I've tried everything. I even got a shot at the doctor. That cut back on the itching for a few days, but the rash is still there. And the itching is coming back. The doc gave me some sort of prescription cream that helps some, but not enough. What now?
Shotgun.
Get and stay drunk for a couple of weeks. It won't help the itching but you won't care, your drunk!
The last time I got into the ivy I managed to seal both my eyes shut for 4 days and it took a whole pile of steroids injected into my face to get me back to looking like the kid from Mask.
All I can offer is don't wipe your eyes or touch your hootus or this will seem like the good old days.
Pine tar soap is your friend right now.
OTC Benadryl cream/gel. It helps. If it is coming back, you probably should be on a steroid taper, not just whatever he shot you with. I suggest going back to the doctor and getting More Drugs.
I knew there was a hootus joke in this somewhere.
Waiting for this thread to devolve into Poison Ivy 2....
Pine tar soap, calamine lotion and prednisone.
In reply to Woody:
That isn't really "waiting" so much as "baiting".
Alyssia Milano is way better than it could have gone:
bleach
This and use it liberally. It says it's a cleaner, but it also does a good job of stopping it from spreading and drying the rash out.
Frankly, after reading GPS's comments, I don't feel so bad any longer.
I wash with Tecnu every time i go into a real infested area. It seems to work really well. Don't know what it will do if you already have it.
BTW poison ivy juice is the essence of the Devil.
PIITB!
Peppermint essential oil will stop the itching and dry it up in about 3-5 days. The prednisone didn't do much for me. Do not put peppermint oil near your eyes, do not ask how I know. And don't rub your eye when it's on your hand. You can dilute it with any cooking oil you have around the house to apply on the face. You can find this at health food stores.
As far as a preventative goes, I have found that liberal application of sweat-proof sunscreen works really well at keeping me from getting it. I am super-sensitive to poison oak, ivy & sumac, ever since an episode when I was younger where I was mostly covered in it. Make sure you are not getting re-contaminated by things like shoes, tools etc.
When I know I've been exposed to poison ivy I liberally wipe down w/ bleach in the shower and leave it stand a while before rinsing. If rarely any signs show up it's more bleach. I used to dilute the bleach but 100% works best on my old hide. Haven't had PI in 20 yrs. since using bleach.
In reply to Otto Maddox:
Swimming in clorinated pool water always helped for me. I usually get it on my arms and have found that running water as hot as I can stand over my arms relieves the itching for a while. +1 on washing all clothes,bedsheets,etc. to make sure you're not getting re-exposed to the oils
Toyman01 wrote:
Check the ingredients on this stuff. I think it's basically anti freeze.
I managed to seal both my eyes shut
touch your hootus
an episode when I was younger where I was mostly covered in it
plus having it between all fingers, almost like webbed hands. such fond memories of my youth...
scalding hot water feels great, but I was under the impression this helps it spread.
Avoid nature at all costs. The couch is the best place to do this.
Fire?
"I know this girl named ju-daaay. (burnt dur durnt dur durnt) Well judy got that booo-taaay." berkeley. I grew up in south florida.
great im probably gonna get it just by lookin at this thread... thats all it usually takes for me is hearin the words poison ivy......uugggghhhh.
poopshovel wrote: 1. Avoid nature at all costs. The couch is the best place to do this. 2. Fire?
bad idea
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/homegrnd/htms/poisivy2.htm
Do not destroy poison ivy with fire. When a poison ivy plant is burned, poisonous particles go into the air on the smoke. They can produce an allergic reaction in the eyes and respiratory tract or on the skin. Note: Be careful not to burn wood that has poison ivy vines, in your woodstove or fireplace.
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