fire ants != fun

[Fender]

Apparently I'm allergic to fire ant stings. I knew about my allergy to bee and wasp stings, but had no idea about fire ants.
I spent couple of hours in the hospital last night. Anaphylaxis is not fun. Good thing the paramedics were about 2 minutes away. My wife had an epi-pen (epinephrine/adrenaline), but didn't have to use it. I got IV benedryl and cortizone and I'm on benedryl, zrytec and predinzone for the next week.
I could be pushing up daisies if we were somewhere remote w/o my epi-pen and I got stung by those little bastards.

[GONNAFISTYA]

Stay home and when you go out to work or to check the mailbox wear a fucking space suit!!!!

[Shmee]

Don't you live like... close to me? We have fire ants here?

FFS, I need to move to a more northern latitude still...

Edit: Feel better!

[plained]

wow crazy

how did they get you?

like in the cartoons?

[R00k]

That doesn't sound fun at all. I feel lucky I haven't ever had to deal with any allergic reactions like that before.

Hope you shape up soon.

[Captain]

Ants?

lol

[R00k]

yes Ants

lol

[Ryoki]

With all those allergies it's a good thing you married a doctor

[Whiskey 7]

That doesn't sound fun at all. I feel lucky I haven't ever had to deal with any allergic reactions like that before.

Hope you shape up soon.

Feeling for you Fender

Like R00k I don't have to deal with allergic reactions. Cheers.

[Peenyuh]

I could be pushing up daisies if we were somewhere remote w/o my epi-pen and I got stung by those little bastards.

You should go camping... or sumthing...

(jk. Hope you feel better soonest)

[obsidian]

wear a fucking space suit!!!!

Get well soon.

[MKJ]

I'm sorry, the correct answer is 'the Moops'.

[plained]

i'm still wanting to learn how they got u?

like in a tarzan jungle movie?

[Scourge]

I got bit by a few of them earlier. Moved a piece of wood and they got me. Fixing to go on fire ant genocide. I've got several mounds in my yard. Been meaning to get to them. Down here fire ants are pretty much a given.

[Fender]

We were on vacation in Florida when it happened. I was standing on a concrete driveway helping my wife get our son out of the car when my foot erupted in little fiery stings. I must have stomped on a couple hundred of the little bastards before running inside in pain.

We just got back this afternoon to Ohio. It looks like I got about 10 stings, although I think some haven't formed pustules yet since I've been on meds.

It is a really strange feeling when the allergic reaction starts to kick in. Anxiety really kicks in, must be adrenaline. First thing you notice is your lips swelling and feeling funny. Next, your ears get hot and start to swell, then your face. By the time the ambulance got there I was covered head to toe with hives, small red itchy bumps. My breathing never really got labored, but I felt it start to get congested from the internal swelling.

I haven't been stung by anything since I was twelve or so. I was hoping that I wouldn't have a reaction, but it looks like a life long allergy.

[plained]

geez thats scary

yea its good to have a up-to-date epi pen around just in case, like u did, in case the paramedics take too long

[Fender]

the epi-pen expired in 2005
Any docs want to comment on if that would have done anything other than make a nice little hole in my thigh?

[plained]

untill the clearness turns brown its still effective

as far as i know

[surgeon62]

Glad you're OK.

My brother is allergic to shellfish. I saw his reaction once. His face swelled up so much that he looked like a different person.

[Big Kahuna Burger]

the epi-pen expired in 2005
Any docs want to comment on if that would have done anything other than make a nice little hole in my thigh?

A recent study of outdated EpiPens and EpiPens Jr. found their effectiveness dramatically reduced. The medicine in most of the expired devices looked normal and didn't appear discolored, nor were there any precipitates. The epinephrine in these out-dated injectors had lost some or all of its potency. The more out-dated the injector, the less active epinephrine it contained.

That sucks man. Fire ants were never good.

[plained]

The authors recommend that EpiPen users check the expiration date of their pens and replace any that have expired. However, if the only available EpiPen has expired, and a shot of epinephrine is needed, use it anyway. Although the epinephrine dose may be less than optimal, there may be enough active epinephrine to provide some help.

The authors also mention that proper storage of EpiPens will extend their useful life. Heat is very destructive to epinephrine. Keeping EpiPens in a cool place is best, but most important is to have an EpiPen available when it's needed.