I seem to have gotten into something last weekend. Thought I had ant bites but its becoming clear that's not what I have.

I figure the Outdoors board has experience with poison ivy / oak / whatever and am wondering what is the best course of treatment. Main issue is the itchyness. Over the counter cortisone? Anyone get a bigger gun in the form of some prescription? Pretty tired of this crap....

Benadryl will help, but makes you drowsy, so maybe just take it at night.

The best relief will be hot water or a blow dryer which will likely make the itch go away for 2-4 hours.

If its unbearable you can get steroids from the doc, that is the only other thing that will help.

I have not found any topicals to be effective for poison ivy.

When dealing with poison Ivy or poison oak, topicals are your third line of defense. Benadryl first, then steroids, then hydrocortisone cream.

Go to an Urgent care and get a shot of solumedrol and get a prescription for a course of steroids

ETA: unless you're having breathing issues, please don't go to the ER. We are way too busy dealing with people who think that if you have a fever or cough you're going to die

I swear by Tecnu and always have some nearby if I'm going to be in the woods. Dries it right up and immediate relieves itching in my experience.

chet98 said:

---

I seem to have gotten into something last weekend. Thought I had ant bites but its becoming clear that's not what I have.

I figure the Outdoors board has experience with poison ivy / oak / whatever and am wondering what is the best course of treatment. Main issue is the itchyness. Over the counter cortisone? Anyone get a bigger gun in the form of some prescription? Pretty tired of this crap....

---

If its gone systemic, then get your physician to give you a prednisone pack (but make sure you use your regular physician and be clear on all conditions, e.g., a diabetic should not use prednisone unless absolutely necessary and under clear supervision).

Define "gone systemic" for me. Seems to only be localized to the spots that touched the plant.

This is kind of conjecture too because the effect wasn't immediate. I first assumed ants because the spots kind of looked like fire ant bites as I could pop them, etc. but was surprised that I didn't feel anything at the time when working in the yard. But as the itch isn't going away (itch and ugly spots on skin are only symptoms) I'm ready to try something other than "time" to make this stop.

While it's too late for this to help with your current situation, it can be good to shower with Dawn soap as soon as you get in from being around poison ivy/oak/etc. It's an oil from these plants that gets on your skin and eventually into the pores. The Dawn soap is great for getting the oil off of your skin.

Its very weird because I didn't notice it right away. If that's what this is. I've avoided it thus far in my life so maybe a stupid question but does the itching etc hit you right away or can there be a delayed reaction?

chet98 said:

---

Define "gone systematic" for me. Seems to only be localized to the spots that touched the plant.

This is kind of conjecture too because the effect wasn't immediate. I first assumed ants because the spots kind of looked like fire ant bites as I could pop them, etc. but was surprised that I didn't feel anything at the time when working in the yard. But as the itch isn't going away (itch and ugly spots on skin are only symptoms) I'm ready to try something other than "time" to make this stop.

---

If it covers large areas - such as lots of a leg and also on arm(s). If it is just a localized spot (say a few nickel sized spots here and there), then topical creams work (might need a stronger Rx steroid cream).

Poison ivy doesn't create spots that you can "pop" - might still be ant bites. Now, poison ivy will have welts that ooze.

Mean Green Hand Cleaner.

Scrub with it until you just about bleed and then rinse it off. I'm highly allergic to poison ivy and it's the best thing I found without going to the doctor.

Interesting. The initial spots definitely looked like ant bites. Including popping them. Some kind of in a line like an ant was walking and biting as he walked.

Maybe I've got something else going on. "Contact dermatitis." May still be something a steroid would knock out.

Thanks to all. Called my GP to set up appt.

chet98 said:

---

Its very weird because I didn't notice it right away. If that's what this is. I've avoided it thus far in my life so maybe a stupid question but does the itching etc hit you right away or can there be a delayed reaction?

---

The reaction one gets to poison ivy is an allergic one. That is why some people do not get the rash - they aren't allergic to it. Allergic reactions to a topical exposure usually take time to develop. The time can vary. First exposures, if they even produce a rash, can take several days to show up. However, the more one is exposed, the shorter the amount of time between exposure and rash becomes.

C

It doesn't affect me (I've handled poison ivy without issue), so I can't speak to how long it takes to see symptoms. I do know people that are very allergic to it that will immediately shower with Dawn soap after being in the woods and swear by it for helping against poison ivy

chet98 said:

---

Interesting. The initial spots definitely looked like ant bites. Including popping them. Some kind of in a line like an ant was walking and biting as he walked.

Maybe I've got something else going on. "Contact dermatitis." May still be something a steroid would knock out.

Thanks to all. Called my GP to set up appt.

---

Rashes that appear in a random or hap-hazard pattern are often of a different diagnoses compared to rashes that show a "mad-made" pattern such as the line of rash that forms as you brush by a plant or something. Certainly it sounds from your description that you might have a contact dermatitis. CD's come in many types, including allergic contact dermatitis.

C

Make a paste of baking soda and water - apply and let dry

Are you certain you came in contact with poison ivy/oak? What you're describing sounds like red bugs to me.

Yeah. More and more betting it's not poison ivy but something else.

If you think you were in poison ivy, wash your clothes, gloves, shoes etc. to get the oils off of them.

I am really allergic to poison ivy but it doesn't set in very quickly. I was actually in some this weekend cutting down a tree. Washed everything, and showered real well after a doctor like washing of exposed skin areas. Looks like I will not have any reaction.

For me, it would take 5-8 weeks to clear up. Dawn immediately has been best if you think you were around it. Extreme Green hand scrub gave me some relief but didn't seem to be anything magical. I stopped trying to tough it out and just go get a shot or the pills and be over with it in 3 days.

The steroid will cause your skin to burn much quicker so stay out of the sun as directed. I'm not fair skinned but burned after 15 minutes last summer.

That could be poison whatever.... wash everything that you touched. Steering wheel....center console....phone.....tools....boots....door knobs.....center console armrest etc....

The oils called urishiol is like a grease. And it is exactly like getting grease on you....it gets on everything....so you will keep getting it everywhere that grease has smeared to. Wash it off like you would a grease too....heavy soap and lots of scrubbing to break it down.

Technu products are great. If going to a doctor ask for a prescription for kenalube I think it's called. Best stuff for topical treat.

Technu hasn't worked for me like it used to. Dawn is the way now. Washing the affected area (and body in the shower with it) and your clothes with it helps out a lot. The shots always help you get over it quickly too.

B-1 83 said:

---

Make a paste of baking soda and water - apply and let dry

---

That pic looks like poison ivy/oak to me. I get into it a lot, and I use B-1 83's advice of putting a baking soda paste on it. Works every time.

Looks like poison Ivy type rash to me. I wasn't allergic for years, then I got a lure out of some vines on a lakeshore, and learned a few days later wheat they must have been.

I'm highly allergic to poison ivy and it usually shows up in about 48-72 hours. Baking soda paste sounds like a nice try. I haven't had it in 15 years once I learned to ID and avoid it at all costs.

Doc hooking me up with topical steroid, oral steroid and pushing Zyrtec and / or Benadryl and Pepcid of all random things. Gonna knock this **** out!

chet98 said:

---

Doc hooking me up with topical steroid, oral steroid and pushing Zyrtec and / or Benadryl and Pepcid of all random things. Gonna knock this **** out!

---

Not so entirely random. It is a histamine-2 blocker so is used in allergic reactions. If you came into the ER for an allergic reaction to say bee stings it would be one of the many medications given to you.

That's wild. I'm already on a GERD Rx and so I asked if that covered it but my GERD Rx apparently works differently.

As others have said... That pic looks like Poison Ivy (or other) to me.

That oil is indeed like getting grease on you while working on your car. So scrub scrub scrub. TECNU is good. It smells like mineral spirits or paint thinner to me, so thats probably why it works well cutting the oil that has gotten on you. Wash... Wash... Wash... Get in the shower and soap up with a good grease cutting soap and USE A WASH CLOTH. This isn't just rinsing your hands in the sink after you took a leak and didn't get any piss on you. This is I got dragged face first through the pit at the lube shop and I've got to be at church in an hour scrubbing.

The more concentrated the oil is on your skin, the faster the reaction will appear. This (along with cross contamination) is why people say "it's contagious." Or the classic, "don't scratch it you'll make it spread" line. It appears to spread over a day or so when in fact you've simply never washed off all of the oil and the reaction is continuing or you've touched something else and become re-contaminated.

For me, it get so bad, as soon as I get it, I know I need to get to the doctor and get a steroid shot. Allergy meds and hydrocortisone help before I get there.

Does it get worse at night? Could be chiggers

So this is very interesting idea. The other thing I did was weed eat some tall grass and walk through it while doing so obviously. I wonder if there'd be the delayed effect from chiggers. Pretty sure I had shorts and duck boots on not pants.

Looks like treatment is very similar so fingers crossed.

chet98 said:

---

So this is very interesting idea. The other thing I did was weed eat some tall grass and walk through it while doing so obviously. I wonder if there'd be the delayed effect from chiggers. Pretty sure I had shorts and duck boots on not pants.

Looks like treatment is very similar so fingers crossed.

---

Eat the hell out of some ivermectin and it will go away. I'd pray for poison anything 100x more than chiggers