Wasp nest in ground

[sime42]

Continuing in the serious vein. My mum always carries an epi pen in case of a wasp sting, following a couple of severe reactions. Odd thing is she never used to be bothered by them, it only came on in later years.

 

 

[openspaceman]

49 minutes ago, nepia said:

To be equally serious a couple of folk have suggested I carry one ready for the next hornet sting!

presumably one needs a prescription  for one, I know one older man who has one for wasp stings and a girl who has one for a nut allergy. What's the shelf life of an epi pen?

[Steven P]

Epi pen - thought it is a few years (10 springs to mind.. but it can't be that). As far as I can remember you need a prescription generally and to get that you need to have had a severe reaction first.

 

A quick search suggests that schools can buy them without prescription, would it be worth talking to a local pharmacist and see if they can acquire one - emphasising the potential for a whole nest attacking and to put it in the emergency kit

[Mick Dempsey]

3 hours ago, nepia said:

To be equally serious a couple of folk have suggested I carry one ready for the next hornet sting!

Probably wisest to get tested. 
Simple blood test will tell you. 

[Rich Rule]

I was up a tree a couple of years ago.

 

Beech prune and two of us were up it.  My mate got crowded by wasps and was stung a few times.  We never even saw the nest.

 

Within 5 minutes he was feeling a hot flush and dizzy.  I told him to get out of the tree.  15 minutes later and ambulance arrived and he had anaphylactic shock.

 

carries an epi pen everywhere now.  Joe is about 45 and stung many times as a kid.  Only just got a reaction in the tree.  He has been stung twice since and just epi pens himself.

[swinny]

I've got a gnarly ash tree to fell with some back lean towards a garden etc.... wet field, tractor and winch job. I think even a 2md tractor on bull rope as secondary back up.

 

Anyhow had a closer look and noticed it's flared near the base. Bet it's hollow... used a stone off drystone wall next to it thudding the stem. Yup hollow  then Zap! Stung right on the jaw line. Wasps everywhere. 

 

Been back a couple of times since to try and find and mash up their nest to no avail. 

 

Hope they sod off soon! And I always thought they died off the little gits

[sime42]

They're probably making the most of the fact that we've had no frosts yet this year.

[sime42]

 

On 07/11/2024 at 08:56, openspaceman said:

presumably one needs a prescription  for one, I know one older man who has one for wasp stings and a girl who has one for a nut allergy. What's the shelf life of an epi pen?

 

18 months I've just been reliably informed. They're easy enough to get, with a prescription, but the problem is more finding somewhere that will dispose of the old ones apparently.

 

 

 

 

[Peasgood]

I need an epi-pen due to my sesame allergy. Haven't always suffered but it has reached the point of it being dangerous now with anaphylactic shock. 

Easy enough to avoid in this country as long as you are careful, no Chinese takeaways, careful with seeded bread, read labels etc. Can't have a Big Mac due to the seeded bun and a lot of pre-prepared stuff has sesame hidden away in it, like a lot of cracker type biscuits for example.

I am going to Australia in the spring, that is where it gets troublesome because there is a big Asian influence on the food there. Worst ever reaction I had was eating goulash in Oz.

Thing is you need to have a prescription which involves exposing you to the allergen, I am not very keen on that idea!  Also strictly speaking you should still attend hospital even if you administer it yourself. The episode I had in Oz was 6 hours away from the nearest hospital and that would rely on transport being immediately available (it wasn't).

[Steven P]

Slight detraction, you'd be very surprised what is added to foods that shouldn't be there - had to look out for Soya as an example, Bread (Flour, Yeast, Water, pinch of salt) - couldn't get normal bread without it, chocolate (soya emulsifier), airport grill - soya oil.... had to ask about everything... but was told you couldn't get prescription until you have a bad reaction and that exposure over time increases the reaction

 

Increasing the reaction over time with wasps - the more you get stung, the more chance of a bad reaction next time