Feel free to laugh..poison ivy first time ever. Help!

[Dargo]

I've never gotten poison oak, poison ivy poison anything. My skin has been like leather and nothing has ever bothered it. Now I've done it!! Clearing debris from an F1 tornado we had almost a month ago I got into a bunch of vines yesterday and today I need to be in a straight jacket! I had on shorts and a T shirt. My legs and arms are itching so bad it's driving me nuts....I mean more nuts than I already am. Any remedies known? I've used 2 tubes of hydrocortosone and it does nothing at all.

Dang it! I can't stop scratching long enough to type this even though I'm trying my best to not scratch. I took Benedryl (sp?) last night and it knocked me out but my wife said I was scratching like crazy in my sleep. Now for the really bad part..., I seem to have spread it to some really bad places in my sleep! Help! Please!!

 

[Redbug]

We need pics. Welllllll, if it's there...oh never mind...

 

[TigerfaninAR]

I've had the stuff more times than I can count. Best stuff I've used is Zanfel. It's about $30 for a small tube at walmart but well worth it. Ivy Dry has helped some but nothing like Zanfel. Good luck, it sucks.

 

[g0rd0]

calimine lotion, ask your pharmisist cause for sure I spelt it wrong. Wrap your hands up in mitts before bed and ride it out

 

[hosspuller]

Get yourself to a doctor. There are several things that are more effective than the OTC steroid you've used. Stuff like Betamethasone Dipropionate :thumbsup: This stuff is great for itching. But... it's prescription only

Disclosure: I'm not a doctor nor play one on TV. Just a thin skinned farmer.

 

[oldnslo]

Not sure if still available but there used to be Oat Meal soap that worked well for me as a kid. Other wise Calamine lotion helps some. Used to be able to get a presciption lotion that was purple in color. It worked well on sensitive areas like face, arm pits, nether regions, etc. Word of caution if your skin is like mine, try not to get any gasoline in the open sores, it hurts like crazy and leaves some scars for a few months.

Roy

 

[Zxyrthe]

My sympathies on the tornado and the poison ivy. As for the itch, you can pray for death but it won't come. Really hot showers offer temporary relief. I find Benadryl gel works ok too. It may not seem like it now but you'll overcome.

On a personal note, I pulled what I thought was a dead English Ivy vine off an oak tree here. It was winter so there were no "leaves of three". After which I must've put my hands on d@mn near every square inch of myself.

I prayed for death but the punishment for my carelessness was that I had to keep on living with the itch.

Good luck.

 

[Zxyrthe]

One more thing - as for spreading, it's the oil in the plant, Urushiol, that you're reacting to. The rash itself won't spread but tiny amounts of Urushiol seem to get everywhere and it lasts forever. Remove it as you would sap. Cut it with alcohol: your clothes, tools, boots, whatever touched it. I've actually been exposed to poison ivy and almost immediately wiped the area clean with rubbing alcohol, soap and water and escaped the rash.

 

[om21braz]

I feel your pain. A visit to the doctor will certainly help your condition - especially if it is spreading and he will give you a shot & pills versus just pills. At least your first incident was not burning vines/plants - then you'd really have a problem.

 

[srossman]

I've had the stuff more times than I can count. Best stuff I've used is Zanfel. It's about $30 for a small tube at walmart but well worth it. Ivy Dry has helped some but nothing like Zanfel. Good luck, it sucks.

If you're not going to the dr, I would second the zanfel route. I've had poison ivy about three times this year and it does help. I feel your pain.