Bee sting desensitisation course

[BeeJayBee]

How much longer do you have to keep going, and are they still increasing the venom dose increase with each visit?

 

[dpearce4]

2 years and 2months. Im at full dose, 2 stings worth, only go every 4weeks now and from Jan it goes to 6weeks.

 

[dpearce4]

Update

Im still going on with the visits, at present they are at 6week intervals and will continue like that until jan 2016 when it finishes.

On the plus side it is definitely working, I got a sting through my gloves yesterday on my finger, I felt the sting but other than that nothing at all for the rest of the day. Today my finger has itched a little but no swelling at all. Good times.

 

[whoosling]

Im still going on with the visits, at present they are at 6week intervals and will continue like that until jan 2016 when it finishes.

On the plus side it is definitely working, I got a sting through my gloves yesterday on my finger, I felt the sting but other than that nothing at all for the rest of the day. Today my finger has itched a little but no swelling at all. Good times.

 

[beekim]

Thanks for keeping us all informed a very interesting post good luck with the treatment

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Just read right through the posts as last year I had quite extensive local reaction. My first year I had only minor reaction. I take medication for high blood pressure and also to suppress digestive acid production due to Coeliac disease damage to my gut. It is interesting to see that some medication can affect reaction to stings but this is not mentioned in any of the info. given with the meds. I will be stocking up on my Anthisan before opening up properly.

 

[Swarm]

This is a very long course of treatment, I'm wondering how you manage to get the time off work? I'm guessing, from timescale of each treatment, travelling to and from, the observation period, etc, that a couple/few hours is required each time. I'd imagine a lot of people would find that part very difficult.

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

This is a very long course of treatment, I'm wondering how you manage to get the time off work? I'm guessing, from timescale of each treatment, travelling to and from, the observation period, etc, that a couple/few hours is required each time. I'd imagine a lot of people would find that part very difficult.

Health and safety issue, they would find it difficult to refuse as he works in polytunnels, and probably outside too, with students. So he is at a higher risk of a sting than the average whether or not he keeps bees at work.

 

[Swarm]

I think you may have missed my point. This being a treatment that's available on NHS for anyone, I'm talking about in general.

 

[itma]

I think you may have missed my point. This being a treatment that's available on NHS for anyone, I'm talking about in general.

I'd suggest that it is a medical treatment, required to prevent a life-threatening condition, anaphylactic shock.

And that any employer preventing or interfering with any such treatment is going to be in trouble.

 

[dpearce4]

This is a very long course of treatment, I'm wondering how you manage to get the time off work? I'm guessing, from timescale of each treatment, travelling to and from, the observation period, etc, that a couple/few hours is required each time. I'd imagine a lot of people would find that part very difficult.

Health and safety issue, they would find it difficult to refuse as he works in polytunnels, and probably outside too, with students. So he is at a higher risk of a sting than the average whether or not he keeps bees at work.

I think you may have missed my point. This being a treatment that's available on NHS for anyone, I'm talking about in general.

I have been very lucky that the injections are done at 8am. When I first started the treatment on build up I had to wait around for 30mins and then allowed to go, now as I am at the full dose and have been for nearly 1 year I am allowed to leave straight away but with epi pen in bag 'just in case'. I normally get to work at about 10.25am after travelling from Brighton to Chi by train and then bus to work.

I possibly may have had an issue with selling it to work about the time off, but I played on the fact that I had been stung at work one day which made it 'high risk'.

Most companies wouldn't have an issue with you having time off if you had cancer treatment. To me being allergic to bee stings is just as dangerous as a sting could be fatal so I would then sell it to them using that as a good staff welfare, if not the I will work extra would be just as good.

Mind you the staff I work with have been amazed at how the treatment has been so effective, so muck so that some that have other allergies are now looking into treatment which is a good thing to.

 

[Cellectronic]

Many thanks for all the info you have posted.
I will make inquiries this week with my GP regarding getting myself sorted.
Thanks again, and good luck with your beekeeping.

 

[dpearce4]

Many thanks for all the info you have posted.
I will make inquiries this week with my GP regarding getting myself sorted.
Thanks again, and good luck with your beekeeping.

you to let us know how you get on with your GP.

doug

 

[abi-e]

I saw my GP last week after an allergic reaction that took me to A and E - he seemed very doubtful that Addenbrookes had a) an allergy clinic or b) a Bee sting desensitisation programme. I told him that 'the beekeeper's say there is'...he promised to look into it and prescribed me an epi-pen, prednisolone and told me to keep piriton on hand. I will ring later in the week to see if I have been referred.

 

[dpearce4]

people may find this site useful to find out where their nearest centre is for allergy testing and treatment.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Allergies/Pages/Whichallergytest.aspx


It is not perfect in anyway but it may be of use.

doug

 

[Fatbee]

What a brilliant thread for informing us all and very inspiring dPearce. It makes me feel better in a strange sort of way that there is so many beeks that suffer from reactions but keep going. One thing that is not overly clear from a few who said 'it took me to A&E' is just how bad they felt before going. Was it difficulty breathing etc...

I normally only get bad local reactions and find anti-histamines effective at managing these. However, I got stung on the head the other day (really annoying, well away from the apiary, a single bee I think left on my suit and then got caught in my hair as I took the hood off) and took an anti-histamine straight away. I didn't get any breathing difficulties but I got dizzyness, extreme sweating, nausea and a banging headache for 20 minutes then it cleared and I was fine (although felt like I had a hangover). I had assumed this was the time for the anti-histaine to kick in. Not sure if this is a local reaction and being on head made me feel bad; or the start of moving to more systemic reactions. I will probably go to the GP because it upset my wife a lot who's convinced that the next sting might be my last.

 

[Cellectronic]

In my case, The sting was not painful.
This was followed by itching in my ears , and leading to a very ugly body rash as previously mentioned, I did not feel ill at all and no breathing difficulties were encountered.
My main concern was what effect it would have to my heart ?
However that was ok too.
I remained very relaxed during my ordeal which I think helped.

 

[Fatbee]

That Cellectronic and glad you're ok and managing to carry on beekeeping. I would be gutted if I had to pack up.
Can I ask what treatment you had at hospital and do you now carry an epipen?

 

[abi-e]

I was stung on the ear as I removed my hood. Within 5 minutes my hands and feet had swollen and were covered in an itchy rash that then extended over the rest of my body, anywhere with any inflammation reacted more violently, also rapid heart beat - it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest and burning sensation on my lips ( a bit like from eating chillies). I took piriton and salamol inhaler straight away, dialled 111 and was sent to A and E, where several hours later my rash had still not gone, so was given prednisolone. My GP has now prescribed an epi-pen and prednisolone.
For me I had gradually reacted more badly to stings over the past year. This was my first full sting of the season..... hopefully the last too!

 

[Fatbee]

Abi-e that sounds bad but at least you're sort of sorted and can take precautions. It's the gloves I struggle with - I found marigold's I would always get a blast from one buzzer. When it's good weather my bees are fine but the changeable spring weather days the leather gauntlets have to come out. Although you soon learn I marked a queen wearing them so I do have hope yet! Better than a swollen hand!