Husband got stung

15 years ago

We found a fist sized paper wasp nest inside one of my nandina bushes the other night. Well, I should say my husband found it. We had taken our hose reel with us when we went to our local elementary school to weed, trim and water the native plant gardens that are right near the front doors of the school.

Anyway, when we got back home, my husband went to hook up the hose to the faucet. He had to run the extension behind the bushes to get it to the faucet. He must have disturbed the nest (which I didn't know was there) and a wasp or maybe it was two of them stung him once on the nose and the other on the back of the neck.

He is supposedly extremely allergic to stings so I got a couple benadryl and made him take them. Meanwhile, still waiting for the swelling, difficulty breathing, etc., and he didn't have any reaction other than a tiny bit of swelling on one side of his nose and the spot on the back of his neck was barely visible.

I kept waiting for this extreme allertic reaction all evening, and it didn't happen. We have a good friend a couple houses down who is a registered nurse and my next reaction would have been to call her, but we didn't need to do that.

I know a person's sensitivity to being allergic to things can change within a lifetime. I was never allergic to poison ivy until my late 30's. Could it be he grew out of his allergy to bee and wasp stings?

The last time he got stung was before I met him, so I didn't know how he would react since I had only heard the stories of how "one stung him on his chest between his nipples and it looked like he had a third boob." Yes, you may laugh at that.

Comments (5)

roselee z8b S.W. Texas
15 years ago
Laughing!!! I had a boyfriend that had one long thick hair growing our of the center of his forehead from where a wasp stung him. He was very proud of it and dared anybody to pull it out! LOL

Maybe one of the nurses on here will tell us if one outgrows a sensitivity to wasp stings. Usually it takes a number of stings, each one with a more severe reaction, to become extremely allergic -- in which case one might need to keep one of the kits on hand, which contains benedryl, btw, but also an injection. But I'm sure know about them already.
pjtexgirl
15 years ago
Anaphylactic reactions to insect stings can be either immediate or delayed. Reactions that occur within four hours of the sting are classified as immediate, and reactions that occur more than four hours after the sting are classified as delayed. Generally, the sooner the reaction begins, the more severe it will be.

Treatment

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All suspected anaphylactic reactions require prompt medical treatment. A reaction that may initially seem mild, may progress to being more severe.

Severe anaphylactic reactions need immediate treatment with a medication called adrenaline, given in the form of an injection. The main action of adrenaline is to strengthen the force of the heart's contraction and to open up the airways in the lungs. Adrenaline is usually sufficient to reverse the reaction, though more than one dose may be required to achieve this. Other medications that may also be used to further reduce the allergic reaction include corticosteroids and antihistamines.

This is all I could find. The lady next door was attacked by a huge nest of yellow jackets. She took benedryl and was fine. It says adrenaline helps...so think of something that really makes your DH mad....????

roselee, that is so wierd! LOL!PJ
Related Professionals
Citrus Heights Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Stamford Landscape Contractors · Bainbridge Island Landscape Contractors · Battle Ground Landscape Contractors · Clayton Landscape Contractors · Fort Myers Landscape Contractors · La Vista Landscape Contractors · Marlborough Landscape Contractors · Roseville Landscape Contractors · Tacoma Landscape Contractors · Vancouver Landscape Contractors · Wickliffe Landscape Contractors · Emeryville Window Contractors · Pacifica Window Contractors · Merriam Window Contractors
bossjim1
15 years ago
Maybe taking the Benadryl so soon alleviated the reaction.

I have never been allergic to wasp stings but, I've been stung 4 times this summer, the last time being Monday evening. This time it was a yellow jacket. It stung me on the underside of the forearm and it is still swollen. I think maybe I'm developing an allergy.
Jim
pjtexgirl
15 years ago
Poor bossjim! I hope it goes down by itself! PJ
denisew
Original Author
15 years ago
The skin on the underside of the arm is probably more sensitive so may take a little longer for the swelling to go down. I found out how sensitive the area is on the inside of my thighs when I squated near some poison ivy one time, but I won't get into that one.

My husband didn't have any further reactions and is healing up. The spot on his nose had a tiny little scab on it, but is looking better. I told my neighbor, who is a nurse, about this saying that I kept waiting for the "third boob effect" on his nose, but it never happened. We agreed that he probably isn't allergic, but didn't know about the sensitivity thing. Maybe the adrenaline did help counteract the reaction because he was really P-O'd when he got stung!