Anyone else ever been in anaphylactic shock? I was moving some scrap lumber my middle son left on his moom's property, didn't know there were yellow jackets under the wood. They swarmed me and I got stung by ove 20 of them (that I saw) on my hands arms and face. I got away from them and made it to the side of her deck before passing out.

She called 911 and the ambulance came they put an Epipen into my thigh and got me in the ambulance. Got oxegen started aand headed to the ER. they gave me 4 more shots epinephrine on the way. The EMT was on the phone with the ER freaking out, I had no pulse in my wrists. In the ER they gave me 3 more epinephrine shots in my IV that the EMT started, plus some steroids. Spent the after noon and night in the hospital.

I now have to keep an Epipen with me when I go outside. It was the closest to dying I've ever been, even after some motorcycle wrecks. No fun at all.

 

That's harsh...hope you recover completely.

 

Same thing happened to the lovely wife Morticia. She was weeding when she disturbed a nest of yellow jackets. I think it was scarier for me than her because she was so out if it.

After that she took desensitizing shots and is supposedly no longer in danger.

 

As a kid I was highly allergic to honey bee stings. One sting would make my foot swell too much to wear a shoe for a week or more. No Epipens in those days and so they gave me a bottle of antihistamines "just in case". I've lived my whole life making sure not to drink out of a soda can that might have a bee in it. I might not survive a throat sting.

Last year I was weed-whacking and took the top off a yellow jacket nest. I had several stings before I realized what was happening and then experienced one of those out-of-body, slow motion moments where I had to figure out how to run away with a running weed whacker in my hands. Eventually I chose, while enduring stings, to turn it off and set it down - which seemed to take forever - and finally run. I had to go at least 30-40 yards to get away before I lost them, swatting and flailing the whole way.

A couple was coming the other way down the road and I figured they'd think I was crazy. But apparently the bee dance is pretty universal and they knew exactly what was happening. "Have you been stung?" Yes, maybe 10 times. "Are you allergic?" Well that's a good question! I had to assume yes, and said so. Their eyes got wide. But long story short, I'm apparently not so allergic to yellow jacket stings and had only a handful of itchy spots for a few days. Whew.

My nephew was not so lucky. His grandpa took him for ice cream and somehow he got a flavor with peanuts in it. He died in grandpa's back seat on the way to the hospital. A life not lived, and grandpa that will never be the same. I have grandkids of my own and I cannot imagine.

 

Wow ... I'm glad you're still among us to tell your tale, Shortbus. No, I've never had such an experience, but my father was once bitten by several ants, which are of the really tiny type (we call them mantequeras) and he did go through anaphylactic shock ... which was compounded by his diabetic tendency. He was not a full blown diabetic, thank God. Not fun at all, as you've said.

Stay safe.

 

Hi sb,
Pleased to hear you are still with us.

E

 

Glad to hear you made it!! I know if I were to take just one to the face I'd have to watch it real close or just get to the hospital in case things go south. More than that and I'll probably have my own story to tell. Insects can cause a lot of issues for such little creatures.

 

You are very lucky to still be with us. Yellow Jackets are the worst "bee" stings. One or 2 are bad enough, any more than that... Had an aunt die from ant stings (no pun intended) who went into anaphylactic shock and didn't make it. She had no prior sensitivity. I have known a few folks who always had to carry their epi pen.

 

You are very lucky to still be with us. Yellow Jackets are the worst "bee" stings

There is a back story to my tale. Around 2015 I was cutting firewood. I cut down one tree that I didn't know was a hive tree, the hive was in the first crotch of the tree. The hive wasn't the normal bee or yellow jackets or wasps. Some thing I never even heard of, European Hornet. Biggest things I ever saw that could sting, and sting they do, got 3 on the face, but luckily I had a long sleeve Tshirt on.

The swelling closed one eye and after calming down I was able to drive out of the woods and get home. Next day I was OK and went back to cut up the tree. A week later my face swelled up way worce than the first time, seems they deposit a nodule of poison with the sting that has a covering that slowly dissolves and sends the main part of the venom back into the body. The doctor at the hospital said that that heavy dose of venom probably made me sensitized to venom.

In my 75 years I've had many stings(~100?) but never a reaction. Doctor said I'll probably react violently to stings the rest of my life, now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hornet

 

Glad they got you taken care off!

I know several people that have to carry epi pens with them and have had one relative and one friend that died from anaphylactic shock, so it's no joke (as you know all too well). The good news is that you DO know and so you can be prepared going forward.

Also, getting stung by that many yellow jackets made things much worse, but is thankfully an unusual event. So hopefully your epi pen will be able to handle the far more common instances of isolated stings.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but I have two questions:

1.- How much does an epi pen cost?​

2.- Do they have an expiration date?​

 

1. No idea but it is a prescription only device so it is covered mostly by insurance with a small co-pay. Hate to think what my Enbrel autoinjector costs but it comes with my prescription so its cost is hidden. The Enbrel cost is ~8,000USD/month (4 weekly doses @ 2k$ each). Thank God for insurance...
2. Everything has an expiration date (US Food and Drug Administration) but probably in a couple of years I would think?

 

Thank God for insurance

I get why you would say that but from another perspective it's like saying "thank God I just got my leg blown off, I can't even feel the gunshot wounds in my torso."

 

Pardon my ignorance, but I have two questions:

1.- How much does an epi pen cost?​

2.- Do they have an expiration date?​

Mine came under Medicare, and was $40 for a two pack, they come in a 2pack. The $40 is way, way cheaper than the normal price of them. got mine at Walgreens.

"How much does an EpiPen cost at Walgreens?
There are a few popular pharmacies that have fairly standard costs of EpiPens: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, and Kroger. The average cost of brand name epinephrine injectors at these five pharmacies range from $650 to $735. The cheapest average is $650 at CVS, and the most expensive average is $735 at Walgreens.Jun 3, 2023"
From - https://healthshare101.com/how-much-does-an-epipen-cost-without-insurance/

They have an expiration date between 18 months and a year. Mine are good to Aug 2024. The 18 months is if you get one just made.

 

The average cost of brand name epinephrine injectors at these five pharmacies range from $650 to $735. The cheapest average is $650 at CVS, and the most expensive average is $735 at Walgreens.Jun 3, 2023"

 

Not to worry, you're safe from the insurance-fueled big pharma racket.

https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/n...#:~:text=A visit to Dr.,a pack of two EpiPens.

Noel Rodriguez is an allergist practicing in Mexico, where EpiPens don’t exist. Epinephrine cannot be found in pharmacies there. Rather, they are given by the doctor in vials along with a syringe for patients to take home. [...] Pharmaceuticals sell him vials at $2 USD a piece compared to $600 USD for a pack of two EpiPens.

 

I find it curious (and certainly scary) that our own immune system can rapidly kill us if it over-responds to a perceived threat that otherwise would only give a mild response (some swelling or blistering)
Amazing how Epinephrine can normally rapidly stop that over-reaction.

 

I find it curious (and certainly scary) that our own immune system can rapidly kill us if it over-responds to a perceived threat that otherwise would only give a mild response (some swelling or blistering)
Amazing how Epinephrine can normally rapidly stop that over-reaction.

That's how covid, and many other ailments, also put our lives at risk.

 

Anaphylaxis is a strange disorder. Most are familiar with its major causes, allergic reaction to food, ant bites, "bee" stings, or even latex. But it can also be triggered by over-the-counter medications including common aspirin. Or even stress including exercise. I once was telling a nurse about another inept nurse who was trying to draw blood from a sinew in the pit of my elbow that she thought was a vein. She was aghast and told me "That can cause anaphylactic shock!" It is a self-preservation mode that the body can go into under stress that release's histamines into the bloodstream and sometimes there is nothing for the histamine to act upon and your body can go into anaphylactic shock. Allergy desensitization shots are sometime helpful but not in all cases. Dangerous condition...

 

So the body has an inadvertent (apparently) self-destruct mechanism.
And the only thing we have to stop the count-down to destruction is not a secret code, just a dose of Epinephrine.