Incompatibility
Between Bee Venom andNSAID Medications
Dick Johnson, AAS Member
At our latest South Eastern Beekeepers meeting in Middletown, NY, our club president
Mike Krizek reported a personal experience with an allergic reaction to the combination of
bee stings and NSAID drugs. He was so worried at the time that he was afraid that he would
have to give up beekeeping.
On my way to the meeting I visited Bobby Genn, who has been treating his psoriatic
arthritis with bees for five years, and is symptom free as long as he continues to sting.
He is an exemplary role model for the treatment of arthritis with BVT, and was recognized
at the AAS Annual Conference in 1994.
About two years ago he injured his back, and had NSAID’s prescribed. After checking
with a physician who told him it was acceptable to take the medication together with bee
stings, he proceeded to take them. Although the back pain was somewhat relieved, which
enabled him to work, his painful arthritis returned. It was as if the regular bee stings
weren’t working any more. After he stopped taking the NSAID’s, he reported that
it took about six months of stinging before his arthritis
symptoms returned to the baseline level he had achieved through BVT, before taking the
medication.
It is likely that further examination of the various BVT “side effects”
may also reveal similar underlying drug interactions |