Have you been stung by a wasp while on Warfarin?
10 August 2016 -
The recent prolonged spell of warm weather and sunshine we have been experiencing in the UK has been wonderful. However, there have been an awful lot of wasps around for the time of year and last week I got stung!
This is the first time I have been stung by a wasp while on Warfarin. I wondered if the sting would cause any interaction with my warfarin therapy. Would I react more severely to the venom than if I was not on Warfarin?
I did some research online but was not able to find a great deal of information about being stung by a wasp while on Warfarin. Not much about bee stings either. Advice for treatment, to relieve the pain and swelling sometimes caused by a sting, was generally to take some antihistamine and/or some pain relievers. I can find no recorded evidence of any interaction between antihistamine and warfarin. However, as with any medication, it is best to be vigilant about any changes that may take place. When taking pain relievers, the usual advice applies. If they contain aspirin, paracetamol or ibuprofen, care should be taken as these have been shown to interact with Warfarin and may put you at higher risk of bleeding.
There doesn’t seem to be any recorded evidence that the symptoms resulting from being stung by a wasp while on Warfarin are any different, or more severe, than for people who don’t take Warfarin. However, people have indicated on a number of forums that the pain resulting from a sting has been worse since they have been taking Warfarin. There have also been reports of other symptoms being intensified and INR being affected.
I didn't feel any difference to when I was stung before being on Warfarin. I didn’t suffer any greater pain or distress. Neither did I notice a change in my INR as a result of the sting.
What about you?
It would be interesting to hear from anyone else who has been stung by a wasp while on Warfarin.
Did it feel more painful?
Did you suffer any other reaction to the sting that you have not experienced before being on Warfarin?
Was your INR affected?
What about other types of sting?
It would be great to have your comments and stories on this topic. It would help build up a picture of whether Warfarin patients should be more concerned than normal about the effects of a sting.
Ok so I just got stung by a yellow jacket while on warfarin and it hurts a LOT! It’s like I keep getting stung over n over and it’s been 2 days. I have been itching like crazy and I have a 3 x2 oval water pocket or something in the general area of the sting. I think maybe I should go get it checked out
I just had a wasp sting on my right arm about in middle of the lower arm. And I am taking blood thinners . My arm begun to swell ,itch alot , with redness and fever . It was a small patch of redness at first then it began to spread from my elbow to my risk. I began taking Benadryl day one and follow with apple cider vinegar pound over my arm. Towel dryer arm then applied Benadryl topical cream by day four my fever broke and my swelling and itching had stopped with a small patch of redness. oh and I took Tylenol each day . I am now careful to stay out of the wasp ‘s space.
Day five most of redness is going away . I feel much better .
I know how you feel Linder. I just got stung the other day by a horse fly or Cleg as they are known here in Scotland. My arm became swollen so badly my daughter thought I was going to look like Popeye!
I take Piriton in the summers for Hay Fever so I had the antihistamine covered. I then put some vinegar on and its much calmer on day 4.
Am putting wasps and Cleg’s on the same level of ‘nasties’. Although I don’t think I was any worse for being on warfarin.
I was stung by a wasp just about 24 hours a few inches above my ankle. I have been on Coumadin for 16 months now. My foot is swollen and this skin is very itchy. I have been stung by wasps in the past but never had this type of painful swelling.
Was stung by a wasp yesterday. I am taking Eliquis. Have NEVER had a reaction like this before. My whole right hand is completely swollen. Red and itchy. In fact I have woken up several times to scratch it. Took Benadryl and put a steroidal cream on it last night. Iced it within 20-30 minutes. Can’t make a fist, because it is so swollen. Will try the apple cider vinegar on it now. And ice and more Benadryl.
I’m on eloquis blood thinner and I was stung on each lower leg, and I’m here to tell you that it probably does make the sting much worse, this starts day number two and I’m surprised that I’m still in a lot of pain and had a very uncomfortable night. The tenderness redness and swelling do not allow me to wear any shoes yet, and of course I can’t walk and I have a tendency to feel like I’m losing my balance. All my toes are swollen too, they look like ripe plums. You may use your imagination on the itching and re-stinging sensation, it’s near being unbearable, I’m not going to plan to spend anytime outside for the rest of this summer. Besides the miserable heat, you got these yellow jacket wasps that can become very aggressive and sting you for no reason.
I have been on Coumadin 41 years and have had wasp stings last year as well as this Sunday. The swelling and pain are difficult and I have been told anti-inflammatory pills like Motrin contraindicate my blood thinner. The first day of my current sting was very painful, the second day the area around the sting was very tender, swollen to a 5 inch diameter, red and producing heat. This third day it is 6 inches but not as tightly swollen so I think I am finally improving. Will take INR tomorrow.