> Poor old GPs like myself have taken a lot of stick on this
> thread regarding
> their inability to diagnose allergies.
> Briefly bee stings can induce:-
> 1. Local allergic reactions. These are defined as an area of redness
> exceeding 5 cm at the site of a sting.
> 2. Anaphylaxis. These include all reactions anywhere else in
> the body and
> may proceed to anaphylactic shock and death. This too is an allergic
> reaction
> 3. Toxic reactions. These are dependent on dose of toxin i.e number of
> stings and can produce fever headaches, vomiting, collapse
> and death. This
> can occur with an excess of 25 stings.
> 1 can lead to 2, but not necessarily. 3 can be associated
> with 1 and 2.
>
> Jerry speaks a lot of sense when he says "The notion that
> infrequent bee
> stings induce allergies (implied from these
> posts) and multiple stings do not is patently wrong." The
> first sting can
> produce little reaction and it's only subsequent stings that
> produce an
> allergic reaction either local or anaphylactic.
> He's also right to point out that "People tend to either get
> less reactive
> OR more reactive with successive
> stings, whether accumulated over a long time, or in one massive dose."
> He also states that reactions can be unpredictable which is
> also spot on.
>
> On this side of the pond allergists are not big business. In
> fact there are
> no medically qualified allergists in Scotland that I know of.
> Desensitisation has not been readily available in General
> Practice since the
> 80s because of deaths due to anaphylaxis following the
> injections and the
> lack of evidence that they were effective. Also there were no
> financial
> rewards for treating patients with desensitisation therapy.
> Prevention of
> allergic reactions is not seen here as possible or a
> priority. Treatment of
> local reactions remains antihistamines and steroid creams; of
> anaphylaxis,
> epipens, steroids, fluids and antihistamines and of toxicity general
> supportive measures
>
> I hope this offers a little clarity and some support for your
> local GP.
>
> Ross Langlands
>
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