How to get rid of poison ivy

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  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    Aren't you supposed to pee on it?




    Oh, wait, that's for jelly fish stings.

    OMG I am totally going to tell him this!!

    Hold up. Your physician looked at it and didn't know what it was? Either it's not poison ivy or your physician is a total idiot.

    She was not from this country....I still think she should have known what it was. But we looked it up and asked a bunch of other people
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    Hookers and coke.

    He'll feel better in no time!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • azure7
    azure7 Posts: 136 Member
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    I use a product called Tecnu to help dry it up and remove any excess oil. I get it at my local pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, etc.).

    If his case is severe, or anywhere near any orifice (mouth, eyes, etc.), the doc would likely give him steroids. The reaction will heal quickly, but steroids can have some nasty effects on the body.
  • Mummsy
    Mummsy Posts: 347 Member
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    I get it something awful and I tried Ivarest from Walgreens and that helped this time. It wasn't as bad. Mine spreads everywhere, eyelids face, neck, trunk, limbs. I usually have to get steriod shots, steroids and anti itch creams and pills! UGGG>
  • jplord
    jplord Posts: 510 Member
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    No poison Ivy west of the Rockies, only poison oak, but I believe it is the same chemical irritant.

    I am very sensitive to it. It is an allergic reaction and different people react in different levels of severity. Doctors typically give me a steroid injection to try and dry it out. Calomine is useless. TECHNU is a product sold in pharmacies that is a wash used in the shower to mobilize the oil irritant off of the skin. I have had some success with this stuff. Betterthan anything else on the market. Peeing on jellyfish stings or poison ivy is not effective. Urban myth.
  • Scott613
    Scott613 Posts: 2,317 Member
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    Take him to the vet and say "We had a good run boy". Pet his head then tell the vet to put him down.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I my case, go to the doctor, get steroid shot in the butt, and steriod cream for topical. Accept that you are going to look like a freak for a while and relegate all further work in that corner of the yard to your spouse :tongue:

    I hope he feels better soon! It's miserable when you get a bad case.

    I hope so too! He looks so sad and in pain! I do secretly like it when I hurt him when I wash it off, but only a little. That corner of the yard...I don't even know what we are going to do with it.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    No poison Ivy west of the Rockies, only poison oak, but I believe it is the same chemical irritant.

    I am very sensitive to it. It is an allergic reaction and different people react in different levels of severity. Doctors typically give me a steroid injection to try and dry it out. Calomine is useless. TECHNU is a product sold in pharmacies that is a wash used in the shower to mobilize the oil irritant off of the skin. I have had some success with this stuff. Betterthan anything else on the market. Peeing on jellyfish stings or poison ivy is not effective. Urban myth.

    I was reading about that, but isn't it too late after you already have the rash?
  • jonnyb62
    jonnyb62 Posts: 426
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    it will run its course in about 2-3 weeks. he cannot spread it to others or to other parts of his body...just put the calamine on to help with the itching. thats all you can do. I get it almost every week, i know!

    Really, yuck. So it is supposed to blister?

    If it's blistered, bleach will kill it - hurts like h@11, but it will do the job. But I think the wash from Walgreens is probably a better option.
  • pants77
    pants77 Posts: 185 Member
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    It sounds like his doctor doesn't give a rat's *kitten* about his wellness.

    I would advise switching PCPs.
  • boggsmeister
    boggsmeister Posts: 292 Member
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    This stuff is really expensive, but it DOES work. I know because I'm highly allergic to poison ivy and it spreads all over like wild fire if I don't get it stopped immediately. I usually have to get steriods from the Dr., but this stuff does work:

    http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/zanfel-poison-ivy,-oak-and-sumac-wash/ID=prod1054021-product

    ^^^^^^^^ This, and nothing else. Seriously.

    If you get to it early you can wash the poison off. Once it gets in your skin your body will fight it until it just gets tired of fighting it. The only way to destroy the oil once it gets in your skin is Zanfel.

    Edit, buy the actual zanfel cream. I think you are too late for the wash. Or just go to their website. Don't hesitate, just buy the stuff. Nothing, and I mean nothing else will work at this point.
    It's expensive. Buy it.
  • EMagineBeingEMazing
    EMagineBeingEMazing Posts: 76
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    This stuff is really expensive, but it DOES work. I know because I'm highly allergic to poison ivy and it spreads all over like wild fire if I don't get it stopped immediately. I usually have to get steriods from the Dr., but this stuff does work:

    http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/zanfel-poison-ivy,-oak-and-sumac-wash/ID=prod1054021-product

    In my experience (also highly allergic), this only works if you use it right after being exposed. :( If it's not spreading, it may just have to run course (like already mentioned). The doc gave me a steroid shot and prescribed oral anti-histimine for about 10 days (I think).

    I agree if the doc said 'I don't know", then you might want a new doc. No wonder he hates going. :(

    However it works, hope he's better soon and enjoy your trip! :)
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I get it something awful and I tried Ivarest from Walgreens and that helped this time. It wasn't as bad. Mine spreads everywhere, eyelids face, neck, trunk, limbs. I usually have to get steriod shots, steroids and anti itch creams and pills! UGGG>

    That sounds awful....
  • ckmama
    ckmama Posts: 1,668 Member
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    steroid shot or pills (that's what I get) I'm a wussy.

    Are you sure it isn't the shingles? or was he actually around poisin ivy.

    And on a side note, find a new doctor.
  • KaraP18
    KaraP18 Posts: 145 Member
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    Ok so one a serious note you can go to CVS or Walgreens and buy this stuff called Ivy Dry. It is awesome. it will relieve the itch and dry it up. Good Luck. I live in Florida so we have it here.
  • timvickroy
    timvickroy Posts: 12
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    Once you have been exposed to poison ivy there is no way to 'get rid of it'. You just have to let it run it's course. It takes about 1-2 weeks for it to stop oozing. Then another week for it to be gone entirely. That's just the way it is. I used to get it all the time when I was mountain biking a lot. There really isn't much you can do besides treat the symptoms.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    It sounds like his doctor doesn't give a rat's *kitten* about his wellness.

    I would advise switching PCPs.

    He never goes to the dr and doesn't have a PCP, so when he made this appt, they stuck him with whomever had an appointment open. Of course she did because she is a moron
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
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    it will run its course in about 2-3 weeks. he cannot spread it to others or to other parts of his body...just put the calamine on to help with the itching. thats all you can do. I get it almost every week, i know!

    Really, yuck. So it is supposed to blister?

    if it's blistering, he needs steriods. this year has been REALLY bad for poison ivy. go back to the dr and talk to someone in the practice who's seen it before. he'll get steroids and it will get better. but it's still going to itch - so Aveeno anti-itch can be used and not react to the other stuff. but he IS going to have to suck it up and apply the creams himself while you're gone.
  • chesneyfan01
    chesneyfan01 Posts: 51 Member
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    My son also gets it everywhere every Spring, Summer, Fall!!
    The only thing that has worked with him is the Steroid shot from the DR.
  • arickim
    arickim Posts: 137
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    He needs a shot and steroids....only way to get rid of mine. Find a new dr that knows what is going on.

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