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I have it.
I was using a week wacker to get along the fence at work. Shirt off to get a tan right?
well i have poison ivy spots on my ankles and on side of my stomach and blotches. I know its it.
I heard about using hot water showers for the itching.
Its not terrible enough for drastic measures, but an ideas for a REALLY REALLY quick recovery?
Im using a poison ivy/oak/sumac spray already.
Tips? Hints?
Lye soap.
The Indians, though, they used to rub the affected area vigorously, then grab their wangs and chant "Ohwatagoosiam" for about a minute. Legend has it that cleared it right up.
Stay blind drunk for a week. When you sober up and the hang over stops, the Poison Ivy will be gone. 
Be super cautious about the things that you WERE wearing when you cleared the vine, they are still contaminated and will surprise you just when you think you have the worst of it behind you. Cortizone or anything that has a topical anisthetic will reduce your pain. The hot showers feel good for about a minute, then the itching gets pretty severe. Cool showers and lotion to keep the skin from drying out too much, which makes the itching worse. I never found calamine to do much for me, and from the sounds of it you would be covered in it. If you start having any problems breathing or with swelling go to the doc right away.
The one time I got it(on my legs, also from clearing weeds with a weedwhacker), soaking in a super-hot bath with bath-oil really cut the itching so it was almost gone.
im one who has to use prednasone(sp).. i swear i think about pi and i get it.
Bad memories about poison ivy. Don't take a piss in the woods. I did. Bad things happen to very tender parts. Took a week before my wife stopped giggling.
Good advice from cwh. Ages ago a friend's girlfriend pissed in the woods & used leaves. Guess what kind of leaves. Diphenhydramine will help relieve the itching & inflammation. Almost guarenteed to make youi drowsy. Technu has worked for me to some extent.
Get a prescription for Prednisone. You can also buy cortosone lotion (it's the same thing, but topicaler). For the "this E36 M3 itches right now!" times, throw a bag of ice on there. It'll numb it, it'll feel good, and I swear that it feels like it heals faster.
I used to get it all the time as a kid. All over my face, arms, legs, and abdomen sometimes (all at the same time!). Ice works. Trust me.
And I won't recommend scratching it (but sometimes it just feels damn good!).
I was at Gravelrama once and my friend said "dude, you are SITTING in poison ivy. So I went to the pharmacist and got the above cream. worked great.
M2Pilot wrote:Good advice from cwh. Ages ago a friend's girlfriend pissed in the woods & used leaves. Guess what kind of leaves. Diphenhydramine will help relieve the itching & inflammation. Almost guarenteed to make youi drowsy. Technu has worked for me to some extent.
Oh yeah! Benadryl! "The Big B", "The Drill", "Benny D" . . . whatever you call it, it works wonders on allergic reactions, but it also knocks you the berkeley out. It's probably as close to "being on drugs" as I'll ever come.
I have found the poison ivy scrub sold at pharmacies work well after exposure. Not cheap but well worth it. About $10 a tube. Then cortisone or calamine. I'm fortunate enough to not really get it. I'll get a small rash about 2-3" if I'm sweating and I rub it on me or scratch the skin with it. The wife and kids get it bad. The above works for us. I don't use the calamine, I usually use Sarna anti-itch lotion (again not cheap but works).
I seem to get it every summer. It's miserable.
Use Zanfel if it hasn't been too long since you were exposed.
Works amazing but is pricey (like $40!!!) and only works to remove the oil (urushiol). It is a cream/wash, works better than anything (seriously) and you should be able to get it at cvs or so.
You will probably have to get a subscription for prednizone like mentioned. Benedril has never been that effective for me.
You will also probably think it is spreading, its not really, your body just reacts differently to different exposure levels so you break out where you were exposed to the most initially, after that stops itching (scabs over whatever) you will probably be breaking out in new areas. Miserable like I said.
The last time I got poison ivy from weedwacking I didn't sleep for a week. Cold can help the swelling go down, so ice and cold showers will help the reaction a little.
Good luck 
never had poison ivy.. however did I once cut my uncles undeveloped property with a lawnmower that was unknown to me, completely covered in poison oak.
I was covered from head to toe except where my socks, shorts, tee, and sunglasses were. Worst two weeks of my life.
I'm just getting over it on both of my forearms. About five days after contact, my right arm was swollen to the point of me looking like Popeye. The calimine lotion treatment seemed to work the best, but unfortunately, it took two weeks before the redness subsided.
Nothing felt better than a shower absolutely as hot as it could get. This probably isn't the best idea, but it feels blissfully good.
I get it once a year... Like clockwork. Prescription steroids for quicker healing (makes me manic and jittery) Benadryl for the itching (and to calm me a bit) and red bull for the eventual drowsiness
I feel so lucky! One summer I spent the day out clearing and burning brush only to discover that most of it was poison ivy. Damage to me was a spot on my forearm and a spot on my wrist. Put the clothes in the washer and took a shower I made the mistake of hugging my girlfriend.......she missed 2 days work. Then she put on clothes that were washed with my ivy infected clothes.....2 more days!
Bruce
Word to the wise stay upwind when burning any kind of poison plant, itchy lungs suck. Try some kind of oatmeal bath that should feel good.
Not that it will help you at this point, but next time you have to clear that fence line, look at your local pharmacy or sporting goods supplier for a product called "Ivy Block". It's a cream you rub on before the fact, and it works quite well. I have a crop of poison ivy in one spot in my yard, and I never venture there without slathering some on. Plus, shower and wash your clothes immediately afterwards. Good luck!
Jewel weed.
Conveniently, it tends to grow near poison ivy patches.
I used Benadryl when I got it. Clearing brush out back, having a few beers, well...... you know where I got it.
Mrs. 914 was not amused.
I have had good luck with this stuff. TechNu. Put it on frequently.
Aveeno oatmeal bath- it's supposed to be for chickenpox, but works great getting rid of the itch. Takes the itching away immediately, then apply some "Ivy Dri". If you visit Mr.Johnson, be mighty careful!
914Driver wrote:I used Benadryl when I got it. Clearing brush out back, having a few beers, well...... you know where I got it.
Mrs. 914 was not amused.
She ad a good laugh with her friends, shes just to nice to do it in front of you.
