poison ivy

[s1120]

I tryed the hydrocortisone cream but the PI just keep iching. I am trying not to itch, but you know how it is. I did pick up some techu today, and things are feeling a LITTLE better. Also got some stuff that is from the same Co. a clear gell, and that helped. Looks like I just have a few more days to go./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[gws]

find a neighbor with llamas. They love it. My 2 boys ate a 100ft fence covered in the stuff in just a few days.

 

[s1120]

llamas huh? Well, I never thought of that./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[gws]

poison ivy is like candy to llama's.

 

[rmorgan]

FWIW, Paul, here's a link to Zanfel's website directory of pharmacies which carry the product. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www2.zanfel.com/ep/pharmacy.html>Zanfel map</A>

 

[Frank_Mulligan]

I had PI pretty bad a couple of years ago. After several weeks of suffering, using calamine lotion with no results, I tried a product called Iverest. The rashes were gone in a few days. I highly recommend it. Might not be as good as some of the other products mentioned, but I never tried those so I can't compare.

Remember also, you don't have to touch it to get it. The spores in the air can just blow on you.

 

[butzkeg]

I had a bad case of pi last year, and did some research on it. I found that the oil from the plants is what causes the rash. Like someone else stated, if you have touched it, wash very well with soap and water to remove as much of the oil as possible.

Once the excess oil has been removed, itching the rash WILL NOT SPREAD THE RASH. I found this to be true. At least once a day, I'd itch the spot's raw for relief, and it never, ever spread.

It took almost 3 months to completly clear up, and 10-14 days for the initial contraction to subside. This was with the Prednisone prescription too.

 

[CVHoss]

James,
You've received some good advice here. I've had good success using the "woody plant" version of Roundup. As others have said, I'm not sure you can ever completely eradicate it because of the constant intrusion of new seed sources.

On a different note, I'd like to try and dispel an "old wives' tale" that has cropped up again. The reaction to poison ivy is from the oil in the plant. Once this oil has been removed from your person/clothing, it CAN NOT be spread by scratching or the fluid in the blisters. If anyone thinks it can spread from the blisters, I suggest you check any of the following links:

http://www.drgreene.com/21_611.html
http://www.sawyerproducts.com/Bites_Stings/poison.htm
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/fastfacts.html

Others have also mentioned a Poison Ivy Extract pill. I found them available at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.homeopathyworks.com/poisonivy.htm>this location</A>. Be forewarned though, that I also found other references that there may be a problem with side effects from some of these types of pills, so use this information at your own risk.

Hoss

 

[Rockyroad]

I agree with the guy who was talking about Ivy Dry. You can still find it in some drugstores. I got a good case of poison ivy this spring. The oil got into my watch band (woven nylon) and really infected my wrist and hand before I know what was going on. My left hand and lower arm was all swollen up from it. I found a bottle of Ivy Dry at the local drugstore, and that dried it up in a couple of days.

The other thing that works is Octagon soap. If I have been exposed to poison ivy, I wash my hands and arms with Octogon soap three times to get the oil off. People here in New England swear by it. The problem is that Octogon soap (or Fels Naptha) is getting harder and harder to find. A local store has agreed to stock it, and it flies off the shelves whenever a shipment comes in.

I have been using the heavy duty Roundup to kill it on my property the last few years. I used to use 2-4-D, but I can't seem to find that here in Rhode Island any more.

A lot of people don't realize that over many years, poison ivy can grow into a sizeable bush that sends runners out for a very long distance. In the late 1970's I had poison ivy growing on a stone wall across the street from my house. A friend gave me some heavy duty herbacide that I sprayed (he said it was the same as Agent Orange), and the poison ivy died after turning colors like leaves do in the fall of the year. The herbacide spread thru the root system, and a couple of weeks after that I saw this bush about 20 feet in the woods turning colors. I went into the woods to look at it and found it was a big bush of poison ivy with"limbs" 2 to 3 inches in diameter! After that bush died, that patch of ivy never came back. I told some of the "old timers" about the bush, and they said that they had observed such poison ivy bushes before. They said it takes many years for poison ivy to grow into a bush that big.

 

[DocHeb]

You're right, your skin is affected only on the areas that the oil touches. The difficulty arises when the oil is on other objects, and you touch those objects and re-contaminate your skin. Leather really soaks it up (i.e. workboots, gloves, belt), as do clothing and tools. I've seen cases in the middle of winter because the woodpile has the remains of ivy vines that get you when you stoke the fire. Shredded hardwood bark used as mulch is usually heavily contaminated with ivy vines. It can even get on pets and then transfer to your hands. Soap and water will decontaminate all these items (but may not be practical on mulch or firewood!) Washing well after exposure can really decrease your risk, and cleaning all contaminated objects will decrease delayed exposures. Also, the speed at which the rash develops is dependent on how thick your skin is - that's why it is rarely seen on the palms, and a single exposure can give rashes that pop up over several days (causing the notion that it's spreading).

 

[beenthere]

Thanks to Butzkeg, CVhoss and Doc for mentioning that the blisters being scratched will not spread the poison ivy. I too heard that for years, but experimented many times when I had it and it did not happen. Also have read that too. What I think brings this idea about is that the oil is several places, and 'matures' at different rates, or is on the clothing and infects new areas. When these new areas pop up, it seems that they may have come from itching the older blisters.

I make it a habit when I work in poison ivy to wash good with soap withing two hours of being exposed, wash the clothes, and always wash my hands after tying my boot strings in the morning. Same with the firewood. Knock on wood, but for over twenty years, I have worked in and around poison ivy, and not had a reaction to it. Before that time, it was bad at times. I lost all resistance to it when I did a lot of burning on the property, and assumed I caught it from the smoke. But who knows for sure. (Doc mentioned not getting it through the palms, which reminded me of a time when I got into poison sumac without realizing it, aa I spent a lot of time clearing out a deer bow stand by breaking the stuff with my hands. Then I proceeded to apply camo makeup to my face and arms - what a miserable experience that was. It didn't blister like poison ivy, but it had small blisters that were under the skin and itched like $%#& - and real bad in my palms)

I used to be able to get a product called Neoxyn, by Rorer, Inc. I still have a bit in a bottle, but cannot buy (find) it anymore. It worked great! Contents were Acetanilid 0.017%, Acetic acid, Benzethonium Chloride, Hydrogen Peroxide, Propylparahydroxybenzoate.

 

[Inspector507]

Mama used to wipe us down with Clorox.......burns like heck but seems to wash it away if you get it soon enough. After the fact it seems to dry it up.........or burn it out.

 

[Ken_NC]

Applying alcohol within 10-15 minutes after exposure will break down the oils before your body reacts. Alcohol wipes are handy to have in the woods.
Since the bumps are caused by the body's reaction to the oils (i.e. an allergic reaction), it is possible to have bumps where there has been no contact. It's true that you can contact the oil on towels, washcloths, etc. that you've used; but I suspect in a lot of cases the bumps that are in a location other than the contact location are simply an allergic reaction. This often happens to me...I contact it near my hand, and I develop bumps in that location first the next day. Then, a day or so later, I will start developing bumps going up my arm. I believe that is a continuation of the allergic reaction in a non-contact area.

 

[chim]

The darn plants are awfully resilient. The (manly strength) 41% jug of Roundup mixed a little on the strong side is pretty effective. The first few years we lived here I had the plants reemerge several times after I thought it had been killed by Poison Ivy Killer. I think it was a Scotts product. It seems to stay dead after a dose or two of the Roundup...............chim

 

[Boone]

Well I have a little bottle of Fluocinonide 0.05% from the doc, works to reduce the inflamation and itching. Used to get a anti-imflamatory steroid shot but the doc had to stop that when I got a big bald spot upside my head.

As I have a nasty case of it now I've been thinking about poison ivy today, and quite a bit more than I'd like.

If I go around and try to kill it all, which would be a huge job on 30 acres of mostly woods, I think I would still get it even if I didn't touch it directly again. I'm sure one of my critters would be nice enough to bring some up to me by the way of oil on the fur, or I'd pick up a horse hoof and get some on my hand.

Boone
one more week and round two for this summer should be over.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

(not very) INTERESTING FACT - humans are the only animals bothered by poisin ivy - go figure.

Another warning - Saw someone comment on the weed trimmer - be sure you are well covered, and don't let the clippings get on your skin. (personal experience - didn't tuck pants into socks - itched for a long time). Then, DO NOT WASH THE CLOTHES IN THE WASHER - the oils CAN spread, making you VERY unpopular (again, personal experience, no explanation).

 

[s1120]

Yup, thats how I got it. The weed wacker. Good news. After a little over a week, its getting better. Still a little ichey, but getting there.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Just recalled the "cure" that we swore by way back when...

Spend a day at the ocean - in and out of the salt water and sun. Drink plenty of "fluids" (optional to the cure). Focus on the "scenery" (helps stop the itch until the salt and sun work).

Seemed to dry out the itchy patches, and kept it from spreading.

 

[Richard]

My mother is a nurse and as child, admonished me for scratching at my poison ivy as it would spread.

That never made sense to me. I asked her once, how MY BODY produces the fluid inside the blister that was "spreading" by scratching it, yet...if left unscratched and the fluid was already INSIDE my body, I had no reaction to it.

I got a look. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

None the less, my understanding & belief is that when one comes into contact with poison ivy, one gets various degrees of exposure. Some take longer to appear than stronger doses, and as such, may give look of "spreading".

I have never, and continue to not belive that AFTER all "exposure areas" are cleaned of the poison ivy oil, that by scratching alone, you can spread it.

I once (recently) had a NASTY bout of it on my forearm..blisters on TOP of blisters... In Walmart once, I accidently banged same forearm on something and looked like I popped a hydraulic line... the blisters popped and spread all over my arm... I did NOT get a BIT of NEW poison ivy from this. I had FAR more exposure to this "fluid" than ANY plant I could have come in contact with AND was unable to get home to clean it up for maybe an hour or so.

Anyway, not to argue, not to incite... I think that the spreading of PI is somewhat a wives tale told for maybe good reason...(prevent scarring?) I just believe my OWN eyes and experience.

Some reading, surely to bore someone!! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://poisonivy.aesir.com/faq.html>http://poisonivy.aesir.com/faq.html</A>


An exerpt:

Can I spread it by Scratching?
"Rhus plants(poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac) are the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis in the US. Rhus plans contain the potent antigen urushiol, which will sensitize 60% to 80% of the persons who are exposed to it. ...(It) may be carried on the fur of pets, clothing, shoes, toys, tools, or other objects and then transferred to the skin. Approximately 24 to 36 hrs after a sensitized person is exposed to the urushiol, a blistery, itching rash develops. Usually within 15 minutes of contact, the urushiol binds to skin proteins. If it is washed off with soap and water before that time, a reaction may be prevented. After the antigen is fixed, however, it cannot be washed off or transferred to other areas. Scratching or oozing blister fluid cannot spread the antigen to other areas of the body or to other persons. New lesions that appear a few days after the primary lesions represent less sensitive areas or areas where less antigen was deposited, not spreading of the antigen. Because the course of the reaction usually is 12 to 15 days, 2 weeks of medication should be prescribed. Reference [Dermatology in Primary Care 1994]

Once bound to cell membranes, urushiol is virtually impossible to wash off and attached to cell membranes becomes a "warning flag" that attracts patrolling T-cells and initiates a full-blown immune response. Reference [Herbalgram (American Botanical Council) Volume 34: 36-42, 1995 by W.P. Armstrong and W.L. Epstein, M.D.]

Bold highlight added by me.

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>admonished me for scratching at my poison ivy as it would spread</font color=blue>

Weren't we all told that?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I certainly have no personal scientific knowledge, but I agree with the theory that it ain't the scratchin' that spreads it./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

And you just ain't had a good dose of poison ivy until you get a little piece of bark or other debris in your eye and wipe it out with your finger right after handling the poison ivy vines./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif