Epipens, their use and possible dangers

BS Honey Bees
Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Do you need an Epipen?

  • Yes, I suffer from an allergy

    Votes: 6 6.5%

  • Keep one near the apiary, (just in case)

    Votes: 12 13.0%

  • No, I'm not aware that I needed one

    Votes: 52 56.5%

  • It's in my First Aid Kit, (told the Doc I was allergic).

    Votes: 4 4.3%

  • Why would anyone allergic to beestings keep bees???

    Votes: 19 20.7%

  • I tried to get one but was told NO WAY!

    Votes: 6 6.5%
  • Total voters
    92
  • Poll closed .
its all down to common sense, if you finger is swollen no need for epen,if you are going blue cannot breath then use or any other adverse effects,where can i buy a stab vest to visit hives,10 epens in back looking like hedgehog :icon_204-2:
 
VEG said:
dpearce4

Hope you dont mind me asking but, what efects did it have on you?
Did you use it when stung, or use it to try it?
Click to expand...

It was used in anger, I needed it. One of the biggest things i remember from using is it the pounding heart. I spose the feeling i would discribe it as having sprinted for 400m, not jogged, sprinted while not being fit. The heart is pounding, your really light headed, ur breathing really heavy pulling in air, I could actually feel my blood pressure going up and down. The feeling lasts for a good hour and then your unbeleivably tired.

Im really rubbish at discribing stuff like that. Im sure i could lend you a pen for you to try yourself if you want, only joking.

What i would say though is having used it and know the feeling, It is a tool of last resort!!! The feeling is horrid not something i would choose, and because of that I will hold off using it on myself to the point that i have no other choice, and the same for anyone else i had to use it on.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the reply I was just wondering what the effects of the injection were.
 
VEG said:
Thanks for the reply I was just wondering what the effects of the injection were.
Click to expand...

Give me a call the next time ur in sussex and you can either have a try out or watch me if i need to use it.

Only joking not that i should with such an important thing.

What i have done though is given all staff and pupils at my work training in how to use one, it is that easy and they all know that if i ask them to do it on me i really mean it, and they have all said they will. All the pupils have also promised that if they ever see it in my coat pocket or on the counter or anything they wont, play with it, nick it or use it on each other for a bit of fun. They know what the risks are and they have been really grown up about it.

They all know to that there is no resale value for it so wont be stupid and try and nick and sell it.
 
Buy one here Lloyds Pharmacy - all you have to do is state you were prescribed one and they'll send you one. I recommend you don't do so!
 
I wouldnt buy that as it gives no info about what is in the pen. Mine is made by Jext so have a feeling its going to be slightly different.

Also why pay at that price when if you really need one the perscription charge for one is less than £8. makes no sense, unless they are hoping to sell to people that dont actually need them.
 
o.stjohn said:
Buy one here Lloyds Pharmacy - all you have to do is state you were prescribed one and they'll send you one. I recommend you don't do so!
Click to expand...

I would hope that you would have to do rather more than just say you'd been prescribed one before.


And I note that the promised shelf life is just 8/10 months ... so throw out last year's (or rather, hand it in at a pharmacy).
 
itma said:
I would hope that you would have to do rather more than just say you'd been prescribed one before.


And I note that the promised shelf life is just 8/10 months ... so throw out last year's (or rather, hand it in at a pharmacy).
Click to expand...

Nope not much more, what they have going on there is a private percription, hence the price, went through the questions but didnt order just to see how easy it was, very was the anwser.

I dont understand why theres are so short i got mine last september and they are dated feb 2014, i have a feeling they keep them in stock and thats why they are such short dates, or it could be just different makes, which maybe why down here they perscribe jext.
 
There's a pretty simple way to resolve a debate like this, IMHO.

After describing the symptoms to the dispatcher, ask them, "I have an epipen with me, would it be appropriate to administer on the victim at this time?"
 
dpearce4 said:
Nope not much more, what they have going on there is a private percription, hence the price, went through the questions but didnt order just to see how easy it was, very was the anwser.

I dont understand why theres are so short i got mine last september and they are dated feb 2014, i have a feeling they keep them in stock and thats why they are such short dates, or it could be just different makes, which maybe why down here they perscribe jext.
Click to expand...

They do have a short shelf life ,shortened by bad storage such as living in the tool box exposed to widely varying temperatures !
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Don't think it is as simple as that.

As an apiary manager I have been trained in dealing with anaphylaxis.

Firstly you can't legally buy an epipen in this country without a prescription.

Second there is no way I am going to randomly stab an epipen into someone because I suspect they may be suffering a reaction.

If one of my trainees carries a pen and gives me permission in advance to administer it then that is a different matter.

The advice given to us by our NHS trainer is call an ambulance.
 
Davelin said:
Don't think it is as simple as that.
Click to expand...

Please read my whole post and don't quote me out of context. I suggested that he takes an antihistimine tablet. The reference to an epi-pen was that I carry them. I didn't suggest he goes out and buys one as these are prescription only medicines, nor did I suggest that it was randomly stabbed into someone on a mere suspicion.

You are under a misapprehension that someone who is suffering an anaphalyactic attack will be coherent or even recognise what is happening to them. If you have received medical training you should know this. Anaphylaxis is quick and it is deadly. In August 2008, my son died from a bee sting. I know what I am talking about. Waiting for an ambulance is the wrong thing to do if you have an epipen. Within 15 minutes of being stung, he was dead. It took longer than that for the ambulance to arrive.

Each epi-pen contains 0.3mg of epinephrine in an auto-injector. A doctor will inject 1mg per dose and had to administer at least 6 into my son as he lay dying. I lost track of how many more he gave. The point is, that injecting a 0.3mg dose into the upper 3rd quadrant of the thigh would have the same effect as if a healthy person ran a short distance for a bus. One would not be enough. That is why I carry at least two.

Believe me: I could never let that happen again. I have been through all of this with doctors and lawyers. They will all tell you something different. Doctors prescribe a drug for a named person. However, the legal advice I have received is that you could not be prosecuted for trying to save someones life. All of this crap about potentially being sued for assault does not apply in the UK. Even if it did, I would gladly face trial for trying to save someone if I could help them than watch them die.
 
Hivemaker. said:
Davelin, B+... i have moved your posts to here if you wish to continue your debate on epipens, there are several threads already on this subject, many containing hundreds of posts, i chose this one, not really the place for it on the welcome forum.


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=464323#post464323
Click to expand...
Too many people talk as though this sort of thing only happens to someone else and they don't have to think about it. Well, it happened to my family and I know I could never let it happen again.

It was hard for me to say what I said. I wont say anything else.
 
 
Last edited:
Michael Palmer said:
I agree. Luckily I was able to get my daughter to the hospital in time... 5 miles away. We keep a pack of epipens.
Click to expand...
Are epipens available over the counter in your state? I'm pretty sure I read they were available from pharmacists in Canada, I know some airlines carry them in the first aid kit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

fast_muchly
  • Locked
Epipen
2
Replies
35
Views
4K
Erichalfbee
Erichalfbee
Somerford
  • Article
Is it me...?
Replies
8
Views
820
jenkinsbrynmair
jenkinsbrynmair
Malcolm B.
The invisible Queen
Replies
8
Views
2K
Sutty
S
Malcolm B.
Bees Living in My Garden. How it all Started.
Replies
17
Views
2K
Ely
Ely
Twist
Looking for input on a product I've seen recently, I'm also a 100% novice with 0 experience.
2
Replies
34
Views
11K
pargyle
pargyle

Latest posts

Back
Top