In a message dated 96-09-26 13:21:23 EDT, [log in to unmask] (Justin
Schmidt) writes:
 
<< People, including beekeepers love to worry about diminishingly improbably
 events.  Take for example the ibuprofen flurry lately.  >>
 
   All I can say, Justin, is that it happened to me.
 
    I have been stung as much as several hundred times in a day, will no
reaction other than a headache, some joint soreness, and great weariness -
kind of like a mild case of the flu.
 
    I was taking one of the "profen" drugs once (after dental surgery), and
got stung one time.  I was scared simple by the reaction, which included
massive swelling, red splotches (hives?) and intense itching, difficulty
breathing, pain in the chest, fever, hyperactive mind and inability to sleep.
 
   The reaction lasted two days.  I was dumb enough not to get medical
attention at that time (I would today). The following week, after ending the
medication, I was stung again with no effect. That's when I realized the
likelihood of the involvement of the pain killer drug.
 
    I take it seriously.  I wonder how many of the reactions that require
emergency room treatment are a consequence, without discovery of the real
cause.  People also can be scared to death that they are allergic, when there
is no real problem other than the pain killer.
 
   Believe me, when I went back to work with the bees, the following week, I
was scared!  That is my livelihood.  There was no problem when I got stung.
 
[log in to unmask]    Dave Green,  PO Box 1200,  Hemingway,  SC
29554        (Dave & Jan's Pollination Service,  Pot o'Gold Honey Co.)
 
Practical Pollination Home Page            Dave & Janice Green
http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html