I got a bad case of poison ivy. Please remember me tonite and in the next few days.

[sprinkleeninow]

On Prednisone and got a corticosteroid shot plus a topical steroid cream.

I'm a little beside myself.

Thanks. 💙

[Demovictory9]

1. howd that happen?

[sprinkleeninow]

2. I clipped a shrub and it was growing up in the middle.

Thot I was careful, but I see now that I wasn't.

Took several days to pop out. In the crease of my right arm, down my arm to my wrist, on my right side midriff, under the front..There's a pattern where affected area touched all.

I read tons about it. Had a small patch mb 40 years ago, but nothing like this.

Growing in a raised bed in a totally fenced in back patio/yard area. First time in 4 years. Read that birds eat the berries, drop seed and there you have it.

[love_katz]

3. You could also try aloe Vera gel.

Fresh gel, straight from the plant works best. I got a horrible case of poison oak a number of years back. Tried all kinds of remedies. The one that helped the most was the fresh aloe Vera gel. Wishing you swift healing and relief.

[sprinkleeninow]

9. Thanks for that. The cortisone cream seems to keep it wet.

Which you really don't want. I prefer it to dry up and disappear.

It really fixed me good this time. I keep finding more all my right side.

I'll get some aloe vera from the health food store and mb a fresh bottle of calamine. I put some on when it first popped out, but it's from a number of years ago.

Receiving your good wishes. 💙

[dawg day]

26. The prednisone should help quick.

try not to scratch. You might ask the Dr. For a sleeping pill, just to get through the night.

[sprinkleeninow]

31. I'm just wound up from the sadness of Justice Ginsburg and then my rash has upset me.

The Prednisone should take more visible effect soon.

I may ask for a 2nd corticosteroid shot eventually.

Peace be to you. 💙

[Rstrstx]

19. Had the same outbreak this spring

Not from poison ivy per se but from trimming a tree in the same family (sumacs, Brazilian and California pepper trees, etc). It even affected the same area on my arm. The steroidal cream from the dermatologist did the trick, it started working almost overnight. The calamine was useless, if you’re allergic to the toxic oils of the sumac family you need the big guns.

It’s been decades since I’ve had a similar run-in with the sumac family, it may get worse with age, the last time I had it was bad but not like this. A casual touch or brush with most of them doesn’t bother me, but if handled enough to where the oil can make good contact with the skin it’s hell. Fortunately I don’t have traditional poison ivy or oak here, they’re the worst offenders since it takes so little.

[sprinkleeninow]

21. I had a small patch about 40 years ago. Nowhere's like this.

I read tons about it on the google. People felt like it keeps spreading, but it doesn't. I clipped the shrub last Saturday. This popped out Wednesday after. Thursday I got up and said I better see a doc.

Peace...💙

[Meowmee]

4. Oh no🤯

I just had it about 3-4 weeks ago, it took 3 weeks to clear up. I used clobetasol foam. Another thing that helps is very hot water compresses every few hours, as hot as you can stand, Boil water etc. it will itch a lot and then the itch goes away for a few hours. Repeat when it starts itching again.

This was a relatively mild case on my arm, a little on the other, because I had cleaned it off with technu suspecting exposure but it did’t completely work. I wore an ivy block but I neglected to wear my cover up shirt the night I was exposed, a big mistake.

I had a very severe case years ago all over my legs with enormous blisters- I have scars from that. I was on steroids for 3 months and could not sleep, I sat with my legs in buckets of ice water with ac. Then an er doc gave me a new antihistamine that helped me sleep. I used to go to the beach and soak my legs in the salt water to try to heal it.

I hope you recover soon

[sprinkleeninow]

10. Thank you for info. So sorry you had that awful experience!

I broke down earlier and this started to scare me.

With everything else going on/wrong.

Peace be to you. 💙

[Meowmee]

51. Aww ty

pi is awful and a test of strength, you can do it, good thing you are on heavy steroids etc. that will help... try the hot water it really works though I would not do it if you have huge blisters and terrible inflammation etc. where the skin is more compromised. Somehow we are going to get through all of this, I hope ... peace 😻

[Hassin Bin Sober]

5. That sucks.

My buddy is going through the same thing now. He also had to go on all those meds.

Feel better.

[sprinkleeninow]

11. 💙

[TEB]

6. You got it hugs

[sprinkleeninow]

12. 💙

[Cha]

7. You poor thing, Sprink💙.. on top of Everything Else!

Virtual Hug!

[sprinkleeninow]

13. 💙

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Oh, dear. Nothing but sympathy from me.

Although I seem to be one of those rare people immune to poison ivy. Some years ago, after I'd walked through a particular area, someone asked in concern, "Are you okay? There's lots of poison ivy there." I had no poison ivy response. And I think something similar happened another time, although we are talking at least 45 years ago, so details are lost in the fog of time.

However, I know that poison ivy is nasty, and I would not wish it on anyone. Well, maybe there are some Republicans I'd wish it on.

[sprinkleeninow]

14. 💙

[EarthFirst]

15. IvyDry

Amazing stuff.

Generally knocks it down to tolerable within three days; major results in seven...

Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/Super-Size-Itch-Relieving-Spray/dp/B001V9QW2E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=ivy+dry&qid=1600508302&sprefix=ivy+&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTFVDUzYzOVVCV05EJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjU0NjMzMlpRNjVTOUJLQVNSRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDY4MzI2TUFHVk5MNjU1TTE2JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[sprinkleeninow]

16. Thank you. The Prednisone makes sense, but the cortisone cream is keeping it wet.

I'll look for this. 💙

[sprinkleeninow]

17. You all are so kind. I got beneficent direction to try another approach other than a customary

medical one!

[CentralMass]

18. I just read about a poison ivy itch remedy tonight using epson salts.

Mix 2 tablespoons of epson salts with 1 cup of warm water. Soak a clean cloth in the mixture and hold on affected area to remove pain, burning and itching.

[sprinkleeninow]

24. Appreciate this. Later today I'll get all the remedies posted.

I think get it dried up, then aloe gel to promote healing.

I did read something about oatmeal being soothing. I'll try it all.

The traditional docs most of them go by the 'book'. And at times those remedies do not work.
💙

[True Blue American]

20. I feel for you.

I had it once from what I thought was grape vines. Had poison ivy in them.

My husband would not let me touch a vine of any kind after that. He seemed to be immune.

Thank goodness you have medications to help. Sorry for you, though!

[sprinkleeninow]

22. Thank you for kind thoughts. 💙

[Baltimike]

23. I hope you feel better soon nt

[sprinkleeninow]

25. 💙

[Sherman A1]

27. Sorry to hear about that

Hope it clears up soon.

[Chipper Chat]

28. If I get it I take hot showers.

also I keep a hair dryer handy. It will itch like crazy from the heat. Then stop for6 hours or so. No it won't spread it.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. Oh, no! I am so sorry, my friend!

I hope that the treatments you're getting help you feel better soon! And fellow DUers are coming to the rescue, as usual - hope that their suggestions help you feel more comfortable...

[LittleGirl]

30. Ugh, oh no!

I’m highly allergic too. About a decade ago one of my colleagues had to go to the hospital. He couldn’t sleep either. I hope you feel better soon. Cyber hugs

[sprinkleeninow]

32. 💙

[samplegirl]

33. Oh yuck

try not it scratch it. It will clear up. Also Ivydry works well!
Feel better.

[sprinkleeninow]

55. I called around for everything you guys and dolls recommended.

So I can get relief quickly and not have to go Amazon route.

My neighbor buddy had some leftover Clobetasol cream that I put on earlier, but it keeps it moist like the cheap topical the doc prescribed. The foam version is available at several locations and reasonable with a GoodRx coupon. Street $$ with no insurance is over 500 bucks!! With my Part D Prescription Plan it's still over $300. With the GoodRx coupon it's around $60. I may wait a day or two and just do conservative stuff like hot water, zinc oxide and then aloe when it really starts to dry up.

How is Johnny faring and you? I said prayers. 💙

[Tanuki]

34. So sorry to hear you are going through this! Take comfort in knowing it is

only temporary... I know when one is in the middle of something like this it can feel as if it will go on forever! I find that using an otc antihistamine like benadryl helps me a little, although it doesn't seem to work for everyone. I hope you will get some relief (and some sleep!) soon. Better and less itchy days are coming soon!
😺💕🌞🌊🎉

[iamateacher]

35. Feel better soon!

[Throck]

36. I feel your pain extremely.

I'm super sensitive to it.

I didn't think it was so potent this late in the season.

[A HERETIC I AM]

38. Me too.

Horribly allergic.

I’m afraid I’ll break out just reading this thread!

I hope the OP has a speedy recovery.

[Throck]

39. I once hit raspberry thorns then poison ivy.

My legs looked like mustard gas hit them for 2 months.

[A HERETIC I AM]

44. My Boston Terrier walked through a patch....

He always slept with me.


Not hard to guess what happened, eh?

I read that the compound is so toxic that a teaspoon could infect hundreds of people.

I understand that it can even be carried in the smoke of burning Poison Ivy.

And then there is that nasty “Giant Hogweed” that has sap that will cause enormous blisters And basically 3rd degree burns.

I swear, this planet is trying to kill us

[Hassin Bin Sober]

45. When I was in high school half the football team got.

4 or 5 of the guys painted a big fence for one of the teammates’ parents. They spread to a bunch of other players. The offensive center got it on his ass from the quarterback.

It’s kind of funny now. It wasn’t back then.

[A HERETIC I AM]

50. This is absolutely no lie.....

But I’ve spread it to my genitals more than once as a kid. Talk about misery!

When it became clear just how badly I reacted to it, we were living in Maryland, almost exactly 20 miles as the crow flies from the White House.

The woods out back had plenty of poison ivy and after the first season of me getting it all over, I started annual cortisone shots every spring.

The last time I got any on me was about 9 years ago, and it got so bad I had to stop at a doctors office in Fort Stockton, TX. after suffering with it for 2 days. I was on a cross country trip and I couldn’t sleep because of it, in spite of slathering Calagel and other anti-itch applications.

The shit is just nasty to me.

[sprinkleeninow]

54. I was a big dope working around the plant thinking I dint get any junk on me.

What was I thinking. It's so bad. Blisters and lumps all down the inside of my arm, all over my side, around the front midriff, under and on my brisket. Down on the bikini line where the leg meets the crochet. 😄

I get upset, cry, then act silly.

[FailureToCommunicate]

37. It must feel like bad luck on top of bad news. That sucks. You've tried TECNU

I assume? It's what all the landscapers swear by. That's the soap, but they also make a rash relief spray and Calagel, a medicated anti-itch gel, that works well.

I got a terrible case during my honeymoon. I had helped mow and weed whack the patio area where our wedding was going to be the day before, in shorts, and sandals, on a hot day. The weed whacking drove loads of the stuff all over my legs. I guess I was not thinking straight, because I was allergic, and had had bad rashes in the past.

On the honeymoon my feet and legs swelled up like crazy. I mistakenly thought swimming in saltwater would be good, but it just made everything infected. We stopped at a dive shop to rent fins and masks and the guy took a look at my huge swollen feet, and said it looked like I wouldn't need fins! When we got back to civilization, my doctor asked if it was okay if he brought in all the other medical folks in the practice...he'd never seen a case as bad as mine! I had swollen lymph nodes by that point. Kinda messed up the honeymoon, but I got over it (and we're still together, 30+ years.)

SO, wishing you speedy recovery. It sucks for all of us that the daily news just keeps getting worse and worse.

[Tribetime]

40. I got it about 10 years ago using a weed wacker without a shirt

I was covered in it. The thing that helped me the most was taking hot showers and keep turning it up higher and higher to handle the heat and it would feel great it was a thing that helped me the most I probably did it every few hours turn it up as high as you can stand it and then see if you can turn it up even higher a little bit later and keep doing it.
It helps to pull the poisons out of you I guess and heal quicker

[DeminPennswoods]

41. Prednisone should clear things up very fast

nt

[tavernier]

42. If you don't live in an area where aloe grows

some large food stores carry it fresh. Might be worth a phone call or two. The actual plant is better than in a bottle.

I’ll do a little anti poison ivy dance for you.

[SheltieLover]

43. Try liquid white shoe polish

Sorry to hear you are suffering, my friend.

I had poison ivy some 30 yrs ago. A very wise pharmacist told me to skip all the OTC remedies & go straight to liquid white shoe polish, the kind with a sponge applicator on the bottle.

Yes, it looks awful, but there is apparently a type of clay in the polish that dries up the spots quickly.

This treatment stopped my discomfort instantly upon contact. I seem to recall reapplying a few times when itching resumed.

I honestly cannot recall how long it took, but it seems about 7-10 days for the whole mess to be gone.

I had it only on my forearms & hands.

https://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/cleaning.html

The Hartfort Courant news also has a video on the white shoe polish treatment.

https://www.courant.com/ctnow/hc-try-anything-poison-ivy-cures-20120522-photogallery.html

Other natural remedies:

https://grannysu.blogspot.com/2008/07/ah-itch-poison-ivy.html?m=1

Zinc oxide is said to have a similar effect to white shoe polish.

I hope this is helpful & that you are all better soon!

[mindfulNJ]

46. Been there

I'm sorry...I know all too well what you're going through. Take care!

[lostnfound]

47. Slather in calamine lotion and let it dry on you Reapply as necessary,

I’m sorry. I had it for a month. all over both legs, but once I earned that trick it cleared up.
It protects the surrounding skin from becoming equally contaminated.

[whistler162]

48. Just for you

[sprinkleeninow]

53. This tune is been playing in my head since the rash made its debut. 🎶

[crickets]

49. Oh no! My sincerest sympathies. Poison ivy is awful.

No remedy suggestions to add, but I hope the itching stops and the rash dries up soon!

[sprinkleeninow]

52. Thx for your good wishes. 💙