HELP! AAARRRGGGHHH poison ivy, oak whatever!

[ElizaB39]

I am REALLY REALLY suffering here. Any tried and true old home remedies that anyone wants to share? My forearms and my right tricep area are weeping, itching and swollen, going on day 4 now...


I AM GOING OUT OF MY MIND!!!!!



HELP MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

 

[luvdzne]

Have you tried calamine (sp) lotion?

try http://www.otan.us/webfarm/emailproject/oak.htm

 

[snowwhitesmom]

my sympathies - I get poison ANYTHIN'! And I usually end up at the docs for a shot - if it isn't better tomorrow I would call yours..........

 

[diznygirl]

My bro always uses oatmeal soap.



Hope you feel better soon!

 

[fabumouse]

Yes - go to your doctor immediately! They can give you a steroid cream and/or pills (or apparently a shot) that can help you and s/he can monitor it for infection. I had a bad case 2 years ago and I ended up with small brownish scars where it was really bad. My Doc. put me on prednisone and it cleared up within a couple of days.

I used benedryl gel and that really helped with the itching, but you need prescription medication. Even if it seems to be better tomorrow, still go to the doctor because this could last for weeks.

Poison ivy is the scourge of the universe. I find it in my yard every spring and all I can think of is "terminate! terminate!"

 

[ElizaB39]

DH says go to the DR. too. However, I had LASIK two weeks ago and am not sure how this would affect my healing (steroid use). I will call my LASIK doc tomorrow and inquire, then off to my doc for something to relieve my PAIN! The pharmacist said use benadryl pills (I am) and hydrocortisone cream for the itching. However, I keep thinking it is getting better and it isn't!!!

 

[GraysMom]

I can sympathize with you on the awful itching of poison ivy. I a horrible case about 2 years ago (in August no less, when the heat and humidity make the itching even worse if you can imagine) and ended up going to the doctor about it. He gave me a prescription for steroids but we were trying to get pregnant and the info with the steroids made it sound like getting pregnant within six months of taking the pills was bad, so...no steroids for me (and I was looking forward to bulking up ). Anyway, the only things that helped me (I also had it on my forearms the worst, then it showed up on my ankles, waist, etc) was taking oatmeal baths. I'm sure there is a "recipe" to make your own, but I just bought the premade oatmeal baths at CVS. I would also put ice packs on my arms to numb them for a little while so I couldn't feel the itching. I hope you find relief soon!

GraysMom

 

[ElizaB39]

Okay, so I am a big B-A-B-Y! I tried the peroxide on the skin, it said for 20 minutes, I couldn't even stand it for 5! Then washed it all off really good, applied prescription strength prep H and, "ahhhhh", relief from the itching. I took a good long look at my arms in the mirror and I am heading to my general doc tomorrow upon the okay of my LASIK physician. It is really hideous looking!

blech

 

[rmom50]

Glad you're going to Dr. I get it quite often and the only thing that works for me is Calamine and Benadryl (oral) for itch. The Calamine comes in clear now - not the old pink chalk stuff. Dr. is better - I do hate the steroids though, but sometimes you just have to.

 

[ElizaB39]

Hello everyone!

I went to the Dr., got a prednisone shot, and subsequent pills and am doing much better. I wish I would have gone much sooner and not tried to stick it out for so long.

Now, I am in the healing process and the arms are crunchy and red, yuk, but so much better and not swollen and weeping and sore.

Thanks all!

 

[snowwhitesmom]

So glad you feel better!

 

[fabumouse]

Hello everyone!

I went to the Dr., got a prednisone shot, and subsequent pills and am doing much better. I wish I would have gone much sooner and not tried to stick it out for so long.

Thanks all!

Isn't it funny how we put of taking care of ourselves, yet we run our children to the ER if we notice a small but funky rash?

Glad you're feeling better - and stay away from that poison ivy!

 

[GraysMom]

I'm glad you're finally getting some relief .

GraysMom

 

[Towncrier]

Watch out for the prednisone. It can have some unwanted side effects. My DW Sue recently took prednisone for two weeks to relieve the itching and swelling from, of all things, a mango (which, by the way is related to poison ivy and poison sumac). It helped with the itching and swelling, but her feet broke out with some sort of infection and didn't get better until she got off the prednisone. I guess that one of the unwelcome side effects of prednisone is that it suppresses your immune system, so you are more likely to pickup an infection. And she did.

Glad that you got some relief from your poision ivy. You should be careful and avoid touching the skin of a mango or you might have a similar reaction.

 

[disneymom3]

towncrier--that is really interesting about the mango. Hmm, I will have to tell DH as he has a major problem with poison ivy.