OT: Poison Ivy Help Needed

[Kitaman]

Did my hedges in short sleeves (yeah I know) testing out a new battery operating clippers I brought. Sure enough I brushed up against poison ivy along the bushes. I'm suffering, rash that itches like hell even my arm is swollen. Stuff is popping up on my stomach now. Its like mosquito bites on steroids.

Anyway using cortizone 10, zanfel and the calimine lotion. All temporary fixes it seems. Benedryl purchased yesterday. I'm not supposed to scratch but it feels so fuccin good when I do.

Anyone have any good solutions to stop the itch? Also how long does this sh|t lasts? Its summer time and my arms look like the dude from Fantastic Four.

Also how did you remove your plants/roots? I'm too scared to touch or go near it, especially after all the research I've done lately (e.g. stays on your clothes and tools for over a year). Its some toxic stuff I tell you!

 

[3uconn]

I had poison ivy pretty good last year and was told by a friend to use alcohol wipes. I don't really have anything to compare them to but I believe they worked good.

 

[CTBasketball]

Zanfel usually works for me to relieve itching for up to 6 hours. But that stuff is like $30 for a small tube. Also anything salt water works, as does swimming pools. Helps to disinfect everything and relieves itching.

When I can't take it anymore, I go to my doctor and say "its in my eyes" and prays he gives me a shot or a z pack.

 

[Kitaman]

he gives me a shot or a z pack.

My doctor said it gets worse before it gets better. Had it for 2 weeks now, didn't see the signs until 3 days after I cut the hedges, and it started with a few bumps.

What did the shot do for you or z pack?

 

[CTBasketball]

My doctor said it gets worse before it gets better. Had it for 2 weeks now, didn't see the signs until 3 days after I cut the hedges, and it started with a few bumps.

What did the shot do for you or z pack?

The shot and z pack are both steroids and makes the itching go away within 6-12 hours and it usually clears up about a day or two after that.

 

[borninansonia]

Hot water helps.

I've been fighting poison oak on my property for years; it got me bad the first few years (I've been winning since then!) When it got me, it was all over both legs. I found that spraying very hot water on it releases all the pain at once, and afterwards I was itch free for a few hours or more. If the water is real hot, it's a rush.

 

[nomar]

I have a huge bottle filled with Love Potion. It's yours for $10.

 

[TasteofUConn]

WALK IN URGENT CARE FACILITY (not ER). STEROID DOSE PACK (e.g. prednisone, medrol). This will take you 1-3 hours, and it will completely knock the PI on its ass. Don't dick aorund with the OTC stuff and be miserable for days. Friend's wife, 7 days ago, had PI all over her body. Face (eyes swollen like a boxer), arms, yes, there too. Went in, medrol, 4 days later you can't tell she had it.
Do it. You'll be happy you did.

 

[mauconnfan]

The best for it is to spend a day at the beach in the salt water, it does wonders. 2 days will totally dry it out!

 

[The Smart One]

just got to the ER. I work in an Emergency room and patients come in for that crap along with runny noses, perspiration, hair loss, rash, and tired. no exageration.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I know it's Friday and summer, but my goodness. We're nine posts in to the thread an no one has posted this yet? Not ready for P5.

 

[Hoophound]

Ivarest. It is the one and only panacea. Find it and be happy.

 

[Gurleyman]

I know it's Friday and summer, but my goodness. We're nine posts in to the thread an no one has posted this yet? Not ready for P5.

The sequel was better than the original. But still not as good as when she was in the vampire one.

 

[Kitaman]

just got to the ER. I work in an Emergency room and patients come in for that crap along with runny noses, perspiration, hair loss, rash, and tired. no exageration.

and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .?

 

[huskiesnyc]

My doctor said it gets worse before it gets better. Had it for 2 weeks now, didn't see the signs until 3 days after I cut the hedges, and it started with a few bumps.

What did the shot do for you or z pack?

If your doctor couldn't help you what do you expect from the Boneyard peps? Anyway I hope you get better

 

[Minicoop69]

Use gasoline. As long as it's not under arm pits or in privates rub it on a couple times a day and it will fall off real soon

 

[Fishy]

I rarely give advice because I don't mind if you people suffer. But I will now because the answer is so easy.

Guy above nailed part of it - Ivarest. But first, wash with this stuff called Technu - it breaks the oils up. Dry and then slather Ivarest.

And this tip I should charge you for - when it starts to itch, go to the kitchen sink and make the water as hot as you can stand. Then throw the ivy-riddled itchy parts under the water til the itching stops.

It's magic.

 

[BearJWS]

Get a bottle of Ivy Dry at the local pharmacy. It's alcohol based & will dry it out very quickly. Sometimes it's on the shelf, sometimes you have to ask the pharmacist since it could be behind the counter (it's been a while since I've bought it). Poison Ivy is an oil that gets under your skin, so drying it out as fast as possible helps best, at least for me. I used to get it really bad. Good luck, but this really helped me when I got it.

 

[minidarren]

Rub it on your balls.

Had it down there once. Made me forget about the on my arms.

 

[David 76]

I can vouch for Tech Nu and the very hot water. I have a long history with PI and calamine and the 5% and 10% solutions do nothing for me. Steroids work but I thought they only used them when it was systemic

 

[huskyharry]

The shot and z pack are both steroids and makes the itching go away within 6-12 hours and it usually clears up about a day or two after that.

I think you mean a Medrol Dose Pack (solumedrol) or a course of oral prednisone (both oral corticosteroids). A Z-Pack is azithromycin, an antibiotic, which would not help itching.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Ivarest. It is the one and only panacea. Find it and be happy.

I endorse this fully.

Unfortunately for me if I look at poison ivy I'm in trouble. A few years back I had to replace a section of fence in my back yard and didn't realize there was poison ivy until it was too late. Within a day both forearms seized up beyond anything I could have imagined. Ivarest (which neutralizes the oil) eliminated the problem within a few days. Nothing I've ever used on poison ivy came close to being as good as this.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Rub it on your balls.

Had it down there once. Made me forget about the on my arms.

Can confirm. Had it on my unmentionable when I was a kid. It puffed up like a cheese doodle

 

[jleves]

The best for it is to spend a day at the beach in the salt water, it does wonders. 2 days will totally dry it out!

^ This!

I had poison ivy really bad once when I was a kid and just happened to be going to cape cod about a day after getting it. Spent the day in the ocean and it was essentially gone the next day. You get to play in the ocean and not have to put weird chemicals in or on your body. Win Win. You really have to spend a fair amount of time in the water - at least 4 hours but it will dry it out and the cool water helps with the itching while you're still suffering.

For the stuff still in the yard, napalm.

 

[Kitaman]

Get a bottle of Ivy Dry at the local pharmacy. It's alcohol based & will dry it out very quickly. Sometimes it's on the shelf, sometimes you have to ask the pharmacist since it could be behind the counter (it's been a while since I've bought it). Poison Ivy is an oil that gets under your skin, so drying it out as fast as possible helps best, at least for me. I used to get it really bad. Good luck, but this really helped me when I got it.

Went to cvs and by luck I asked the pharmacist about some creams on the shelf. She went into the back and got ivy dry super and told me to try it. That was an hour ago. I will keep you posted. Feel like a fool or drug addict paying $40 for zanfel to no relief.