Allergy to wasp sting

[Val_2]

A warning to everyone.

My husband was stung today on the top of  his foot by a wasp NOT a hornet. Within five mins his foot had become red and swollen and hurt like hell. He used to get stung as a child but not like this.  Anyway 15mins later his arms went red and itched like nothing on earth, his lips and face went numb and he got terrible constricting pains across the chest above the nipples but not like a heart attack symptom.

Went straight to the doctor who saw him immediately and said it was a severe reaction the beast, gave him two different tablets and an injection including cortison and told him to lay down in the other surgery for ten mins for them to work. It got worse and then gradually got better but four hours later he is still itching and red although the foot has gone down.

I thought I would post these symptoms so if anyone else gets stung the same and is worried about bothering the doctor just for a silly wasp sting they will know they must go. Doctor said infuture to come immediately he gets bitten without any delays or find an Urgences if out and about.

[Gardian]

This isn't just any old scare story.  Val's experience is not uncommon, but needs to be heeded.

Some years ago, one of our friends got stung by a wasp and went in to apolepctic (did I spell that right?) shock.  She's a Practice Nurse, so not easily phased by such things.  Got the local GP out pdq and cortisone administered.  He told her to ensure that she always carried some with her in future. She now does.  A quite scarey event. 

This isn't an 'everybody-must-carry-cortisone-with-them-at-all-times' post. It's just that if you do get stung and seem to experience worsening trauma, then you should probably insist on the proper medication to carry with you. UK practitioners seem to be a bit dismissive: the French, more recognising of the risks.     

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="Gardian"]

This isn't just any old scare story.  Val's experience is not uncommon, but needs to be heeded.

Some years ago, one of our friends got stung by a wasp and went in to apolepctic (did I spell that right?) shock.  She's a Practice Nurse, so not easily phased by such things.  Got the local GP out pdq and cortisone administered.  He told her to ensure that she always carried some with her in future. She now does.  A quite scarey event. 

This isn't an 'everybody-must-carry-cortisone-with-them-at-all-times' post. It's just that if you do get stung and seem to experience worsening trauma, then you should probably insist on the proper medication to carry with you. UK practitioners seem to be a bit dismissive: the French, more recognising of the risks.     

[/quote]

Try anaphylactic shock, and I would be surprised if Val's husband was not given a prescription for epinephrine, along with instructions for its use.  (Haven't a clue what it's called in France, or the UK, for that matter.)

More info is available here.

[Suze01]

I hope he's recovering well.

I always have a packet of antihistamine tablets (or bottle of syrop) on hand just incase of stings. Helps take any swelling down and could prevent anaphylaxis.

[Le Plombier]

One of my client's got stung a couple of weeks ago while I was working in his house

We believe it was an asian hornet, about 3/4 inch long, black with yellow bands, his wife found the nest in the hedge he was cutting when he got stung

He knew he had an allergy to wasp stings

He was stung on the head, within half an hour he had collapsed and I honestly thought he was not going to make it

The emergency services were brilliant, within five minutes a local GP arrived, followed almost immediately by the Pompiers with three paramedics

Ten minutes later the SAMU ambulance with a doctor, nurse and Pompier paramedic

They worked on him for an hour before taking him to hospital

Fortunately he was back home and recovering well the next day

Having seen the effects of a reaction to a sting at first hand, and the serious manner in which the emergency services react brings home how dangerous reaction to a sting can be

My client now has an emergeny pack to inject himself with immediately he gets a sting in future

I support Val's warning, if you get stung and start to react seek help straight away, I appreciate my client knew he was allergic to stings in the first place but the speed and severity of his reaction was frightening

Le Plombier

[Gardengirl]

I second getting early attention in case of reaction to wasp stings.

I had my first sting years ago; the second a few years later was worse. It turned out I was allergic to wasp stings, and was given epipens to carry around to use if stung. I understand reactions can get worse and worse; it's not namby-pamby to get medical help immediately there is a reaction - it can be a matter of life or death!

I had been using epipens for ages on children in school when they had reactions to peanuts etc, so it seemed odd to have to inform the staff that I was also a candidate! They are often used on the thigh, directly through clothes, and are very easy to use - no needles to cope with!

Jo 

[Nickel]

This is a very good article from BMJ about Wasp and Bee stings

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/316/7141/1365

[5-element]

Thak you Nickel, for such an informative article.

I was particularly interested by the 2 following points:

The next sting will not necessarily cause a more severe reaction, but patients in accident and emergency departments are often told that it will

Reasons for the variable outcome are not well understood but include the interval from the last sting (the longer the interval the lower the risk of another generalised reaction), the patient's immune response at the time of the sting (this will change with time), the dose of venom injected, and the site of the sting