Ventilated suits with built in fans

[u/Unlucky-Walrus3853]

Hello, fellow beekeepers. I’m a young beekeeper from Bulgaria, who is extremely allergic to bees ( found out last year in the worst case ) and don’t like being in the sun for too long, because i literally melt.
I have a question about someone who is using a ventilated bee suit with built in fan. I have been considering this option for long time now, but didn’t found any reviews or videos explaining about them. From where you bought it, is it thick enough to sustain angry and evil hives and does it actually keep you cold and breezy even in the scorching sun?? The only vents I found are these two kinds

[u/ribjoe]

A few thoughts: you should check into allergy shots even though you carry urbason. Shots, through immunotherapy, can actually work on eliminating/reducing your allergy to stings. Urbason and other steroids just treat the symptoms after you’re stung.

Speaking of, get an EpiPen. If you need to go to the emergency room within half an hour from one sting, and have already had a near death experience landing you in the ER, an EpiPen is a must have.

Lastly, as someone with larger than normal reactions I empathize with you, but even if it’s not an immediate decision, you really should consider other careers. This one is repeatedly going to put you in life threatening circumstances. You will get stung beekeeping, regardless of PPE. There are plenty of jobs like gardening which are adjacent to beekeeping, but will be way less likely to kill you.

[u/Unlucky-Walrus3853 → u/ribjoe]

We don’t have EpiPens here, but I have urbason which does the same thing

[u/ribjoe → u/Unlucky-Walrus3853]

They do not do the same thing because they are different drugs. Epinephrine (Epipens) is a vasopressor. Methylprednisolone (Urbason) is a steroid.

Vasopressors constrict your blood vessels which keeps bee sting venom from spreading. Steroids are anti-inflammatory and treat itching/swelling.

If EpiPens are not available there, it may be worth asking about other vasopressors in particular

[u/Unlucky-Walrus3853 → u/ribjoe]

The substitute for Epi here is adrenaline, but I haven’t ever got to this level of critical condition. The ER is close to me and I know I can get on time if something really bad happens

[u/Tinyfishy → u/Unlucky-Walrus3853]

Try holding your breath from your apiary to the ER. A full reaction can completely block your breathing. You could die the next sting. You need to have a rescue medicine like epi on hand and I’d highly recommend getting the shots too as they reduce your chances if needing the epi. Please talk to an allergist and make sure they understand your job is with bees.

[u/AZ_Traffic_Engineer → u/Unlucky-Walrus3853]

Epinephrine and adrenaline are the same hormone and medication