I was out last week trimming a few shooting lanes and apparently I got into some Poision Oak. It is all on the inside of my right arm at the bend of the elbow and itches like crazy. I have put some OTC cream on but it doesn't seem to be drying it up. Does anyone have an OTC recommendation? This stuff is wicked...
Thanks.
I hunt the trinity riverbottom alot and got into some p. oak 2 years ago very bad. The only thing OTC that I have found is rubbing alcohol and mineral spirits, applied to the site, and then washed off, seems to have a mitigating effect. (first alcohol then the spirits). That has worked for me if I could catch it w/in a few hours of getting into it.
If you are a few days out, then there is some white or clear cream you can get by prescription that helped me somewhat (fluocinide or something like that). But as you already know, after it sets in....its really just a hellish
experience. Good luck.
I have also used Technu, which is mineral spirits + other stuff. It can be helpful if you catch the oak in time. But, again, once you are already infected I think you need to get the prescription stuff and ready yourself for 2 weeks of treachery.
There's some otc soap you can use, but it has to be shortly after you got into it. I keep some in my shaving kit.
Bowmania
Doug -
Don't mess with OTC stuff. Go to your doctor and get a prescription for steroidal creme. Fluocinonide 0.05% works well for me. Use it two to four times a day. It will stop the itching and dry up the affected area. You will still be looking at three or four days to heal.
The best thing is to prevent it in the first place. Try to find a pharmacy that will/can mix a compound for you (most chains CVS, Walgreen's, etc. can't). Rhus Tox Tr 16.7% will prevent poison ivy. 15 drops in 6 oz. of water once a week for at least four weeks will build a tolerance/resistance for the nasty weed. Hope this helps.
Danny
i had to take prednizone to get rid of the crap. by prescription only. its a mild steroid, it will get rid of the stuff in five days or less, ruddy
I agree with the Fluocinonide 0.05% cream, that stuff works really well for me.
In my younger days I would catch it & scrub it with 91% rubbing alcohol & a scratch pad then flash it with alcohol again, pat dry & cover with O/C cortizone liquid or something of the like but as I'm getting older I seem to need to stronger stuff so I just see the doc when I get an outbreak of it.
for an OTC recommendation, try zanfel.
There used to be a product on the market called IVY DRY. It was what we locally called "sugar of lead". I don't know what it really was...
It came with a popsicle stick. Wash in hot soap and water...then keep turning up the heat on the hot water..till you can't stand it...the hotter it got, the more it itched...then the instructions told you to take the popsicle stick and scratch it all open!
:eek: :jumper: (loved that part the best!)
Then you'd wash with soap and water again,..pat dry and then use the Ivy Dry material. It made your skin tight and sugary looking...but it dried it up pretty quick...and that scalding and then scratchin with a stick...that was the best! :)
I don't play....I go to the doc and get a shot ASAP. No sense in suffering at all with that stuff when a shot will knock it out.
yep the shot and daily steroids taken orally are the only way i have found to get rid of it but it takes several days :help:
On the same lines as the Ivy Dri, plain old laundry bleach will do the same thing, if you can stand the burn for a few seconds. Scratch the blisters til they are open, then use a rag or paper towel to rub bleach on the affected area. Burns like the dickens, but will dry it up, usually in less than a day.
http://www.technuextreme.com/ this stuff is kinda expensive but works great! A Dr. in CA recommended it to me after I went to see him 4 times to get a shot. If I get it bad like on my face or a lot of it on my body then I get the shot and the oral steroids.
Kenneth:
Technuextreme is the OTC I have been using. Just doesn't seem to be taking care of it.
Terry:
I think I will go your route. I've had the shot before and it really is effective. Hurts like the Dickens for a bit but really works.
Thanks for all of the input.
Dawn dish soap. Next time you know you got yerself into that stuff or poison ivy... Works like a charm! Allso works after the fact to dry the stuff up.
I use lye soap and it will dry it right up for me.
I am really lucky I guess I got poison so bad when I was young that I am immune now.I have not had poison for 25 years now(knock on wood) but when I had it so bad I remember my grandmother putting me in a bath of oatmeal.Really seemed to dry it up real fast.
Hay guys/gals pay attention to what Ric O'Shay had to say regarding Rhus Tox TR. This was mentioned in TBM last year. I've used it with great success. One small bottle used in the fall, and I had enough left over to use it again in the spring. It worked like a charm. I'll be buying another bottle soon. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Good luck.
Can a person be immune or more tolerant of poison ivy/oak than others. I know I have been in the stuff big time and have never had an issue, while guys in the same stuff got it bad. I know certain people can be super sensitive to it. They can get it their throat and nose if they just happen to be down wind from it at the right time of year. I guess it makes sense that if people can be hyper sensative, others could be immune.
I have had it a few times. I now spray WD 40 on any area that turns red or itches.
It is the oil base in the plant that causes the reaction. WD 40 breaks down the oil.
I guess I must be immune to it too..never had poison oak or ivy and I'm in it all the time. I still take precautions and try not to get the juice on me when cutting the vines..etc.
I agree 100% with Terry and rnharris...go to Dr. and get shot...My whole life I've gotten all the poison stuff and never "just a little"...That shot starts killing it almost immediately and tames the itch...Don't take any risks, cause it's game over if that stuff ends up "south of the border" if you know what I mean.
Outside of that one of my plan B's is extremely painful but highly effective...wrap a wire brush in a towel and rub effected area raw...then dump bleach on it...
"Can a person be immune or more tolerant of poison ivy/oak than others. I know I have been in the stuff big time and have never had an issue, while guys in the same stuff got it bad."
I use to be the same way, never got it until one day a got a little bit on one finger. Then my dog must have gotten into it real bad and I didn't know it. Gave her a bath and my legs were covered with it and it was bad for a month. Now I haven't gotten it since but they say the more you are exposed to it the less your immunity.
There is a natural cure that works with 95% of people. The poison oil is the same as in poison ivy. 75% percent of the people have an allergic reaction, the other 25% are the lucky ones.
The cure is called jewelweed and it is the sap of the jewelweed plant. It is sold in 3 forms:
1.) a real soap with jewelweed to wash away the poison oil
2.) a concentrated spray or
3.) a salve
The problem with the poison oil is, that it binds to the skin cells after about 20 min, that means only excess oil can be removed. Soap breaks down some of the oil, but the reaction comes from the bound oils and usually can not be washed away.The jewelweed compound counteracts the poison oil.
My sources are
http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm
or
http://www.turkeyfootllc.com/Salvesandlotion.html
The soap works great as a preventative treatment, leaving some residue on your skin that prevents most major breakouts.
Don't scratch, but put some calamine solution or gel on it.
The poison oil has the tricky problem, that it is water and fat soluble. That makes it easy to spread around the body.
Don't ask where I learned that from....
Pure bleach you put it on toilet paper and rub the area then do it every 2 hours it helps me like a charm
I have found a simple temporary solution that works well for me. For me the problem of the itching is compounded by keeping me from falling asleep at night. Lack of sleep makes me grumpy as well as itchy. Stand in the shower just before bed and let the HOTTEST water that you can tolerate.....just short of 1st. degree burns.....beat down on the rash for 10 or 15 minutes. The sensation will be intense. Pat the area dry afterward and lie down to several hours of itch freedom. I've been told this works because your body produces histimine which produces the itch. The prolonged exposure to very hot water causes greatly accelerated production of histimine, hence the intense sensation. However, this explosion of histimine temporarily depletes the body's ability to produce more histimine for several hours giving me relief to get to sleep. Hope this works for you!!!!
Rambo1993 beat me to it. Although, I use a q-tip and only apply it twice a day. Your results may vary, but bleach squares me away within a few days.
I second Zanfel!
I get poison Ivy BAAAADDDDD! Once I had it all summer to the point where it was affecting my life in a big way. I didn't have health insurance and all the other remedies didn't seem to work. I broke down and bought $40.00
"ZANFEL"
you get to itch the spot and it feels good. Itch goes away immediately my entire forearm went from weeping to scab to healed in 2 days. It left massive scarring but that was the Poison Ivy and I was sold on the stuff.
I get it very badly. And it spreads. Ended up in an emergency room a few years back, so I say go see a doctor. They explained to me that people are allergic to it in different degrees, and some none at all. For me nothing over the counter seems to work, but cortisone (steroids) with prescription strength does the job in a few days.
Marco
Try swimming in a public pool. There is so much chlorine(sp) it dries up quick.
Dave
Doug,
Go to http://www.cajunslick.com
Get their poison ivy soap. It works. I always have a bar with me during the season. This stuff works. It has jewel weed in it. Wash off the infected spot with the soap then rub the soap on it again and let it dry. Itch instantly goes away and the poison ivy in a couple of days with several applications. Don't put the bar in the shower, it melts quickly. Get a couple of bars, if you have kids especially if they are teen agers. If they use it, you will never see it again.
You can wash within 10 minutes of exposure and not get it.
Once you do get it, jump on the itch fast before it spreads. I used to get the shot before I found this product. I am highly allergic to it.
Good luck;
Billy
I got poison sumac real bad afew times. Doc prescribed steroid pills. Stopped the itching and dried it up in a day or two.
I've used Rhus Tox and it seemed to work great. I've had many patients use it as well and it dried things up pretty quickly and the itching went away as well. Check out your local health food store if you can.
Some of those suggestion sound kind of painful! My brother uses the chlorox trick on lots of ailments. I call it "Redneck Chemo" :biglaugh:
My brother was SERIOUSLY allergic to poison ivy/oak/sumac. Rhus Tox worked for him, so it should work for most anyone.
I took the shots one year, and the last one made me pass out. No more for me, thank you.
The theory is that we are all born with an immunity, but it wears off with exposure.
One of my friends who was very sensitive had good luck bathing it in ocean water. Gulf coast water should be extra good this year.
You are correct about the Gulf Coast water Don. It comes with it's own surfactorant these days.
Went to Galveston this weekend. Water is unaffected by the BP bungle. Beaches were clean and full of families.
Billy
Go to the doc. I had it from my fingers to the tip of my toes and all between spread that fast over nite. Was pure !@#$%. took a few shots to get rid of it. Drove me nuts.
Lucky me........I have not been bothered by poision oak or ivy since I was a kid. I can pull posion Oak off a tree and climb it and never have a problem. My son-inlaw cannot ride a 4 wheeler thru the woods in the spring without getting covered with posion Ivy so I know your pain.
.........James
@LA Trapper:
Like you mentioned,this is a jewelweed soap as well. :D It works for me,too.
The native americans used that long before the chemical industry was producing overprized OTC medications.
The soap itself is great, for bad breakouts the concentrated spray works wonders...
Anyways, good to know another source....
Well; I went to the Doc yesterday and got the shot...A few days later than I should have. The spot is about 2 1/2" wide and 4" long on the inside of my right elbow. My Wide has some prescription hydrochortisone (SP?) and it seems to help but the itch is intense. Hopefully it will be gone in a few days.
Thanks to all for the advise. This has been a miserable week and one I hope "Not" to repeat any time in the future.
That's it! A spot on the inside of you Elbow!You didn't have nuffing :biglaugh:
When you wake up with your eyes swollen shut and face the size of a Pumpkin, you get the shot!
My advice to, is learn to identify the plants! Sumac, ivy, Poison Oak. Ivy doesn't bother me, but, the sumac and Oak do!
I've tried about all the remedies, too! Zanfel is really good! As a kid would put white shoe polish over the area, not so good.
Yes, if you get it bad, the shot and the steroids will work! Also, Ibprophen helps to reduce the swelling.
A 2.5" x 4" spot...Ha Ha that's Funny
I have only ever gotten poison ivy once, so I can relate to the poison oak. But I was able to get rid of the ivy pretty quickly by rubbing it with sand paper and putting bleach on it. It burns for a bit, but it clears up pretty fast.
D Key, not making fun of ya! It is is all discomforting! My youngest son has had it all over his body! Playing in the creek near the house, when it's bad, get the shot!
Grandma always said to wash off good with a grease cutting soap. If exposed, scrub down with Dawn in the shower. Clean the clothes, the oils can stay in them and effect others.
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/fastfacts.html
Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac itch is all caused by the same thing: Urushiol Oil so they are esentially one in the same. If you are alergic to one, you are alergic to all so Frank Bullitt if you got into the Ivy you would itch. Check out the link or do a search on BING and there is a ton of info out there on the stuff. Best to keep it off you but that is near impossible where I hunt and evetually I am itching at some point during the year - Many times I have looked at the perfect tree for a stand only to move on because of the dirty Ivy!
Also - for those of you who are immune: you may not be forever. It can decide to get you at any time. Best to be careful.
Bob Urban
try carrying antiperspirant when out...apply it to any place you suspect gets infected...it works most of the time.
Aveeno oatmeal soap, ointment, and/or bath additive. This is the same thing our doctor recommended when my boys contracted chicken pox. The oatmeal works well on poison oak. When I was a kid I would put liquid white shoe polish on any poison oak. The resulting crust would dry the rash out in a couple of days. I haven't seen liquid white shoe polish in years...
So much for home remedies.
Stan
Yes Stan, the white shoe polish with the foam applicator! Aveno works good to dry it up.
Bob Urban, yes I know they have the same oils. But for some reason I don't have the problem with the Ivy. I can look at Oak and Sumac and get it! Maybe it's the way it holds or releases the oils?
I had it so bad as a kid, one summer, I itched so deep on my legs, that the hair won't grow from my knees down! :dunno:
Lucky me.........posion oak or Ivy does not bother me. Not since I was a kid anyway, (another story). I can pull it off a tree and climb the tree without any problem. On the other hand my son-inlaw can ride a 4 wheeler thur the woods and get covered up. ...........James
WARNING-I am not allergic to it but I dont tempt fate- My father was not either until he was around 40, while cutting pulpwood with his father he volunteered to pull a bunch off of a popple they wanted to cut 4 hours later he was in the hospital. you can lose your immunity to it.
Here's something for you to chew on! My wife's grandfather said as a youngen, was told to eat some leaves of Ivy to build the immunity to it! He did, and said he never got it again!
He passed away few years ago at the age of 88. I would not recommend this. I still would take the Shot!
I carry a prednisone blister pack with me in my shaving kit on any hunt in poison ivy/oak country.
R
Dang it...I think I got some just from reading this thread...
I also get it really bad and have scars from the nasty stuff. The worst case I got years ago during December when I started hacking on a vine to mount a treestand with protective Carharts coveralls on. I figured it was dormit at that time of winter....WRONG
Aside from going to the Doc and getting a shot, I'm with you guys and the bleach as the best thing to help dry it up.
Bath with Clorox (as much as you can bare) or as I do, first shower with soap and rinse then squirt and rub in Clorox in affected areas and rinse again. If you already have it scratch raw, the Clorox will burn, but it helps to dry it up. It's also tuff to bare breathing in during showering (it'll open your lungs), but I'd rather endure a few seconds or minutes off pain the agonizing itch for days on end.
As a preventive measure, I frequently wash with Clorox year round if in the woods or know I come in contact with it. There some in the woods around the edge of my yard that I sometimes get into while mowing and the very first thing I do is when done is head for the shower and Clorox.
The way I apply it is pour it from the bleach container into an empty dish soap squeeze bottle and dispense it that way. As said, it's in the shower stall year round, and used it yesterday after mowing and again today's shower before work. It helps a lot, although it's good to use old bath towels after showering, cause it will stain them if you're not complete rinse good.
doc is good advice
I'm pretty immune so don't really have issues with ivy or sumac or oak. However I've gotten a spot or two over the years, and my wife and boys, well that's a different story.
Old timer told us to use bleach. Clorox bleach. I don't know about scratching it up, that might scar, but just wash with bleach and let it set a few minutes and be sure to wash off thoroughly. Do it a few times a day. Try not to make it spread and whatever you do don't bathe. Be careful in teh shower. The bleach works very well.
There's a weed called jewel weed. I don't see it in the midwest but if you can find it, the sap from the leaves and stems is like a miracle drug too.
sam
I would advise caution with the bleach. A little might be OK but too much can irritate your lungs. The oil from poision oak & ivy is what causes the trouble. Avoiding it in the first place (long sleeves/gloves) is best - but hot this time of year!
A wash with dish soap after exposure (before rash) really helps. Once you have it the OTC stuff and time will work. I second the "see the doc" advice for bad cases. Go easy on scratching and things that irritate the skin more - it can make things worse and give you a skin infection too.
Ever notice how the best tree ALWAYS has poision ivy?!
Dr. J
QuoteOriginally posted by tecum-tha:
The cure is called jewelweed and it is the sap of the jewelweed plant. It is sold in 3 forms:
1.) a real soap with jewelweed to wash away the poison oil
2.) a concentrated spray or
3.) a salve
The problem with the poison oil is, that it binds to the skin cells after about 20 min, that means only excess oil can be removed. Soap breaks down some of the oil, but the reaction comes from the bound oils and usually can not be washed away.The jewelweed compound counteracts the poison oil.
My sources are
http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm
or
http://www.turkeyfootllc.com/Salvesandlotion.html
The soap works great as a preventative treatment, leaving some residue on your skin that prevents most major breakouts.
Don't scratch, but put some calamine solution or gel on it.
The poison oil has the tricky problem, that it is water and fat soluble. That makes it easy to spread around the body.
Don't ask where I learned that from....
Jewel weed grows abundantly here in Ohio. found easily in shaded areas along cree/ river banks. When you know you've been in contact with poison ivy/oak, etc... pick some of the plant and crush it up good w/ your hands untill it is good and wet. then rub on your skin wherever you contacted the nasty stuff. If you use this within about a 2 hr. timeframe of the poison contact,it will neutralize the poison ivy.
It is also good for taking the sting out of insect bites....
There is a plant called Jewel weed that usually grows in the same wet damp places as ivy. It has small 1" bell shaped orange flowers. Crush the flowers and young leaves into a paste with a little water. Apply.