Poison Ivy
 

About 3 weeks ago, a friend and I were putting up a new ladder stand and cutting some shooting lanes. We both got nailed with Poison Ivy, all over our arms legs and necks.

Needless to say, we made a pretty solid mental note of what that nasty vine looks like for future reference.

We went back out again today to add some steps and reinforce a wooden stand. While I was hanging on the tree, I noticed what looked like the remnants of the same plant, but they looked OLD dead and barely clinging to the tree. Didn't touch it, washed up when I got home with dish soap to cut the resin...but man I hope I don't get that stuff again!

So what are the best remedies for poison ivy? How do you identify it and avoid it? How do you treat it? How bad is it in your area? Any other nasty plants out there in your woods?

I don't get poison ivy but I have issues with food. :eek2:

My brother just has to look at it and he's covered. We have a pool and he likes to come over and get into it <in the summer time> because I use bleach as my source of chlorination. He swears by it even though it burns. It dries it out.

Well, I hope you feel better!

Maybe someone else has other suggestions.

I too get is nasty. I use alcohol or bleach to dry it out. Scratch it open and bleach it, it burns, but does the trick. I was too putting up a stand last year and ran into a nasty posion ivy vine. Man I had it in my eyes, face, neck, arms...I had to get the shot and steriods. I had the SHHHEET. There is some soap you can buy at a pharmacy or online that helps better to cut it down.

I never got it as a kind in NY, but here in NC I get fiercely. My first incident was when I climbed a tree with this leaf less "furry" vine on it. I got poison ivy so badly I ended up in the hospital as my airway was constricting. Now, I just avoid any vine all together. When cutting shooting lanes, I wear jeans, long sleeves and gloves, even when it's 90+ degrees out. Check out: http://www.poison-ivy.org/ They have some good information. For relief, you can try Zanfil, but it's expensive, try $20 for a 1oz. tube. I found that if I wanted some temporary relief form the itching (app. 4-6 hrs.) if I used my wife's hair drier to heat the spot to the point of pain, the itch was gone for a while. Good luck, and I hate that poison ivy shi#.
JC-

BTW, don't forget to wash your clothes and tools really well. The sap will keep you itching for years if you forget to take care of them!!

I have used this stuff called Tecnu. You can use it as a preventative if you know or think you might have been into it. It will also clear it up once you have it. You can find it at most pharmacies, grocery and Walmarts.

I'm hyperallergic to that stuff. If its in the air I get it. I just make sure that WHENEVER I get out of the woods I shower good. If you do get it, DO NOT scratch it in any way.

i used to mix vinegar with baking soda into a paste and spread that on it. That would get rid of it in 2-3 days.

Scratch it open good first.

I usually don't get poison ivy either. However, just to make sure when I get into a patch I wash with Fels Naptha soap. It can usually be found in most grocery stores in the laundry section. It is a large yellow bar of laundry soap.

i used our parts washer at work the mineral spirits drys out the oil. then i used calamyne lotion. seemed to work pretty freakin good..

Calamine lotion work to both dry it out and soothe the itching. Pretty well. Just bear in mind, too, that poision ivy can still cause you to break out even after it's dead because the oil that causes the allergic reaction is still in the dead plant.

I'm really allergic to poison ivy, too. I remember one time (could never forget it) as a kid a neighbor burned a brush pile with a bunch of poison ivy in it. Our house was directly downwind and I broke out over literally 100% of my body, including my private bits (ouch!)! Had to go to the doctor for a steroid shot, and I was MISERABLE for a couple days.

Mike

went to see my doctor he gave me some CORTISON CREAM end of poison ivy ...

I'm very allergic as well. I just have to walk close to it and I break out. A word of advice, always wash your hands before taking a leak if there is a possibility of having touched any. Don't ask how I learned that!!

Poison Ivy
 

"Leaves of three, let it be". Old saying and its true. If you see the vines on trees, it's poison oak. Most poison ivy is short plants about a foot or less tall. I too got it from burning one time and it ended up in my nose, ears, eye lids, and every where else. I think the bottom of my feet and palms were the only place without blisters. Had to go to the Dr. to get a shot and pills. I now get it from what seems just walking past it. If your dog comes in contact with it, you'll get it too if you touch the dog. I have 2 prescriptions I use; #1 Prednisone 10mg tablets, comes in a "Z" pack which is 5 day treatment or a 12 day treatment which is 48 tablets. The 5 day deal does not get it done for me. #2 Betamethasone Cream, helps with the itch, redness, and helps to dry it. If I get a real bad case, I go to my Dr. first for a shot and a prescription for the tablets. There are several soaps on the market that claim to get rid of it if you wash with the soap within 45 minutes of contact. Unless you keep the soap in your pocket, that won't work. Best remedy is to not get it. But I have'nt figured that one out yet.

My daughter gets it really bad so when im done hunting i have to strip down in the garage so she doesnt contact my clothes. When she does get it we use Oak and Ivy brand CalaGel. It seems to work well. Best of luck

make sure you don't use the 3 leaf plants as toliet paper, you might be in for a "burning" surprize

that calagel works good when i had all up my face and other body parts i used it and it worked quick

Contact Dermatitis(Poison Ivy,Poison Sumac and Poison Oak) is self limiting. It will dry up and go away in 10 - 14 days wether you treat or not.... Why be miserable if you don't have to! Home remedies are mostly useless. Benadryl will definately help with itching. If you want the quick fix. Go to your Doctor or a local urgent care(not the ER) and get a shot of Decadron or Solu Medrol. Tapering doses of oral Prednisone work too..... just not nearly as quickly.

I too use bleach. If I'm at work and happen to come in contact it (work for a pool service company) in the summer, I'll take some liquid chlorine on rag and wipe down the area. Does the trick every time. I use bleach to dry it out, then cortisone cream to sooth the itching usually, 2-3 days its done itching and going away.

My wife is very allergic to it. I usually don't get it - though it seems like invariably I'll get a piece that gets nder my skin and rubs into me, and then I get it bad.

Last winter though was the worse. I went out early - went up a tree that had a furry leaveless vine on it.. After I came down later that morning, went to take a leak. By the time I went to sleep - my weiner had swelled up and was itching like heck.

My wife thought it was really funny (needless to say, I didnt).

Usually bleach works very well - but I didn't try that there. Went to the emergency medical center in town, they put me on a steroid and gave me a cotisone shot and I was cleared up in a day or two.

Yes, you probably have poison oak. Hope you're feeling better. I had it real bad once and wish I would have gone to the doctor right away. I'm sure you've washed all your clothes, but make sure you wash your shoes, gloves, belts, and anything else you wore that day. That stuff can stay active for a very long time especially in leather. I had a very nice pair of leather Tiva sandals and had to toss them because I kept getting poisoned again and again despite washing them.

You learned it exactly the same way I did, didn't you? I had it so bad I had to go to the doctor, who, as it turned out, was just getting over the exact same problem.
The really bad news: wife advised me that this is proof positive that men should never be left alone. They get into too much trouble.
Payback: She got it a couple of week latrer while chasing the mutt through the wood lot.
Zanfel worked for her. Expensive, but it worked.

dude i just had a bout with poison oak. went to the doc he said it was severe and gave me a shot and some cortizone to take. it did not help. finally i tryed this stuff called cortaid ivy scrub it was gone in 48 hours and stoped itching in about 6. yesterday i touched some poison ivy and broke out i got home used the cortaid and today its all cleared up. the stuff us great. its a way cheaper version of zanfel

Just remember "3" ---Ivy and Oak both have 3 letters. Poison Ivy and Poison Oak both have 3 leaves. If you see a vine that has 3 leaves, STAY AWAY!!! That's how I remember to avoid this nasty stuff.

"Sasquatch Itch Cream" (really) is the best...if only you can get it. My dad's bait shop carried it last summer. It's always in and out of production I think. My wife and I get poison oak real wicked. Then I have survive the rash and her complaining. Anyway, it has some numbing cream in it and some cortisone to kill the poison. I'm sure if it works for p. oak it will work for poison ivy.

dang well first i would get some glove peferable latex and then i would get a hatchet or knife and cut it down from around ur tree stand and in my woods they r horible and i usally use benadryll cream and some claritan and in order 2 identify it u can go on the internet and search poisen ivy and look at pictures that way u can see a pic of what it looks like