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Old 05-20-15, 12:03 PM  
Jennifer P.
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Va. Beach, VA
I have had poison ivy many times. Once it got real bad, as I had run out of ivarest & used regular lotion--which is the opposite of what you're supposed to do--you're supposed to dry it out. My forearms swelled up so bad, I looked like Popeye.

Well, I went to the dr., & he gave me steroids, which I hated. they made my heart beat so fast, I only slept every other night. I only made it through 10 out of 14 days on the stuff, I stopped it early, & the rash started to come back. Someone I worked with said to run hot water on it, as hot as I could stand for as long as I could stand. It worked. It dried the rash out. I have had poison ivy since, & I use my hair dryer (blow dryer) on it, it works the same as hot water, but I have more control. It not only dries it out, but it relieves the itch. I have to warn you that when you are using the dryer, it will make you itch really bad, like you are itching from the inside out. I have pretty tough, dry skin, too, so I would use extreme caution if you try it.

Good luck!
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Old 05-20-15, 01:59 PM  
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I have a product called Calagel that works pretty well for the itching. It's by the makers of Tecnu.

I feel your pain. I have poison oak at the moment. Just a small spot on the back of my hand, but have noticed my chin has a rash as well. Getting it on your face is the worst - too many orifices. I've had it in my ears, in my nose, and an eye swelled shut. I'm good about giving myself a Tecnu dousing if I've been near it. I used the Tecnu this weekend, otherwise this outbreak would have been much worse.

Don't be shy of going to the doctor. I've been given a shot which worked well, seemed to dry it out quickly. Another time I was given antihistamines, knocked me out for a day and a half. I don't recommend that route.
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Old 05-20-15, 03:56 PM  
JackieB
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Steroids. Tecnu works well, as does Fels Naptha soap to dry it out. When my ds or I get it, though, we don't mess around. We just go to the doctor.
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Old 05-20-15, 11:00 PM  
NoraKate
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calling the dr again tomorrow

this is getting ridiculous

I can't sleep it's so itchy

thank you all for the recommendations and sympathy


any suggestions on how to murder the plant? preferably from a distance?
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Old 05-21-15, 12:29 AM  
lreidgreen
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Getting rid of PI is very hard to do. .

Years ago when I got a PI rash my doctor at the time (very old fashioned guy) gave me a shot of antihistamine or steroids I forget which. The rash went away immediately so it was probably antihistamine. A few years ago when I asked my current doctor for the same treatment he said he had never heard about antihistamine shots. He gave me the steroid packs and they did nothing. The shots are probably not good for you on a regular basis but boy was it great for instant relief of the rash.
I started using the Technu wash right after exposure and I never got PI. Also once I felt a little itchy around the eye area after weeding and I took some Benadryl and was fine in the morning.
Regarding the hot water cure: I have never done this but I remember Dr. Andrew Weil recommending it and thought it was odd.
I just don't pull weeds anymore as I am very sensitive to PI ( and lazy. )
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Old 05-21-15, 07:51 AM  
casey
 
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This is why Dr Andrew Weil advocates the hot water treatment
"If the itching has begun to develop, run hot water - as hot as you can stand - on the affected areas. The itching will briefly become intense, but then will stop for several hours, as the nerves that convey the sensory information to the brain become overloaded and quit. Repeat the hot water treatment as necessary."
HTH Casey
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Old 05-21-15, 10:34 AM  
RoseOOPs
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
I use round up brush killer to it poison ivy. Round Up also has one just for poison ivy. If it is growing up a tree it gets a very thick stem. This is very hard to kill, because you are suppose to dig out the steam. If it is growing up the trees with that thick stem I just spray. I'm not digging it up. The rest I just spray. Sad to say but it does come back. The birds eat the berries, and do what birds do. I've lived in my house for 30 years, never had poison ivy until about 15 years ago. I spray every year when they start to come up. It is the oil in the plant that causes the rash. If the oil is on your garden tools, shoes, etc, they need to be cleaned. The oil can stay active for up to 2 yrs.
Good luck.
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Old 05-21-15, 11:57 AM  
DejaDeb
 
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Our yard backs up into a natural woodland, and that natural woodland is FILLED with poison oak. On the plus side (if there IS a plus side), it's quite pretty. On the negative side, it takes over EVERYTHING, it spreads not only by roots, but also by birds eating the berries, then pooping out the seeds ... and of course, if you touch it, you will be very sorry!

I don't like to spray poison oak because I don't want to harm the birds, so I am constantly pulling it out. To help protect myself, I wear rose gloves (the kind that extends to your elbows) and long sleeve shirts (which gets hot here in Alabama!) Afterwards, I spray everything that came into contact with the plant (my gloves, my shoes, gardening tools) with alcohol: I have a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol just for this purpose. You can get "infected" again by touching something that's been in contact with poison oak/ivy; spraying with alcohol helps kill the plant's "juice."

This hasn't prevented me from getting poison plant rashes, though. I, too, recommend running hot water over the area: as hot as you can stand. Afterward, I apply Ivarest http://www.ivarest.com/ over the infected areas.

Good luck! Contact dermatitis sucks!
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Old 05-22-15, 02:16 AM  
NoraKate
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"dear poison ivy,
it's 3am
I hate you"


gah!!!!!!
I THOUGHT it was tapering off. but noooOOOOoooooooooo

if anyone hears an exasperated squawking scream from the Pittsburgh area

that's me


and a bunch of swearing.

my dad volunteered to come over and spray the ivy
BUT
we discovered something that looks a LOT like poison sumac too!

cement. cement and green paint. that'll be my new yard...........


thank you for all the tips!

itchynora
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Old 05-22-15, 06:39 AM  
lreidgreen
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Nora,
I am so sorry you are not feeling better. I can sympathize because when I get PI it seems to take forever to get rid of the rash and itch and I swear it gets worse before it gets better. Like someone else mentioned, make sure you are not exposing yourself again to contaminated tools and clothing. Also if you have pets remember that they can get PI on their fur and then you can get it from contact with them. I am sure this is how I got it on my legs one year.

Meanwhile try the hot water and Calagel to ease the itch. At night you might want to take some Benadryl to ease the itch and help you sleep.

Yes I have often wished I lived in a concrete jungle.
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