# Building up resistance to stings?



## Tagged (May 7, 2009)

Hello all!

I have heard that with enough stings your body stops reacting to stings in the same way (less or no swelling).

I also read that getting 10 to 12 stings a year is not enough to help you build up this resistance. 

How often do you need to be stung to start to "get used" to getting stung? 

If you were going to try to do this how often and how many stings would you want to take? I am going to try BVT on my troublesome knee anyway and would love to build up a nice resistance to the effects of the venom.

Thanks all!


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## Beaver Dam (May 27, 2008)

I never get use to it. "IT HURTS!" However the swelling and itching has not been there this year like last. I've been getting stung on a daily bases for 3 years now. Excluding winter. I did get stung 2 weeks ago, kinda was looking forward to it. means bee season is finaly here.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

From what I've read in other threads, I think everyone is different.
Last year, my first year. After 2 or 3 stings & I barely even noticed them.
These where my first stings in 30+ years.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Since I'm raising queens year-'round I am out doing something with at least one hive almost every day. Whenever I work my bees I usually get several stings, mostly because stings have become something I don't worry much about and usually take little precaution against. The initial penetration of the sting and venom are almost always associated with sharp pain, especially in and around my nose. After about 30 seconds the initial pain subsides and nothing else happens. I think, like KQ6AR said, it's a personal thing that varies person to person.

It has been so long since I had more of a reaction than I described above, that I don't even remember when or if I ever had a stronger one.

If you need to ask how many stings and how often before you develop a strong tolerance for bee stings, you haven't had enough stings, yet.


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## honeydreams (Aug 10, 2009)

I try to advoid it togather. it hurts but I don't swell up. in the last twenty years I have been stung twice by honey bees. Yellow Jackets oh that a horse of another color. been stung a few dozen times each of the last four years.


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

I started beeking last year, and I stopped swelling and itching after about my 5th one. Took almost 20 stings in the lower body a few weeks ago. Not much in the way of it bothering me at all. I was able to finish what i was doing, then slowly walk away into a thicket and get the rest off. They came up my pants legs. I never said it doesn't hurt...but you learn to tolerate it


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

I think for most, the first thing to go is their fear of being stung.

Once you accept it will happen and just go out there anyway, you will find yourself a lot more comfortable and relaxed. Which of course will then make your work around the bees a bit more 'easy' and you will likely find that you don't stir them up as much to the point of stinging either. 

Of course, there are other variables to that like weather and genetic tendencies but overall, you will deal with stings a lot better once you lose the fear of being stung.

enjoy the bees

Big Bear


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Everyone seems to be different. For me, it's more about where I get stung and not how often. If I do something dumb, I can get hit 6 or 7 times in the hands and I'll be itchy the next day and have a little swelling. Stingers between the fingers seem to swell worse than on the back of the hand...stuff like that. Again..for me...stings in the face are always bad although I sometimes get one on the back of my neck and it seems to be no big deal. I also think it depends on how long the stinger stays in and even depends on the bee. I do recall that my first year with bees was the most painful. Not because of the bees but due to my not being used to the stings.


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

I should clarify...

I have long hair and my hair sweats a lot. both a bad on their own, terrible when you combine them both and bees into the equation.

stings on the scalp don't feel fun any time, no matter how many times it happens so I have just learned to keep a hat/veil on and usually that does it for sting protection for me.

Big Bear


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## hipbee (Sep 11, 2009)

my first year beekeeping I stoped swelling and itching around stings after about 5 or 6 stings. I also discovered I got stung alot less when i stoped wearing gloves. I still wear a veil because I have dreadlocks and the bees get stuck in my hair and then I get stung an hour later while im sitting on the couch at home


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## mrspock (Feb 1, 2010)

honeydreams said:


> I try to advoid it togather. it hurts but I don't swell up. in the last twenty years I have been stung twice by honey bees. Yellow Jackets oh that a horse of another color. been stung a few dozen times each of the last four years.


No kidding. I've cleared a few wasp nests in recent years, and god it hurts. One time, I got stung 8 times in the same day by wasps, and I was pretty on edge from the pain. Wild-eyed and jumpy.

Got stung by a bee last year in the head - it felt like a tickle in comparison. I hardly noticed.


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## StevenG (Mar 27, 2009)

You know you're seriously into beekeeping, and arthritis treatment, when a bee stings your hand, you watch her pull away, and wait for the poison sack to stop pumping the venom into your hand before scraping the stinger off. :lpf: And yes, it hurts, but does wonders for the arthritis in my hand.


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