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In reply to the discussion: I learned to identify poison ivy at a very early age. I seemed to be especially [View all]Meowmee
(5,164 posts)I was never susceptible to it until I had a very severe case in my 20s, mostly on my legs after walking in a wooded area in shorts and sandals. I had huge blisters and skin damage, nurses cringed when they saw my legs. The itching was so bad I could not sleep and I had to sit with my legs in buckets of ice water in ac. I was on oral steroids for a few weeks. I went to the emergency room one night in tears asking for an injection of steroid but they said it would be too much. They gave me a strong antihistamine which helped and allowed me to sleep finally.
It took 6 months to start healing- I have permanent scars from the skin damage. Since then I am extremely careful- I do not go into any wooded areas anymore. I dont even garden the same way that I used to. I put poison ivy block on, cover my entire body and then shower as soon as I come inside. Ive had it a few times since then but fortunately only mild exposures where I was able most of the time to manage it without an oral steroid and used the foam instead.
These people really are bat shit insane, no cure for it.