As I was going into work today, I was stung by a honey bee on my neck. It must of been a vampire bee. My friends and co workers helped prepare an ice pack and baking soda and one even gave me a Benyadrl.(Which caused some floaty moments later, good thing I only took one). I don't remember having been stung by a honey bee and was stung by a yellow jacket 45 years ago. When asked if I had ever been stung, I said maybe in 1922.
I didn't realize how bad it would hurt. Words can not discribe the sharpness of the pain. I didn't get a reaction and was able to have a lazy day at work. I just have to watch out for that next bee.

I'm curious why you call it a honey bee.

Some people call all stinging bees, bees. Some are wasps, some are yellow jackets and some are the bees that make honey.
I knew it was a honey bee because the stinger and part of the behind stayed in my neck. Honey bees loose their stingers in this manner and die. A wasp or yellow jacket can sting many times.
We had a strange abundance of honey bees flying around the playground at school today.

I have to agree with you on the pain I happened to find out the hard way I am allergic thankfully you Are ok and hello from another seattlite!

Sorry to hear this happened. I was stung twice within two weeks by a yellow jacket from a nest near our house. My DH took care of that. It did hurt for quite awhile but I had no bad reaction.

We have had an abundance of bees on our playground at school, as well! One kdg child had, literally, just stepped out the door on his way to the playground when he was stung. It must have something to do with the weather right now.

Hugs! My brothers lab stepped in a bees nest the other day, and was so terribly stung all over.........had to be rushed to the vet........she looks just horrible now. Bees can do some damage!!!!!!

I am so sorry you were stung, but glad to hear there are still honeybees around. After the past few years with all the problems with hive die offs it's good to know they are still around in some numbers.
My worst experience has been with red wasp. I've been stung by them more then once and it was the worst!! Swelling and pain for hours! I do my best to avoid them! We have a very small wasp here called a Guinea wasp that for it's size has a very painful sting. They like to nest in the palms here so you have to be watchful when working around palms. They are territorial and will get after you if they feel threatened!!
Glad your experience wasn't any worse then it was.... :D :D

Last week we were at a high school and one of the techs was just standing there, waving and pointing to where he wanted something done, and a wasp flew in, I swear it dodged around several other people and zeroed in on his finger and stung like mad. His finger promptly started swelling and by the time we got an ice bag it was so swollen he couldn't get his ring off. We watched him carefully for hours but aside from the pain he was ok. He knows he should watch the next sting and think of carrying an EpiPen if he has any more reactions.
Don't schools have EpiPens availible for the nurses to use? My daughter used to be an EMT, which all teachers should be if schools don't have an inhouse RN.

I was stung about 20 times several years ago when I disturbed a yellow jacket nest while weed eating. By the time I got to the hospital, my arm was swollen and I was having difficulty breathing. First time I ever knew I was sensitive to bees although I knew my dad was. Now I am a little nervous when I hear one buzzing around.

The worst thing I ever had was a hornet sting/bite! I actually have a small scar from the bite. Yes hornets not only sting, they bite!

Oh! I hate to get stung. It hurts so bad. And those yellow jackets are everywhere right now.
I did not know that hornets also bit! Still not too old to learn something new so that's a good thing. Right?

Too all of you exposed to bees and stings. Get some Bag Balm. It draws the toxin out almost instantly. Just plop a dob on there and it pulls the pain right out. If you are alergic, this is a remarkable help

I hate getting stung, but you know what, I heard about something to try on a sting, & I have done it twice now, & believe it or not,it really works!

Very simple, just keep a penny or two handy. The copper is the trick, takes the sting out very quickly! When stung, just grab a penny & hold it or tape it right on top of the sting! In no time at all the pain completely stops! I got stung by a wasp once, evidently it was on the inside handle, in the house, of the sliding glass door. I had unlocked it & grabbed it to open it & wam, I got stung! The other time, I was removing the bag off our recyling waste basket we keep out on our deck. All of a sudden two beautiful golden yellow jackets came up from the other side & headed right at me. Well, didn't want them in the house so swatted at them, hoping to shoo them away & one stung me, ouch, hurt really bad! But both times, I used the penny, taping it on, & it honestly worked! No swelling, no pain, & back to normal in a very short time! So remember this, & try it next time, & spread the word, cause it does work!...

OK, copper pennies and Bag Balm to add to the emergency kit...Do I feel like an old granny or what?

You must be sweet. Had to throw that one in.LOL You are so right about the sting hurting terribly! All of a sudden now that Summer is behind us, we are seeing more bees also. They swarmed my hummingbird feeder.

I was swarmed at about age 6 and stung at least 50 times(per my grandmother who counted). Normally that many stings can kill a child even though I'm not allergic. We were in a remote cabin in N.H. at the time and I was unlucky enough to be banging a tree with a stick. The tree just so happened to have a hive in it.

Of course they didn't take me to the hospital as I guess I didn't have any breathing problems. I don't remember this at all, which is probably a very good thing!

Virginia!

Not an OLD granny, just a SMART one! I think either one or both, are worth a try. Just see what works for any of us!

I stay away from bees wasps yellowjackets I will swell untill my skin breaks open and it will get infected with in 12 hours so I run