Poision Oak - Help!!!

[OutbackMan]

I agree 100% with Terry and rnharris...go to Dr. and get shot...My whole life I've gotten all the poison stuff and never "just a little"...That shot starts killing it almost immediately and tames the itch...Don't take any risks, cause it's game over if that stuff ends up "south of the border" if you know what I mean.

Outside of that one of my plan B's is extremely painful but highly effective...wrap a wire brush in a towel and rub effected area raw...then dump bleach on it...

[Mint]

"Can a person be immune or more tolerant of poison ivy/oak than others. I know I have been in the stuff big time and have never had an issue, while guys in the same stuff got it bad."

I use to be the same way, never got it until one day a got a little bit on one finger. Then my dog must have gotten into it real bad and I didn't know it. Gave her a bath and my legs were covered with it and it was bad for a month. Now I haven't gotten it since but they say the more you are exposed to it the less your immunity.

[tecum-tha]

There is a natural cure that works with 95% of people. The poison oil is the same as in poison ivy. 75% percent of the people have an allergic reaction, the other 25% are the lucky ones.
The cure is called jewelweed and it is the sap of the jewelweed plant. It is sold in 3 forms:
1.) a real soap with jewelweed to wash away the poison oil
2.) a concentrated spray or
3.) a salve
The problem with the poison oil is, that it binds to the skin cells after about 20 min, that means only excess oil can be removed. Soap breaks down some of the oil, but the reaction comes from the bound oils and usually can not be washed away.The jewelweed compound counteracts the poison oil.
My sources are
 http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm
or
 http://www.turkeyfootllc.com/Salvesandlotion.html

The soap works great as a preventative treatment, leaving some residue on your skin that prevents most major breakouts.

Don't scratch, but put some calamine solution or gel on it.
The poison oil has the tricky problem, that it is water and fat soluble. That makes it easy to spread around the body.
Don't ask where I learned that from....

[rambo1993]

Pure bleach you put it on toilet paper and rub the area then do it every 2 hours it helps me like a charm

[dj]

I have found a simple temporary solution that works well for me.  For me the problem of the itching is compounded by keeping me from falling asleep at night.  Lack of sleep makes me grumpy as well as itchy.  Stand in the shower just before bed and let the HOTTEST water that you can tolerate.....just short of 1st. degree burns.....beat down on the rash for 10 or 15 minutes.  The sensation will be intense.  Pat the area dry afterward and lie down to several hours of itch freedom. I've been told this works because your body produces histimine which produces the itch.  The prolonged exposure to very hot water causes greatly accelerated production of histimine, hence the intense sensation.  However, this explosion of histimine temporarily depletes the body's ability to produce more histimine for several hours giving me relief to get to sleep.  Hope this works for you!!!!

[K Harris]

Rambo1993 beat me to it.  Although, I use a q-tip and only apply it twice a day.  Your results may vary, but bleach squares me away within a few days.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I second Zanfel!

I get poison Ivy BAAAADDDDD!  Once I had it all summer to the point where it was affecting my life in a big way. I didn't have health insurance and all the other remedies didn't seem to work.  I broke down and bought $40.00

"ZANFEL"  

you get to itch the spot and it feels good. Itch goes away immediately my entire forearm went from weeping to scab to healed in 2 days. It left massive scarring but that was the Poison Ivy and I was sold on the stuff.

[trad_in_cali]

I get it very badly. And it spreads. Ended up in an emergency room a few years back, so I say go see a doctor. They explained to me that people are allergic to it in different degrees, and some none at all. For me nothing over the counter seems to work, but cortisone (steroids) with prescription strength does the job in a few days.
Marco

[dpowers311]

Try swimming in a public pool. There is so much chlorine(sp) it dries up quick.

Dave

[LA Trapper]

Doug,

Go to  http://www.cajunslick.com

Get their poison ivy soap.  It works.  I always have a bar with me during the season. This stuff works. It has jewel weed in it.  Wash off the infected spot with the soap then rub the soap on it again and let it dry.  Itch instantly goes away and the poison ivy in a couple of days with several applications.  Don't put the bar in the shower, it melts quickly.  Get a couple of bars, if you have kids especially if they are teen agers. If they use it, you will never see it again.

You can wash within 10 minutes of exposure and not get it.

Once you do get it, jump on the itch fast before it spreads. I used to get the shot before I found this product.  I am highly allergic to it.

Good luck;

Billy

[doubleo]

I got poison sumac real bad afew times. Doc prescribed steroid pills. Stopped the itching and dried it up in a day or two.

[BDann]

I've used Rhus Tox and it seemed to work great.  I've had many patients use it as well and it dried things up pretty quickly and the itching went away as well.  Check out your local health food store if you can.  

Some of those suggestion sound kind of painful!  My brother uses the chlorox trick on lots of ailments.  I call it "Redneck Chemo"  

[Don Stokes]

My brother was SERIOUSLY allergic to poison ivy/oak/sumac. Rhus Tox worked for him, so it should work for most anyone.

I took the shots one year, and the last one made me pass out. No more for me, thank you.

The theory is that we are all born with an immunity, but it wears off with exposure.

One of my friends who was very sensitive had good luck bathing it in ocean water. Gulf coast water should be extra good this year.

[LA Trapper]

You are correct about the Gulf Coast water Don.  It comes with it's own surfactorant these days.

Went to Galveston this weekend.  Water is unaffected by the BP bungle. Beaches were clean and full of families.

Billy

[Thumper Dunker]

Go to the doc. I had it from my fingers to the tip of my toes and all between  spread that fast over nite. Was pure !@#$%. took a few shots to get rid of it. Drove me nuts.

[JamesV]

Lucky me........I have not been bothered by poision oak or ivy since I was a kid. I can pull posion Oak off a tree and climb it and never have a problem. My son-inlaw cannot ride a 4 wheeler thru the woods in the spring without getting covered with posion Ivy so I know your pain.
.........James

[tecum-tha]

@LA Trapper:
Like you mentioned,this is a jewelweed soap as well.  :D  It works for me,too.
The native americans used that long before the chemical industry was producing overprized OTC medications.
The soap itself is great, for bad breakouts the concentrated spray works wonders...
Anyways, good to know another source....

[D. Key]

Well; I went to the Doc yesterday and got the shot...A few days later than I should have.  The spot is about 2 1/2" wide and 4" long on the inside of my right elbow.  My Wide has some prescription hydrochortisone (SP?) and it seems to help but the itch is intense.  Hopefully it will be gone in a few days.

Thanks to all for the advise.  This has been a miserable week and one I hope "Not" to repeat any time in the future.

[frank bullitt]

That's it! A spot on the inside of you Elbow!You didn't have nuffing    

When you wake up with your eyes swollen shut and face the size of a Pumpkin, you get the shot!

My advice to, is learn to identify the plants! Sumac, ivy, Poison Oak. Ivy doesn't bother me, but, the sumac and Oak do!

I've tried about all the remedies, too! Zanfel is really good! As a kid would put white shoe polish over the area, not so good.

Yes, if you get it bad, the shot and the steroids will work! Also, Ibprophen helps to reduce the swelling.

A 2.5" x 4" spot...Ha Ha that's Funny

[PSUBowhunter]

I have only ever gotten poison ivy once, so I can relate to the poison oak. But I was able to get rid of the ivy pretty quickly by rubbing it with sand paper and putting bleach on it. It burns for a bit, but it clears up pretty fast.