Beekeeper dies

Beekeeper who was allergic to bees killed by a single sting

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-father-s-desperate-pleas.html#ixzz3GyNv9rre

BeeJoyful said:

Beekeeper who was allergic to bees killed by a single sting

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-father-s-desperate-pleas.html#ixzz3GyNv9rre

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How does one find out if your allergic to bee stings. I'd like to get my kids checked out just in case. I think I'm OK because I've been stung once behind the ear and a few jabs through my gloves and nothing out of the ordinary has happened to me. As for this guy having adrenaline shot, how much are they and how many should a bee keeper have in his kit.

irishguy said:

How does one find out if your allergic to bee stings.

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Get stung

irishguy said:

As for this guy having adrenaline shot, how many should a bee keeper have in his kit.

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None - you can't just buy them like a packet of smarties at the corner shop. If you have an allergy you can ask your GP to prescribe one

I tried to get my doc to give an epipen as a beekeeper......no luck, have to wait 45 mins for an ambulance first!
I guess we all drive cars and some die in accidents so risks in everything!
E

Pleased to note that the Wail readers' 'comments' have picked up on the availability and success of desensitisation therapy.

Whole thing seems utterly unfortunate.

I was ok in my first season but do react worse now as time has gone on but fortunately only local reactions (although big swellings if I don't take antihistamines) Not had a systemic reaction. Reason my GP wouldn't give me an epipen. Not sure why they are reluctant given you never know how next sting will treat you. Seems hospitalisation is the only way.

Very sad for this guy though.

Fatbee said:

Not had a systemic reaction. Reason my GP wouldn't give me an epipen. Not sure why they are reluctant given you never know how next sting will treat you. Seems hospitalisation is the only way.

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other half is a pharmacist... so asked for clarification...
Adrenalin is a POM (Prescription Only Medicine), they don't like people taking it without medical supervision/advice.
It's always historically been that paramedics and ambulance crews gave a shot automatically for cardiac patients, but the new thinking is that adrenalin might be causing as much harm as good and actually reducing survival rates.
They're currently doing a blind trial where in some areas they no longer give it as a first response (or at all).
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/research/hscience/ctu/trials/critical/paramedic2/about/
They're getting correspondingly cautious about prescribing it, especially if there isn't a immediate need. (ie you need to get stung first, then you can ask for the medication)

PS: if you get stung, self-prescribe a spoon of honey - it might do more good than the placebo the ambulance man gives you.

Its upsetting to here of such when someone is enjoying a hobby.

After a few years away from beekeeping, I seem to be less sensitive to stings.
When I first kept bees in the late 1950s I used to swell up and itch for days on end. About 20 yrs ago I got stung about 100 time around the neck, but I got an immediate jab from the doctor and no lasting effects. I now seem to get no reaction, except I had a rouge bee sting me on the lip a couple of weeks ago, It swelled like a parrots beak but no itching or discomfort.

In my case I think the reaction has declined with age, others may be the reverse.

If you are sensitive have some Piriton (or similar) readily available.

Mike

It's a shame that know one told them about a desensitisation course

This story goes back a few months to the swarm season and was in all the local papers.
Steven was a local chap who was known to our association, I didn't know him personally but others that did speak fondly of him. I think his father was a member a few years back. Very sad, his wife and children have lost their husband and Dad.

enrico said:

I tried to get my doc to give an epipen as a beekeeper......no luck, have to wait 45 mins for an ambulance first!
I guess we all drive cars and some die in accidents so risks in everything!
E

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Fatbee said:

I was ok in my first season but do react worse now as time has gone on but fortunately only local reactions (although big swellings if I don't take antihistamines) Not had a systemic reaction. Reason my GP wouldn't give me an epipen. Not sure why they are reluctant given you never know how next sting will treat you. Seems hospitalisation is the only way.
Very sad for this guy though.

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I am unsure (as a retired medic) why your respective GP's refused to prescribe an epipen. Maybe show him a copy of the Mail article! If I felt I was about to die I would take any risk and inject. Google 'epipen side affects' and you will find lots of info.
I feel that you should be shown how and where (side of thigh) to give the jab. Your GP may be stingy and decline to prescribe an NHS product for a hobby, if so ask for a private prescription - or seek another GP. Best of all as stated in a previous post is to have a course of desensitisation.

"I am unsure (as a retired medic) why your respective GP's refused to prescribe an epipen"

because they should only be prescribed for those at known risk of anaphylaxis.

Rip

Strewth I have a small apiary there and I didnt know about this , thank you, I think those bees might need checking out!!!