This is one subject I consider that I am an expert on.?ÿ I would guess I've had it about 30 times.?ÿ Of those 30 times only a few were really bad.?ÿ A lot of the above statements are true, such as losing your immunity to it the more you are exposed.?ÿ I think you can also regain some of the immunity if you stay out?ÿ of it over an extended period of time but if you get it, you will always be vulnerable.
I have seen a dermatologist lately and he says don't get to carried away?ÿbecause you can cause skin damage.?ÿ?ÿI'm not sure he would recommend the bleach route.
Technu makes an ivy wash that works well but you have to use it within a few hours for it to work.
Steroid's do work with Prednisone usually be the drug of choice.?ÿ I'm surprised it didn't help your wife.?ÿ My dermatologist won't give me any because of the long term side affects unless I get it really bad.?ÿ He also says its overused and you can often get by with a lower dose than the large pill packs and the shot.?ÿ It sounds like your wife had used up that route.
Last, a really hot shower is the only thing I've found that gives relief once you have it.?ÿ It has to be hot enough that you can?ÿhardly stand it.?ÿ It sounds like an old wife's tale but it actually works and I first read about it in a medical dictionary.?ÿ Once again you have to be careful because you can damage the skin and poison ivy can leave some open wounds.?ÿ It will itch like crazy?ÿwhile the water hits it but will diminish with ?ÿtime.?ÿ For me this helps for about half a day.?ÿ?ÿ Good luck.
Actually, Technu is the only thing that does work for me.?ÿ It does prevent it if you put it on before going in.?ÿ It scrubbs it off if you know you are in it.?ÿ It is the only thing that cuts the itching for me, way better than the prescription.?ÿ It is still a stinking week to get rid of it though, and damn it - it is DECEMBER! I shouldn't be dealing with it.
I've had it quite a number of times myself. Only out here we call it poison oak.
I agree that sensitivity increases with exposure. This last summer I got a little of it just by getting out of the truck to point some out. I swear I never got within 2 feet of it.?ÿ?ÿ
I just can't stress enough the importance of getting the oil washed off. I've found that once the oil is off the healing begins immediately, and is gone within a couple days. If the oil isn't washed off the rash continues for a couple of weeks or more. If steroid treatments aren't working I suspect that is because the oil hasn't been completely washed off. Of course, there isn't much you can do about the oil that has bonded to your skin. But you can get rid of the excess oil.?ÿ
Anything that would wash grease or motor oil off your skin will wash urushiol as well.?ÿ Strong lye soap, lanolin, alcohol, etc. Probably a good hot shower helps with that, especially if combined with plenty of soap. If you've ever worked on your car you know how hard it can be to get all the crap off of yourself afterwards.?ÿ Same with urushiol. Except you can't see it.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
Applying liberal amounts of moisturizing lotion to the rash seems to help with the itch, at least a little.
I once got poison ivy in the middle of winter, no digging in the snow or anything.?ÿ Wondered how in the heck I got it.?ÿ Returned to the same traverse station setup in the spring and what I thought was a branch above my head I had broke off, turned out to be a poison ivy vine.
I started putting a bottle of Technu in the truck, everytime I know I'm near some ivy I wash off, I even use it on my boots with a rag, so far so good, haven't gotten a rash since I started using it in the field.?ÿ
A/C optional.?ÿ
....?ÿ How the hell does that happen.?ÿ I must be on Santa's naughty list.
It isn't just the leaves. The oil is also on the bark of the vines.?ÿ
Have you been petting a dog that was out in the brush??ÿ?ÿ
Ken
I started putting a bottle of Technu in the truck, everytime I know I'm near some ivy I wash off, I even use it on my boots with a rag, so far so good, haven't gotten a rash since I started using it in the field.?ÿ
I have been using Tecnu for a very long time.?ÿ It releases the oil that causes the rash from your skin, preventing the rash.?ÿ The same folks make another product, Calagel, that is worth its weight in gold.?ÿ It stops the itching immediately, and if you do not wait until your skin looks like a cheese pizza, it usually dries things up overnight and the rash is gone.?ÿ It is often sold packaged with the Tecnu.
Look here: https://www.teclabsinc.com/products/poison-oak-ivy/tecnu
Ken
?ÿ
The new meds are not as good as the old meds.
Since the opiod scare has hit and some doctor offices always did?ÿ was that they under medicate to treat the problem and hope that your natural immunity system will kick in and stop the possisble viral outbreak in your body.
I have gone to several clinics in the past that I'll never return to because they do not cure the ill, they like you to keep coming back regularly to keep their billings up.
Every once in a blue moon, I have to tell my doctor straight out "well you got a start, now give me the real doesage to knock this shit out a.s.a.p. cause I got very important stuff to do.
Those steroid pack pills come in different size mg pills and you gotta tell the doc to amp it up a notch or two.
Also, the shot is a lesser variety of steroid type than what would have been give several years ago.
Always ask for the whole whammy and not some substitute.
0.02
Always ask for the whole whammy and not some substitute.
"More milk"
Michael Jackson's last words.
They tend to be very cautious with the steroids. ?ÿThey used to give you shots to prevent it. ?ÿThey basically kept you pumped full of Prednesoine all summer long. ?ÿTurns out that isn??t good for you and can have bad long term affects. ?ÿ
Ive seen a lot of people that get it just as bad or worse than me. My problem is and it sounds like the OP??s wife??s problem is it hangs on for a long time. ?ÿI??ve had it last 3 or 4 weeks.
If it was on your hands, my guess is that you grabbed a bare vine or somehow got it on your boot laces.?ÿ?ÿ
Calagel is great stuff, dries it up, makes it go away.
