Me, a bee, and a painful foot.

So there I was, taking photos of this gigantic spider (an orbweaver) that decided to spin it's web right outside my window. This was Sunday morning. For whatever reason, I thought I'd be able to be fine barefoot, and since there weren't too many people on the street, I figured in a teeshirt over my jammie bottoms would also be fine.

As I moved towards a different spot to get a better angle on the web, there was this enormous stinging sensation, sharp as hell, penetrating the sole of my right foot. I started leaping around, hollering, and an older lady (must've been in her late 70s) was walking by. I'm jumping around, cursing, and she's looking at me holding a very expensive camera in my jammies, starting to wail as I fumble around next to a 2 foot web with a 1.5 inch spider hanging from it, and she hurries by. I have no idea what she was thinking, only that she went as fast as she could past this apparently possessed photographer.

I sat down, and looked at my foot. Sure enough, there's a stinger embedded into the arch of my right foot, sticking out proudly. I pluck it out, and sit there, holding my foot with my right hand and my camera with my left, and then...

then....

The sprinklers went on.

I hustled into the house, dried the camera and pulled the rest of the stinger out of my foot. I made a baking soda poltice, and got a sock on (which was, of course, a play signal for Simon).

However...

My darned foot is itching. Painful, sure, but also itching. A real, deepseated itch. I looked at the site again, even sterilized a needle and went digging around, but nothing is there. I've been using Hydrogen peroxide, but that's not doing a darned thing for the itch (although it's not infected at all...). There's this red blotch around it, as well, but the biggest issue is it freaking itches really, really badly. Insanely badly.

Anyone have any idea why it would be itching like this, and is there anything I can do about it? I've tried the benedryl lotion, and took a benedryl pill, but that just made me sleepy.

So any help? Please? It's driving me nutso bonkers.

Best-
Michele

I don't know, but best of luck! That must huuuurt! Get better soon!

Michele,

I hope your foot gets better soon. I stepped on a bee a few years ago, instead of itching, it was numb for a few hours.

Tara

Ouchie! Maybe you are having some sort of allergic reaction to it? I am allergic to so many things so my first reaction is allergy

Oh, Michele, your poor foot! Your baking soda and water paste was an excellent idea! Also, you could also try a paste of vinegar and baking soda or vinegar and salt, although these are usually geared more for a wasp sting. You may want to try applying honey to the sting. Hope this helps.

eep!

I am allergic to bee stings, and it also gets very swollen and itchy when I get stung. I didn't have anything for allergies at the time other than a bottle of childrens Beadryl.. and I drank half the bottle and the swelling still didn't go down. but Adult Benadryl should workk if your having an allergic reaction. And you can be allergic to say, yellowjackets, but not wasps or bumble bees. I am allergic to wasps, and yellow jackets.. I haven't been stung by anything else yet, thank god.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

Benedryl or any other over the counter antihistamine.

I got stung on my thumb my first day of a golf weekend and my hand swelled up so bad it looked like one of those rubber gloves that somebody had blown up. I had to go to the emergency walk-in clinic in the town we were at and they just told me to take Benedryl and within 24 hours, it was much, much improved. I also applied cold packs during the night to reduce the swelling.

I had an allergic reaction to the sting - it was a wasp sting.

Benedryl also comes in a liquid that can be applied to the site. But I know you can overdo it too. How about either applying calamine lotion or using a cortisone cream for the itching. I haven't been stung this year (yet)!!

Another small thing that may help is getting off that foot - sit down and elevate it. Ice can help with sweeling and itchies too. Ask people to take care of you...that always helps!

Quick healing!

It's probably the venom making you itch, not any remaining stinger. If it was sticking out, you should have been able to get most of it by pulling. The baking soda paste should have taken care of the rest. Watch for signs of infection if it's bothering you much longer. In the meantime, the benadryl topical stick or the Caladryl lotion.

You poor thing....but your description of the whole event got me laughing. That woman must have thought you were insane! Feel better soon!

Sunnicat, I am positive that she thought I was nuts...it's not often you see someone leaping, hollering and waving a camera around with no celebrity in sight.

My foot is still itching, but not as badly. Thank goodness. I've not been able to stay off it - that, hopefully, will be tomorrow, but I'll try the ice thing if it still itches. I've got calamine lotion on now (thanks to the above suggestion; that's what I had forgotten), and hopefully that will take care of it for the time being. And I've taken another benedryl. I'm *not* allergic to bees, wasps, jackets, or any other flying, biting creature, although I am highly allergic to spider bites.

Thanks for all the suggestions - it is very much appreciated.

Best-
Michele

Bee stings itch like mad - it must be the venom cos every time I've had one it's driven me up the wall. And the worst thing about a sting on the bottom of your foot is that it tickles every time you try to scratch.

Vicks VapoRub works amazingly well on itchy spots. I don't know why but it's my Mum's universal cure for everything and it really works! It must be the Eucalyptus or tea tree or something...give that a try! It would be soothing for the pain and swelling, as well.

OOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
I feel SO badly for you, but then....that STORY!!!! OMG!!!!
I just bet that woman runs again, if she sees you soon!!!!!
I have used a paste of Meat Tenderizer (Adolph's Meat Tenderizer) for bee stings and that REALLY did help a lot. Don't know if it would help for spider bites, but it is worth trying, if it ever happens again (hopefully, it won't!)
I would be FREAKING out, as I have been mortally afraid of spiders, since I was a little girl!
Watch for infection, but I hope it just heals up SOON, and goes away!

Oh did that story give me a mental image or what

Hugs to you!

A wek later, my foot is just fine. Still a red circle, and still a tad tender, but no more itching. Thank God!

LOL, I never even thought of Adolph's Meat Tenderizer or Vicks Vapor rub...I'll keep that in mind for future reference...it's always good to know of home remedies that can be made from things laying around the kitchen...

You guys rock. I do appreciate it.

Best-
Michele

Awww poor you, but it did get me laughing loudly. thats somethin i'd do.
Hope your ok.