Poison Ivy

dodge man · Mar 27, 2021

I consider myself an expert at poison ivy, mainly because I’ve had it so many times, maybe as much as 30 times. I was cutting firewood and there was a vine on the tree, the kind about as big around as a finger and I knew this was poison ivy. So I worked on two trees like this at two different times. A friend was working with me that is immune to it, he took the vines off but I knew I was exposed to it. I washed afterwards with the Technu Ivy Extreme Wash. I got a very minor case, not bad at all. Then a couple of weeks later I split some of this wood and then it got me. This wood had sat outside for a couple of weeks bucked up and had been rained on 3 times.

So a couple of thought/questions. The bad case I got is on my back and side, one area about the size of your hand or bigger. How the heck did I get it there? The doctor was worried it might be shingles but there is no pain and I’m almost sure it’s poison ivy. Second question, anybody have a miracle cure? They don’t want to give me prednisone because of the side affects and I’ve used it several times over the years. I do have a prescription strength ointment that helps some. I have tried about everything. The hot shower helps but only for awhile.

2LaneCruzer · Mar 27, 2021

My Dad was very allergic to poison ivy; all he had to do was get close to it to have a reaction. This was in the early 50's, and they gave him a vaccine that cured him 100%. Now I heard that they don't give it any more, why, I don't know, but I heard that it only worked for a few people. Might be something to check out.

ning · Mar 27, 2021

I can't speak to poison ivy, but I used to be very sensitive to poison oak (same irritant uroshiol), like I'd look at a plant and get a rash over 50% of my body.

My experience is that you can get a very small amount on you and get a rash, like from your dog's fur, and the level of reaction you have is related to the amount of exposure - at first. Once the reaction sets in, though, an autoimmune response can occur which is more like a feedback loop, it gets worse and worse.

Break the inflammation with at least 72hr of benadryl (oral) and your body will start to calm down about it all.

FWIW, my reading indicates that you get more reactive as you get older, but I'm no longer particularly sensitive - I'll pull the stuff and wade through it in a tshirt and barely get a reaction any more (part of why my land has almost none of it any more - pull it out because it spreads via a barely sub-surface root network and is easy to pull once and be done).

It's possible that using lots of highlands homeopathic poison oak remedy helped me, but I personally have little faith in the concept in general (homeopathy) but when I started using it my poison oak was so bad I'd try anything, and here we are.

Steppenwolfe · Mar 27, 2021

It is called a systemic reaction, it gets in your bloodstream. I've had poison ivy so bad I was covered head to toe; it was in my eyes as well. Doc gave me a few shots over a few days to knock it out. I had it so bad on my forearms once I rubbed the blisters open under hot water and then poured chlorox over them to dry them out; a friends mom told me that one. It worked too....

dodge man · Mar 27, 2021

They used to give you a prednisone shot a few times during the summer. Then they learned of the long term side affects of them and only give it to you if you get poison ivy.

dodge man · Mar 27, 2021

The place I got it badly this time I had a very minor case and I had two spots on my side, about like a mosquito bite, then bam I got a bad outbreak in the same area. I don’t know if I had it on my hands later or my gloves and was scratching that area or what.

Captain Dirty · Mar 27, 2021

As you have discovered the irritant, Urushiol, is very persistent, and sensitivity generally increases over time. I have used a product called "Zanfel" with some success. Two "Young folk" remedies from my youth: Spend a day (several hours) in a chlorinated swimming pool. Fill a saucer with salt, soak a cotton ball (or several) in Calamine Lotion, dip the cotton ball in the salt, and scratch. (Perhaps the pain was a distraction.)

Xfaxman · Mar 27, 2021

dodge man said:
I consider myself an expert at poison ivy, mainly because I’ve had it so many times,--------------------------
So a couple of thought/questions. The bad case I got is on my back and side, one area about the size of your hand or bigger. How the heck did I get it there? The doctor was worried it might be shingles but there is no pain and I’m almost sure it’s poison ivy. ------------

I had shingles on my right side and didn't know it until I saw it in the mirror.
Absolutely no pain or itching at all. Still have the scar on the right arm at the shoulder.

I get mild cases of poison ivy, so I know what that is like.

dodge man · Mar 27, 2021

I will have to try the Zanfel. It seems like once I start to break out it’s to late to do anything. I suspect this area I got it was hard to reach for me so it didn’t get washed as well early with the Technu.

The doctor and I had a fairly long talk about the possibility of shingles. I’m pretty sure it’s poison ivy but not positive.