Trad Gang

Gang,

Been fighting poison ivy for the past month. Believe it must have been on the back side of one of the trees I was trimming out in preparation of the season. Tried the mind-over-matter approach to dealing with it for the first week. THAT WORKED GREAT, except I didn't sleep and couldn't focus on anything but the INTENSE itch for over a week.

Went to the Doc for a shot of cortisone and supplemental oral prednisone prescription. THAT WORKED GREAT, except the steroids made me want to kill anyone who looked at me the wrong way. Meanwhile the itch still persists.

Tried over-the counter topical and oral Benadryl and THAT WORKED GREAT for about the first two minutes; can't recall anything after that 'cuz I've been too busy sleeping.

So, after trying to "tough it out", and finally using cortisone, prednisone, and oral and topical benadryl, here I am four weeks later and it's as bad today as the day I went to the doc. So now I come to you to solicit your PROVEN homebrew remedies.

Did I mention it's on my,...my...pardon me while I go fall on a Wensel Woodsman.

Calamine Lotion will work.  Sounds like you got it bad.  Best of luck getting rid of it.

Feel for ya Huck. The stuff doesn't bother me, but my wife can catch it driving past it in her car.

She has gone so far to rub bleach on it.

Get some chlorine that they use to treat pools and dab it on it with cotton balls, try a small area to see how it reacts to it first. Dries it out real quick, I like Mickey do not get it. shawn

Huck:
You might try Zanfel.
Over the counter, sort of pricey but usually used early in breakout process. I don't know about 4 weeks later. Probably worth a try.

Have you cleaned everything that might have the poison ivy oil on it? Including your saw, shirt, jacket, gloves. Having it 4 weeks sounds like you are re-infecting yourself.

Get well!

every tree withing 50 miles of here is covered in poison ivy. I will usually get a little a few times a year.

Anything that dries it out will help get rid of it. Calamine, Technu, Ivy-dry, etc. but you always have to re-apply.

The BEST THING I have found at drying, getting rid of the itch and more importantly to me, blocking the oils from spreading any further (I have gotten it on my wife before and she is allergic to it) is a spray bandage called "NU-SKIN" (pharmacy band-aid section) I have since found a couple of other manufacturers of which I was skeptical, but they worked pretty well too.
I think that CURAD or BANDAID has some out now that are a little less "industrial" than nu-skin.
Nu-skin in particular goes on cold and has A GREAT DRYING EFFECT. If I start itching again a little, (usually caused by it being hot outdoors) I spray a little more on. Puts a great shell on the affected area. The area should usually gets well in about 3 to 4 days.
hasnt failed me yet when all of the other at one time or another have.
good luck
Brent

I had good luck with Tecnu(sp.)  You should be able to get it at a big name drug store.  I had a real bad case of the ivy a few years ago that I got during bow season that spread to some un mentionable areas. I took a leak when I got back to the truck!  Anyways that and a shot of cortisone are the only things that kept me sane.

Had to look up the name of the stuff and you might have a difficult time finding it but its worth a shot all the same.  Its called Fels Naptha Soap, its an old fashioned heavy duty laundry soap in a bar form.  It dries your skin out something aweful but when it comes to poison ivy the dryer the better.  Most of the old timers Ive talked with over the years have said to leave the lather on to dry, that may not be possible in your case.  Ive had good success with just drawing a good hot bath and using the bar on my skin at least once a day.  I think you can still find it in the laundry detergent section at some stores.

Good luck, hope this helps.

(Do a search for Fels Naptha Soap you should find a dealer I found one online called Soaps Gone Buy)

feel your pain Huckelberry.  I get it bad too.  I've found it best that once I've been exposed in the timber to try very hard not to itch to prevent further spreading the oil.  Once home I immediately wash off with either Tecnu following the instructions precisely or if I don't have Tecnu on hand I'll use bleach and a paper towel.  Very effective in getting the oils off.  Got exposed to some poison ivy Friday night and used the bleach method with great results.  But boy once I've got it... man it's hard to shake.  Best wishes Huckelberry!

I used to get it all the time when I was a teenager and spent all summer weedeating and working in the hay field, and I get it from time to time as I make my living working outdoors.  It seems to me there must be different strains of it because one time a certain treatment works great and the next time it won't touch it.  I have tried beach (works best if the blisters are oozing) and several of the home-remedies (white shoe polish, etc.).  Some of them work and some don't.  There is a plant that the indians and early settlers used called jewl weed.  It grows near moist areas and supposedly works as a wash or a treatment.  If you don't have acccess to anything else give it a try and let us know if it works.  Some of the OTC treatments work but I have had the best results with IVA-REST.  It is ugly but it will dry the spots up.  Good luck!

Sounds like it is on some of your clothes, bed or something adn you are re-infecting.

Cement..........yes cement or mortar mix. I did a bunch of sidewalk work once around the house once with my dad when I was in my teens and my hands in two days started to crack they were so dry. concrete sucks the moisture out of your skin. What is poision ivy? It is liquid under your skin and if you get a tablespoon and mix it up and put it on half a dozen times in a day and let it dry you will be amazed how it will dry up your poision ivy and ease the itching. Other than that go get a poison ivy shot.

I've used the benadryl otc stuff, it works OK.  The scrub is supposed to open the blisters and dry them out followed by a shield product.
Truth is I get it often and after much research and talking with my botany and anatomy profs, what oozes isn't the oil and can't spread poison ivy blisters.  The blisters show up at different times because a) skin in some areas of the body is less sensitive and slower to react or b) you are rubbing fresh oil (urushiol, had to look that one up)from clothing, etc on your skin.  
My usual practice is this: realize i have poison ivy, again;  curse, swear and otherwise lament my ills; wash everything on hot with plenty of soap; wash myself with cheap bar soap(more likely to dry your skin out) or with shop soap(definately get the residual oils off) in a cool shower to avoid opening my pores(I don't know if this actually makes a difference); spray on some barrier spray just to contain the ooze and itch; wallow in misery until it passes.
Turkey-duke: there are a number of strains depending on where you are at and may contain different versions of the urushiol

This will sound kind of sissy, but go to a tanning bed...  I had this stuff once and did everything you have tried, nothign worked... Someone told me about the power of the sun's rays drying up that junk and bingo... It worked...

dude, this is gonna sound stupid, but, scrape the blisters with a knife until they are ALL open and dump rubbing alchohol on them. It will be dried up in 2 days I promise

Josh

I agree that you are probably re infecting with the oils from your clothes or bedclothes. The oil is very hard to get rid of, and stays for a long time if you don't get it out of the clothes. Use Simple green or the Fels soap instead of laundry detergent.

Going in the ocean would help me when i was in the Marines. Maybe a salt bath in  lukewarm water would dry out your itch.
I would not use straight bleach but maybe some in a bath.

I feel your pain, I have had it bad in my day. The biggest thing is get the oils off you and your clothes. Regular soap won't do the trick.

I'm with the re-infecting crowd. I am very allergic. If you've been throught the whole doc procedure, shots/prednisone and it is till around after a month (and just as bad) you have it on something and keep getting fresh oil on you.

What were you wearing and  using that day? Clothes tools boots EVERYTHING you had with you is suspect now and porbabbly is carrying the oils.  Clean it ALL.

Oh yeah my mantra since I was about 8 years old. Always pee hands free in the woods.     :p

Clorox. Rub it on for a couple of days and it should clear it up. Not to mention you'll smell like a clean pair of white sox.

All too chemical, I had 2 hunting season pretty much ruined by it. Now I use jewelweed soap and concentrated spray or salve. The native americans used it too. The guys here are right, that the poison oil leads to the allergic reaction. So you have to clean up with a fat breaking soap. If you type in jewelweed into the famous search engine, you will find a page from a herbal lady in TN who produces that stuff. You will get it quite cheap and in enough quantity to make you heal much quicker and if you use the soap you should prevent major outbreaks. The chemical products might work,too, but they're are real expensive for the quantity you get. Give it a try, she has more than 3000 happy customers.
Roland

To ease the itch, hold the itching area under running water as hot as you can stand for several seconds.  Will give hours of itch relief, but be careful not to scald yourself.

I get pioson Ivy as bad as anybody out there so I feel for ya. This is the process that I use and it has helped a bunch the past two years.

If you know you have been around it. After I get home I go striaght for the shower. I rub the Zenfil stuff on my arms legs and other areas then take a shower. After the shower I have this dermatech stuff that I rub on.

Dermatech is expensive I found it on the web. You apply it twice a day to the infected area and it will start to dry up in 3 to 4 days.

Like I said it seems to be working for me.

As for your clothes and bedding wash them in technu it is safe to do. I normally wash bedding twice in it before putting it back on the bed just to be safe. Good Luck

I watch out  for it like its a poisonous snake.Prenisone worked best when my dog rolled in it before jumping in the truck with me.

A hot air blow dryer will give some temporary relief to the itching much like the hot water treatment but you can control the heat much better than with water. I found that treated correctly mine will go away in 10-14 days and untreated it goes away in about 10-14 days.
God bless,Mudd

The oils in Poison Ivey are water soluble if you even think you touched it wash off immediately  in creek or with water bottle or anything.. I feel for you it is miserable, had it once after crashing a bike into a bush full of it.. now I weed eat it shorts and sandals and never get it...I allways wash off immediately however...

Wow - it sucks to be us.  I am just getting over my recent outbreak and took my last prednisone pill this morning.

I have tried most of the options mentioned here including the more caustic.  You can go so far as to scratch open the rash and then cover with gauze soaked in 30/70 bleach/water solution.  This should be just short of a bad chlorine burn and I don't recommend it (though I have been desperate and dumb enough to do it).

The two options that I have settled on, if I get a rash after a thorough cleaning with TechNu etc..., are 1)repeated sessions in a chlorinated swimming pool (swimming, playing, lounging, exercising) and 2)Ivory soap worked into a paste and coated on the rash.  The pool requires time and travel but the soap is pretty mild treatment and will dry it out.

I hate the meds but I have been bad off enough to get the pills three times in my life.  Funny how all three cases were related to hunting activity.  This most recent outbreak included half of my face and was getting into my eye - time for drugs......

Zanfel worked good for me.  At $50 a small tube it should.

Jason

nu-skin is 6.00 at the drugstore, put it on and go hunting.

I get it pretty bad myself. Seems like all I have to do is walk by it and I get it. When I go to the doc I get a shot and steroids but the stuff that works the best for the itch and seems to dry it up the best is a script from the doc for a topical called Clobetasol Propionate .05%. It's a clear gel and instantly takes the itch away for hours at a time. One tube of the stuff has lasted me for about 4 years now. Even the exp. date has long since gone, it still works. Great stuff. See if your doc can give you that. The calamine and all that isn't strong enough for me. This stuff does it 100%! Try it.

Crush up some touch-me-nots( plant) and rub it on the poison ivy. Best thing to get rid of the nasty stuff

I believe you are reinfecting yourself.  It could be on your shoelaces and every time you strap on those boots you're re-exposing yourself.  Wash anything and everything twice that you know has been in contact with ivy--even expensive leather boots.  The same for tools and anything else that came in contact with it.  The oil can remain volatile on boots or shoelaces for several years I've heard.  And you can get it by inhaling the smoke from where a fenceline is being burnt, etc.

You can also get it by touching an animal (deer, squirrel) that eats or rubs up against poison ivy.  And the ivy plants are volatile even in the dead of winter (trust me, I found that out the hard way).

And with poison ivy, you do not develop an immunity to it, it works the other way around.  You get it easier and usually worse in the future.  Thus you now have to be VERY careful about any kind of contact.

I'm surprised the shot didn't work for you.  I go in an beg for the shot right off the bat when I get it...and it's almost like you can feel it working.  The best bet is to avoid it.  I wouldn't put a stand in a poison ivy infested tree if you told me I'd likely get a shot at a B&C buck.  Seriously.  Go to Plan B.

Good luck and I feel your pain.

You guys ever hear of the poision ivy vaccine?

I got 2 parts of the 3 part shot about 20 years ago. (1 part per year was the treatment. Then it was taken off the market, never approved by the FDA. I got two big shots in my butt by a nurse  that enjoyed her self greatly.

I used to get poison so bad I can still feel it! I think I have had it twice since then, not nearly as bad though. And I really havn't had it at all for 2-3 years. Still, I take no chances, I avoid it like I avoid two hot wires.

Was the vaccine ever approved and back on the market?

Tedd

Get some lye soap and put it on the area that is covered.  It has always worked for our son and I.  It will dry it up in a couple of days.

I am thinking two things about this- first that your re-exposing yourself. Second that you may not have poison ivy.                        
                                       
The predisone should have cleared it up- so the reappearance of it: suggests that it is in your clothes; or if you have a dog- it could have the oil on its hair. If you have kids; they could be bringing it in; and they don't have to be allergic to it; so they could be playing in it; and your touching something they touched.
                                             
                                             
The allergen in poison ivy is in an oil; so yes- really hot water can lift some off; alcohol can lift it off; but it can evaporate and let it settle again as an oil in a new spot.
                                           
                                           
As an oil though; you can use soap; like dish soap; any really concentrated soap to get it off your skin; and when you wash your clothes and boots and laces --- use a LOT of pure soap. Then hot water to get the oil off whatever it is that its on.                          
                                     
I don't remember you mentioning where on your body the skin is being effected. If its your hands; then its something your touching; and it could be there is oil inside your gloves.      
                                         
If your getting into water in your hunts; it may not be poison ivy; but instead 'swimmers itch' which is a living creature that is in water; and creates a reaction similiar to poison ivy. It again; would take repeated exposure- though for it to keep re-occuring.
                                       
                                               
When I was 12 I got poison ivy so severe on my let arm- that the doctors decided to wrap my arm in saran wrap. It then got infected; and that turned into gangrene. The doctor was outside my room telling my mother they might have to take off my arm; when I took off through the window; ran home and took a brillo pad and comet cleanser; and scrubbed my whole left arm to a bloody pulp. People that get a severe reaction to poison ivy might understand why after weeks of not scratching I brillo padded my arm like I did.
                                             
                                             
It worked though; and I only carry a small scar from where the gangrene was. Since then if I think I have been exposed; I wash with dish soap - lots of it; and then if it sets in anyway; I do the prednisone route.            
                                           
I cannot believe that you have had it this long without re-exposure going on. You really need to figure out where the re-exposure from. I have seen on hunting shows where guys have a treestand in a tree-with a vine going up it; with thousands of 'roots' going to the tree from the vine. These vines may not have one single leaf on them as they go up the tree- but they will have leaves at the top. I have seen huge oaks; that looked alive; but were one big solid growth of vines and leaves from poison ivy.
                                             
                                               
You really need to find the source of exposure!!!

Oh good grief- I just read where you have it... then I read this and had to laugh...
                   
" But boy once I've got it... man it's hard to shake. Best wishes Huckelberry!"

I thought I was immune to the stuff until I hit the big 40 or 42 I think it was. I keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol with me in the truck at all times. As soon as I come out of the woods I wash my hands with it and any other exposed parts. It took a long time to get rid of if I remember correctly.Around two weeks with the Shot and meds...

OHHHH AND when the vine drops the leaves that is witout a doubt the worst time. All the sap runs into the vine stronger  and look out.That's how I got it I didn't see any leaves and after I realized what the vine actually was it was to late. I used to like pouring hot as I can stand water on the blisters boy that felt good!

I also missed the line about where the effected area is. Most of these remedies including nu-skin (contains alcohol)would cause some serious although temporary discomfort on those tender areas for sure.    I still think it would be better than to be itching in the nether regions. I feel for you buddy.  

I vote for tecnu as a preventative measure.
If ya end up with it, which is sounds like you got it bad, try this...
Get some Vitamin C gel tabs. Make a paste by separating the gel tabs and adding water. Apply the paste to the blisters....careful it could sting a bit. I was told this method when I worked for a utility company....part of the job was trimming poison ivy off the poles. It usually works within 24 hours...dries it up and alleviates the itch quick. Give it a shot....you will not regret it.

My colleagues have had good luck with Tecnu. Can be gotten mail order if you can't find it locally.

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=6024

I've only gotten it bad once. Must have been weeding it without realizing it and went to pee... Thought the swelling normally would have been appreciated, it was offset by the excruciating pain of having ivy in my urethra...two weeks before my wedding no less.
As my daughter would say TMI... but we share your pain. It sounds as though you may be rinfecting yourself. You can do laundry with the tecnu to remove the oils from your clothing, pets, etc...

Good luck.

Huck,
The only absolute certain cure I know of is amputation!  Assuming you'd prefer not go that route, try Ivy Stat.  It's available at drug stores.  Considering the duration of your infection, I'd have to agree with KSDan, you must be reinfecting.  I get some EVERY year.  It usually takes about a week to blister up from when you got it, a week of intense itching, and a week of it going away.  Sounds like to need to wash EVERYTHING that was anywhere near that ivy.  You must have it on something that you touch a lot; your bow perhaps?

QuoteOriginally posted by Tedd:
You guys ever hear of the poision ivy vaccine?

I got 2 parts of the 3 part shot about 20 years ago. (1 part per year was the treatment. Then it was taken off the market, never approved by the FDA. I got two big shots in my butt by a nurse  that enjoyed her self greatly.

I used to get poison so bad I can still feel it! I think I have had it twice since then, not nearly as bad though. And I really havn't had it at all for 2-3 years. Still, I take no chances, I avoid it like I avoid two hot wires.

Was the vaccine ever approved and back on the market?

Tedd

Heard of it?? You betcha!! Mine was a series of 8 shots in the early 70's. Two a week. The doc said "most people will never get it again. I'm just hoping you don't get it as bad."  He was right, now I get it like a "normal" person. I looked into a booster about 5 years ago. It seems it was never approved because of its sketchy record. It either worked great or not at all with about a 30% ratio of working.

I feel for ya. I usually get into the stuff several times a year. My doc ordered some stuff called Betamethasone Dipropionate. Couldn't pronounce it if I had to. It's a cream and it works great for me.Wasn't expensive either. If the home remadies don't cut it and you want to give medicine one more try see if you can talk your doc out of a tube of this stuff. I keep it handy.

            Good luck,

                       Ed      :campfire:  

     My doc is a hunter and trapper. I believe he has tested this stuff himself.

I never got poison ivy until four years ago and then I got it two years in a row.  I haven't had it again since then.  Zanfel works for me and so does Technu.  The place I hunt most is flat eat up with poison ivy.  After I find a good spot to hunt, I spend another 30 minutes finding a tree with the least amount of vines on it. After I tear down the vines, I set the stand and head straight for the shower with Technu.  I use the Technu on my clothes in the wash as well.  It works great as a preventative measure.

I will tell you that when I did get it, I went with the brillo pad and treat crowd and I swear to you that it worked better than when I tried to treat it alone.

Jewel Weed or Jerusalem Oak as Granny called it...works real good. She would boil the cleaned roots in 50/50 water/lard Boil it till only the lard is left and water is boiled out. strain it through a clean cloth of some sort and let it cool too a paste. Kinda smells but it does work.
Hardwood ashes....like oak or hickory ...mix with water to a paste...apply and let it dry 4 to 6 times a day...old injun recipie.

QuoteOriginally posted by captaincaveman:
dude, this is gonna sound stupid, but, scrape the blisters with a knife until they are ALL open and dump rubbing alchohol on them. It will be dried up in 2 days I promise

Josh

I missed the part about where you had it when I suggested this.  I would not advize knife scraping anything in that area  :eek: .  It does work on less sensitive areas though


Josh

I have always just scrubbed it with hot water and soap then dried it by blotting a towel on it.  Then spray it down really good with hair spray that stops the itch and keep you from reinfecting everything you touch.  I get the stuff like there is no tomorrow and have gotten shots a couple times a year for the last several years.  Seems turkey season is the worst for some reason.  The stuff sucks for sure... good luck I have had it in the areas you are describing and it is the worst.  I have even gotten it on my eye lids before... that really sucks.

Banana peels.  Put the inside of a fresh banana peel over the area and keep it there for about half an hour.  Seems to really help with the itching, don't know if it helps clear it up though.

Your most likely reinfecting yourself...Once you get it on your skin, and wash it all off it cannot spread it on yourself, or to anyone else. The ooz that comes out of your skin isn't the poison, its just your bodys reaction to it. Make sure to wash everything you were wearing that day, including your bed sheets that you slept in that night...and any tools you used. The oils from ivy can stay on clothing, shoes, and tools for over a 2 years...so if you don't wash that stuff you'll be reinfecting yourself for the next 2 years.

Besides what you've already done I am not sure of anything to quicken the process...the shots and steriods always do the trick for me...

If you EVER EVER EVER think you have come into contact with it, get in the shower and cover your body from head to toe in dish washing detergant (Palm Olive...etc.) These soaps are designed to surround oils and remove them from the dishes (in this case your skin) were as regular soaps (dial/dove) are designed to keep moisture and natural oils in your skin....thus they're just holding the oils in your skin...

Hope you get well soon...I remember one time I had a perfect hand print of rash on my face from Posion....it was pretty rough, it was on my eyes, nose and ears....then eventually down my neck....so I feel your pain!

Bryan

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the input. I guess I overlooked the ovious- I was more than likely re-infecting myself. Upon reading your advice, I have taken the time to wash EVERYTHING that I took into the woods with me on the day that I became infected. On a positive note, since I posted this topic, i seem to have turned the corner toward my recovery.

Again thanks for the tips and empathy.

Huck

Huck,
I've heard that soaking in the ocean works wonders for getting rid of poison ivy. But I see you are a bit far from making a trip down the shore. You might try using kosher salt in your bath tub and soak in it for a while.
Another remedy I was taught by my father was,"Leaves of 3 let be."

hey guys go to the pharmecy counter at wal-mart and ask for ZANFEL. best thing for poison ivy.
we work around it all the time it does work but cost about 30 bucks a tube


doug77

Go to your health care provider and get a decadron shot. It will dry it up in a few days and relieve the ithching.

Use Jewelweed.  Pull the whole plant out of the ground, crush it up, and rub it on.  If you got into the ivy heavy, you can wrap crushed Jewelweed on the area with an ace bandage. Apply the fresh plant every few hours. Once pulled, it dries out quickly and loses its potency.  It works better than anything and is probably growing somewhere near your house.

I am alergic, and if/when I get it bad.....

sounds silly, but:

Oatmeal bath.  Check the local drug store.  Medicinal packets, warm as you can stand tup and soak in it.


Don't you just love all of these home remidies?