Bee Sting-- Help

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

I got stung by a bee and it's swelling up... it's almost the size of a quarter... it's on the inside of my leg, ya know... the back of my knee... it's bleeding a little, but it HURTS!!! It's crazy! Any advice to keep the swelling down? I don't want to look OR feel like this tomorrow morning for school... to make matters worse, I think I have a cold and my nose is stuffed, yet runny at the same time... I think it's my sinuses acting up again... Yeah, just my little vent/rant/whine for the day.. :(

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Come on all you helpful PT'ers... I know you're out there...

[tatsxxx11]

Nurse Sandra checking in!:D The past few years I've gotten bitten about a dozen times! I forgot how much they hurt!:eek:

Make sure the stinger is removed. Put ice on the area that was stung. It's going to hurt considerably for a few hours then start to subside. You can take an aspirin or tylenol for pain relief. A 25mg. tab of Benadryl will also help to minimize/reduce the swelling and redness. You can also apply some 5-10% hydrocortisone cream or Calamine or Caladryl cream/lotion to the sting to ease the discomfort.

But, if you notice any "allergic" type symptoms, any wheezing, swelling of your throat, shortness of breath, go to the ER immediately! Even if you've been stung before without an anaphylactic reaction, that doesn't mean it can't happen! The swelling should be lots better by tomorrow! Last year I got stung in the inner rim of my lower eyelid! My whole cheek swelled up but by morning there was barely any swelling at all; just redness! Let us know how you're feeling! And here's a link to bee sting treatment!:) Sandra


Bee Sting Treatment (http://www.drgreene.com/21_211.html)

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Yeah, it's a little better now, not as red and not as swollen.. still hurts though. Thanks Nurse Sandra!

[Amber]

yikes hate getin stung, last year I got stung on my pinky finger and omg it got as swollen as a hot air balloon!! it was really bad and it hurt like heck, just put ice on it and icth/pain medicine.
good luck!!~

[catland]

Originally posted by tatsxxx11
You can take an aspirin for pain relief.



Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that people under 18 years old aren't supposed to take asprin.

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by catland
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that people under 18 years old aren't supposed to take asprin.
My medical book says not under 21. :)

I always hear to put an onion on it. I tried it once and I didn't notice anything, but that was my first bee sting too, and my second one hurt considerably worse when I didn't have an onion. So not sure. :p You could go to the drug store and put on some emla cream. It work wonders!

[tatsxxx11]

We medicate adolescents with aspirin all the time at the hospital for a variety of ailments, under a physician's care. It's young children/infants you need to be especially careful with, especially if they are experiencing an infection. Tylenol is fine though. If you have any bleeding disorder, aspirin is always contraindicated.

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by tatsxxx11
We medicate adolescents with aspirin all the time at the hospital for a variety of ailments. It's very young children/infants you need to be careful with. Tylenol in fine. If you have any bleeding disorder, aspirin is always contraindicated.

*phew* That's what I thought!

Good luck on your bee sting!

[tatsxxx11]

The reaction Wolfsoul is referring to is Reyes Syndrome. It occurs when aspirin is given to very ill young children suffering from certain types of actue infections, primarily viral. I wasn't aware of Ilovemyabbygirls age, i.e. young adult/child Of course, if you have any concerns, take Tylenol!!:)

[wolfsoul]

Are you sure i'm thinking about that? lol. I don't remember, all I remember is that my book says that aspirin thins the blood...or something...lol?

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Originally posted by catland
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that people under 18 years old aren't supposed to take asprin.

We have Ibuprofen up the KAZOO at my house. I take Ibuprofen for everything... hope I'm okay?

[tatsxxx11]

Sorry if I misunderstoond you Wolfsoul!:) I was alerted to your concerns about young children. Re: Blood thining...That applies to any age, although that is primarily a concern of the elderly and those on anticoagulants, e.g. heparin or coumadin. People with pre-existing bleeding disorders or taking such medications, should never take aspirin as it does have some blood thinning properties. But, that is not the caution that is widely heralded re: giving aspirin to young children. Appx. 40 yrs. ago, young children, infants, were being treated in emergency rooms for severe, unknown reactions after having been given aspirin by their parents in the routine treatment of infections, e.g severe URI's, bronchitis, and especially, viral infectins, etc. As you may have seen in drugstores, aspirin in pediatric doses, is sold widely, by many manufacturers e.g. "Bayer Aspirin for Children." Aspirin may be given to children and infants, but with caution and under a physcian's direction. Many cardiac patients routinely take "children's aspirin" daily for "blood thinning" as a prophylactive (pretentaive) to blood clotting/heart attack. Most physicians, in caution, will recommend children under 16 not be given aspirin without their ok. It seems we've gotten off the topic of bee stings!!:D As I said, if you have any concerns re: age, bleeding disorders, for young children, take Tylenol. Better yet, ALWAYS consult your physician!

"Abby"....you're ok!!:) Actually, Ibuprofen reverses the blood thinning affects of aspirin!!:rolleyes: How old are you "Abby"??

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

I'm 14. :D You can call me Meg. :)

[Kfamr]

My aunt used to mix baking soda with water and put it on our bee stings. It always worked for us.

[tatsxxx11]

Hi Meg!!:) Phew...that's a lot easier than ILoveMyAbbyGirl!!;) My girls are Star and Cody!!:)

KayAnn...that's a great home remedy!! Baking soda...good for what ails ya!:)

[CamCamPup33]

hey missy shouldnt you be cleaning your room?!? ;) :D **talking to sandra** lol yuck i hate be stings! I got stung right on the back of my thigh.. almost my butt.. i kinda sat on the bee.. lol i hope you feel better!

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

*Update*

Well I looked at the area where I was stung this afternoon while I was getting some shorts on... it itches LIKE CRAZY and its definately swollen... to the size of a softball.. or maybe a baseball... it just itches SO much! I don't want to itch it though, that will make it worse I think... Any idea what I should do?

[Tonya]

I'm sorry for the late response. Take some benadryl. It'll help with the itching and swelling quiet a bit. It makes you very drousy, though. I believe that bacon fat takes some of the venom out of bug bites. But I think you have to do that right after the bite. It is probably to late by now. I'm allergic to bees, but I haven't been stung in probably 15 years.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

We don't have Benadryl... ggggggggrrrrrr It's just bugging me... its all red and you can see where its swollen... its a different color then the rest of my leg... sheesh...

[Tonya]

Even Neopsorin has some numbing stuff in it. It'll take the itch away a bit. Or Calomine (sp?)? I've even heard oatmeal will.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

I don't think we have ANY of that!! (I guess no one gets seriously injured at my house... or eats oatmeal...) lol... I'll go look for some Neosporin... dad SWEARS we have some... :rolleyes:

[carole]

Meg any kind of antihistimane medication will help that itch, like teldane, clarantyne etc, other than that it will take it's time to come right, so hang on in there dear, all will be fine soon, I know they are very uncomfortable. HUGS

[tatsxxx11]

What does your Mom say?:confused: If it's that swollen, you probably should have it looked at. Sounds like you may need some medication for the swelling/redness. Bendaryl will help, but you should check with your Mom and Dr. first!:) Don't scratch!! And keep a cold pack or cool, moist, cloth on it when you're sitting down. Poor baby!:(

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

My dad was an EMT a few years ago and he said it is definately swollen, but nothing to worry about unless it gets bigger.

*ties hands to chair to stop from itching*

*sigh*

[Tonya]

I know a psycological trick. hehe. I always tell my son to draw an X on his mosquito bites with his nail and then it'll stop itching. I swear it works. lmao.

[carole]

Meg those antihistimanes will stop that awful itch and possibly reduce the swelling somewhat as well, good luck, ewh I feel for you, I know that itch, drives ya crazy.

[kingrattus]

Oh u poor poor thing, I've been stung once & never want it to happen again.

aspirin makes my grandma bleed. When she was younger if she took it she would bleed down below, no that shes old(er) she bleeds from her nose.

Max once stepped on a bee hive & I was right beside him. I heard something & looked to my right.. HOLY DOO DOOS I swear there were hundreds of them looking right at us, ploting how to attack. I screamed & told Max to run, I was swearing & flapping my arms in fear of being stung. None were really bothering me at all. but Max had about 20 on him. I shoo'd them away with a rock. there was one left on his lower leg. I shoo'd it with the rock, & in slow motion I see it fly away to my right side & then double back at full tilt & it went behind me. WHAM!! the stupid tiny thing stung me & my friend thought I was insane. I was running around screaming, flapping my arms like mad & started rolling around on the ground. I hate biting bugs. After that whole ordeal, my friend had no idea what on earth scared me (until I told her)
& Max DIDN'T GET STUNG!!! Its not fair, he steps on the hive gets covered in bees & I'm the one that got stung :rolleyes: