Insect?? bite in Texas

[SpringChickens]

I was demonstrating my typical high intellect yesterday morning by walking around barefoot outside. Surprise, surprise, I got bit (or stung) by an insect or plant.

I felt a slight stinging between my toes, but I couldn't find anything. About 20 minutes later, I checked again, and found a 1/4 inch black stinger? burr? between my toes.

Still didn't think much of it, until my foot started to swell. My foot is majorly swollen all the way up my ankle and is driving me NUTS!!
I have NEVER had this kind of reaction to anything, bees, wasps, you name it.

So here are my questions.

1) What could cause that kind of swelling? What do you think bit me??

2) What can I do to make my foot stop itching and swelling!! I've been taking benadryl and soaking my foot in water with baking soda. I have put some cortisone cream on too. Any other ideas??

Thanks!!

 

[sred98]

Sounds like a bee. They leave their stingers. Wasps, hornets, scorpions all keep the stingers after they sting you. Sounds like you are having a borderline allergic reaction. If you are able to, you might should visit the Dr. you might need a cortisone injection. If you can't do that, try and get some cortisone cream to put on there, along with the benadryl. Sorry, just re-read that you had cortisone cream...try and get to a Dr. you will be much more comfortable. It will go down, but it will take a while.

For future reference, I would consider you allergic to bee stings.

The reactions usually get worse. My son got stung the other day on his arm, and it just looked like a 1 inch square insect bite. Benadryl handled the itching and swelling. What you are experiencing isn't a normal non-reaction, you know what I mean?

Good luck!

Shelly

 

[enola]

With that type of swelling, I would already be at the ER . . . . .

 

[DTchickens]

i agree, sounds like a bee sting.. And i would most probably go to the ER with it that bad, And just because you haven't been before doesn't mean you aren't now, My father could get stung by wasps, bees, hornets, etc up until 19.. Now he's pretty much allergic to bug bites/stings, some stuff in food, etc..

And i have a theory (Never heard it or looked it up) That having eaten/dranken certain things that day and then getting stung can affect if you are going to have a allergic reaction. Because on one occasion i've eaten some stuff before.. Then got stung by a bee, and had a allergic reaction. And it was not from the food... Im not allergic to it or any type of sing from insects (or at least not the common ones).

Have also had the same thing happen with poison ivy..

 

[SpringChickens]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to skip the ER because it has been over 24 hours now, and doesn't seem to be getting worse. If it's not better in a few days, I'll go see my doctor to see what she can do.

I hope I'm not developing allergies to bee stings! Yuck!

 

[chixie]

my neice got stung by a wasp we didn't hink nothing about it until 2 days later she had a red streak going up her leg and it was swelling... we took her to her doctor and she is allergic to wasp... we have to keep benadryl around at all times and if she has another reaction like that they may put her on the epi pen...

 

[bettisworth]

Scorpion? My cousins in San Antonio talk about them, but have yet to see one. Come on now, the suspense is killing me. I do hope that you are ok though!!

 

[bettisworth]

Sorry sred....I didnt see your post.........

 

[mjdtexan]

COW ANT I dont know iffin they leave a stinger. They are all over Texas. I've seen em put people in the hospital. Kill every one you see.

 

[SpringChickens]

I've seen several scorpions by our place, so it is definitely possible. I am actually going to go to the doctor tomorrow because the swelling is staying the same/getting worse.

I have two small pustules by my big toe where I found the "stinger", but nothing looks bad.

Wish me luck tomorrow!!