Personal stories about immunotherapy for insect stings

These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.

Rudy, age 26: I have had previous systemic reactions to insect stings, although none were life-threatening. I work in the landscaping and grounds maintenance industry, so I am outdoors almost every day mowing lawns, trimming hedges, tending flowerbeds, and similar activities that really put me at risk of getting stung. I carry an allergy kit to my work sites, but I wanted to do something to reduce my sensitivity to stings and cut the risk that I might have a really bad reaction. So I've decided to have immunotherapy.

Max, age 57: I have what must be a mild allergy to bee stings. I've been stung three or four times over the past decade, and I always swell up quite a bit—my whole arm or leg or wherever the sting is—and break out in hives around the sting, too. But it never gets any worse than that. For me, allergy shots would just be too much bother and expense for something that only happens once in a great while, and my doctor tells me it's not really necessary. My doctor and I make sure I have an up-to-date allergy kit just in case, but I've never had to use it.

Maureen, age 37: Our daughter was 14 years old when she had a pretty severe reaction to a yellow jacket sting. She had swelling over most of her body and a bad outbreak of hives. She was very frightened. After talking it over with our doctor and an allergist, we decided to have her take allergy shots. They told us her risk of having another similar reaction was fairly high, and we felt it was worth the cost and the bother of having the allergy shots to reduce the risk. We also make sure she keeps her allergy kit close by.

Kimberly, age 24: Our 7-year-old boy was stung on the shoulder by a hornet at a family picnic. He was uncomfortable with a patch of hives across his back, but he got over it without anything worse. After talking things over with our pediatrician, we decided allergy shots wouldn't be needed: The chances he'll have another reaction like that are pretty low. But we do keep an allergy kit at home and with the nurse at school.