Re: Yellow Jacket time -- bite treatments

timbirr@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Well, fall is approaching and the yellow jackets in the Coast Range of
Oregon have decided to make a last ditch effort to make life miserable
for us.

See this page for information:
www.ent.orst.edu/urban/yellowjackets.html

I hadn't been bit by a yellow jacket for, I think about 25 years or
more but this year I had one bite last weekend and my wife has been bit
three times. I don't what's making them more agressive, or maybe it's
just coincidence.

Anyway, wife's first bite was about two weeks ago. Swelled to an
enormous size and bothered her for about a week. I went to the drug
store (as I said, haven't dealt with these bites for more than two
decades) and found that the sting relief they sold was basically
ammonia about $4 for a quarter ounce of the stuff, so I passed on
buying it.

When I got my nip on Saturday, rushed into the laundry room grabbed the
household ammonia bottle, doused some TP with ammonia and applied
liberally to the bite. Had no real pain or swelling at all.

Wife was bit twice yesterday evening. She grabbed the ammonia bottle
and same result, no pain, no swelling, although she did report slight
itching this morning. Did some web research, said that ammonia needs to
be applied quickly. Anyone have any favorite bite treatments?


Assuming you're referring to stings rather than bites...

I have found that there are 2 things I need to worry about:
1) Localized pain -- actual effects of the venom
2) Histamine reaction -- body responding to venom as foreign substance.

My first sting happened when I was about 15. A paste of baking soda
applied to the area reduced the pain. Swelling was minimal -- a welt
about the size of a US quarter. No other effects that I remember.

Now the welt is about double that size. If I don't take antihistamines
right away (within about an hour after the sting) I find that the welt
lasts much longer and I experience more pain and itching for longer
periods and episodes of the tingles for about half a day.

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the most effective OTC antihistamine.
An ER doctor told me that less than 50 mg (2 tablets) is not effective
for most people. The only problem is that it tends to sedate you.
There is also a pen-shaped dispenser that lets you daub a solution on
the sting which I've never used so I don't know if it's effective or not.
.

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