Bee Sting Prevention and Medication

[Mountain Bru]

Hello Hubbers,

I had a bit of unfortunate incident on a ride on Sunday. I rode under a tree and felt something "fall" into one of the vents in my helmet. I figured it was a leaf so I tried to flick it out, but turns out it was a bee, and I got stung on my forehead. I felt okay immediately afterwards, but a bit unsettled and my heart rate was probably marginally higher than normal. I've been stung before and didn't have a bad reaction, so when I got home about 30  minutes later I had a few alergex's and jumped in the shower thinking I would be fine.

In the shower though I developed a rash over my whole upper body, and my face started swelling up slightly. I figured it would be okay, but about 4 hours later my face was pretty puffed up, and my eyes were swelling closed, so I went to hospital to get sorted out. Even with the cortisone and antihistamine IV, I woke up on Monday with 2 completely swollen closed eyes and a beach ball for a face. 

I'm pretty much back to normal today, but I guess I've developed a bee allergy. Does anyone else have any experience with this? Do you now carry an Epipen or something similar around? And do you think it's worth changing helmets to one with a "bug net" in the vents?

[Frosty]

The same has happened to me on more than one ride, but fortunately the swelling is not as bad as it was in my youth.

 

Hope you feel better, and get an answer.

[eddy]

I am severely allergic to bee stings and go into anaphylactic shock within minutes, and have been strung at least 6 times on the bike in recent years; twice through the helmet.

 

I carry two small .5ml syringes and two ampules of adrenaline with me. Much cheaper than Epi-pen and easier to always have with you as you can buy a dozen ampules for R150 and leave some in your saddle bag, some in your desk drawer,some in you girlfriend's handbag, etc. and forget about them for 18 months when you buy a new batch and toss the old ones out.

 

ps.

I also wear a casquette under my helmet.

[Mountain Bru]

I am severely allergic to bee stings and go into anaphylactic shock within minutes, and have been strung at least 6 times on the bike in recent years; twice through the helmet.

 

I carry two small .5ml syringes and two ampules of adrenaline with me. Much cheaper than Epi-pen and easier to always have with you as you can buy a dozen ampules for R150 and leave some in your saddle bag, some in your desk drawer,some in you girlfriend's handbag, etc. and forget about them for 18 months when you buy a new batch and toss the old ones out.

 

ps.

I also wear a casquette under my helmet.

Thanks man.

 

Do you need a prescription for the adrenaline ampules? 

 

Were you wearing a casquette when you got sting through the helmet? I'm wondering if it's worthwhile changing helmets or always wearing a casquette, or if just carrying preventative medication is enough of a precaution. I've been cycling for years and this is the first time I've been stung on my head so it seems like a bit of a freak accident, but at the same time the consequences of anaphylactic shock are severe, so I don't wanna take chances.  

[eddy]

I do have a prescription for the adrenaline with my pharmacy with a few repeats so I can get new ones when the old expire. They last about 18 months depending on how fresh they are when you get them.

 

I can't speak for your doctor, but for me there is nothing I can carry preventatively. If I get stung I have a few minutes to get  the needle in - it is quite funny to see the result on my heart rate when the adrenaline hits... 

 

No, the casquette came in response to the stings.

[Stretch]

My daughter was when she was younger. First time she got stung she could not breathe. We used to give her Celestemine syrup. It's a steroid that prevents respiratory and dermatological affects of an allergy. You can get it in tablet form too. Not sure if a script is needed. I'm guessing it is because it's a steroid.

[Chris_]

I know a dude who got stung at the Cradle on one of his first rides so hadn't even considered such an event, luckily he had a mate nearby and fetched his epipen from his car. He's very allergic. But as Eddy said you need to carry these things everywhere. Its an expensive undertaking.

[The Ouzo]

I got stung last year october, right between the eyes.

Stung like hell on the way home, got home, wife pulled stinger out and all was good.

But that night i could feel my face swelling up and by the next morning my face looked like the Oros man.

Off to ER, put on a drip, got antihistamines and adrenaline and then a course of antihistamines for the next week.

 

I've never been alregic to bees before, have been stung a few times out on rides, this is the first time I swelled up, i suspect it had to do with either the sweat getting in or when my wife pulled the stinger out she squeezed the area thereby pushing the toxins in.

[fanievb]

Celestemine tablets

and pill holder bracelet/necklace

[Dogs]

I carry the Allergex, adrenaline ampule and needle / syringe in this - robust and fits easily in shirt pockets

[eddy]

luckily he had a mate nearby and fetched his epipen from his car. He's very allergic. But as Eddy said you need to carry these things everywhere. Its an expensive undertaking.

EpiPen is very expensive, but ampules of adrenaline and 1ml syringes/needles are dirt cheap.

 

A couple of bucks per syringe and about R10 per ampule.

 

if you need to be <5mins from sting to shot, having a lot of them is useful.

[eddy]

I carry the Allergex, adrenalineBye.jpg ampule and needle / syringe in this - robust and fits easily in shirt pockets

this is exactly like I rock....