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Author Topic: Benadryl Question  (Read 9421 times)

Offline Natalie

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Benadryl Question
« on: June 22, 2009, 11:14:11 am »
I am wondering about taking benadryl for bee stings.
I know that you are suppose to take benadryl right after you get stung to keep the swelling and itching to a minimum but do you take it after that as well?
I am curious to know if you should repeat the dosage after a few hours to keep the antihistamine in your body and to prevent the swelling or if it makes any difference after the immediate dosage.
I know that if you are itching you can take benadryl for that but not sure how much it helps with the swelling.
Just wondering what everyone's experience has been using it.
Yes I got stung ;)
I went to a field day with our state club and during a talk on using the drone frames for varroa control the presenter went over to a hive to show us the powdered sugar shake.
So everyone is standing around or sitting in their chairs nice and relaxed and enjoying the presentation when the guy decided it would be fun to bang on the sides of the hive.
He had put the screen over the top of the hive, dumped the sugar on and smoothed it over so it dropped into the frames below.
He puts the cover back on and all is still right with the world and the bees are still in the hive, when he crouches down behind the hive and says "they don't like when I do this" and bangs on either side of the hive with his fists.
The bees came boiling out and and attacked everyone so fast you had no time to get away.
I got stung all over my head, the bees wer tangled in my hair, a woman got stung by a bee in her ear and ran like everyone else and her husband who was in a wheelchair was getting stung.
My husband ran over and got her husband out of there but every got stung alot.
If you were at some of the demos you wore your protetive gear but at this one no one did because it was suppose to just be a talk according to the schedule they gave out on the workshops.
So anyway, I took the benadryl right away and I think it helps with the itching but my face was swollen yesterday and then today I woke up and my eye is swollen so I am wondering if taking benadryl every so many hours will keep it in check next time or if its just a one shot deal and then only take it for the itching.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2009, 11:26:37 am »
is the guy dead?

i usually take it every 4 to 6 hours the first day for about 3 doses.  i am not a good patient in that the first dose is a chug out of the bottle of liquid.  however, the liquid is only 12.5 mg, so it's pretty safe to gulp.

after that, i take (usually) 25 mg in 4 hours, and again if there is time in the day, before bed.  if it's really bad, i take 50 mg, but then i must sleep.  i find that beyond the first 24 hours taking the benadryl has diminishing returns. 

try icing the swelling, use an external cream for some itch relief.  vagisil works the best, i think. 

yes, the faster you get it into you, the better it works.  more stings, higher dose.  50 mg at a 6 hour intervals is to to much at all.
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Offline Joelel

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2009, 01:06:04 pm »
I am wondering about taking benadryl for bee stings.
I know that you are suppose to take benadryl right after you get stung to keep the swelling and itching to a minimum but do you take it after that as well?
I am curious to know if you should repeat the dosage after a few hours to keep the antihistamine in your body and to prevent the swelling or if it makes any difference after the immediate dosage.
I know that if you are itching you can take benadryl for that but not sure how much it helps with the swelling.
Just wondering what everyone's experience has been using it.
Yes I got stung ;)
I went to a field day with our state club and during a talk on using the drone frames for varroa control the presenter went over to a hive to show us the powdered sugar shake.
So everyone is standing around or sitting in their chairs nice and relaxed and enjoying the presentation when the guy decided it would be fun to bang on the sides of the hive.
He had put the screen over the top of the hive, dumped the sugar on and smoothed it over so it dropped into the frames below.
He puts the cover back on and all is still right with the world and the bees are still in the hive, when he crouches down behind the hive and says "they don't like when I do this" and bangs on either side of the hive with his fists.
The bees came boiling out and and attacked everyone so fast you had no time to get away.
I got stung all over my head, the bees wer tangled in my hair, a woman got stung by a bee in her ear and ran like everyone else and her husband who was in a wheelchair was getting stung.
My husband ran over and got her husband out of there but every got stung alot.
If you were at some of the demos you wore your protetive gear but at this one no one did because it was suppose to just be a talk according to the schedule they gave out on the workshops.
So anyway, I took the benadryl right away and I think it helps with the itching but my face was swollen yesterday and then today I woke up and my eye is swollen so I am wondering if taking benadryl every so many hours will keep it in check next time or if its just a one shot deal and then only take it for the itching.

I don't know about benadryl and pain pills,I don't use anything for bee stings.As soon as you get stung take a sharp knife and scrape the sting side ways to get the stinger out as fast as possable.The longer you leave the stinger in,the more the stinger squeezes poison out.
Acts2:37: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39: For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40: And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation

Offline Irwin

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2009, 01:09:47 pm »
Natalie would please tell me what happend to this guy. If you can't say it here please PM me. a-- woopin time I say.
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Offline G3farms

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2009, 01:36:42 pm »
what kind of nut job would do that!!! Was he wearing his bee suit or veil? Did he get stung??

Is beating on the hive part of putting the powder sugar in the hive? If he was just trying to get them to fan their wings a good puff of smoke would have done that.

G3
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Offline Natalie

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2009, 01:52:02 pm »
Thanks Kathy, I had never taken Benadryl in my life believe it or not, just never needed it and wasn't sure how it worked with bee stings.
I did bring a bottle of it with me to field day just in case anyone got stung and took some at the time but I wasn't sure how to proceed from there.
Its good to know in the future.
I cannot believe how bad my head hurt, it wasn't like how you normally feel after a sting, it felt like someone hit me over the head with something.
It hurt to move my eyebrows, I kid you not. If I bent down or moved my eyebrows my head would ache.
It felt like if you had a bad cut or a big bump on your head.
It even hurt when I took a shower, the water coming down hurt.

Joelel, I do scrape the stingers out immediately usually I just use my hive tool, but these bees were tangled in my hair and stinging and I couldn't find the stingers right away with my hair and all, plus there was major commotion.

Irwin, can you even believe this guy?! I was so pee'd off there isn't any words for it and then when I finally could sit down and have lunch I just couldn't comprehend what happened.
People were stopping me during the day and asking me if I was alright and commenting on what a jerk that guy was.
Reinbeau and woodchopper were at the same field day but they were at a different presentaion lucky for them.
I had my 6 year old son with me and he was in a full suit the whole day, thank God.
It has been rainy and gloomy here for days so even though it wasn't raining yesterday it still was not good flying weather and I knew the bees would not be in a great mood so I had my son where his suit just in case he encountered some unhappy bee.
Can you imagine if he wasn't suited up, I can tell you that my husband would probably be in jail right now.
The presentation we were at at the time you normally would not need to be in an protective gear, it was suppose to be a talk on the plastic drone comb and how to find mites in it etc.
Even the powdered sugar shake would have been fine, but the great idea of banging on the sides of the hive.....

G3, I am not sure what he was thinking in the banging, it could have been to get the powder spread around but he did say as he crouched down and started to bang that they don't like when I do this so he knew they were going to go nuts.
He was wearing a veil but I don't remember when he put it on, if it was after the bees started stinging or before he banged.


While everyone is running around getting stung and yelling he kept talking, going on with his presentation.
After a couple of minutes there was no one in the area and he finally stopped talking.
I think he was trying to act like everything was okay so he wouldn't get in trouble, like hey I'll keep talking while 30 people run around swatting bees off of them and maybe they won't notice that I am an idiot.
Then poor guy in a wheelchair, it was just so upsetting.

The idiot who did the presentation disappeared right after that, I cant imagine why.

Offline doak

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2009, 02:40:17 pm »
I would not take on a regular basis. Do not  even take one before you tend the colonies.
Have some close by and take one as soon as you can, If you think you need one.
I only take Benadryl For my asama/allergies.
My bee stings don't hurt me that bad.
doak :)

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2009, 02:43:26 pm »
no point in taking it before.  it blocks the histamine receptors and will do no good before.  i do take it if i get a sting other than through clothes.  i take it because i swell up like a balloon!  probably most people don't need to worry about that.  it is a good thing to have around.  you never know.  only thing is, if you think you are going to need it, don't wait.  the longer you wait, the less good it will do.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline msully

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2009, 05:42:26 pm »
Kathy,

Just to clarify, you get stung and then immediately hit the bottle?  You don't wait until after the inspection is done?  I've been having problems with swelling.  Took one on the hand on Saturday and it swelled half way up my forearm....

Incidentally, I'm over in Vancouver, so it's nice to see some of your comments in the various forums.  I can count on your advice as being local.

Mike
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2009, 05:54:52 pm »
i very rarely get stung doing an inspection.  if i do, it's usually a lite one through a glove.  i do not "hit the bottle" when this happens.   :evil:

most of my nasty sting have been during cutouts, and one or two during swarm captures.  those usually happen when the bee finds it's way into what i am wearing, or when i don't have gloves on, etc.  in that case, i do take the benadryl right away.  usually a smallish dose because i have to drive home, then another swig when i get home. 

you may find that your reaction lessens as you are exposed more.  this has not happened for me.  in fact, because of the reactions i have, i got epi-pens from my doc.  you may want to consider doing the same if you feel your reactions are outside normal.  it does not hurt to have them in case yours get worse.  if they get better....still money well spent, i think.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline BeeHopper

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2009, 06:01:26 pm »
Natalie,

Once you're feeling better and the swelling is down, I hope you will find out who this " Guy" is.
If I were there, I would have confronted him, that is poor behavior around hives if you ask me. 

Offline Natalie

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2009, 06:09:40 pm »
Thanks guys. Beehopper I reported him to the president of my bee association today.
He happened to e-mail me about some pictures he took and asked if I had fun at the field day and I told him about all the "fun" I and many others had.
I am waiting to hear back from him on what will be done about it.
I tell you, the stupidity of some people just never ceases to amaze me.

Offline msully

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2009, 06:35:16 pm »
Kathy,

Gloves huh?  I may have to give up on my manly ways and start using them.  I have been smoking my hands which worked for a couple of weeks, until I forgot and was shaking the girls off of a frame.  She sat there until I had my buddy blow some smoke at her then she hit me....

Epi pen has been ordered, appointment with the allergy clinic is pending.

Mike
"Indecision may or may not be my problem" Jimmy Buffett

Offline BeeHopper

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2009, 06:36:04 pm »
Thanks guys. Beehopper I reported him to the president of my bee association today.
He happened to e-mail me about some pictures he took and asked if I had fun at the field day and I told him about all the "fun" I and many others had.
I am waiting to hear back from him on what will be done about it.
I tell you, the stupidity of some people just never ceases to amaze me.


Good to hear that you have taken action  :-D

Offline BeeHopper

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2009, 06:43:58 pm »
I have an allergy to stings only in the form of severe and prolong swelling, I have used benadryl immediately and hours after the stings with no results except for the feeling of drunkeness. I don't take anything anymore, but I was recently informed about the positive effects of cortisone for allergies to bee stings.  Anyone ?

Offline qa33010

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #15 on: June 22, 2009, 07:15:07 pm »
    Benadryl trashes me out, even a small dose.  If I'm stung more than a few times a year and depending where they get me determines how severe and long the swelling is.  I have a more severe reaction if I'm stung within 48 hours of my allergy shots. 

     I do know that my joints do not ache, sometimes at all, as bad after I'm stung.  I also feel better overall for a few weeks after.  There are apitherapy sites around and I know a few folks that have bees for this purpose alone.  Pretty cool when I start digging up information.
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Offline woodchopper

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #16 on: June 22, 2009, 09:43:17 pm »

I am waiting to hear back from him on what will be done about it.
I tell you, the stupidity of some people just never ceases to amaze me.
Please keep us posted. I remember seeing some commotion over to our right but didn't realize everyone was getting attacked. If I remember correctly all those listening to the talk were VERY close to the hives.
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Offline Natalie

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #17 on: June 22, 2009, 09:59:18 pm »
Hi Greg, some were pretty close to the hives.
 He had a table set up with all the green plastic drone/varroa frames on them and was doing the talk around the table and the hive was to the right.
Most people were standing around the table watching him pull the drone larva out of the frames but some were sitting in chairs further away since there wasn't enough room for everyone to see well.
When he moved to the hive to do the sugar shake people made a circle watching him and some just went and sat back in their chairs, I think there were about 30 people in the group so some were pretty close and others were what you would have thought was a good distance.
I would say I was about 15 feet from the hive because we had our chairs set up outside the circle and I didn't want Aidan too close to the hives even though he had his suit on.
When the guy banged on the sides of the hive they came charging out and the woman that got stung in the ear and her husband in the wheelchair were over to the left of the hive maybe 10 feet or so and there were a couple of people that stood to the presenters left, practically on top of the hive that got stung as well.
So there were definitely people that were right next to the hive and then some further away and this guy knew that. I really cannot imagine what he was thinking.
Alot of people got stung multiple times.
It didn't really seem to matter where anyone stood because when the bees came out they went in every direction and chased you for quite a ways. You had no time to get away from them.
You know the area where we ate lunch? The bees chased Bill all the way down to that area.
In fact they were still bothering him for a few minutes after we got our lunch, I think that is when you suggested to him to go get a smoker to smoke the areas where he got stung.
I will let you know what I hear.

Offline tlynn

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2009, 02:25:57 am »
One thing I was told from our apiary inspector when I started keeping bees is that above all, I must have respect for and be a good steward of my bees at all times.  To whack on the side of the hive for fun degenerates into something like a teen prank, not at all the action of a responsible beekeeper.  He should be banned from participating in any association events until he shows some maturity and responsibility.

Benedryl and lots of ice.  I have found no better combo.  And I swell terribly too.

Offline danno

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Re: Benadryl Question
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2009, 11:50:22 am »
I carry a bottle of spray benadryl in my truck.  Most of the stings I get have absolutly no reaction at all but every once in a while I swell.  Most be older more potent girls.  I dont run for the spray when it happens.   Just a squirt on the spot when I get back to the truck

 

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