Poison Ivy

[katqanna]

Funny, I just got back from a hike in the Gallatin National Forest, was bare legged wading through all the brush picking blueberries. I always wash my legs and arms when I get back with Burts Bees Poison Ivy Soap. I have used this for decades.

I have two children that when they get poison ivy, oak or virginia creeper it becomes systemic and their whole body is affected. The first time nothing else worked and we had to do the prednisone shots (prednisone deteriorates the bones). Then I found this soap. We tried everything, including technu and nothing worked like this. It has jewelweed in it which neutralizes the urishiol. I also have jewelweed tincture - Ivy Itch ReLeaf, which is in a small mist bottle. Those helped topically.

To help the internal, we used Yucca, which is a natural steroid that is an anti-inflammatory. Works on dogs for snake bites as well, or when you have over exerted yourself and the muscles ache.

Dont wash with hot water, that opens the pores and makes it worse, use cool water. You have my sympathies, hope it gets better.

 

[EasternMTHunter]

If you have a walk in clinic or same day care clinc a shot of solumedrol would stop it from getting worse and may start to reverse it and more than likely stop the itching. You can use Allegra 180 mg per day along with 40 mg of pepcid to help control the itching and help to decrease the spread. Some Benadryl at night will help you sleep and is acceptable to use with the Allegra and Pepcid. Assuming you're not allergic to any of these things.

 

[Recurve62]

I get a pretty good whack of it at least. once a year. I have found a product at Walmart called Zanfel, it's about $30.00 a tube but when I need it, I'd pay 100. Stops the itch right now and the rash is going away within 24 hours.

 

[mdhunter]

I get it bad however I have slowly (thru lots of discomfort) become an expert in discovering prior to touching it.

If you go to see a doc they will prescribe a steroid (tetracycline) which in my unbiased opinion is priceless. This prescription is the only thing that I have ever found that will stop the pain. Good luck as I can relate to what you are feeling...

 

[Bob Vetter]

Who has gotten it? How bad does it affect you?

I've only had a rash twice in my life; 4 years ago after a trip to the badlands and right fricking now after being my father's lake in northern Minnesota over the weekend.

The first rash was isolated to my calves below the knee. This rash... well lets just say that I must have touched the affected area with my hands and spread it to other parts of my body including my forehead and "other" areas. Calamine lotion doesn't do jack. My lower legs look as though I waded through a baby pool of hydrochloric acid. The blisters in the rash are simply rupturing and oozing at this point.

That plant is the devil.

Yup, The more I get into it the worse I get. I ended up in the hospital after a battle with a very large vine two years ago. Last year I got into it and found that Cider Vinegar helped sooth it and also draw the oil out of my skin. Of course this is along side the meds and shots from the Doctor.............

Good luck