poison oak

In all my years of tramping around the woods as a kid, I never got poison oak. I got it years later when I helping a friend save her house from a muddy landslide. She had hired a backhoe w/driver and he had gotten the mud to flow down her step driveway and not against the house. When the mud's flow got plugged with fallen bushes a day later, the backhoe driver was on another job. We managed to get the mud flowing moving again, but we got covered with a lot of mud in the process. Next morning we both had horrible poison oak outbreaks probably from touching poison oak roots. I had been scratching mine while I slept so I looked pretty bad. My friend had it near her eye and her face was so swollen that she couldn't see much very well! We went to the doctor and was given prescription strength cortisone cream to use on the patches. It did clear up, but took a while.

I found that taking hot showers with a drying soap really helped with the itch. Then I put on the cortisone cream.

YOu need to make sure you've gotten all the poison oak oil off of your body and the clothes you were wearing at that time. The oil lasts a LONG time. Near the end of summer One of my co-workers was just cleaning out his garage and found that he had stored a hunting jacket inside out. He was wearing a short sleeved-shirt so when he used the his arms to push the sleeves out they came in contact with the outside of the jacket. He got the worst case of poison oak I have ever seen! It looked like he had had a horrible disease. He told me that he hadn't worn that jacket in over a year since a vacation up north so the poison oak oil on the jacket was still very viable.

 

I am on my 4th go-round with it this year, The first was in my sinuses,[from mowing] for 2 days I couldn't eat and ran a high fever, the 2nd made me look like I had been in a motorcycle wreck, the 3rd a reinfection from my boots, this time it started on the back of my knee, where the goat was rubbing on me.

I use benadryl gel and spray, I have tried the tecnu soap but I don't know I have the rash until I itch, by the time I itch, it is too late to wash off, so the soap did me no good. I also take some vitamin A and E, these help skin heal.

Let's lift our glasses high and toast, to anti-histamine and rapid healing!

 

Unfortunately, if you have been exposed for 5 days you will need to see a doctor or just put up with it for another week and you will be fine. In the future, give a product called Technu a try (http://www.teclabsinc.com/). I have used this stuff for about two years and it works wonders against poison ivy. Problem with Technu skin cleanser is that you need to use it soon after exposure to remove the oils. It is available at most drug stores.

 

There is a plant called jewelweed, or, spotted touch-me-not, that grows in rich, moist soils, often times right along side of poison oak and ivy.
It is a medium-height plant, reaching three to four feet tall, with very thick, succelent stem and orange flowers. I don't have the scientific name at hand, but will get it. The juice from this plant, of which there is plenty in spring and summer, is the best cure for any itching or burning plant that I know of. You can apply the juice immediately after contact or after the blisters and rash appear. Either way, relief is near immediate and rash begins to disappear within a couple days. Now, the problem; you aren't likely to find this plant this time of year unless you are in the south or have access to some unknown microclimate, so this is preventive medicine for next year. However, the juice of this plant can be frozen, and is, currently in our freezer. The ise cubes preserve the juice potency and we have relief from itching year round.

Swampdweller

 

I'm also, evidently, allergic to the stuff.
I must say from sad experience that I now believe the hot showers, though temporarily soothing, actually make it blister up worse. My advice is to not get hot water on it at all, tempting as it is.
The tecnu helped me alot, even after the fact. If you use it at the first sign of blistering, it seems to help keep it from getting worse.
I haven't been to the doctor with mine, but family members tell me a shot will clear it up pretty quickly. Might be worth a try.

 

My husband is very sensitive to poison ivy and has some itching somewhere almost all the time . . . he puts a blowdryer on his blistered areas !?!?

He blows hot air on them for as long as he can stand it, then the itching will be relieved for a while. He says that when he first starts blowing the itching intensifies, but after a minute or so of the hot air treatment it is lessened.

We also have a cortisone pill prescription from an allergist because I have "exaggerated reactions" to wasp stings. The cortisone pills seem to reduce the symptoms of bad poison ivy. I don't know if an allergist would prescribe cortisone for this purpose, but this is the cheapest prescription on earth to fill - about $7.00 last time.

I have seen a product with same active ingredient as jewelweed - maybe look at a health food store.

 

Well I've had good luck will Pine sol! It stops the itch and disinfects the area so that it doesn't spread. Also drys the stuff up in about 2 to 3 days.

But don't ever use Pine sol near your eyes.

 

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Oh gosh. I feel for you. I know what it's like. I've got poisen ivy here, poisen oak, and poisen whatever. I've had it all several times.

I have found the Tecnu solution works. But use it often. At least once an hour. This prevents the new oil from oozing out and infecting more skin. Don't rub hard enough to break open any bubbles or the oil will again get smeared. LIGHTLY rub the Technu on often, then rinse it off with cool to medium water. Then air dry as the rubbing with a towel makes it worse.

I feel for you, my friend. Icky stuff!

Good luck,

Ozarkguy

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I know exactly how you feel.I am allergic to it also I get it severe.I had it 4 times in my life where I would have made a good stand in for the movie Nite Of the living dead....My face gets 3 times the size it should ,eyes go shut the works,Tecnu,benedril etc dont work at that stage.The only thing I found to work is rubbing alcohol.It will burn at first but stops itch and drys it up. I was to a specialist years ago he said bleach water,salt water. But alcohol is the one...good luck Keep it away from me...did you know yopu can get it in middle of winter I know one of my severe casses was middle of winter.

 

I have been fighting this nasty plant as long as I can remember. I can pull poison ivy with my bare hands and never even a rash; we harvest and sell it. However, poison oak and I are no friends. I have been hospitalized because of inhaling the smoke of burning poison oak. I finally found something that actually helps the itch and drys it up-Natra-Bio's Poison Oak/Poison Ivy Relief. Within 2 hours of applying this I have no more itching. Its a blessing. You may find some in health food stores, but if not you can get it online here.
Natra-Bio's Poison relief
Janet Tallon

 

I replied here 2 times it did come up but gone now????I get poison like you really bad.I get it so bad Id make a good stand in for the movie Night of ther liviong dead...I was to a specialist a few years ago he said bleach ,salt.It drove me up a wall with itch,burn.I found rubbing alcohol is best just apply and reapply dries it up good.does burn but only a few minutes worth it compared to itch.My face gets 3 times the usual size,my eyes go shut.Its awful stuff I know.did you know you can get it in middle of winter oh yes just as bad too,I did.Good luck.

 

Impatiens capensis

 

I've just begun the "crusty" phase on my outbreak, not knowing what else around the house is 'infected' is the hardest part of dealing with this stuff. I am also useing Absorbine Jr to break the scratching habit.

 

If ya don't mind spending $40 per oz. , Zanfel works almost instantly.