Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I got a little poison Ivy on my wrist a couple of days ago when putting up my ladder stands. I'm set up in some really thick stuff, and there's lot's of deer in this area. When I went out to hunt this morning, I got on my ladder and grabbed the tree to pass my body harness tether around it. Seems that there was this poison Ivy vine that had enveloped the trunk of the tree, and I had never noticed it (kind of hard when it's dark).

Anyway, I was in the tree for about 4 hours, seen one fawn that I could've arrowed, but I let her walk. Seem two healthy does, one was out of range, and the other doe ALMOST walked straight into my ambush; but she disappeared in a thicket. Last night was a full moon, the hunting will get much better when the new moon appears.

Well, now I am sitting here drinking a beer, and watch blisters appear and burst on my right wrist and forearm, what fun. I've had this crap before, if I'm lazy about it, it usually takes about twenty one days for it to go away. A little concern that I have is the left side of my face, I think I may have wiped my face off with my hands and transferred some of the urushiol oil from the Ivy to that as well.

Beer, Benadryl, vinegar and rubbing alcohol. That's the ticket. Man, this chit ITCHES....

Watch out for that stuff....

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Welcome to my world. My bro can basically roll in the stuff, I get around it and it leaps onto my body. Usually on my face.

I had it on my ankle pretty bad about a month ago. I get it so badly every year that I should suck it up and get the series of shots that's supposed to make you immune to it.

Maybe I'll do that when I get a clue someday. Other than that, some prescribed steroid cream I have is what will dry it up fastest (unless it's severe enough to geta shot).

Have fun with that mess.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I suffer so much from that stuff. It's like fire.I've learned tojust take my knife and slice the blisters open till I draw a slight amount ofblood. A littlecut will heal in a few days, and it shore as anything doesn't hurt as bad.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I once got it very badly....face swelled up, big blisters between my fingers, crusty scabs over my entire body...it was horrible. As I got older though I became more and more immune to it. I still get it at least once each summer but it has been relatively minor. I would also bet that a big part of it is identifying it and staying away from it. I cannot tell you how many great deer stand trees I have passed over because there was a poison vine creeping up it.

You got that remedy combination right though my friend. Rubbing alcohol burns like a b.... but it does the job. I once even put powdered chlorine on it...not a good idea. ;)

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Poison Ivy feels good to scratch in a hot shower.

I get it once a year.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Really hot water or scrub with Tide or Bleach.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Ex wife and I got busy one time out in the woods and I ended up with it EVERYWHERE.She never got anthing from it.Talk about uncomfortable.I got a lil on my wrist a week ago.I usually scrath them open some and rub bleach into it.Goes away in about a week when I use bleach.Dries it up fatser then anything else I have ever used including what i have gotten from the doctor.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Go to the doctor and get a shot. I had it all over me about three months ago and decided to get a shot for it was that bad. It stopped iching that day and was gone in two days. No kidding. It was amazing.

If you do get it make sure you take the steroids like they tell you to do. They are part of the treatment.

Taking the little steroid pills was well worth not iching for three weeks.


BTW, poision ivy is not contagious like many people think. The first bath or shower you take washes off the oil from the plant. However the damage has been done by the time you usually take a shower. The iching and pussing is your body fighting the poisons that have been absorbed by your skin.

It only takes one billionth of one gram of the urushiol oil to cause a rash

Did you also know that the oil can remain active and able to cause rashes for up to five years. This includes dead plants.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I get it several times a year. Go to any drug store and buy a tube of ZANFAL. It's about 30 bucks, but it works. Apply per directions and shortly all itching is gone and the next day the blisters are healing up. Most times one application does it for me.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Thanks for the info and sharing of your experiences with this stuff. I awoke this morning with the left cheek and tissues surrounding the left eye swollen. I just popped two more Benadryl's, and am using a Cortizone type cream, as well as periodocally wiping down with alcohol.

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I am telling you the Zanfal will get rid of the stuff quick. I get it several times a year and keep it on hand. Zanfal removes the oils that have bonded with your skin, allowing it to heal and stop the irritation. Cortizone, calimine etc, just help with the itch, but do nothing to heal the blisters. Now if we could just find something just as effective for CHIGGERS!!!!![:@]

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

After washing thoroughly with soap and water apply some 1% hydrocortisone cream , it will soothe the itch and dry up the blisters .

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

My crew has had some serious cases , I got a dose last year my self . What 5-shot has recomended is THE ANSWER. Its expensive but worth every cent .

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I get it bad and live on the lake where it grows anywhere sun hits and isn't mowed. My worst case of ivy came from a hunt in Michigan. I pulled a vine off a tree and put up the stand. The next day both my eyes were shut and my face looked like I had done 5 rounds with Tyson. Got the shot at an emergency room and it got better in a couple days. I'll try the Zanfal.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Heh! I'm one of those ones that can roll around in it. I've heard it's a favorite forage of deer... any truth to this?

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I got a terrible case of it hanging stands a month ago. Same thing, vine growing up the tree and tore it off. My face swelled up so bad I couldn't see and my arm still has the scars. The Zanfel didn't even faze it, although it usually works. Went to the doctor and he asked who beat me up. Got the steroid shot and pills and was better in a week. Go to the doctor before it gets real bad.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I've never had it but, I read somewhere that if you think you came into contact with it that you have 30 min to wash it off before it sets in. An old home remedy I heard one time was to pee on it. I think the ammonia has something to do with it drying up. I also think it has to be your pee. Anywho---good luck.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I get it ALOT....The best remedy I have used...other than getting a shot/steroids from the Dr.....is Windex. I'm not joking, someone told me to try it....works wonders on Poison Ivy. If you get it on your face, just spray the Windex on a paper towel and apply. I'm talking gone in about 3 days. I was amazed and at $3 a bottle, hard to beat.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Never had it! I must be immune, others run like girls from it,and I reach right into it. Just lucky I guess.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I think I can get poison ivy better than anybody.... I have tried it all... everybody has a different opinion... the shot works the best.... pill pack second..... I bought the Zanfel, but I get it so bad, I have learned to look for it, and have not got it since I bought the Zanfel, but got it just in case..... it usualy has to run its course with no steriod treatment, BUT, the best thing there is to stop the itch and get some sleep, is something a manly man would not admit using, but sometimes the itching is sooooo bad, you have to get your wife to buy it for ya and use it when nobody is looking..... hoo hah cream.... you know, that cream women use for something I do not want to know about.... but it works I promise..... but I would never tell my friends I use it on it.... being the manly man I am....

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Well, I went to Walmart and picked up a tube a Zanfel, and applied it this morning. It DOES make a difference! THANK YOU SO MUCH for recommending it !!!! :D $34.00 dollars for a 1 oz tube.....

I also have an appointment at 1415 hours today with the Doc. I'm going to see if she can give me a steroid/cortisone injection or something. :(

But that Zanfel does work! No more itching, and the rash appears to be getting better already. My left side of my face is still puffed up though; hopefully the "shot" will remedy that. :(

Kindest regards,

-Will in Maryland

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I bought it also, but if you ever run out and cant find it, the hoo hah cream stops the itch... a little cheaper, but I am sure the Zanfel will work better... that is what I am going to try next time I get it...

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I am just getting over this crap myself, for the 4th time this year! The first two cases were healed with Zanfel, but the last two have required the aid of a shot. This last round had me in fits! I blistered bad on my arms, hands, between my fingers, and on my collar bone. A shot, prescription of medicine, and one week makes me all better.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

I get it maybe once a year, but usually just a few bumps in random spots on my wrists or ankles - never had it real bad.

You guys are right, that stuff does itch. To quickly get rid of mine, I scrape it until the pustules are openwith sandpaper or a sharp knife, then Irub it with a bleach rag. It seems to go away after that, but the bleach burns like all getout.

I'd assume, however, that it could be pretty harmful if too much bleach got into your bloodstream, so be careful if you try it.

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Just got back from the Doc, they gave me a pill package of Methylprednisolone (whatever the heck that is) and I am supposed to take all six pill's tonight,five tomorrow, four the next day, etc...

My friggin forearm is running fluids off of it like it's sweating. [:-]

The travesty of all this is that I am going to still hunt from the same ladder stand that's enveloped in this this stuff. Last time I hunted (Saturday), I just about cleared all of the foliage away that I needed for clear shooting lanes. As long as I don't touch nothing suspect, I should be OK.

I plan to use a rag soaked in rubbing alcohol to wipe down the ladder as I climb it, to get rid of any Urushiol oils that may still be adhered to the ladderitself. Once the alcohol drys, to you think that it would spook any deer that would catch a whiff of it?

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

RE: Poison Ivy .....TWICE!
 

Willtill....soldier up...dress right dress...sleeves tucked in gloves, hang stand in daylight hours.....THATS A GIG soldier....Now how bout one of dem cold onez??