It never fails, I always have a new tale to tell with an adverse reaction. I'm wondering out there: Has anyone had adverse reactions to stinging insects since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia?
The other day I was trimming in my garden. It had just down poured and released a few degrees off the heat wave we're having here. This allowed me to grab a few minutes outdoors to get some much needed gardening in.
Now, I'm quite aware that I have adverse reactions since being diagnosed so I'm extremely careful when out doors and around insects that bite or sting. Bushes, in particular, can hide wasp nests. So I broached it stealthy eyeing every nook and crevices between the leaves. Nothing! Nonetheless I exerted extreme caution while tackling and clipping the overgrown branches.
I was moving at a fairly smooth pace at one point since I could see the entire trunk of the bush easily. All of a sudden, a wasp flew directly at me forming a straight line, onto the tip of my nose and stung with force. No other wasp accompanied it so he must have been rouge, possible drenched from the torrential down pour and just got his wits about him. .
Oh what pain! Everything is a 1,000 times worse when you have fibromyalgia. It resonated through every cranny in your body. I felt dizzy, pained, and off balance. I rushed inside following suite with the normal wasp procedure:
I also lathered on hydrocortisone cream. Then I waited like usual to see if anything unexpected will begin to pop up. Nothing. I thought I was in the clear.
Two days letter I woke up with severe swelling in my nose and below my left eye. "Oh, no!" I lamented. "I thought I was in the clear!" It seemed I had developed some form of Cellulitis which is a common, potentially serious bacterial skin infection. The affected skin appears swollen and red and is typically painful and warm to the touch .Left untreated, the infection can spread to your lymph nodes and bloodstream and rapidly become life-threatening.
I had most of the symptoms:
Possible signs and symptoms of cellulitis, which usually occur on one side of the body, include:
Off to see the doctor! Once diagnosed I was told I could be given a steroid shot. Knowing my chemical sensitivities and the fact that if this is a bacterial infection, my immune system may go a bit haywire, I opted for the antibiotics. Several years ago I was released on antihistamines only to find out several days later I had incubated a severe case of cellulitis. Which, in turn, sent me back to the doctors office for antibiotics.
The PA was a bit gruff indulging me in his self-wisdom of the correct route, but knowing that my illness is not something a medical professional can fully understand, I opted for personal intuition this time. In fact, I found personal intuition was what got me on my feet working again to begin with. If I spent my life basking on every word my doctors told me, I'd be on 20 different pills and in bed most of the day.
This is by no means telling you to counter what your doctor is telling you. It is encouraging you to use common sense on minor situations.
The other day I was trimming in my garden. It had just down poured and released a few degrees off the heat wave we're having here. This allowed me to grab a few minutes outdoors to get some much needed gardening in.
Now, I'm quite aware that I have adverse reactions since being diagnosed so I'm extremely careful when out doors and around insects that bite or sting. Bushes, in particular, can hide wasp nests. So I broached it stealthy eyeing every nook and crevices between the leaves. Nothing! Nonetheless I exerted extreme caution while tackling and clipping the overgrown branches.
I was moving at a fairly smooth pace at one point since I could see the entire trunk of the bush easily. All of a sudden, a wasp flew directly at me forming a straight line, onto the tip of my nose and stung with force. No other wasp accompanied it so he must have been rouge, possible drenched from the torrential down pour and just got his wits about him. .
Oh what pain! Everything is a 1,000 times worse when you have fibromyalgia. It resonated through every cranny in your body. I felt dizzy, pained, and off balance. I rushed inside following suite with the normal wasp procedure:
- wash the sting area with soap and water to remove as much of the venom as possible
- douse the area with vinegar
- apply a cold pack to the wound site to reduce swelling and pain
- keep the wound clean and dry to prevent infection
- cover with a bandage if desired
I also lathered on hydrocortisone cream. Then I waited like usual to see if anything unexpected will begin to pop up. Nothing. I thought I was in the clear.
Two days letter I woke up with severe swelling in my nose and below my left eye. "Oh, no!" I lamented. "I thought I was in the clear!" It seemed I had developed some form of Cellulitis which is a common, potentially serious bacterial skin infection. The affected skin appears swollen and red and is typically painful and warm to the touch .Left untreated, the infection can spread to your lymph nodes and bloodstream and rapidly become life-threatening.
I had most of the symptoms:
Possible signs and symptoms of cellulitis, which usually occur on one side of the body, include:
- Red area of skin that tends to expand
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Pain
- Warmth
- Fever
- Red spots
- Blisters
- Skin dimpling
Off to see the doctor! Once diagnosed I was told I could be given a steroid shot. Knowing my chemical sensitivities and the fact that if this is a bacterial infection, my immune system may go a bit haywire, I opted for the antibiotics. Several years ago I was released on antihistamines only to find out several days later I had incubated a severe case of cellulitis. Which, in turn, sent me back to the doctors office for antibiotics.
The PA was a bit gruff indulging me in his self-wisdom of the correct route, but knowing that my illness is not something a medical professional can fully understand, I opted for personal intuition this time. In fact, I found personal intuition was what got me on my feet working again to begin with. If I spent my life basking on every word my doctors told me, I'd be on 20 different pills and in bed most of the day.
This is by no means telling you to counter what your doctor is telling you. It is encouraging you to use common sense on minor situations.
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