Bee Sting

[marshalljackson]

What a great Ride. Thanks everybody! Strange thing though. On Friday at lunch, I got stung by a bee on my thumb. It hurt a bit but didn't bother me too much for the rest of my ride Friday or Saturday. . . Then, Saturday night while driving home to California, my thumb started swelling and forming an ugly raised rash. Today, Sunday, it's even more swollen and uglier than ever. I've attached a picture. I talked to quite a few other folks who were stung on Friday. Did anyone else get a delayed reaction like this? Does anyone else have any thoughts for treement? Thanks.

[Force 5 Robert]

I got stung on the first night in Sutherlin on the top of my foot. Hurt like heck. It did not swell like that though - yikes! I also hear of others who had bee stings during the week...

[dunshay04]

I got stung on one of my fingers about a month ago on a training ride. It did swell a few days after the sting, but nothing like what your picture shows. It hurt like heck for a few days too.

[cheneyt119]

I have less and less resistance to stings and now I take Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache. You want a powerful oral antihistamine, that will knock the swelling right out.

[marshalljackson]

OK, I went to an urgent care facility today to have my thumb looked at. The Doc told me that any reaction that takes that long to occur is an infection (not an allergic reaction). He put me on a 10-day dose of anti-biotics and said that benedryl will probably not help because it's not a histamine/allergic reaction. It's not painful, but it is ugly and it's gotten so swollen that I can barely bend my thumb. I guess I'll take a couple days away from biking.

[marshalljackson]

Well, it got worse. . . see my new picture. I spent last night in the ER. Now my whole hand is swollen and the raised rash is growing. The ER doc says it IS an ALLERGIC reaction (not an infection) and he put me on some steroids and antihistimines. He warned me that my next bee sting might be worse and faster. I'll probably be carring an epi-pen on my future rides. The good news is that this should completely heal within a week or two.

[cheneyt119]

I feel your pain brother. That looked like allergic swelling to me, not infection.

I did the Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River hike a dozen years back. I got stung by the side of my eye and on my ankle by wasps I think, while seeking water at a creek on a Thursday morning. By Friday night driving home my eye was swollen completely shut and my ankle was quite swollen and infected as well.

I spent Saturday morning with an IV in my arm for 4 hours, (I even had to bum some coffee from a nurse) the IV had steroids, anti-biotics and benedryl. I carry the Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache because as they pointed out at your medical facility at least in my case I am losing resistance to the poison and need fast medication to fight it. The Benadryl will prevent any real itching and therefore the cause of the infection. Usually a couple days of oral tabs will take care of it for me, but if not the swelling last for weeks in my case.

I will even zip up my jersey and just pour water on myself for cooling when it's hot just to avoid the bee funnel effect of the open 24 inch bike jersey zipper.

[riding2live]

Hmmm, medicos can't agree. Infection? Allergic reaction?
Maybe it's all just psychosomatic.

[Entiat]

Yow, hope that is doing ok.

On the ride Friday, someone crashed a short while in front of us (apparently lack of attention, drifted off road and endo'd into the ditch...she was ok but her helmet did its job and was toast). Someone who witnessed the crash got stung in the lip when she stopped...that looked more painful than the crash.

I was stung in the neck once while out riding...apparently the bee didn't appreciate me riding right into it. I couldn't get the stinger out by myself and had to stop in at a gas station and have the lady there use a credit card to scrape it out.

Hang in there with the hand - I think carrying an epi-pen is a good idea now that you've apparently acquired an allergy.

[CO1]

Hope that you are feeling better soon!
D

[jeffk]

I thankfully did not get stung on the ride this year, but it sounds like several others did. I think you would be wise to carry the epi-pen on future extended outings. Had you had a anaphylactic reaction to the sting you'd have been much worse off - or dead. Do you know what stung you?

I've been stung twice before on the INSIDE of the lips by yellow jackets I couldn't spit out fast enough. Burns like fire and gives me a fat lip that lasts for several hours.

I hope your condition improves rapidly and that you'll be back on the bike in no time!

[riding2live]

I must be one of the lucky ones. Years ago I had a wasp go up a pant leg (oh-oh) and that sucker got me about three times (heading north). Luckily, it just burned and was a little "ITCHY" and was fine the next day.

On this years C.O. Weekend ride I had a head-on collision (struck me in the throat) with something that took offense to my hindering his progress in the opposite direction. Before he departed and went on his way he stuck me to let me know he was VERY unhappy (vindictive little b_ _ _ _ _ _). I got just a slight bump and got a card out of my fanhy pack and scraped the site. EMT at rest stop looked at it and said "FUHGEDABOUDIT!"

Gene "Stick It To Me" Jones

Sure glad the bug that "got into my pants" didn't do any thing to me like Marshall's little buddy.

[Tender Chunks]

Are you sure you're not Jack Horner, and you just stuck your thumb in a plum pie??

[slv0700]

If you get stung by a bee you hold a penny on it for about 15 minutes.
Presto.......gone ! Something about the chemical in the penny.