Poison oak/ivy?

[thinkerbell]

My husband got into either poison oak or ivy about a week and a half ago. It just keeps spreading and it is driving him crazy. He has been using Caladryl, hydrocortisone, and Aveeno cream. The pharmacist said to use the hydrocortisone and Aveeno. It just doesn't seem to be going away. We put the cream on before he goes to work and cover it with bandages to try to keep it from spreading any worse. How long does this stuff last? Also, before we really knew what it was we didn't put anything on it or cover it. We sleep pretty close and I haven't ended up with it, thank goodness. Is it easily spread? Since I didn't get it does it mean that I am not allergic to it?
Thanks for your help.

 

[momsal]

He must be misserable!!

If he has a fairly high pain tolerence, you can put some diluted rubbing achoel ( can't spell it) on it and it will help dry it faster but it STINGS

 

[4greatboys]

My oldest ds is very allergic and has had been into the poison ivy atleast 4 times. I normally doesn not spread. Only the areas where the plants oil touched the skin should be affected. Be sure that all clothng he had on that day has been washed because it could still have some plant oil on it that either of you could ge ton you.
My ds had to take steriod a couple of times because he was bad and it was around his eye.

 

[WillyJ]

I got into some poison oak last summer and it was miserable!!


Have your DH go to the doctor and get what's called a "dose pack". . you take 10 the 1st day, 9 the next, 8 the next, and so-on. .


While it will eventually go away on it's own, there's no sense in being suffering and the dose-pack will start clearing it up almost immediately. .

 

[Wendy]

Poison Oak/Poison Ivy can not be spread from person to person as long as they have washed the oil from the plant off their skin. So, as long as your husband has showered in the last week and a half, you would not be able to get it. You do have to be careful about washing the clothes he was wearing that day though, to be sure there is no oil left on his clothes, etc. You have to come in contact with the oil from the plant to get the rash. Coming in contact with someone else's rash will not give you poison ivy.

I am terribly allergic to poison ivy. If I come in contact with it, I always end up on the steroid dose packs that Willy was referring to. If it's continuing to spread, he should see a doctor.

 

[caitycaity]

i still have scars from when i got into poison oak last summer.

i agree, i would go back to the doctor if it is still spreading.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Not only do you need to consider the clothes he was wearing...but his sneakers & SHOELACES.

 

[JESW]

Yuck! I can feel for your DH as I got a bad case around Easter on my face. I went to the walk-in clinic since my primary dr. didn't treat it. I got a shot of prednisone and then the pills. Worked in a short while and the itching went away. Hope he feels better as that stuff is nasty!

Jill

 

[MerryPoppins]

DS got it so bad once that it spread all over his body. The doctor said it had spread through his bloodstream somehow. It was horrible. Kept spreading forever! He got on medication and it really helped. So did Tecnu (I think that is how you spell it). It's a liquid soap that the pharmacy suggested. Put it on, but don't wash it off as directed. It really helped with the itching.

 

[thinkerbell]

Thanks for all the help. I think I will try to get him to go to the doctor. He said that he thought he had heard of a shot that you could get but we hadn't heard of the pills.

His clothes have been washed since then--actually they were washed before we realized that he had it. And yes, he has had a shower or two since then. I hadn't thought of the shoes and shoelaces. They are old tennis shoes that he just wears in the yard so we'll probably just throw them away.

I did see the Tecnu when I was hunting something to put on it. Might go get some of that to try too. I'll be glad when this stuff is gone and I know he will too.
Thanks for all of the suggestions and sympathy.