What I am learning about wasp stings

You tell her jeni.

Do you think she'll listen?

Rang surgery. Got appointment with nurse later today, who can refer me to doc if necessary. You lot happy now?

Yep.

We will be when we know you've kept the appointment Bags!

Quite!

Some years ago I was stung on my leg by some unidentified insect on our way home from France (I felt something on the back of my calf, brushed at it and was stung so didn't see the culprit). After a couple of days my leg swelled up and "vibrated" with each step! Went to see my then GP who took one look, told me it was an allergic reaction (oh, really???) and sent me away without treatment!

I've been stung a few times since by wasps and tend to swell up for a few days, but nothing like that experience thank goodness. I react quite strongly to mozzie bites too.

My SiL was stung/bitten? by a horsefly years ago and ended up in hospital with a severe reaction and now carries an Epipen. Any flying/biting creatures make a bee-line for him!

Should we ask for a 'nagging' emoticon do you think?

I was 9 months pregnant and wearing a big summer dress. As I sat down my dress sort of billowed and a hornet flew up it and stung me on the bum. It didn't half hurt. Ouch.

The next day I went into labour. That hurt a bit more.

Been. Told to apply 1% cortisone cream and come back if no improvement in 24 hours – exactly what I expected. Next time I'll wait 72 hours however much grannynagging there is . But it's sweet of yous to express concern nevertheless .

We all worry about you young bags. We know you can't really look after yourself!

Last week my friend was stung by two wasps simultaneously,on her face and boob. She went immediately to the GP as she is allergic to them, and asked for antibiotics, which the young newly qualified doc refused,giving her anti histamine.

Cutting a long story short, another visit as she had swelling resulted in antbiotics. That night she had to go to A&E and was kept in overnight and put on an IV drip.
Six days later she is still not well and is still taking antibiotics.
Why don't they teach new doctors to listen to their patients?

Anyway... just wanted to thank tattynan for the info about Aspivenin Kit, my friend is going to get one!

This thread didn't go active after I posted!!

Sorry about your friend, ella, but anti-histamine is the standard treatment until infection actually occurs. If your friend is very allergic to wasp stings, shouldn't she carry an epipen? Allergic reactions are not the same as infections and anti-biotics will not deal with overproduction of histamine.

My wasp sting got infected (finger now back to normal only a week later) but the nurse I saw was correct not to give me an anti-biotic straight away. My immune system dealt with the infection. This is better than using an anti-biotic.

Of course, if your friend's immune system could not deal with the infection she had, anti-biotics would presumably help, but from what you have said, the doctor did nothing wrong at the initial appointment.

The thing is, she has reacted like this before, but the gp wouldn't listen. She has had to go back to hospital again today and they have changed the anti histamine and given her more antibiotics. Doc said she is allergic and infected!

She never does things by halves!!
Apparently, every time you get stung, the reaction can be worse. She does look a mess.

Anyway, glad your finger is ok now Bags

Poor thing. Sounds as if she's had (is having!) a hell of a time! But I suppose the doc is justified in not assuming the stings will get infected. They don't always. I've had a couple before which haven't, plus goodness knows how many mosquito bites that didn't (didn't give me malaria either), and innumerable midge and cleg bites. You can't prescribe anti-biotics just in case something gets infected, especially nowadays when they are less effective because we've used them too much in the past.

I'm very sorry your friend has had such a bad time. I know how sore an infected wasp sting can be