Thursday, August 20, 2015

2015-08-20: Allergy Confirmed

Finally had my allergy test done and lucky me I'm allergic to honey bee venom! 

The test involved a series of small (very small really) injections of venom from the insects of the hymenoptera order.  I believe 8 different insect venoms were involved in ever increasing potency.  I had no reactions to any of them until the doctor hit 1:100 strength of the honey bee venom.  He continued on to full strength with all the other venoms and I had no reaction to any of them.  Why honey bees why?!?

The good news is that next week I will start the allergy shots.  Once a week for ten weeks.  I believe they increase the venom dosage each time.  After ten weeks if I show no signs of a reaction then they send in a blood sample.  If it comes back that I have no immune response then I'm "cured".  I would still need to keep going back for a shot once a month for the next five years to keep my body in tune with the venom.  The main thing I'm focused on now is the ten week goal.  I guess that would put me at the end of October.  Just in time for me to be doing nothing with the bees!  Hahahah  =)

Let the countdown begin!

2 comments:

  1. Shoot! At least there's a fix and you don't have to give the hives away and quit altogether. Keep the benadryl and epi close by and don't do any cutouts. Those cutouts....ouch.

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    1. Yeah, it could be a lot worse. Ten weeks doesn't sound that bad. No more cutouts this year for sure!!

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