chickenlady
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Bee stings.How do folk deal with bee stings?
I was stung last week, on the arm, and it swelled up and spread and spread. Ended up having to have antibiotics and super strength antihistamine from the doc.
Was advised, at first, by a bee-keeper to put Germoline on - but this obviously wasn't enough.
So...what do you do when stung?
(I did flick the sting out immediately.)
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alison
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When I am going up to work my bees, I take an antihistimine tablet, and ibruprofen before I go. I do suffer if I am stung, and this really helps. I then carry on taking this for a few days, and use an aloh vera itch cream as and when needed.
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Tavascarow
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Never taken anything.
I find the early season stings are more reactive, by this time of the year I have little reaction.
I also find stings around the face swell more than on legs & arms.
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gardening-girl
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I just use an antihistamine spray.Haven`t reacted too badly so far.
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Tavascarow
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Heat from a smoker nozzle will destroy the venom before it spreads, & the smell of the smoke masks any alarm pheromones.
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joanne
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I usually do the same as Alison but as I've not had bees for the last 2 summers I've got a bit out of touch
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SandraR
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We keep liquid Piriton in the feed store which I take as soon as I'm stung and then Piriton tablets for several days afterwards.
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dpack
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i dont seem to upset bees,all of the fruity bramble ones are either tame enough to play with or ignore me
wasps and every other type of toxic and bitey insects go for me,over the years i have got more sensitive but oral antihistamine,antihistimine spray with benzocaine for the pain and magic splosh to reduce secondary infection,necrosis etc seems to work
i have considered getting an epipen but so far my over reactions have been no worse than thinking the skin might split from the swelling last time i was wasped.
i still have the scars from the hornet attack necrosis 15 yrs ago 
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chickenlady
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Blimey, dpac, I'm glad it wasn't a hornet then.
Thank you all for your advice...I'm going to stock up on everything! Arm is still swollen and hugely red so might need more meds. Hopefully not.
I'm not a beekeeper and this was the first time I've been stung by an bee. Wasp stings seem feeble by comparison.
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dpack
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i suspect different folk react differently to different critters ,some say hornets are not too bad ,some wasps etc etc
if you have had a bad reaction to bee it might be worth getting an epipen as these things tend to be more extreme the more times it happens,unless like some folk you seem to get less sensitive
im sure there is a pattern but it is a complicated one
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Mistress Rose
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Reaction to bee stings tends to go one way or the other; either it becomes worse, and in some cases can become dangerous, or you develop an immunity. If you get a really bad reaction, beyond just swelling, then your doctor might be able to refer you for a course of de-sensitisation therapy. They apply very small amounts of the venom until you develop immunity, but as it takes time and is quite expensive, think this is only used for really severe cases where life could be at risk.
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gardening-girl
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I have heard that garlic applied to the sting helps,fact or falacy,no idea.
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chickenlady
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It's very slowly going away...must have been a very venomous bee 
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iaf
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I use surgical spirit; the alcohol seems to numb the venom.
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dangerous
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Apis mel works for me.
As an aside. There is a link between taking NSAIDS like Ibuprofen and enhanced reactivity to bee stings. The only time I swelled up from wrist to elbow was when I had taken Ibuprofen the day before.
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