When my then 8-year-old son was stung on his foot by a honeybee, his reaction became a frightening and macabre distortion of his otherwise cherubic face. His lips looked as though they might split from the swelling, and his eyes were sunken behind swollen skin.
It was clearly an anaphylactic reaction — quite a serious matter.
Bee Venom: Think Ledum
At the time, we lived in the country and had a considerable medicine cabinet stocked with the most important homeopathics. So, I was thankful I had the homeopathic remedy Ledum palustre 200C. As with our other Practical Protocols, Ledum is pathology-specific. That is, it will work most of the time for most people suffering from bee venom.
In this case, Ledum worked just as it should. Within minutes of taking Ledum, our son’s shoulders relaxed, his lips lost some of their swelling, and he fell asleep in his father’s arms.
When he awoke 10 minutes later, I repeated the dosage and continued in the same manner every quarter hour over a period of five or so hours. (A necessary note: The reason I administered the remedy every 15 minutes was because of the life-threatening nature of his anaphylactic pathology. Lesser illnesses require less frequent dosing.)
By the next morning, his face was still swollen but not to the same degree, and he played normally.
Not more than a month later, this same inquisitive son was subsequently stung on his hand by another honeybee. Once again, we swung into action. This time, only his hand swelled, albeit quite large. But at least the reaction wasn’t as systemic as the last.
I’m almost embarrassed to report that he once again got into some honeybees at the end of the summer. This time, the sting was on his upper arm.
When we administered Ledum 200C again, it merely acted to remove the pain. That’s because there was barely a reaction at all. His body had learned how to adjust to the toxin and was able to address it more appropriately.
Fast forward: Bee venom strikes again.
I suppose my son will think turnabout is fair play. Here I was, decades later, writing about his childhood bee stings, when I had my own brush with a bee just days before attending his wedding!
As I walked on the beach near our home in Florida, I apparently stepped on a bee who vigorously discouraged me from stepping there. Ouch! I walked into the saltwater of the Atlantic, and after about 15 minutes of standing in the healing waters of the ocean, the pain went away.
By the time I got home, I, frankly, stopped thinking about the sting and didn’t even think to take Ledum.
Then, around midnight that night, I was hit — and hit hard — with chills, fever and pain everywhere … my joints, muscles, everywhere. Yet, I still didn’t connect it with the bee sting. I assumed I had eaten something off.
I utilized the appropriate homeopathic medications based on my symptoms, not the etiology: Rhus tox, Arnica and Hypericum. The pain in my joints and muscles melted away within about 20 minutes, and I fell asleep. (This is precisely the indication we watch for as we employ homeopathy.) When I awoke in a few hours, I was exhausted, but the pain, fever and chills were gone. Now, for the fatigue that I was left with, I took Gelsemium.
The next morning, it finally dawned on me. Could my condition overnight have been a result of the bee sting? Indeed, after doing a bit of reading, I discovered my symptoms fell directly in line with known adverse reactions to the venom of a bee sting in some people. Indeed, the subsequent swelling up around my ankle and even the nearby toe joint were indicators that the bee sting was more than I had bargained for.
A couple of days later, my ankle was still swollen and quite itchy. I reached for Ledum 200C as an antidote. One dose, and I was fine. Granted, my new wedding shoe was a bit tight due to the swelling, but I managed to carry on with the festivities, giving little or no thought to that darn bee.
In Practical Homeopathy®, we utilize symptoms.
This experience serves as a tidy lesson in homeopathy. Even though I had forgotten the bee sting (or just didn’t make its connection with my late-night fever and pain), I chose to treat my symptoms as they presented. In other words, instead of treating a bee sting, I used my presenting symptoms and homeopathy worked!
Later, when I realized the bee sting was behind my swelling and itching, the appropriate medicine for the cause of my condition — Ledum 200 — polished off the last of the discomforts.
Symptoms are gifts. When our memory lacks the etiology of an injury or illness, the symptoms can guide us in choosing the proper medicine(s). If we uncover a cause later, we can always revert to the associated protocol at that time … if needed.
Isn’t homeopathy grand? Pass on the good news.
Warmly,
P.S. Remember, Ledum has many other applications as well, so be sure to check out my other free blogs, such as Summertime and the Ledum Is Easy.
However, if toxins are of particular concern to you and your family, consider my course, Rethinking Detox with Practical Homeopathy®: How to Stop Stressing About Toxins and Fearlessly Achieve Health the Simple Way.
Have you watched my Monday Night Live events (through Joette’s Mighty Members site or on our simulcast network through the Joette Calabrese Facebook page, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Rumble and Instagram)? If not, you may have missed when I covered the topic of anaphylaxis and bee stings (as well as allergic reactions to food).
While you’re there, take a gander at my entire YouTube channel, where you’ll find all manner of topics archived to watch at your convenience — for free.
P.P.S. About 10 homeopathic medicines can be considered for bee stings. The two most prominent ones to consider are Ledum and Apis.
Look in the clinical section in your repertory under “bites; insect,” and you can see the list of other medicines, determined by symptoms and reactions, after the first choice is made.
Hi Joette!
Thanks for the useful information! When you took the Rhus Tox, Arnica and Hypericum how many minutes apart did u take them? ( I am assuming they weren’t mixed)
Within a few minutes or so.
This is helpful. Thank you!
Would it be a similar remedy for a scorpion? That’s even more of an issue here in Arizona.
I urge you to own Robin Murphy’s Repertory and look in the clinical section under “bites; scorpion,”. Indeed the medicine choices are different.
This is the repertory from which I teach in my Academy.
I was trying to see if you had anything for aortic heart valve stenosis? Could not find anything. Thanks.
I teach more in-depth conditions in my Academy.
Wondering if this works for all stinging insects? I know folks highly allergic to wasp family, but honeybee stings have little to no effect.
yes.
Look in the clinical section in your repertory under “bites; insect,” and you can see the list of other medicines determined by symptoms and reactions after the 1st choice is made.
I thought Apis was for bee stings. I was painfully stung by a bubblebee, went for my Apis 30 immediately. Within 10-15 minutes the pain as gone and I had no further reactions. Are the two remedies interchangeable?
Thank you!
About 10 homeopathic medicines can be considered for insect bites. The two most prominent ones to consider are Ledum and Apis.
Look in the clinical section in your repertory under “bites; insect,” and you can see the list of other medicines determined by symptoms and reactions after the 1st choice is made.
Joette God bless you for your love for humanity and your love to share your expertise in homeopathy with us .Indeed, you are a good teacher and you’ve made homeopathy simple
I have a serious problem with wasps and bees. For wasps I discovered that Apis works amazingly well. The sooner I take it the less reaction I have.
One year I had 2 wasp stings and 2 bee stings. Apis definitely doesn’t work with bee venom. My hand swelled so much the skin on my fingers was bursting.
Fast forward after a few years with no stings, I was stung by a wasp last summer and took Apis 30, but I guess it wasn’t high enough.. my chest constricted, my head felt fuzzy, swollen ears , tachycardia, so I went to the health centre where they stuffed me with cortisone inhaler, antihistamine injection . So I guess I needed a 200 dose and repeat. I will now have ledum on me as well for bee stings. Do I try ledum for wasp as well?
I’m surprised really because the year I had 2 bee stings I went to the academy of classical homeopathy on Alonnisos ( where I live) and George Vithoulkas didn’t suggest ledum.
Thank you for all your information!
Pls. read the post ahead of yours regarding Carbolic acid.
Love these posts Joette
Carbolic acid may be another option also.
Carbolic acid may be another option also.
It’s been years ago, when we were on a campingsite in Germany. There were many wasps around and one of our dogs got stung by a wasp, on the outside of her snout. It swelled up enormously and she tried to remove the pain with het paw, Without success, I can tell you. Luckily I had my bottle of Apis at hand, so I administered only one dose (in a D30) and it worked wonders. My dog fell asleep for a while and when she woke up, the swelling was gone and so was the pain. She was just her playfull self>
I have seen many miracles wirth dogs and homeopathy, so I let no one tell me homeopathy only works fors those who believe!
Kent in his Lectures recommends Carbolic Acid for bee stings.
yes!
Is Ledum 200C safe for children between the ages of 3 and 5? Thank you.
As long as homeopathy is used intelligently, it’s safe for babies, children, teens, pregnant women, middle-aged men, the aged, dogs, camels, chickens, cows, etc.