Well, the reaction to the stings got worse all through Saturday, and by Sunday a lot of them had joined up into huge red weals. Everything was very swollen, and I had tried hydrocortisone cream, and antihistamine cream. The heat was intolerable, i sat with a freezer pack (usually used for my recurring neck problem) on my lap. DH thought I was having a delayed reaction to the stings; I wondered if it was because I'd eaten honey; we considered whether the washng machine hadn't got the stings out of the trousers (but then I realised that I hadn't worn those trousers since I'd been stung, so it couldn't be that).
I also realised that hydrocortisone cream had, upon reflection, not been a good idea. I have a touch of Rosacea on my face, and hydrocortisone cream on Rosacea makes it worse; I reasoned that the maybe the Rosacea in my body and the hydrocortisone cream had perhaps had a bit of a reaction, and made the swellings and itchiness worse.
On Monday morning, I had had enough. I phoned the Doctor to make an appointment and, amazingly, there was a 9.00 appointment available. As I got ready to go, I noticed a weal on my left foot, and I didn't remember there being a bee sting there. I realised that I had probably been bitten by something and my body's reaction had also aggravated the dormant bee stings.
I couldn't bear the touch of anything against my skin, so I ended up wearing baggy trousers, no socks, and my slippers (leather moccassins, fortunately).
I explained to the Doc that I wasn't there to talk about my Rosacea - although we might as well now I am here, yes it's improved but not as much as we had expected - but actually I had been stung quite badly. I explained that I kept bees, had got stung, it had been fine after a couple of days and then it suddenly all flared up. I showed him, and pointed to the newly-appeared thing and asked if this might have triggered a re-reaction. I also mentioned the hydrocortisone cream, and the antihistamine cream and asked if that had made things worse.
Because the reaction wws quite severe and it was likely to be due to the ankle bite, he prescribed antibiotics. More antibiotics, in addition to the ones for the Rosacea. And take an antihistimine tablet daily. Calamine lotion for the swelling and heat.
My poor stomach. I had already been drinking smoothies made with Kefir and natural live yogurt (nly), or eating nly in large quantities, in an attempt to replenish the good bacteria that the Rosacea antibiotics were destroying. I like nly. I don't mind Kefir as long as it's mixed with something else (preferably a banana and some nly), and Kevin the Kefir (who has been with me for about 7 years now) was probably pleased to be in such demand for a change.
Still. The additional course if antibbiotics is only for a week. And by Wednesday morning there was already significant improvement. Today (Thursday) my legs aren't particularly swollen, and the sting areas are just pink rather than red and angry.
The calamine lotion has been fantastic at keeping them cool. I had forgotten all about such an "old fashioned" and traditional remedy. From now on, Calamine lotion has a permanent place in my medicine drawer.
