Please help, stung by a wasp and its really red and swollen

[pepsi]

I got stung by nasty little wasp on my leg on Friday, it didnt hurt at the time but has become swollen and now right where the sting was it looks like a tiny blister, around that its now bright red and really angry looking, about the size of a satsuma, its swollen and the skin is really tight, around that its pink, in total the affected area is the size of a saucer, towards the end of yesterday and today it begins to hurt and I cant walk properly. Is this normal for wasps stings or should I see a doctor if its still like it tommorrow. Probably sound a right old baby but we are off on our hols next week and I dont want this to be a problem.

I got stung by a wasp last week and it was nothing like that. I would certainly see a doctor ASAP.

Have you tried taking an anti-histamine? If it doesn't clear up by tomorrow I would pay your GP a visit or go to A&E

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A friend of ours was bitten by something recently and had a similar reaction (not a wasp though and my own wasp sting hurt loads at the time - you definately sure it was a wasp?). Anyway, he ended up not being able to walk, so went to GP. Needed a course of anti-biotics. Advice being, wasp or not, defo see a Dr ASAP.

try anthisan (antihistamine cream)

ps - he had tried all the usual anti-histamines etc before going to GP - none had any effect.

Just called Redoc and the Doctor said what I describes is normal and that people under estimate wasp stings. It was definately a wasp......it was savagely murdered by my Mother. He said they leave nasty toxins and it obviously gave me a good dose and this target shape reaction is normal and that it may last a few weeks. He said if I would alergic I would have known in minutes of being stung and that if it was infected it would be constantly throbbing, itching and I would feel ill and have a temperature. Nevertheless I shall keep an eye on it and if its any bigger tommorrow I shall go and see my own GP. I HATE BLOODY WASPS

Hope it doesn't get any worse. Glad you found out rather than waiting until tomorrow! t sounded quite worrying to me.

You won't believe it I have a wasp flying round my house now!!!! Going off to kill it before it gets one of the kids!!

Glad you're reassured.Mine was v panful for a fortnight,though never got that big!

Use ice Pepsi. I have an adreni pen for wasps as I get anaphylactic shock when stung. the last time was on my arm which swelled to four times the size and went black.

Wrapping it in ice and towels really took the swelling down.

Is the area around the sting itchy? Does if feel as if there's lots of fluid under the skin?
Sure your doc's right but if you do get itching and liquid, it could be cellulitis, which needs to be treated with antibiotics. (Can happen as a reaction to bites, don't see any logical reason why it shouldn't equally happen in response to stings).
Just being careful!

Got no itching, just really swollen so the skin feels really tight. My Mum swells up when she gets bitten to and has bruise like marks, I guess its something I have inherited. Everyones advice here seems to be go to the docs so Im sure by tommorrow paranoia will have set it and I will go. Thanks everyone.

Use vinegar on a wasp sting. The acid in it helps to neutralise the alkalai in the sting. Then take anti-histamines to resuce the swelling.

whenever I'm bitten by anything I almost always get a swollen area the size of a saucer. it usually takes a week to go and i'm left with a bruise. I went to the a&e once because my foot swelled up so much but there was nothing they could do, they did tell me to elevate my leg as much as possible though.

pepsi, insectstings website has a picture of an extreme but normal reaction - HTH!

It mentions a 4" radius, ie 8" across, so normal is pretty big!

Saw something on BBC Breakfast this morning, a dr was talking about this - as hmb said, vinegar is very good for putting on immediately.

But she also said that after a wasp has stung you they send out a sort of chemical SOS to the other wasps that they are in trouble, and so you get even MORE wasps! Same goes for when you splat them!