I went about the rest of my day and even spread 2 yards of mulch in the afternoon. Was sore that night, but overnight my hand began blowing up and mid-day yesterday I knew something was going on. Been swelling since.

I checked Dr. Google and it all sounded like what they call a local reaction, but my wife didn't believe me so she asked a doc in her family and he confirmed. Apparently I just have to ride it out and watch for signs of infection or circulation issues.

 

[oldballs]

I've found paper wasps building especially in various tractor attachments. Some attachments are covered with a tarp, but they build under the tarp. In the tongue of my trailer is a favorite place. Thus on those attachments I have been spraying Fluid Film up/through/around/inside such pieces. It seems they do not like/can't build their nest on those surfaces.

BTW...I expect some royalties for this idea.

Cheers,
Mike

Another BTW.......if you are an old geezer, those anti-histamines might shut off your pee....that I know for sure.

 

[Diggin It]

I wonder if the severity is determined by where you get stung?? Maybe you were stung directly into a small vein or something like that??

I've never had as bad a reaction as you are suffering thru.

I've been close and it does matter where. The first few times I had almost no reaction at all. The last two got me a bit spooked due to the swelling and itching. I'm more than a bit concerned about getting one in the neck or upper chest area now.

I'm not sure the DDs even sting. Maybe they do. don't know. I reached for a door knob one day a few weeks ago and something was waiting for me. Got me on the hand, but it only bothered me for a few minutes. Never saw the bug though. The big red/rust ones are what has me worried as noted above.