Epi Pens

[treequip]

Reading this thread I've thought about seeing about carrying one.

 

The posts against it seem to say its medics territory but don't give any reasons.

 

Are they dangerous? What are the side effects? What happens if you have not had a bad reaction but in error use it? Let's have some facts please!!

 

I appreciate severe reactions are rare but getting stung by something nasty could happen to anyone at anytime (even if you of course try to avoid it). And in this job you have a much greater chance than most.

 

The main reason that epi is a medics territory is because it is a prescription drug and not readily available over the counter.

 

Epi is epinephrine or adrenaline in common speak, it’s a substance your body produces naturally, it’s what “fear junkies” get off on.

 

It is the fight or flight drug that gets you ready to fight or run like a girl

 

A hit of epi will spike your metabolic functions particularly significant is the heart rate. There is no absolute contra indication for epi which in layman’s terms means that if you take it errantly, while it may not be good for you it probably won’t kill you.

 

Anaphylaxis is something any outdoor worker should give at least passing thought to. For many a sting is a minor annoyance (goes for singers as well as insects:laugh1:) but a sting can lead to hypersensitivity which means you are at risk from anaphylaxis from subsequent stings.

 

For many antihistamines are the weapon of choice but for those of us that lack the receptors they aren’t an option, If I spot a wasp I run like a girl.

[blue beastie]

....How about adder bites on the way to the tree?....

 

Pretty healthy adder population on a couple of the sites I look after, so always wondered about this. Especially as I work on my own in some pretty remote areas. One crawled under a pile of branches i'd cut from a hazel overhanging a path I was working on a couple of weeks ago - I nearly picked her up by the tail when I was clearing them away! I saw 4 that day in the space of a few hours, it's how many I don't see that concerns me though....