Not a good day in the woods

[JSJAC]

I got home from work on Thursday and thougt I would cut a couple of trees for next winter( home alone) . When I went in the woods I had stepped on a wasp nest in the ground and did not know it. On the way out I stepped on it again and got stung. Have been stung in the past and never had a problem before. This time I had a large problem. I went and got the wasp spray and doused the nest. When I got back to the house I thought I got a bug bite on my chest but the were 50 cent peice sized hives. Called my doc and ended having to call 911. due to trouble swallowing/breathing. Thank the Lord for the vollenter fire fighters. They save my life.
Now I have to carry an Epipen. How do others carry thiers when working?

 

[Jfk4th]

Before you even said you were allergic I knew it when you said you had trouble breathing, This is known as a point B reaction and is a really bad situation to be in. They actually make smaller epi-pen kits (if you don't have one) instead of the large tube like one that most have. My advice is let others, friends, family know how to use it so if this happens again they can "hit" your leg with it. Plus if you do have the tube like epi they will know how to hold and activate it

I am a trained Wilderness First Aid Responder and have seen first hand how bad a person gets when having a reaction to bees, etc. I also would buy a bracelet that tells people you are allergic to bees and should have epi if a reaction occurs. Did the doctor also say to carry diphenhydramine (Benadryl) just in case there is a rebound reaction?

 

[JSJAC]

He did say to carry the allergy pills for a rebound. When the fire department got here I was so weak I could not do the Epip pen myself. That is what now concerns me.
I have a doctor appointment for Friday to talk to my regular doc.

 

[muncybob]

I've been stung before and have not had a problem...but, is it possible that there are other bees that have not bit me that I may be allergic to?? Can a doctor test you for this?

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

Many allergies are cumulative, your reactions worsen with each exposure regardless of the time between exposures. If you notice things like insect bites seem to hurt worse/affect you more than they did in the past, please check it out with your physician. Anaphylaxic shock is not a pleasant way to go.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I did almost the same thing once. We had a tree that needed cutting but was usually to wet in fall-winter-spring, so we cut it down in August. Sure enough, I too stepped in the wrong place. The worst is that several got into one of my ears and I had over 20 stings in and around that ear. Nasty.

That is another reason I do almost all of my cutting in winter.

 

[wendell]

I've been stung before and have not had a problem...but, is it possible that there are other bees that have not bit me that I may be allergic to?? Can a doctor test you for this?

Don't know about the test but they can be cumulative. 3 years ago I had a yellow jacket nest in my yard and had a heck of a time getting rid of it. Each time I got stung over the summer got worse and by the third time had to stop mowing the yard and go lay down. Called the pros and made sure I got rid of it before I mowed again!

 

[leftyscott]

My wife has to carry one of those self-injectors for bees/yellow jackets. She got stung by a wasp and luckily did not have an adverse reaction. Good thing, too as we have wasps all over the place. I've been stung in the neck a few times after opening a door and walking outside. Hurts like hell for about 30 minutes.