Anyone here hyper-allergic to bug bites? Any treatment issues?

[windsurf]

Originally Posted by Meadbh

I thought we Canadians were the only people who had wait times......!

Here in Ohio there is a typical new patient wait for specialists like allergists and especially dermatologists (months). I had occasionally been stung by yellow jackets (vespids) through life without anything more than the usual pain. Then, about 15 years ago, I was stung by 5 or 6 and had a mild reaction: elevated heart rate, flushed skin. One year later, I was stung and went anaphalactic–very unpleasant! by the time got to ER, I was feeling better but had major swelling in the stung leg. One week later, my daughter saw me running across the lawn from the mower and had the epi pen that had just been prescribed in her hand. Wham in the thigh with the fat auto needle–the stuff works! Haven't had to use one since and I have gone through about 8 years of once a month immunotherapy venom shots but always still tested positive though I was told I had some degree of desensitization. I decided to stop the shots earlier this year. I try to remember to have the epi pen with me but don't always. The "danger" time seems to be mid-summer through early fall. The buggers seem to get more aggressive in th elate summer. After the first frost until the following summer, they aren't an issue around here. I'm hoping that the shots have conferred some benefit. The physician was very vague about where I stand and would have me taking the shots forever. I have read some studies that range from saying that five years is the advisable limit for the shots to others saying there "may" be a benefit to continue. I wonder how much mercury preservative I've absorbed from all the shots.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Nor rare, but I once had a patient who drank a yellow jacket that had gotten into a can of soda at a picnic. It stung her on the roof of her mouth. She required an emergency intubation.

Be careful out there.

[windsurf]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Nor rare, but I once had a patient who drank a yellow jacket that had gotten into a can of soda at a picnic. It stung her on the roof of her mouth. She required an emergency intubation.

Be careful out there.

That's excellent cautionary advice. I use a piece of napkin or something to stop the opening when my can or bottle (beer) is sitting. I imagine that a sting in the mouth or throat would be excruciating even without anaphalaxis. As you say the swelling could create a med emergency.

[Khan]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Nor rare, but I once had a patient who drank a yellow jacket that had gotten into a can of soda at a picnic. It stung her on the roof of her mouth. She required an emergency intubation.

Be careful out there.

Back in the '60s, my sister got stung on the lip by a yellow jacket in a soda can. It wasn't pleasant, but fortunately for her there was no allergic reaction.

[Want2retire]

One more reason not to drink soda!! Who wants it, anyway. It is too sweet and fizzy for me to drink very often.

[Nords]

The bedbug thread reminded me to add an update.

Her bites weren't able to be identified as anything in particular. (They're probably a mix of mosquitos, ants, & a few bedbugs.) The allergist offered sympathy, comfort, and prescriptions for prednisone, Benadryl, & Allegra. No Epi-pen. "Call us if you stop breathing!"

I guess the allergist is too cheap feels the Epi-pen is too dangerous for those who haven't actually gone into anaphylactic shock yet. Or else they're worried about the party syndrome of "Eh, brah, hol' dis one beer an' watch me geev 'um!"

So nothing's really changed, although the drugs are stronger & more accessible. As always, if a bee stings then we'll jump in the car and drive to the nearest ER. Other critter bites will just get heavy doses and watchful waiting.

[summer2007]

This is probably of no help but I thought I would post it just in case it might help.

I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. If I get stung or bit by bugs it does very little to me. Bee stings hurt but that is about it...I get a little pimple.

I'm constantly barefoot and I step on bees and still don't put shoes on. I work outside a lot.


Now the one thing that I think might be the reason for my low sensitivity is since I was like 3 I played in the woods and was outside constantly.

My Mom is to the point that she gets sick from just going outside. I think her biggest problem is that she started staying indoors all summer and never going out. Now she is hyper sensitive to pollen and can not be outside.

So I don't know if it will help you at all but I think being outdoors might over time be the best way to reduce sensitivity.

I think humans were meant to be outside.

Jim

[Nords]

Originally Posted by summer2007

This is probably of no help but I thought I would post it just in case it might help.
I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. If I get stung or bit by bugs it does very little to me. Bee stings hurt but that is about it...I get a little pimple.
So I don't know if it will help you at all but I think being outdoors might over time be the best way to reduce sensitivity.

You're right, I'm one of those individuals and it's absolutely no help.

I no longer observe that my only mosquito bites are when I'm not near my spouse. Heck, I haven't had a bee sting since we got married 22+ years ago.

Spouse has verified that staying outdoors longer reduces her sensitivity only in the sense of hastening her progress to the point where she'll no longer sense anything at all. In other words, more stings just make that type of people more sensitive until the final sting kills them.

My being one of those opposite-end-of-the-spectrum people, however, gives her a great feeling of comfort that I'll have no trouble administering CPR and getting her to the ER.

[Moemg]

Originally Posted by Nords

The bedbug thread reminded me to add an update.

Her bites weren't able to be identified as anything in particular. (They're probably a mix of mosquitos, ants, & a few bedbugs.) The allergist offered sympathy, comfort, and prescriptions for prednisone, Benadryl, & Allegra. No Epi-pen. "Call us if you stop breathing!"

I guess the allergist is too cheap feels the Epi-pen is too dangerous for those who haven't actually gone into anaphylactic shock yet.

Nords , Sometimes the doctors ( sorry Rich & Meadh ) need a gentle push to prescribe something you feel you need . I would push him for an epipen . It's much better to be safe than sorry . Allergic reactions turn bad in a second and by the time you call 911 and they come it's too late . I've seen several allergic reactions and it is past scarey .

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Moemg

I would push him for an epipen .

Although I may be prone to hyperbole, next to the dictionary definition of "push" is a picture of my loving spouse.

Spouse's bites elicit the reaction she refers to as "heebie-jeebies"-- big hive or similar swelling at the bite. Short of breath but not asphyxia. Her BP starts at 95/60 so it doesn't exactly go lower.

She's honest about the symptoms so the clinic & specialist doctors have held back on the Epi-pen. The Tripler doctors rotate every few years. This particular colonel has apparently been pushed enough and it'll be another's turn soon.

[Martha]

Originally Posted by Nords

You're right, I'm one of those individuals and it's absolutely no help.

I no longer observe that my only mosquito bites are when I'm not near my spouse. Heck, I haven't had a bee sting since we got married 22+ years ago.

Spouse has verified that staying outdoors longer reduces her sensitivity only in the sense of hastening her progress to the point where she'll no longer sense anything at all. In other words, more stings just make that type of people more sensitive until the final sting kills them.

My being one of those opposite-end-of-the-spectrum people, however, gives her a great feeling of comfort that I'll have no trouble administering CPR and getting her to the ER.

My spouse is like you. He can even pull poison ivy out by hand. Me, I touch the dog that touched the poison ivy and I have it all over me.

I grew up outside all the time. I am much more an outside person than my spouse. But I have to work hard to avoid bites or the results are bad. DH almost never gets bit and if he does, you wouldn't know it.

[summer2007]

Nords

I was just trying to help.

Jim

[Nords]

Originally Posted by summer2007

Nords
I was just trying to help.

Understand... but just so there's no confusion among any other posters, this is not one of those sensitivities that appears to respond to desensitization treatments. Sure wish it did-- she'd be chugging it by the gallon.