Idaxon, you may not have been stung by a honey bee on the foot. Maybe it was something else... so you would not necessarily expect a systemic reaction. The hives that you had are indicative of systemic hypersensitivity. You may not have had breathing problems before, but if you are hypersensitive, life threatening reactions could happen anytime you are stung by a honey bee. I'm glad you have an epipen, but you might not have time to use it or to get to even a nearby fire station. I hope you will get tested by an allergist to see if you are hypersensitive. The shots to desensitize yourself are not that bad, although they are time consuming. Also consider better protection including a bee jacket, tight fitting veil, and gloves. Good luck to both of us. :-D