I Learned An Interesting Lesson Today

[Calamity Kris]

I arrived at the house on Friday after work, put away my lunch pail and such, then went out the front door to see if Amazon had left any presents for me.  I had been out the door about two SECONDS when it felt as though I was having an ice pick driven into my right shoulder.  I didn't hear or see anything but man-o-man that hurt.  I rushed back in and asked Uno to take a look and see what he could see.  No critters and nothing more than a small puncture wound.  He then instructed me to take a couple of Benadryl, just to be on the safe side.  I did.  We also applied some Benadryl cream to help stave off itching.  After a short time, the bite site began to itch like the dickens.  I knew better than to scratch so I fought hard to refrain.  We watched it slowly get bigger but no reason for alarm.  Same symptoms Saturday and no real change in the bite site.  Sunday was another story.  I got up early Sunday morning because the itching was driving me nuts.  Benadryl in any form wasn't even making a dent in the itching or the pain.  I called my insurance nurse line to see what their take was.  The nurse was very funny and quite sympathetic to my situation.  He went through a series of questions, one of which is are you allergic to any flying insects?  I said well yes, I'm allergic to bees.  He asked if I was certain it wasn't a bee.  I replied it would have gotten caught in my shirt or the stinger would have gotten caught in my skin.  He said true enough.  Unfortunately, it sounds as though you may be allergic to ANY flying insects.  The symptoms you are describing are the early stages of an allergic reaction.  He STRONGLY suggested I go to urgent care and get looked at.  I did and they agreed with him.  Cortisone cream and antibiotics to stave off infection and I was on my way back home. 

 

Lesson learned, just because you are allergic to one kind of insect doesn't mean you aren't allergic to their cousins.

 

P.S.  I also received a prescription for an Epipen.  Better safe than sorry.  

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

Mean critter!   Get better soon, ma'am. 

[Maddog McCoy SASS #5672]

I opened the door to a small shed Friday as my buddy told me we were going to have to move it and got nailed by a Yellow Jacket ( Wasp).

 

The last time I remember getting stung, I was maybe 12 and my hand doubled in size in 15 minutes and it was a red wasp.

That took a trip to the ER and I got a shot. This time, a bit of ice on it and it looked like it may have swelled a little, but I think the stinger got stuck in my hand and I pulled it out quick. I hate getting stung by anything but it happens.

 

I hope you are doing well, i know a lot of people that are severely allergic, I usually am ok, just irritated when it happens.

[Pat Riot]

Glad you are doing well, Kris. 

[Dusty Devil Dale]

From your detailed description, I would bet you received a kissing bug bite.  There are a number of different N. A. species. They are responsible for some of the most painful of insect bites. Their long beak like mouthparts make a small skin perforation, like you described, followed by several days of severe burning and itching. 

 

They are non poisonous, but some species do carry Tripanosome parasitic agents of some very serious diseases, like Chagas Disease, spread by the insect's feces at the wound site.  Chagas is commonest in Mexico and southward, but has been documented as far north as Idaho and eastern Washington.

Be watchful for symptoms that can appear a substantial time later.