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Author Topic: Bee Stings  (Read 4480 times)

Offline Jerrymac

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Bee Stings
« on: January 22, 2005, 08:58:54 pm »
I'm wanting to get info about what can/will happen if a person is stung many times every season for many years, for grins let's say twenty years averaging perhaps ten stings every year, and possible have some weird accident with hives that causes many many stings all at once. Mainly asking how the human body reacts to this, any adverse medical conditions, Good affects, ill affects that could develope.

I have a reason for asking and will reveil that after a few responses.
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Offline ibeecanadian

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Bee Stings
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2005, 09:17:18 pm »
hey jerry. im just guessing on this but i would think you would build up an amunity to the stings. ive seen programs on people, i guess in the rainforests... anyway they hang off huge cliffs to get honey from wild bee's. they dont have anything on but shorts and everytime they get stung hundreds or maybe thousands of times. they say it doesnt bother them becouse they have worked up an amunity over all the years. i dont think getting stung ten times a year over twenty years would do much more than hurt, but thats just my guess. ive also heard bee venom helps with arthritice. so ten stings a year might help in that way..?

Offline golfpsycho

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« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2005, 09:18:15 pm »
Every person is different and so are their reactions.  You can build resistance by getting stung over time, but it can also go the other way and sensitize you to it.  Localized swelling is normal, but a systemic reaction would indicate a more serious situation.   When I first started keeping bees, I had enormous disfiguring swelling.  But I was advised to start a regimine of daily stings, and it worked.  In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best advice, but still today, a sting is more a momentary annoyance unless it's under a fingernail, or on the nose.  I don't think 10 stings a year is many at all, and I have had many more than that hiving the odd angry swarm, or digging through a hot hive looking for a lady to behead.

Something to keep in mind.  If you are on various medications, the sting may be intensified dramatically.  Even aspirin can have an impact.

You must be getting ready to go after that hive in the wall of the pump house huh?

Offline Robo

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Re: Bee Stings
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2005, 09:59:35 pm »
Quote from: Jerrymac
for grins let's say twenty years averaging perhaps ten stings every year,


Said individual will most likely not suffer from arthritis,  or will at least be less arthritic that if they were not stung. :D
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Offline Jerrymac

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Bee Stings
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2005, 10:27:23 pm »
I didn't want to influence the input by telling what is/was on my mind... No really someone accused me of having one.... But Psycho came the closest.

Here it is. Someone I know, who "normally" gets info messed up said she knew someone that use to work bees. Had to give it up as one developes an alergic reaction to bees over a period of time getting stung. I always assumed one would build up an immunity to it after awhile and not feel anything more than a misquitoe bit.

Although as yet I have not raised any bees, I have been stung a couple of times on the back and between the toes. The ones on the back were no more than a little bump. The initial sting felt like a hot needle but was over with soon and just itched for awhile. No swelling just a little bump about like a pimple.
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Offline golfpsycho

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« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2005, 11:47:54 pm »
Another thing to keep in mind.  The localized swelling usually intensifies for a period before any "immunity" is realized.  More and more swelling.... then nothing.  If you were to find yourself experiencing difficulty breathing... or swelling on the torso or leg after a sting on the arm.... it would be a red flag and the clock is ticking.  Don't blow it off.

Offline Finman

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« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2005, 05:37:58 am »
I have good immunity against bee's stings. 20 stings per day is quite normal. If I get 3 stings in my face, it will not swell, but if I get more, immunity capasity overlfow, so I think

I work with bare hands. Most of stings I get into fingers and into wrists.

I have a fiend close me a beekeeper. His immunity has developed to sensitive direction. If he gets one sting, he must be ready to go hospital.

Last summer I had a hive, which gived me every day 20 stings when I handled it. It is a limit. Queen got its final flight to bush.

If you  dream natural queen and natural mating, you cannot shoose calm strains.

After insemination bees have developed very pleasant. It depends also what is the weather you grub the hive. Towards evening many hive become grazy.

If you use blue clothes when handling bees, they attach really much.
I use old shirts. They are easy to wash.

Many thinks that angry bees gather more honey, but it is not true.

Anonymous

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Bee Stings
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2005, 05:11:59 pm »
Might want to review this post.
http://www.beemaster.com/beebbs/viewtopic.php?t=49
Has a link for more information about bee stings.
I also know a person that had to sell his bees because of having reactions. He still helps out new people when he can do so with out getting stung.
 :D Al

Offline pardee

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Bee Stings
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2005, 07:28:41 pm »
If you plan on working alone I would suggest you get a prescription form your doctor to get a epinephrine auto-injector. In a worse case scenario a person could go into anaphylaxis shock. You could administer this to yourself and will buy you time to get yourself to the hospital.
   People ask me if I get stung much and I say yes but not often, you don’t have to get stung at all if you don’t want to. You always see picture’s of people working bees without even a vale. Being one with the bug of maybe it’s a macho thing or perhaps they just like pain. I personally don’t like to be stung, especially in the face. So don’t take stinging lightly which is the advice of authorities like Jim Tew who writes for Bee Culture and American Bee Journal. Wear your protective clothing and it won’t be an issue. I work for a power company and have to work with voltages from 24 vdc to 765K AC  I wouldn’t work without the proper gear. Beekeeping is the same.