I got stung by a ground bee about 3 hours ago, and it still hurts like crazy. I’ve been icing it but as soon as I take the ice off it starts throbbing and hurting again. I also tried baking soda paste which usually helps. I can’t see a stinger. Help!
I usually put some cortisone cream on my stings and take some Benadryl and Zyrtec.
Seems like the bees have been busy today…mom got stung this morning and is still smarting and that was about eight hours ago.
I always just use ice on the area and cortisone cream.
I second taking an antihistamine, except I usually use Allegra or Claritin as Benedryl and Zyrtec knock me out.
Hope you feel better soon!
Kim
There is also an ammonia stick, called After Bite, and that takes the sting out for me. Then I put either a hydrocortisone cream, or Benadryl cream.
If you are me, usually 5-7 days with the help of steroids, anti-inflamatories, and antihistamines!
If you are looking for a non- drowsy antihistamine, try famotidine!
Honey. Seriously, just smear it on. Works great on me.
[QUOTE=cutter99;8226969]
If you are me, usually 5-7 days with the help of steroids, anti-inflamatories, and antihistamines! [/QUOTE]
Me, too. I have a strong local reaction every time I get stung, and I use all of these drugs, plus ice. My husband and I hit a nest of ground wasps while clearing brush last year and he didn’t treat his stings, and they’ve left pitted scars. Hit it with good first aid until it’s gone & avoid his fate! Also, it was probably not a bee but a wasp, and they don’t always leave a stinger because they can sting repeatedly.
When I get stung by a bee or wasp I find the nearest patch of Plantain…the weed…not the banana:), and crush it quickly in my hand and rub the juice on the sting. I’m not sure what is in it…but it works great and really takes out the sting.
Thanks guys. I don’t think I have hydrocortisone cream. I’ve been dabbing it with Sore No More :lol:. Maybe helping a bit. Ice is really the only thing really helping right now.
Me three!
I probably hadn’t been stung in nearly 10 years until this summer. About 3 weeks ago I was crawling under the fenceline and put my forearm down on a honey bee. My entire arm swelled, from elbow to into my hand. It itched and burned for about 72 hours and every joint in my arm ached for a good week! It was bad enough to keep me awake at night, even on Benadryl.
Then this past Saturday I reached under a tarp and right onto a wasps’ nest that was hidden. I was stung 5 times on my right hand. My hand looks like someone took a latex glove and inflated it. Between the pain and swelling, I’ve been more or less out of commission the past two days.
Ice, NSAIDs, Claritin/Benadryl, and hydrocortisone have been my best friends… although they sure aren’t doing much!
Texarkana!!! Were I you, I would have a talk to my physician, and get a prescription for an Epi-Pen and also some Benadryl or better.
This sort of thing can escalate to a life threatening situation.
[QUOTE=merrygoround;8227314]
Texarkana!!! Were I you, I would have a talk to my physician, and get a prescription for an Epi-Pen and also some Benadryl or better.
This sort of thing can escalate to a life threatening situation.[/QUOTE]
Thanks! Maybe I’m being cavalier, but I’m not having any symptoms of anaphylaxis when I get stung, so I’m not super worried. Dr. Google tells me my reaction is within the realm of normal for a large local reaction and not indicative of future allergic reactions. And I actually had an occupational physical yesterday- the doctor’s response was, “That looks like it hurts.” No offer for prescriptions, though!
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8227088]
Me three!
I probably hadn’t been stung in nearly 10 years until this summer. About 3 weeks ago I was crawling under the fenceline and put my forearm down on a honey bee. My entire arm swelled, from elbow to into my hand. It itched and burned for about 72 hours and every joint in my arm ached for a good week! It was bad enough to keep me awake at night, even on Benadryl.
Then this past Saturday I reached under a tarp and right onto a wasps’ nest that was hidden. I was stung 5 times on my right hand. My hand looks like someone took a latex glove and inflated it. Between the pain and swelling, I’ve been more or less out of commission the past two days.
Ice, NSAIDs, Claritin/Benadryl, and hydrocortisone have been my best friends… although they sure aren’t doing much![/QUOTE]
Holy cow! That really suck! Makes me feel like a wimp!
Much better today. Thanks everyone!
Supposedly meat tenderizer on the spot, it has enzymes to work on the proteins in the sting.
Dabbing it with plain old household ammonia works well if you’ve just been stung. After that cortisone cream topically and Benadryl orally. HATE bee stings!
Yep, they huuuurrrrrrttttt!!! For a long time. Hubby got stung on the back of his head yesterday.
My husband’s Old Southern Granny used to put a wad of chewing tobacco or wet cigarette tobacco and and slapped that on a sting as a poultice. It works so well that I used to keep a cigarette in my first aid kit in the barn.
I generally hit at least one yellow jacket nest a year, weed eating. I get multiple stings. It is not a whole lot of fun! Benedryl internally and externally works the best for me- the gel on the stings, and two pills. Of course, it makes me sleepy, but then, a nice nap after weed eating is a good thing!
If it were me, I’d be sick with flu-like symptoms for about a week. Anyway, my go to for the pain of the actual sting is bleach. I just dab a tiny bit of straight bleach on with a cotton ball and it’s pretty much instant relief.
