Poison Ivy?

[SinatraGrl]

Does anyone else here get poison ivy really bad? My eye is swollen shut as i type. I went to the emergency room on wednesday, and im on steroids. But its spreading to my arm and neck and face and im lookin kinda grizzled. i was wondering if anyone has any remedys to stop the itching? im open to anything! thanks so much guys! help!

 

[Pin Wizard]

You poor thing! I used to get it really bad when I was a kid. We played in the bushes by my house. My two friends would be spotless, and I'd be covered in a couple days. That was ages ago when we just used calomine lotion. I was pink all over. But these days they do make it colorless! It's worth a try. But I don't think I'd put it near my eye.

 

[wdwnutze]

No remedies to offer but just sympathy! I used to get it really bad as a kid too. I was always at the DR getting medication put in my eyes because they were swollen shut. Have you tried any Benedryl for the itch? Hope you get better soon.

 

[SinatraGrl]

meh. i am smearing calamine all over, but i dont want to risk it near my eye and i take benedryl at night because it puts me right out. ick

 

[Megan's Mom]

My dad gets it really bad and I remember one Thanksgiving he even got it in his mouth. Long story... The DR gave him something with zinc in it. I don't remember the entire name but it might be worth a try. You might call and opthomogist (sp?) to see what they can do. I always get a little leary of things happening around the eye area. Good luck.

 

[gina2000]

I get poison ivy from regular ivy. I sometimes end up on prednizone and have steroid cream to apply to the affected areas.

The only thing that helps the itching is benedryl. Unfortunately, it knocks me out so I end up asleep for the duration of the poison ivy outbreak.....dopey and disoriented. But it does work and stops the spreading.


If you are on steriods and it is still spreading, you may need to see a dermotologist. That happened to me a few years ago. The dermotologist tripled the steroid dosage. That finally did it for me.

 

[Serena]

I know someone that had poison ivy, he went to the doctor and the doctor gave him a shot of something and it stopped the spreading immediately.

 

[S. C.]

When i first have a few spots of it i use ZANFEL poison ivy cream. It is expensive but works.
As bad as you have it the doctor needs to treat it. It would take a weeks pay for that much zanfel.
I also use to get it quite bad so i know what you are going thru. I also got a shot one year when i got it quite bad on my arms and legs, Don't know what the shot was but it took care of the spreading.

 

[MerryPoppins]

When my son gets it it spreads all over like that. One time it spread all over his body and the poison ivy only brushed against his ankle!

Our pharmacist said to by Tecnu liquid poison ivy soap, apply it, but don't wash it off as directed on the bottle (but leave it on the area that is itchy). It helps him a little more than the other over the counter remedies. Calomine doesn't touch it.

Shots and prescription pills usually work the fastest. Hope it turns around soon. It's so miserable.

 

[Dan Murphy]

No advice, Carly, just wanted to say hello , and wish you the best in feeling comfortable, real soon!!!!!!

 

[CEDmom]

I'm a poison ivy magnet. I don't even have to have direct contact with it to get it. I'm surprised the emergency room didn't prescribe any cream or pills. Until you can get to a doctor (I'd suggest a Dermitologist) try an antihistimine and taking a bath with Aveeno or a generic substitute. Be careful with scratching. Last summer I had a really bad case and it got infected. Lets just say I was a real mess. Good luck

 

[bobcat]

I empathise with you! This is the second June in a row that I have gotten into poison Ivy and had to see the doctor about it. This year was slightly better. Last year I had both the shot and the oral steroids (which made me really mean) but this year I only had the shot. It takes about 10-12 hours after the shot before some of the swelling goes down but the difference is amazing. I also use a hydrocortisone cream, ok a lot of hydrocortisone cream, hot showers and Benadryl. Benadryl really knocks me out but I only took one pill this year and it didn't make me as drowsy and still helped with the itching.

One thing about poison ivy that my doctor explained to me is that it really isn't spreading. It is like a chemical burn and the area that gets the most plant oil on it breaks out first and what looks like spreading is actually where the oil has touched the skin in lesser amounts so it doesn't break out as bad or as soon.

Geting on the steroid is the first step but it will take a couple of weeks before you stop itching and it heals.

 

[chell]

Originally posted by MerryPoppins
When my son gets it it spreads all over like that. One time it spread all over his body and the poison ivy only brushed against his ankle!

Our pharmacist said to by Tecnu liquid poison ivy soap, apply it, but don't wash it off as directed on the bottle (but leave it on the area that is itchy). It helps him a little more than the other over the counter remedies. Calomine doesn't touch it.

Shots and prescription pills usually work the fastest. Hope it turns around soon. It's so miserable.

My husband is the same way. If he just looks at it or says the name he gets it! Tecnu is what he uses also. He says it is the best stuff he has ever found for it. I think the bottle says to use it as a wash immed. after contact. But it is also good to use after you already have a rash. They have some that comes in little "bubbles" that you can cary around with you. He keeps one in the car, one in the travel kit, etc. so one is always available.

Hope you get relief REAL soon!

 

[MerryPoppins]

Usually it only spreads where the oil touches. That is why you need to be careful of the clothing you were wearing, etc. You can't get poison ivy from touching someone's rash, blisters or even the oozing gunk unless they haven't cleaned off the original oil. Can you tell I've been through this before? I'm a Scout leader.

By the way, when camping be careful about what you put in the campfire. If you burn Poison Ivy the oil can be carried in the smoke and can even cause a rash inside your mouth and throat. not a pleasant thought.

My son is very allergic. The first time he got it where he couldn't even reach, like the center of his back, when the only place it touched him was his ankle. He could have scratched and caused it to spread that first day, but that doesn't explain the way the rash continued to spread. He'd have had to have taken off his clothes and rubbed his hands all over his body. It spread for days after the first contact. His doctor said that some people have a reaction that spreads through the bloodstream, but it's not common.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Chell, I should get some of those bubbles for DS to carry with him. He usually gets into it about once a year. He now knows when he gets the first bumps what has happened, so if he can clean it then it lessens the chance of it spreading. It's hard for a Scout who is always tramping around outdoors!

 

[chell]

Originally posted by MerryPoppins
Chell, I should get some of those bubbles for DS to carry with him. He usually gets into it about once a year. He now knows when he gets the first bumps what has happened, so if he can clean it then it lessens the chance of it spreading. It's hard for a Scout who is always tramping around outdoors!

We found ours at Eckerd's Drug Store. Right now I don't know where they are in my house so I could get the number off of the package for you. But I'm sure you can ask any store to order them for you. Some First Aid Kit suppliers also carry them - that's where we first found them.

 

[MerryPoppins]

We live close to an Eckerd's. I'll give it a look next time I'm in there.

 

[Ronda93]

Do you know where you touched it?

Watch out for anything you may have worn since Monday (your trip to the hospital being Wed.).

If you're continuing to break out and it's similar in intensity you're still coming into contact with it somehow.

My friend's mother used some gloves while clearing brush and later my friend used the same gloves. Next day it was all over her face.. everywhere she'd rubbed or scratched with those gloves... the oil had stayed on them over the winter.

We have a recurring bush in our back fence. After I work back there I have someone else open the door to the house, strip right into the washer and head straight for the shower. I even wash my sunglasses.

It can be wicked stuff if it hides from you like that.