Ivy, the poison kind

[Mildly Wild]

Tec Nu
This stuff is great. Always works for us even if used 4+ hrs after exposure Use as directed. Can be ordered on-line or purchased at any WalMart.

 

[Juggernaut]

I don't get it too bad.. Just a small line that looks like a scratch and or some tiny bumps. That being said, I DO keep this at my desk at work.... Cuz that's usually where I am when it makes itself known to me.

 

[huffster]

I usually get small amounts of poison ivy several times each year, but overall I am pretty good at minimizing it considering that I am exposed to it constantly. Kind of like finding ticks on yourself even though you use DEET. I probably spend time in the woods at least 5X a week. I have heard that you can get a rash from Virginia creeper. Between poison ivy and Virginia creeper, they are literally EVERYWHERE right now.

I think that guys video is good advice. You really need to wash repeatedly and with a washcloth or loofa (<sp?). Last week I was in Rockaway WMA. Down near the Lost Lake it was pure poison ivy. Since I was so aware that I had been in it, I washed every inch of myself 3 times with soap and a washcloth. So far, no rash.

Oh, and washcloth went right into the wash after that.

 

[soundz]

Just make sure you don't clean your balls with the same wash cloth.

 

[xc62701]

I get it too but not too easily. For me I do the usual soap and water trick and try to scrub the oils off and I don't have too many issues. If I do it's 4 days later when I get it - exactly 4 days.

 

[Rusty]

I have only ever had a tiny dot of it....actually fell into a patch of it in short sleeves/shorts (with open scratches to boot) the other day, didn't shower for hours after, and didn't use the washcloth method, and nothing. I just don't seem to get it. Of course it has started to creep into the yard from the woods and I am still gonna kill that sh*t before the family gets it themselves for from the dogs...

 

[a.s.]

I never ever remember getting poison ivy as a kid and I was in the bushes and trees a lot. About 8 years ago I was in Cunnigham Park (aka Poison Ivy Park) and slipped on some mud. I landed on my side and scrapped my thigh pretty good. It was covered in mud and some blood but not bad enough to stop me from continuing the ride. Well just my luck - a couple of days prior they'd cut up a bunch of PI that was edging it's way onto the trails. Mulched up PI, grounded up into a mud paste and smeared into my open wound ...14 hours later I was in the ER getting Prednisone injected into me.

Now, if I even look at the stuff, I break out in itchy bumps. I've become hyper sensitive.

 

[RobW]

I never ever remember getting poison ivy as a kid and I was in the bushes and trees a lot. About 8 years ago I was in Cunnigham Park (aka Poison Ivy Park) and slipped on some mud. I landed on my side and scrapped my thigh pretty good. It was covered in mud and some blood but not bad enough to stop me from continuing the ride. Well just my luck - a couple of days prior they'd cut up a bunch of PI that was edging it's way onto the trails. Mulched up PI, grounded up into a mud paste and smeared into my open wound ...14 hours later I was in the ER getting Prednisone injected into me.

Now, if I even look at the stuff, I break out in itchy bumps. I've become hyper sensitive.

DAMN! that sounds so fun.... kidding, how did that even heal?

 

[Juggernaut]

I never ever remember getting poison ivy as a kid and I was in the bushes and trees a lot. About 8 years ago I was in Cunnigham Park (aka Poison Ivy Park) and slipped on some mud. I landed on my side and scrapped my thigh pretty good. It was covered in mud and some blood but not bad enough to stop me from continuing the ride. Well just my luck - a couple of days prior they'd cut up a bunch of PI that was edging it's way onto the trails. Mulched up PI, grounded up into a mud paste and smeared into my open wound ...14 hours later I was in the ER getting Prednisone injected into me.

Now, if I even look at the stuff, I break out in itchy bumps. I've become hyper sensitive.

The Toxic (PI) Avenger.

 

[a.s.]

DAMN! that sounds so fun.... kidding, how did that even heal?

It had spread into my bloodstream and small patches were breaking out all over my body. At 3am that night I was in the shower, running ice cold water when my wife was like, "Dude, you need to go to the ER!" They pumped Prednisone and morphine into me and it instantly gave me relief.

Get yourself some Prednisone. It'll cut your recovery time in half the next time you get PI.

 

[Patrick]

It had spread into my bloodstream and small patches were breaking out all over my body. At 3am that night I was in the shower, running ice cold water when my wife was like, "Dude, you need to go to the ER!" They pumped Prednisone and morphine into me and it instantly gave me relief.

Get yourself some Prednisone. It'll cut your recovery time in half the next time you get PI.

Damn.
I'd go for the morphine over the prednisone tho.....

 

[Monkey Soup]

Damn.
I'd go for the morphine over the prednisone tho.....

Poison Ivy creates a Type IV immune response, in a severe case like a.s. had, you definitely need prednisone to attenuate it. The morphine is icing on the cake, but he probably didn't shit for days.

 

[a.s.]

...but he probably didn't shit for days.

You'd give up pooping any day over what I was going through.

 

[Monkey Soup]

You'd give up pooping any day over what I was going through.

I've been there unfortunately. My eyes were almost completely swollen shut, and lets not get into how irritating it was to be scratching your balls all night, or between your fingers. What really eased the suffering though (besides copious amounts of alcohol and immuno suppressing drugs, not the best combination for your liver btw), was going to the shore and sitting in the ocean. The salt water really eased the itching.

 

[Patrick]

Poison Ivy creates a Type IV immune response, in a severe case like a.s. had, you definitely need prednisone to attenuate it. The morphine is icing on the cake, but he probably didn't shit for days.

my wife had to go through that - but no morphine.
guess i should have put a smiley, so it didn't seem apathetic.

 

[Monkey Soup]

my wife had to go through that - but no morphine.
guess i should have put a smiley, so it didn't seem apathetic.

Sometimes a little apathy is a good thing. Prednisone is nasty shit, you don't want to be on it long term, it can kill you on its own.

 

[JDurk]

Sometimes a little apathy is a good thing. Prednisone is nasty shit, you don't want to be on it long term, it can kill you on its own.

True dat. Came back from TSEpic with some type of skin rash. Looked like heat rash on my feet, legs, torso and forearms. Didn't itch. Went to urgent care and they called it an allergic reaction from a non-fungal plant resulting in contact dermatitis. Or something like that. Anyway, 15 days with reducing dosage each day. Looking at the side affects page, I wanted to quit after day 3, but not taking it to the end would be real bad. Thumping heart beat waking in me during the night was scary. Moody and agitated more than usual, not being able to ride didn't help that. My hands and feet have peeled a layer of skin.

I'd take it if it meant being over PI quicker though.

 

[shrpshtr325]

I used to get poison ivy REALLY easily and really bad, like id look at the stuff and get a rash. Ivy Block definitely works, at least it did for me. Lately iv either been conscious enough to shower after contact or my tolerance to it has gone up, either way im not complaining its been a while since iv had it at all and YEARS since Iv had a bad case of it with shots/drugs ect.

 

[pkovo]

I've been there unfortunately. My eyes were almost completely swollen shut, and lets not get into how irritating it was to be scratching your balls all night, or between your fingers. What really eased the suffering though (besides copious amounts of alcohol and immuno suppressing drugs, not the best combination for your liver btw), was going to the shore and sitting in the ocean. The salt water really eased the itching.

I get it pretty bad, and those two spots are precisely what I was thinking of when reading through this thread. Awful spots to get it. I used to get it alot as a kid, but now it's a rare occurrence. Primarily because I scrub well anytime I think I've been in it which usually keeps me from getting it.

A trick I found to calm the itching if a spot is really bothering me, is to run it under very hot water for a few seconds. Obviously not hot enough where you will burn yourself, but about as hot as you can stand it before you do. Seems to stifle the itching for a little while, and feels kind of good, as strange as that sounds.

 

[Chris Nordt]

I use to get it all the time as a kid, some cases were worse then others, but it was never fun. From bubbles between the fingers, to my upper arm infected so bad I needed shots and to have it wrapped in ace bandage for the oozing, to my eye being literally swollen shut, it's never a fun experience. It had been years since I had gotten PI, but I guess thats the risk of getting back on the mountain bike since I've had to give up hockey.. damn stroke! I've got a few patches on my elbow thanks to 6 Mile, but I guess that's what I get for falling in bushes last Wednesday.. damn log jumped out right in front of me! Now I've got a bottle of Technu with me at work to apply every few hours, I didn't really miss doing this lol.