wasp/bee/vespid allergy good news

[Chip]

Anybody with wasp/bee/vespid allergy out there ? I had a full blown allergic reaction to a couple stings in the yard about 5 years ago. I went through 3 1/2 years of the desensitization shots afterwards. At some point I asked how long this would go on for and the answer was "forever", which bummed me out and I eventually stopped getting the shots. So....my wife finally guilts me into going back for the shots and the Doc says they "now retest after 5 years of shots and about 80% are no longer allergic". So I get him to test me now, and I have no reaction. So he slaps me on the back and says "have a great life !"

This is not medical advice: If you're allergic, do the course of shots and get re-tested.

 

[Brambor]

what kind of shots ?

Could you be more specific ? I am a beekeeper and I am not alergic but I know that one can develop the allergy if exposed to multiple stings so naturally I am also interested in the various remedies out there.

 

[Chip]

As you're aware, anybody at any time can suddenly have a full blown anaphylactic shock allergic reaction to a bee/wasp sting. I was not allergic...until I was. There's "front line/emergency" treatments like benadryl and epipens (which saved me at the ER) but long term, an allergist can expose you to increasing doses of the venom so you re-build and maintain an immunity to it. In the past 2 years the allergy community has figured out that these injections may not need to go on forever, that at a certain point (3 to 5 years) of taking the desensitization injections (every 6 weeks ) about 80% of people are no longer allergic and do not need to continue treatment.

 

[David Metsky]

I had desensitization shots when I was a kid, after full blown anaphalaxis. If I recall I had shots for roughly 18 months (2 a week, ouch) and my reactions to bee stings since then have been well short of anaphalaxis but more than most people. I still always carry two epi-pens and plenty of sudafed when I'm in the woods, but getting retested now seems like a good idea. I'll chat with my DR at my next annual physical.

 

[Chip]

. I still always carry two epi-pens and plenty of sudafed when I'm in the woods,

you mean Benedryl ? The Doc yesterday recommended the Zyrtec tabs instead of Benedryl, said they're absorbed faster. I'll probably continue to carry a couple epipens too.

 

[Paradox]

.... So I get him to test me now, and I have no reaction. So he slaps me on the back and says "have a great life !" ....

He could have said: "The bee stings in life are free."

 

[brianW]

Each species of wasp/bee/vespid basically has its own unique venom formula. You may be allergic to the venom of one species but not of others.

 

[David Metsky]

you mean Benedryl?

Yes, poor typing late at night.

Keep your Benedryl (or Zyrtec) with your Epi-Pen, taped to the case is perfect. If you need the Epi-Pen, it's just so you can open up the passages so you can shove more Benedryl down your throat.

 

[Chip]

Each species of wasp/bee/vespid basically has its own unique venom formula. You may be allergic to the venom of one species but not of others.

yeah, there were 2 injections. one was wasp and the other was "mixed vespid", which covers the other variants. they also originally tested and retested all the variants to see what I was allergic to.

I was surprised that the Doc gave me the "All Clear", but he was quite clear. First, the allergy business is quite a racket, what with all these injections scheduled every week...for ever. And second, I'd imagine there's some liabilty for them now that they've told me I'm good to go, not that I'm looking to die of a bee sting so my wife can sue, but that might be a legit lawsuit.

I'm sure I'll carry the zyrtec, epipens and get re-tested every few years, regardless.