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The original was posted on /r/lifeprotips by /u/strawberrysunrise235 on 2025-07-04 06:29:23+00:00.
I did know this. I learned and thought that anaphylaxis is instant, easy to see, huge symptoms. I wanted to share this because it scared the shit out of me. I did not present this way.
What happened to me was terrifying and as a result from the ER doctor and two hospitals in 12 hours, I now have to carry 2 epi pens for wasp stings.
I have never been stung by a wasp- until today.
- First sting was a actually three to the bottom of my foot within 10 seconds
- Instant flood of sensations through my body like a wave of dizziness and nausea
-Instant panic and horrible sense things are very very bad - was feeling urgent and dizzy trying to get to my Benadryl - I can not explain this feeling- something is very very wrong and it’s making me panic hard
-tried to convince myself it was a panic attack in my head and don’t need hospital
- grabbed 50mg benedryl within 5 seconds and slathered the benedryl topical (only now I leaned you are not to mix the two) had a hard time swallowing those pills
- one single wheezy cough where I felt phlegm, a few little hacks like dry throat
-my nose felt the tiniest tiniest bit stuffed but thought it was maybe normal
- thus all happened in 10 minutes and I was fighting denial (oh this is just a panic attack I’m just scared of the wasp)
Then my lips felt tight and pins and needles- went right to ER and told them I took the benedryl and benedryl cream within 20 seconds of the stings and the issues are stopping. Sat at the ER with symptoms diminishing. After an hour it all stopped except a sore stomach- blamed that on anxiety- checked myself out and went home (very very bad decision)
9 hours later, noticed the ache in my stomach never subsided and was getting worse, almost like a dull ache with slow cramps. I have not eaten and had no appetite since the wasp stings. Just thought I was hungry. The jittery anxious feeling came back, the uneasy something is wrong feeling came back and realized my mouth had been turning to a cotton mouth feel and swallowing felt like swallowing with a sore throat but no pain. It felt like both my tonsils were pebbles. It was a second reaction. Was driven to emergency and my skin started feeling itchy but then stopped getting worse and it was not escalating it was hanging steady so they watched me 3 hours. The earlier benedryl masked but did not stop the reaction. I sat there in a slow burn of confusion, brain fog, cotton mouth, odd feeling swallowing and suddenly , out of the blue, all symptoms left. I was in uncomfortable in my body for 12 hours with varying degrees of discomfort.
Doctor told me: first sign of cotton mouth should have been epi pen and should have shown up at ER after taking the first dose. -cotton mouth leads to airways closure and the cotton mouth was not until 9 hours later but it came on slow
Whole body reaction meets criteria for anaphylaxis (cotton mouth, lips, panic and dizziness, stomach) but if you took these separately they would be a concern of 2/10 each but together is going to overwhelm your body. Doctor said now you know with the flood of sensations with the sting you need to take an epi pen. The cotton mouth feeling is a clue to take the epi pen. The next reaction might be much faster.
I had no facial swelling, hives, wheezing or severe breathing issues and didn’t think to take this seriously and was in denial and I could have gotten much worse. That was my first sting and the doctor said if it happens again I need two epi pens ready.