Poison Freaking Ivy

My wife used a VERY hot washcloth and said it did wonders. The heat is supposed to do something to he histamiens (SP).

I can offer no antidote but I do have an anecdote...

I was never affected by poison ivy... I used to clear it bare handed in shorts and never even get a rash. I was like a superhero. One day, after 35 years of laughing in the face of the ivy I woke up blind. My eyes were swollen shut and my face was all slimey. In panic I slapped my wife awake - she said in a very even tone that I could tell was designed to keep me calm... "We need to go to the hospital - you look like a burn victim". Now, having never been allergic to ivy - I had no idea why I was blind and slimey... so I just assumed it was the worst possible thing. Hanta, the flesh-eater... leprosy... something awful.

At the hospital - my wife led me in to the nurse station and I presume just asked where the morgue was or for help making final arrangements when the nurse said "My god, how did you get poison ivy all over your face!?"

5 shots of steroid into my face and 3hrs later... I was uglier than normal and miserable but I could see. In the mirror I looked a little like the guy from Mask if he had accidentally shot himself in the face with a sandblaster. It took 2 more weeks of people walking to the other side of the street and whispering for their children to get away from me before all the sores on my face, neck, arms and shins went away.

I clear brush the old fashioned way now - I hire people.

Before you weed-whack again, spray Round-up along the entire fence line. Only thing I know that will kill the vine down to the root. Occasional re-spraying will guarantee that it won't come back.

so, i have a question. My mom got poison ivy really really bad a few years back and her doctor said that the poison ivy is not able to spread by touching another person. She even hugged my mom before she left and wished her luck with the PI. She mentioned something about the poison being in the blood stream/ internal and not an external thing.

Any validation to that?

Also, the leaking gross stuff that oozes from the skin...is that poison coming out or some bodily fluid. Is that contagious?

I have pics if you want em

Its caused by your body having an allergic reaction to the oils of the plant - and it can be transferred to others if say, you have it all over your clothes and someone else handles or wears them. You can rub the oil onto someone else - but once you have washed it off its not "catchy" like a sickness.

The ooze is the same ooze you get from a brushburn... your skins little way of saying "I berkeleying hate you right now".

so, now that is a few days after it happened im no longer a "threat" to anyone?

You weren't a threat as soon as you changed your clothes and took a good shower.

PI carries an oil called urishol. Most people are allergic to it to some degree, the oil causes the rash. Once you wash off the oil all that's left is the suffering. People used to thing it "spread" because as others said different areas will break out at different times. So you will have an initial rash and then more that pops up later. About 2 years ago I was clearing an area of our yard and spent 2 full days working around the stuff in shorts and a t shirt, no gloves. I was breaking out in new areas for up to 72 hours afterward. I started a new job 2 days later....terrible first impression in a corporate environment but I survived.

Hot water, as hot as you can stand will cause your body to temporarily release the histamines which are causing the itch and brings some relief but it's very temporary.

I have heard that Poison Ivy can get into your bloodstream and pop up in other areas, far from where you made contact. Don't know if that's true.

I do know that some people are immune to it. I could literally roll in the stuff as a child with no problem. Often did just to freak out people. I also know that your immunity can be lost over time, because now, I can get it. Weird. Perhaps I was actually replaced by a pod person, which would explain a few things.

I have heard that rolling in poison ivy can make you a target for being replaced with a pod person, but I don't know if that's true.

Urushiol can be purchased at a pharmacy. Dandy stuff on the handles of equipment that annoying neighbors borrow and such.

walterj wrote: I can offer no antidote but I do have an anecdote... I was never affected by poison ivy... I used to clear it bare handed in shorts and never even get a rash. I was like a superhero. One day, after 35 years of laughing in the face of the ivy I woke up blind. My eyes were swollen shut and my face was all slimey. In panic I slapped my wife awake - she said in a very even tone that I could tell was designed to keep me calm... "We need to go to the hospital - you look like a burn victim". Now, having never been allergic to ivy - I had no idea why I was blind and slimey... so I just assumed it was the worst possible thing. Hanta, the flesh-eater... leprosy... something awful. At the hospital - my wife led me in to the nurse station and I presume just asked where the morgue was or for help making final arrangements when the nurse said "My god, how did you get poison ivy all over your face!?" 5 shots of steroid into my face and 3hrs later... I was uglier than normal and miserable but I could see. In the mirror I looked a little like the guy from Mask if he had accidentally shot himself in the face with a sandblaster. It took 2 more weeks of people walking to the other side of the street and whispering for their children to get away from me before all the sores on my face, neck, arms and shins went away. I clear brush the old fashioned way now - I hire people.

That is almost word for word what happened to me. I got hit in the face by a half inch vine that had just been cut by a chainsaw. I have never been so miserable in my life. I won't go near the stuff anymore.

I can't afford the zanfel stuff and I use TECHNU. there are actually TWO different kinds- the one kind you put on and take a shower and it strips the oils off. The second kind relieves the itching. You gotta do the first one first then the second. Its not a bad idea to put some of the first in the laundry. I once get real bad poison ivy on my leg and somehow the oils got in my favorite khakis... I didn't realize it but it would flare up everytime I wore them till I finally washed them with technu and got rid of the oils.

Google poison ivy medicine and you can get lots of reviews on the many expensive creams and remedies. For my money technu works pretty well.

Prednisone is the answer. Technu, calamine...nothing over the counter worked for me.

foxtrapper wrote: Jewel weed. Conveniently, it tends to grow near poison ivy patches.

+eleventy billion

As a kid I was very sensitive to PI. One time I ended up looking like walterj described. Old frendof my fathers saw me while we were picking up a prescription at the drugstore. Said he would bring something over that would take care of it.

My mother was not comfortable with "home" remedys so she only smeared a little of the juice on one forearm. Next morning I was still in miserable condition except for the area on the forearm that had the "jewelweed juice" applied.

Thereafter, Jewelweed was the remedy of choice around our house.

well friday i got a shot at the doctors and a giant doseage of pills. The doc looked at it and said it looked really bad.

Its all over my whole upper torso, most of my legs till a little above the knee and my arms a bit.

The shot seems to have helped as its been noticably less puffy and gross.

That being said i still feel gross. Its getting better though so....

foxtrapper wrote: Urushiol can be purchased at a pharmacy. Dandy stuff on the handles of equipment that annoying neighbors borrow and such.

What is it used for? Other than the use you gave, does it have any value? Hhaha

haha about 5 years back I was clearing out my dads property in MI... freaking stuff covered my legs... took almost a month to completely heal... I still have scars from it... cortazone (SP?) cream was the only stuff that helped me at all...