Poison Ivy Remedies... Anyone? Anyone?

[arwalden]

Our new home sits on a partially wooded, partially grassy, and partially weedy/viney acre near the Potomac River.

Would you believe that I managed to make it to 43 years old without EVER having had a case of poison ivy? Would you believe that I never REALLY knew what poison ivy looked like (other than hearing the old "leaflets-three" saying, I didn't have a clue.)

Well... NOW I KNOW what poison ivy looks like... and NOW I KNOW what it feels like. OH---- MY---- GOD!! I am a freaking mess.

Fortunately it's just my arms and part of my right leg... but it looks like I've been roasting marshmellows without a stick. My arms looks like they have been burned in a campfire. It's really sickening.

So I'm told that I only have to endure the itching and redness for another 2 weeks. Kill me now!

Oh well... live and learn.

Love, Allen

[GOPisEvil]

1. Jewelweed!

http://altnature.com/jewelweed.htm

I've never had poison ivy either, but I hear this stuff works! Good luck.

(Why is it when people talk about being itchy, YOU start scratching?)

[ezgoingrl]

2. Try some benadryl

it might help with the itching, but beware it will make you sleepy.

[Semi_subversive]

4. Not familiar w/ poison ivy

But out here on the left coast we have a lot of poison oak. Benadryl helps the itching and liquid Vitamin E as a topical helps the healing process.

[Pegleg Thd]

7. I have had several run-ins with poison ivy

I use Ivy Dry several times a day and take 2- 25 mg benadryl AT NIGHT. Both items can be bought without prescription and are about $4.oo each at a discount pharmacy. Have been told Round-up is the best thing to use to get it out of your yard. Here in Oklahoma some of the ranchers tell me they use diesel oil and a match.

[Frances]

16. Don't set it on fire if you are allergic to it

My brother got a terrible case of poison ivy all over his face when he built a fire with some wood that had poison oak on it.

I had a really bad case and my doctor prescribed medicine with steroids in it so that I would not itch.

[Maddy McCall]

30. same thing happened to a friend of mine...

she was so allergic that when she breathed the smoke, it caused the rash to break out in her eyes, nasal passages, and throat. She was a child then, but her parents learned to put the stuff in garbage bags instead of burn it. It was horrible!

[gardenista]

3. Tecnu

Tecnu is available in most drug stores. It helps to wash the oils off of your skin, and is also supposed to be helpful once the blisters start.

It always helped me to go for a swim in the ocean. Sounds like a good excuse to go to Chincoteague!

[Lars39]

8. Yes!!!! I can highly second the wonders of Tecnu!!!!

Husband can just look at poison oak and get it. He's learned to take preventive measures, too, like wiping off just exposed skin with rubbing alcohol, and then showering. Get to a doctor pronto if it gets anywhere near your eyes! Whatever you do, do not be around burning poison ivy/oak; the smoke can do you in if you're very allergic! I think the oils can transmit from your pet, too.
Hope you get to feeling better!

[ProudGerman]

5. Massive amounts of Tequila

Your favorite liquor will do. But when I had poison ivy when I was a boy of 12, and the itching was keeping me up all night, my mom gave what was to me at the time a huge glass of Amaretto. Knocked me out, and I finally got a full 10 hours sleep.

But this is only a stop gap rememdy if you can't get any sleep. I have no recommendations for the itching, nothing worked for me on that part.

[Maddy McCall]

6. Hi, arwalden....benadryl makes a wonderful spray

and it is soooo soothing. It is clear, and doesn't show on the skin. It provides a "seal" so that the rash doesn't spread.

Also, there used to be a gel called "Julley" or something like that--a clear gel, but I think it was bought out by band-aid, so go look for a clear, bubbly jel--it dries out rashes.

Above all, I would suggest the topical benadryl spray over the benadryl tablets because it works every bit as well, and it dries out the rash. I had PI at the beginning of the summer, and it knocked it out in a couple of days without allowing it to spread.

Don't scratch!

And if it gets in your nose, eyes, or throat, see your doctor asap.

best wishes

ON EDIT: That gel used to be "ruli" gel--it dries out the rash--it is now packaged by Band-Aid, I think, and it says on the package, a clear tube, "formerly Ruli Gel."

[hedda_foil]

9. Didn't radfringe get poison ivy on vacation about a month ago?

Has anybody seen her around today? Definitely take the benedryl if the doc hasn't prescribed any other antihistimine. It will probably knock you out but given the way you feel, that's not so bad. Take 25 mg. If you're in really bad shape, you may need a higher dosage but that's not something to try without a doctor's authorization.

BTW, welcome back Allen ... folks have been asking about you. Hope you feel better soon.

hedda

[SOteric]

10. Calamine lotion, Fullers Earth or a good

Clay skin masque. And put whichever in the fridge before you apply, it'll feel a bazillion times better

Don't scratch! The irritant in Poison Ivy is an oil that spreads on your skin when you rub or scratch. Calamine, or Fuller's Earth, etc., will absorb the oil and help keep it from spreading. The inflamation can be reduced with topical hydrocortisone creams.

Dude! Don't scratch!!

[short bus president]

11. cocaine

but calamine lotion's less expensive.

[walkon]

12. Remedy

Hot water (it will actually feel good) followed by application of Ivy Dry (I prefer the liquid to the lotion). Helps with itching and speeds drying of blisters. Good luck, and put some weed killer on the poison ivy/oak plant!

[arwalden]

15. Spectricide's "Brush Kill" Was Applied The Other Day

and the ivy is doing a slow-wither right now. I'll probably need to reapply to make certain it doesn't come back.

-- Allen

P.S. Thanks for the hot water advice. I had heard that one too and I've noticed that my skin feels better after a hot shower... but DURING the shower it's really difficult. It seems to make it itch MORE (for me) when the heat is on... but it buys me about an hour of (nearly) itch-free time. Just enough to get sound asleep.

[northofdenali]

28. Also pick up some oatmeal - the long cooking kind -

and some Aveeno soap. Both help take out the "itch". Use the oatmeal, in a good quantity, in a hot bath.

Best of luck arwalden, poison ivy is miserable. I hope all is well soon :(

[DagmarK]

13. I'm wondering......when everyone says, Don't Scratch......

does it make you really want to scratch?

How tortuous.

But hey allen......it's the oils that get stuck in your skin......so wash and wash and wash with a strong detergent soap..... maybe that's what tecnu is.....

[starroute]

20. No -- avoid the strong soap

When I was a kid, my grandmother would bring out the brown laundry soap whenever any of us ran into poison ivy. But in more recent years, they've decided that soap and hot water and rubbing just open your pores up and help the oils penetrate into your skin. Instead, you're supposed to rinse your skin off under cool water as soon as possible.

Nothing helps prevent it once the oils have penetrated, though. You just have to suffer through with the help of whatever can give you temporary relief.

[TheBigGuy]

14. Camomial Lotion

Or is it Chamomile Lotion.

Thats sort of an old remedy, I think.

[arwalden]

17. Calomine (Chalomine? Chalomyne?) Lotion

It's that pink chalky lotion. I've seen it on others (and smelled it) and have always thought it was more of an old-mother's remedy that never truly worked, yet it's so engrained in our culture that the stores continue to stock it even though it's a poor remedy.

Did I hear incorrectly? Does it really work for some folks?

-- Allen

EDIT: spelling.

[dmr]

18. I feel so bad for you

I don't have any advice, but just wanted to commiserate with you. I can't imagine how torturous it feels, but your description sounds awful. Poor baby. I did find a link from google for you to check out. http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/cures.html

Hope you begin feeling better real soon.

[Maddy McCall]

19. Yes it works, but Benadryl spray works better...and it isn't as messy

[dmr]

23. Actually, if you don't plan on driving

operating machinery, or drinking alcohol, you can do both. Use the topical spray and take the Benadryl orally (diphenhydramine is generic name). Diphenhydramine is probably one of the safest drugs on the market - if taken properly. Try 25mg every 4-6 hours, but you can safely take up to 50-75mg every 4-6 hours. It is quickly absorbed, and you should feel it's benefits within an hour, with an average duration of 4-6 hours.

Also diphenhydramine is more than an antihistamine, it is also an anticholinergic (drying) agent, (as well as having sedative effects).

[shugah]

21. oatmeal bath

ahh, avino.

try all the methods mentioned in this thread--many will help.

but for immediate relief from the itching, nothing works like soaking in an oatmeal bath.

[baffie]

22. A thick baking soda paste to draw out the poison

Let it dry and then wash off, repeat if necessary.

Calamine lotion for the itching.

I'm an old vet of these things, we had so much poison ivy and poison oak around our property when I was growing up.

[Spintronic]

24. Reverse tolerance

I've been told that people have a reverse tolerance for poison ivy. I never had any problems with it till I was 22 when I had a really awful experience. I don't want to see what would happen the next time I come in contact..

I had to go see a doctor. The first thing he did was give me a shot of cortizone. That really helped. Also prescribed a few antihistanmines like alegra.

Good luck

[NJCher]

25. I really feel for you

It must be horrible. I had a tiny brush with it a few weeks ago and had the little blisters you talked about. This spring's wet weather has helped it grow and spread. I've been busy getting my spouse to get rid of it.

Here's a thead at GardenWeb about poison ivy/oak. I think you will get some good ideas from it.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/frugal/msg0614352730535.html?18


Cher

[Insider]

26. no remedy

but couldn't resist saying hello to A-Lo :hi:

best wishes on the itches, yo.

[Gore1FL]

27. When I landscaped as a college job

I would rub a rag with Gasoline on the affected (but not yet vblistered) areas. When i got home, I washed those areas with Dawn dishwashing detergent and then showered normally.

[marigold20]

29. See a dematologist ASAP

I had an awful case of poison oak - I looked like the Elephant Woman. I must have touched the vine and rubbed my itchy nose. After missing FIVE days of work, I finally went to urgent care. They sent me to dematology where I was told I should have come in right away. It was too late for me since the swelling was starting to go down but I guess they might have tried some sort of powerful cortisone. My most heartfelt sympathy to you!

[amazona]

31. hydrocortizone...symptoms should be gone in 24 hours

Some people prefer Benadryl because they are afraid of topical steroids but for pity's sake, it is not worth an extra week of suffering to avoid a perfectly safe topical OTC steroid. Go to any drugstore...they even have generic hydrocortizone.

[bikebloke]

32. Never had the pleasure

As a kid, there were always woods around, and everyone played in them. Some kids caught poison ivy and poison oak, and some of us didn't. Those that did smeared some pink lotion that turned flakey when it dried. I never knew what it was. Though since then, I'm sure plenty of other remedies have come into being.

[sam sarrha]

33. itch itch itch .....!

mine was almost down to the bone, it looked like killer shrews had been lunching on me.... the cause was that i would scratch in my sleep, every time you scratch its 2 weeks from... NOW. so i put gause with neosporin and then wrapped an ace bandage around both arms...till it was gone.

[maxanne]

34. my daughter is very allergic

to poison ivy - it could kill her. Her hobby is digging for gemstones, which one does on mountains. Mountains have poison ivy, so she has to be very careful. This product:

http://www.poisonivy.us/view/technu.html

has been a real lifesaver. It washes the oils away - plus you can wash your contaminated clothing with it as well. It makes the poison ivy go away so much faster.

[Shanty Oilish]

35. pretend it's a bad cold; take sudafed

you'll stop itching and sleep well too!