News from the BBKA

Actually, I live in Leics,but it isn't in the list.

My son had a bad stinging reaction 20 yrs ago, but we hope he has outgrown it.

I used to have hayfever, but seem to have outgrown it.

Hi

I am currently having desentization for bee venom at Manchester, if anyone wants to chat to me about it, feel free to email me!

Cheers

Dave

Any chance of 'Bedforshire' being added to the list of counties on this survey? Many thanks

What counts as an allergic reaction? I was stung once last summer on my hand. There some swelling which lasted 2 or 3 days but nothing that interfered with what i could do.

I also had the same reaction as Sue M, swelling and itching for two three days and some pain, but I am a man. Does this count as an allergic reaction?

Many thanks to all of you that have replied so far; as of today there have been over 160 responses and the doctors are very happy - please keep them coming.

I am sorry for the inhabitants of Bedfordshire, this omission is being corrected, as is Leicestershire. (There was some confusion over the master list..)

IF YOU HAVE supplied details of a sting response via these comments, can I please ask you to fill in a 'real' survey as best you can - ALL these responses are important. Many thanks. Chris

Dave, Could you please fill in a survey form - it would be valuable to know what degree of sensitivity prompted you to have treatment &etc.. Thanks Chris

I am a long time beekeeper. my wife has suffered two sever reactions This is not unusual amongst beekeeper (other half). so why are they not included in the servay?

Beekeeper of 15yrs. When I started bekeeping I was rather nieve, I took many stings and had severe reactions. 16 stings to ankles, (standing in front of a hostile hive), much swelling, itching and redness. However time has passed and although more experienced I still take the odd sting. Much less reaction to stings now and no real distress. It does seem that a degree of immunity has built up

A few weeks ago we travelled all the way to Cardiff as t’other half had been summoned to see the immunologist. Now ”the immunologist ” is, in this case the important phrase here. In the whole of Wales we have only one immunologist, well, this isn’t quite true, he now has a registrar but in the same place of course. What a state of affairs in this day and age, if you live in the north of Wales it means you have something like a four or five hour journey to find out why it was you nearly died after that curry or after being stung in the garden over the weekend etc. Surely we ought to have more, at the very least one more in Bangor and another in Aberystwyth. If t’other half was to take up the offer of a course to de-sensitise her to the effects of a Bee sting (ironic eh?), it would cost us hundreds if not thousands of pounds in lost work, travelling costs and accommodation. This makes the treatment for what is a potentially a life threatening condition, for us and I’m sure for most ordinary people, financially, extremely difficult. This is an area that our Assembly Members should put some money into. Yet another case of N.H.S. mismanagement? Besides the forgoing, it’s a two-year waiting list before you will get any treatment anyway, so it all becomes rather academic. On a positive note, the staff there were wonderful. They were most helpful, patient and informative. They took a great deal of time and trouble to help in every way. So many, many thanks to the immunology department at Cardiff Royal Infirmary.

There have been a couple of questions with regards what constitutes a bee sting allergy. A large (>10cm)local reaction with redness, itching a swelling describes a grade 1 allergic reaction. Hope this helps and thanks to everyone for contributing to this national survey.

The comments on the vagueness of parts of the questionnaire point up potentially significant problemsfor the analysis.

I have completed the questionnaire and assumed that "allergic reaction" meant the need for medical intervention. I have had the odd sting that caused redness and itching which is of course an allergic reaction but which some anti-histamine cream sorted out.

As to panic when manipulating the hive - in my case sometimes but not about being stung, but is that what was meant?

Another area was smoking. I smoked a little bit (about 3 a day), nearly 40 years ago but not since so am I an ex smoker or not? I put not.

Self completion questionnaires to be useful have to be unambiguous, although this can take some time to sort out.

I would suggest that this one could have its usefulness greatly improved with some small adjustments.

Just to be awkward, I seem to have a bad reaction to antihistamines. The first time I got stung I put antihistamine cream on after removing the sting, and all the area covered by the cream went red and swollen.

The next time I was stung, I took oral antihistamine, and ended up having to lie down as I went dizzy and faint. I had trouble breathing, and my son had to phone NHS direct (for all the good that did).

There's no question regarding how many stings at any one time to get a reaction. My worst occasion was from more than 13 stings to the head. This is not a common reaction to just a single sting. Indeed, often a single sting has barely any reaction.

There's no question as to how many hives are kept/worked with. I would think there is a far greater chance of getting stung when working with many hives, ie greater exposure.

See response John's respones number 13 and disregard the comments about anti-histamine use. The second sting resulted in shortness of breath and having to lie down. This sounds like mild symptoms of anaphylactic shock which is potentially fatal. Seek professional advice before further exposure to bees. Surely NHS direct should have tackled this.

Anaphylactic shock often follows a potentiating first sting. Symptoms include shortness of breath and can be fatal. It is important that people understand that this is the most serious aspect of alergy to stings, not itching or redness.

I used to reacted quite badly to bee stings but having been given advice by a South African Pharmacist, I now take the homoeopathic remedy 'APIS' after being stung. It works well. Not only does it significantly reduce the reaction but it also changes to body immune system so as I don't reacted as badly as the last time. Having now used 'APIS' for the last three years, a bee sting is just a minor irritation.

There is a problem with q2 - what do you mean by allergic reaction? If you answer no then it jumps to Q9 when in reality nost of us have some form of minor reaction - and that is what q3 asks. This could cause the info captured to be incorrect.

Poor questionairre, as mentioned in previous comment there is no definition of what is meant by allergic reaction. I get painful local swelling for a few days but nothing worse - yet!

This survey has the potential to provide some interesting figures, but I have one or two issues with the questions.

I agree with Mr Aisworth; there would have been value in following up on relative's reactions. My wife ended up in hospital with anaphylactic shock, and two of my beekeeping friends have had the same experience. Also, with asthma & hay fever, I feel the option of "got better when I started beekeeping" (which applies to me) should have been given. However, I am very allergic to wax moth detritus, so cleaning out a hive full of moth, cocoons, dust and so on leaves me in a terrible state for a couple of weeks. (I do not let hives get into this condition nowadays) Of course I am sometimes anxious about the bees - but not because of the manipulations. I am concerned that they will still be thriving, now that there are so many threats to them.

Finally, who counts stings? I had to estimate. The number of hives managed might have been useful to gauge the response to this question, given that I estimated my stings at 75-150 p.a. But I have over 100 hives, and visit apiaries three or four times a week in the season for several hours at a time.

Interesting that the two members who have had to give up had both failed to ensure hood zip fully closed, got bees into hood, panicked and were stung on the neck. Both needed an overnight stay in hospital.

Hi, I keep my bees in Tyne and Wear, but its not on the list? I've put through Northumberland, but it would be good to see T and W represented!

I think you need to be careful in specifying exactly what is a true allergic reaction and what is an enhanced normal reaction. I had one response of all-over redness, itching, and the beginning of blisters after a single sting when hot and exercising vigorously - winding the handle of a six-frame manual extractor with my right arm in a warm room on a hot day having been stung on the little finger of the right hand - and I put that down to very fast spread of the venom through my circulation, not an allergic reaction proper. I have never had anything like it again but am careful to keep as cool and still as possible if I get stung to slow down the effect. I have answered "No" to the question about having ever had an allergic response.

First sting near eye , couldn't see for a week in 1952 age 10.Took up full time commercial beekeeping age 18 in 1960 and spent majority of my adult life working as a fulltime beekeeper. One occasion 100+ stings I felt sick and dizzy but this passed off within a couple of hours. Now 66 and no allergic problems, but have a lifelong history of asthma from age 25.One of three sons suffered severe collapse with anaphilactic shock on two occasions. I am aware of other commercially involved beekeepers whose children have had similar traits, and other beekeepers after several years with no reactions to bee stings have suffered a fatal bee sting.

More than 15 years ago I had a single bee sting to which I reacted so severely that I was taken to the local cottage hospital. I have kept Epipens in the house ever since. Three years ago I received more 60 stings in one afternoon through my carelessness in zipping up my beesuit. Had I been allergic to bee venom, the consequences would have been dire, but my response was minimal and purely as a precautionary measure I took two anti-histamine pills on reachiing the house having first completed what I was doing at the time and then walking to the house (100 m away). This experience begs the question was my reaction to the solitary bee sting more than 15 years ago the result of an allergy and, if so, why am I no longer allergic.

I suffer from eczema but have never associated it with beekeeping. I did have a serious bout at about the time that I did my Spring clean. Does anyone know of a corrolation here?

When I started beekeeping in Surrey some 23 years ago, I had moderately severe reactions, lasting up to one week, including swelling, itching etc. The most stings I ever had was about 35-40 (we lost count!) in my second year and I certainly felt a bit nervous after that, which is why I always wear full protection, including gloves, as the mere feeling of a bee landing on my bare skin makes me jump. As long as I wear gloves, I am relaxed and there is no problem of nerves. Now it is rare to feel more than the initial jab if I do get stung and the reaction is almost non-existent.

Many thanks again to all contributors, both to the forum and the survey. We now have over 400 responses - please keep them coming in. Your local Secretary has just had a circular letter encouraging more input; please make sure that everyone in your assocation is aware of this and makes a contribution, even if they don't react.

I found the questions difficult to answer. When I worry about the bees it is only when there is something to worry about, such as being queenless and bad tempered.

I have been keeping bees for 4 years and never had an severe allergic reaction till yesterday. I had a severe rash all over me swelling and sickness shallow breathing and rapid heart. whats happening i thought the more you got stung the easier it was. I am very apprehensive and have been advised by hospital to seriously consider whether i carry on keeping bees. I'm devastated!

Some of the comments here aren't from experienced beekeepers are they? - a little swelling and some irritation, lasts for 3 days - welcome to my world! But they are right - the anxiety questions aren't focused - you're looking for fear of the bees, not fear of the beekeeping, which is what we all feel if we care for our bees. For example I had to answer that I don't look forwards to it so much, but that is because of the disease issues we now have.

This is my 3rd year beekeeping, at first when I got stung I didnt even get the normal red swelling, but over time I have gained a bad reation from bee stings. Last year I got stung a few times at once and had to got to a&e because all the places I was stung were very swolen. I was stung on my hands mosty they were that swolen I couldnt move my fingers. Now whenever I open hives I wear a full overall type bee suit and leather gloves and wellingtons so I feel safe and happy when handling bees. So if you get a bad reation to stings wear the same as I do and it will not be a problem.

I'm a Bee Keeper in Northamptonshire and have been for nearly 4 years. I've been stung on the nose once and fingers many times. Soreness, swelling and itchy only for 2-3 days maximum. But 7 days to feel comfortable with fingers. They say you are not a bee keeper until you get stung. I have not been stung a lot over the past 4 years, surprisingly. Maybe I am careful or just lucky.

I found the survey a little ambiguous, perhaps what an allergic reaction is, should have been explained. I think the majority of beekeepers have a reaction to a bee sting but whether that develops into an allergy depends on the individual. I have kept bees as a hobby for over thirty years and have become allergic in the past five. Since keeping bees, when stung I would swell quite badly but after 24 hours it would have gone away and I just considered it part of the job. Five years ago following several stings to the head I had itchy palms, hot head and felt faint, I took anti histamine and after a while felt better. I got rid of my straw hat and old veil, and bought a better veil. Unfortunately two years ago several bees found a gap in my veil and I again got several stings to the head with a similar but worse reaction as before. Again after several hours I felt better. I bought a bee suit and this time last year looking at bees in a remote orhard received a sting through my veil on the chin, within 15secs I had itchy palms, increased pulse rate and was starting to lose my vision. I quickly put the hive together and managed to walk to a tree and hold on to it. I collapsed but fortunately didn't lose consciousness, after a while I was able to get up and eventually able to walk to the car, where I lay down until I was able to drive to a pharmacist for anti histamine, followed by a check up at the doctors. The doctor referred me to the Allergy and Immunology unit at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield for allergy tests. Not surprisingly the tests came up positive for bees and I was prescribed an epi-pen, they also suggested I went to be de-sensitised. It took me a while to decide because it is quite a time commitment over three years (once a week for 12 weeks followed by every 6 weeks for 3 years). I have now completed the 12 weeks, the treatment has been very successful. The treatment is injections of bee venom starting with minute amounts and working towards the equivalent of 2 bee stings after 12 weeks. By the third week I started to get an adverse reaction which got worse the following weeks with increased dosage even though the dose was split. But I seemed to reach a threshold and with increasing amounts my reaction was less. I have now been for one maintenance jab and received the equiv. of 1 sting with no reaction followed half hour later with another and again no reaction. In future the first injection will have greater amounts of venom until I can take two stings with no reaction. The idea is to re-educate my immune system and it seems to be working. The moral of this, firstly make sure you have bee proof kit and secondly if you become allergic go for de-sensitisation it works. Of course I'm sympathetic to those who live a great distance from Allergy and Immunology units.

After having read the newly added description of a grade 1 allergic reaction I have redone the survey. My view is wear good protective clothing and gloves, and try to be nice to your bees so they don't want to sting you :)

I am the partner of a beekeeper and while helping him I was stung twice simultaneously by two honey bees, inside the wrist on the veins by two bees (not wearing proper protective clothing). Apart from itching I did not notice any particular adverse reactions, about which I was totally ignorant. Although advised to have an epipen handy, I did not bother to ask for one as I thought it was a fuss about nothing.

However in June 1996 I had a second sting and I was badly affected by anaphylaxis - within seconds itchy palms, shortness of breath, wheezing, vomiting (never been sick since age 11 years), rapidly followed by tightening of throat, wheeziness, difficulty breathing, difficulty talking and my voice went very high, I began vomiting a lot (I have never been sick since I was 11 years old). Also streaming nose. Within about 10 minutes of the sting there was rapid visible swelling of arms from wrist upwards, legs from ankle up to and including thighs were hugely swollen, seemed very itchy all over, and by the time we got to the hospital A&E I was unable to stand unaided. Similar reactions in June 1999 and A&E admission. July 2001 - A&E - some of the symptoms as above also the tingling/prickling sensation was under my armpits, my head and heart were pounding,I felt terribly itchy.
22.10.06 - I was taken in to A&E by ambulance, having collapsed and become unconscious and stopped breathing after a bee sting on the lip. All usual symptoms as above, and my nose was pouring with thickish mucus which I had difficulty swallowing. This time most peculiarly I had very strong burning around the whole lower trunk and genital area. My throat was tightening and I was blacking out, and also seemed to be convulsing. As I had stopped breathing a friend jabbed the already used epipen into me again in the forlorn hope it might help. (It does not). I was totally unaware of this jab. WHen I came round I felt freezing cold, but was told by the ambulance crew that I was burning hot and brilliant red, which later turned to a bright red rash, and my eyes were very bloodshot.
15.4.07 - sting on the right side of my nose. many of the above symptoms and throat tightened; difficulty talking; face, lips and eyes felt puffy and tingly. My eyes were also burning and weeping. I felt quite sick, my ears were also affected slightly as I did not seem able to hear people properly. My face was swollen for days, and very red across the cheeks, eyeballs very red, and my sight seemed slightly affected for a few days.

Only time I was not overwhelmed by the sting was when I unwittingly trod on a bee. I had already had the first anaphylactic episode, but did not panic and decided to see what happened. I was lying down reading and sunbathing most of the day. I could feel some sort of pressure, not exactly pain, in my calf muscles, which over the course of the day progressed up the thigh. I thought no more of it, but next morning woke feeling dreadfully ill, and could not get out of bed. The following day after, I felt OK again, and thought no more of it till the next anaphylactic episode. I concluded that because I had not been moving about very much at all slowed down the speed with which the venom travelled round my system, so it did not seem to affect me - till the next day. It was after this that I asked for an Epipen.

Over the years two different specialists have told me I should have two or three epipens, stored in different strategic places, but my GP will only allow me one.

My GP did not want to allow me to undergo desensitisation, saying that there were so many people affected by bee stings that the PCT could not afford to treat everybody, and it was reserved only for beekeepers themselves! I persisted, and was eventually given a blood test at hospital which showed total IgE 518.6 Ku1L – normal is 5.0-120.

The GP admitted this was 'extremely high', Prof Warrell (Churchill Hospital, Oxford) said it was 'massive.'

I reacted badly to each of the first eight desensitisation injections I was given, by Professor Warrell, and he decided we would have to abandon the attempts as the treatment was causing me too many severe adverse reactions.

I also react with huge swellings to bites of the mosquito, gnats, and midges.

Suffered Grade 2 reaction 2 years ago, antihistamine no use, after 3hrs. taken to A & E, injections given, allowed home after 5 hours being monitored. Stopped keeping bees as advised the next sting could be much worse. Miss them and am still very interested - fewer honeybees and bumble bees in the garden this year.

My brother and I grew up with bees - 20 hives in next veg garden. We had the odd bee sting through childhood-no problems, fell in stinging nettles-not a worry, the odd wasp sting-no problems. Seemed to help childhood asthma too.40-50 years later i am beekeeping, on the same site. No problems with stings. A bit of swelling after say 6 stings in a hole in glove. Stings seem to help joint pain- arthritis in me and my Dad-in his 80's.The original beekeeper-when he died 96, took no tablets nor his wife for anything. Nor did my Mum & Dad also on honey/bee products and likewise with us. Kids are too wrapped up in cotton wool these days, i believe-natural exposure to odd stings -typical country childhood seems to give us some immunity/protect us. We and lots of our friends say that they miss the stings in winter-it does seem to give one a boost-a feel good feeling after the odd sting!

Once prescribed anti histamines by my doctor I found them of little use (either cream or tablets) in fact I appeared to be worse. An old beekeeper I met at a meeting some 30 years ago suggested I used ordinary petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on the stings having removed them by scraping , and drinking plenty of water - to flush the body system. American medical research has since shown that some people are allergic to anti histamines. I have used petroleum jelly and drinking water ever since on both wasp and bee stings and found they are far more effective than anti histamines and a lot cheaper into the bargain Do consult medical help if stung but do give this cheap and to me effective treatment a go.