Quote of the Day “I think it all comes down to motivation. If you really want to do something, you will work hard for it.” ~ Edmund Hillary
Well, guess what? The HH played in the poison ivy and now has a horrible rash on his hands, arms and stomach and can’t seem to stop itching. We put anti-itching creme on him but it doesn’t seem to be working. Any ideas? The poor guy, he’s getting desperate! I washed the clothing he was wearing TWICE before tossing it into the dryer so I’m hoping I got all the oils out of his clothes.
I tell you, it’s just one big adventure after another around here. Have I mentioned I’m looking forward to winter yet? 😉 Well, I am. Have a great weekend everyone, stay out of trouble!
♥ Mavis
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Cathy says
So sorry about your husband rash, I hated just a neddles sting from PNW, Amazon has lots of treatments and soaps for that ivy.
Julia says
It might be time for the the HH to see a doctor and get some prednisone. After a recent minor surgery had a horrible allergic reaction to the glue on the steri strips. It looked and felt like poison ivy, and the itch was maddening. Nothing that I put on it helped for long. I called the doctor and he called in a script for prednisone. Even then it took several days for it to stop itching.
Mary3M says
Go to Urgent Care for a steroids treatment. Once it gets inside the blood stream it can be very dangerous. ANd you want to make sure it doesn’t get anywhere near the eyes. Good luck!
MRS. c. says
This. Over the counter itch meds WILL NOT WORK on the very allergic or in the case of a severe reaction. If it starts popping up in in other areas of his body, it is in his bloodstream and he needs prednisone.
Robin says
You might have him try Calendula cream for the itching.
Em says
A shower in water as hot as he ca stand will temporarily help stop the itch. I use Zanfel (zanfel.com). It’s expensive, but reduces the duration and extent of the rash in my experience. As mentioned previously, the doctor can prescribe steroids if it’s really bad.
Poison ivy is awful. I hope he feels better soon.
Brenda says
I second the Zanfel recommendation. I get it at our local Meijer grocery store. It’s wonderful because when you apply it (in the shower) you get to rub it in and it releaves the itching /scratching. I’ve had the best luck with Zanfel in general, but plain pink calamine works well to dry up the oozing. The hard part is letting it dry without scratching it. It dries kind of slowly.
Lisa says
when my son went to the ER for poison ivy, the DR recommended Zanfel. Totally works
Carolyn says
I completely agree with Zanfel. My husband and I have had poison ivy multiple times but since we’ve discovered Zanfel neither one of us have needed prednisone. Living in the country it’s a must-have in my medicine cabinet.
sharon says
Julia is right on the mark. HH needs prednisone. I have scarring from poison ivy rash that I waited to see the doctor. He told me if you have a rash that covers more than about 6 to 8 square inches that OTC remedies aren’t strong enough. 🙁
Mavis Butterfield says
We are way past 6 to 8 inches of bumps. Gaaaaa!
Camie says
What about calamine lotion?
Mrs. C. says
One time my HH had it so bad, it spread into his mouth and nose. He went to our family doc, who gave him a course of prednisone. It got better, then returned. He then went to see a dermatologist, who told him that in severe cases like the one he had, the course of treatment had to be longer, and that most family docs did not know that. He prescribed a higher dose and a duration about a week longer than the previous one. He also told my husband that he could not shave and could take COOL, showers only, not hot, until all the lesions were completely dry. The reason being that hot showers stimulate circulation and immune response, which cause the lesions to spread. It took almost 2 months for him to get to a point where he could shave and take a hot shower.
erin in ia says
Ivy dry spray at Walgreens or go on amazon and order the ditch the itch soap and their cream. It’s made by all terrain. I’ve started only showering with the soap during ivy season and I haven’t had it once this year.
Robin says
Poor HH! My guy had it AGAIN a few months ago after helping to get the dock sections out of the woods and into the lake. Horrid itchy rash and big bubbles and ooze. Then dried, cracked skin. Took about 3 weeks to look better. I suggested prednisone but he went with OTC. If he helps get the dock out of the water he’d better wear long thick sleeves and shower after. 🙂
Erin says
Ivy dry works well, it’s at walgreens. Otherwise, all terrain soap and cream called ditch the itch works really well. You’ll have to order that though.
Kim says
I agree with the hot shower. Put the shower spray on a specific area and the itching will get worse temporarily then all of the sudden it will be gone! I got longer relief from this than any type of cream.
Rosaleen says
HH has my sympathy. Even with Prednisone, it takes about 6 weeks for PI to go away on me. I agree that he needs Prednisone. I’d also use Ivy Dry or similar, some homeopathic Rhus Tox, and compresses with diluted chlorine bleach. I’ve actually had better luck with Rhus Tox than Prednisone and don’t know why the bleach treatment works, but sometimes it does.
Good Luck!
Amy P. says
I agree Ivy Dry is the best if it hasn’t gotten that bad. Technu is good for preventative washing.
Kathy says
Fels naptha soap may help
Jamie says
If you do not have a huge bottle of Tecnu – go get some : ) it is a wash that you use on skin that you think has been exposed it breaks down the oils and washes them off. it works best when you use it right after contact with the ivy but they have other products in the same line that may work for after exposure. My son is very allergic to poison ivy and with a good rub on , let set for a bit and wash off – he’s not had a break out. link to their home page below
https://www.teclabsinc.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwzqPcBRAnEiwAzKRgSzYrLPRuR6xtej0zS0PurKdKDfE1JgWIi-Lm08u7NeJ6Klb2VtilOBoCfJIQAvD_BwE
Jamie
Joely says
I agree with oral prednisone. For prevention in the future washing exposed skin with Dawn dish soap immediately after contact with poison ivy/oak, etc and washing clothing in oil cutting soaps like Lestoil have worked for me.
Gosia from Des Moines, iowa says
There is over the counter ointment called ZANFEL that will help your husband with poison ivy rash.
https://www.zanfel.com
Call local pharmacies to see if they have it.
Amanda says
I’ve always heard since the itchy poison stuff is in oil, that washing his body with Dawn dishsoap helps. Apparently, it traps the oil and takes away the irritant as well.
Then treat the rash as normal.
Em says
I came back to mention to make sure Lucy is staying out of the poison ivy area. The oil on dog fur (or anything really) can transfer to your skin.
A friend’s dog got in it, and then took a nap on the wife’s pillow. The wife got poison ivy on half of her face. Not fun.
About 25% of people are not allergic to poison ivy. You lucky people, if you’re one of those.
Mavis Butterfield says
We are working on clearing it out along with any tick friendly areas so next year will be a lot easier {for all of us}.
Terri says
There are plenty of good recommendations here… if he hasn’t received treatment yet…. put him in a bath with a box of oatmeal in it …. did this with the kids when they were little with chicken pox.. only thing that worked… do not eat the oatmeal after… although the kids thought that was part of the fun. It does relieve the itch and you can go get the other ideas listed here while he soaks.
Judy T says
oh, Poison Ivy – I used to not get it when I touched it….until…..I got it everywhere…now, I get it. If the rash is over a large part of his body, go to the doctor and get some prednisone. Otherwise, I like Zanfel which I get at the local drugstore. One of the things I like about it, is it has grit in it and you have to rub it on, so you get to scratch the itch. Ahhhh….. Some people find an oatmeal bath soothing. Some people swear by slicing it open and pouring bleach on it – I won’t recommend that one…
Hope he feels better soon!
Diana says
I agree with Em about Lucy. There is one spot in my yard that has it and whenever the dogs get into it, and I don’t know it, and then pet them, I end up with it. Best preventative is to immediately take a shower after working in the yard when you’re near it, with a washcloth – that is the key. The washcloth scrubs away the ivy oils left on your skin that won’t come off if you just use your hands to wash. Any soap will do, per the video posted below.
As for now, if you don’t wish to go to the doctor, maybe try an OTC antihistamine and see if it helps some with the itching – that’s what I end up using.
Diane says
Very interesting video! Thanks for posting it!
Marie says
Good old Calamine lotion should help. Also, try raw apple cider vinegar cold compresses.
I hope something helps soon.
Meredydd Cooper says
I’m a fan of a multi-pronged approach to poison ivy. Back in the day Physo-hex was the stuff we used to remove the oils first thing. These days I would use whatever its equivalent is. Next would be Benedryl as pills and as lotion to help kill the itch and reduce swelling and inflammation. Bathing in Aveno oatmeal bath, using baking soda in the bathwater, exhausting the nerve endings with showers as hot as you can stand… that helps with topical issues. Bottom line is: DON’T SCRATCH!!! Bursting the blisters only spreads the oils about and can cause worse issues, including opening the skin up to infection. If it really becomes bad, a trip to the doc for heavier medications may be warranted. Hopefully it won’t come to that and all of this will become a bad memory. Alternatively, if you have a classically trained homeopath on speed dial, a practitioner may be able to come up with a good remedy at an appropriate potency.
Mainly the issue with poison ivy is prevention. Wearing long sleeves, long pants and heavy gloves while handling it; carefully stripping off work clothes and immediately washing them and one’s self; NOT exposing one’s self to the aerosolized oils produced if the P I is burnt is a biggie. Good luck!
sindy says
OH NO! It is the worst. It’s going to get worse before it gets better too. It will take weeks for him to feel better.
I used a prescription cream but the thing that brought the most relief was my friend gave me some of her aloe vera plant and I just squeezed it on the blisters and it was awesome.! I also used Spectracide weed stop for lawns to kill the poison ivy around my property. It was very effective and didn’t kill my flowers or trees.
RebekahU says
I usually use jewel weed products, BUT last month I had a really, really bad case of poison ivy and the usual remedies were not helping. I purchased calamine plus itch relief spray from Walgreens. There is also a name brand but I cannot remember it. It’s in an aerosol can. This stuff worked miracles. RUN (don’t walk) to your nearest pharmacy to get it. Hopefully it will work for the HH like it did for me. Instant relief and almost immediately started drying up.
Diana says
Just an FYI-don’t burn poison ivy that’s been pulled out of your yard. My son was at a bonfire where some of the logs had poison ivy vines. He ended up with bad case in his eyes from the smoke. His buddy had it in his throat/lungs. Ack! Oral prednisone did the trick but he was not a happy camper. Didn’t get thru all the replies…hope this isn’t a duplicate.
Em says
Diana I don’t think anyone mentioned it yet, and I’m glad you did.
Mavis, I read that you’re clearing the area. Next year should be so much better! If HH finds something that really helps the poison ivy rash (or to get rid of the plants), please let us know what seems to help the most!
Sue says
My daughter is so allergic she want get near it, me on the other hand can put it up by the roots without a problem. After working around it I always wash off with dawn or Clorox. It takes a few minutes for the oils to get into the skin as so my Boy Scout grandson tells me. On the other hand when we were younger my sister was hospitalized because of the stuff, she had a solid scab on most of her arm when it crusted over. Horrible. Be careful and get treatment.
Tracy says
My sister is so sensitive to poison ivy that she can get it from air borne particles of it from bon fires. I recall one summer when her entire mouth, throat and esophagus were blistered. Doctor told her to be grateful it didn’t get to her lungs or she might have to be intubated in case of severe swelling! Here’s what she does (she’s a pediatrician, by the way, so this is from a doctor):
– with respect to other posters, NEVER go near a hot bath or shower. There is no such thing as “exhausting” the nerves. Hot, or even warm water will expand capillaries and only make the itch worse as well as spread the subcutaneous inflammation (rash). Pat dry, don’t rub, and sit in front of a fan to chill the surface of the skin a bit to squash an itchy reaction.
– an immediate injection of prednisone (a steroidal anti-inflammatory) will do the most to break the trajectory of escalating inflammation. Your husband will likely be prescribed a 7-10 day course of oral Pred as follow up, after which the dosage declines gradually to retrigger the adrenal functions, which can be suppressed and replaced by prednisone at high dosages. Take care to follow the step down instructions to the letter, and push for a longer course (the ten days versus 7days) to avoid a rebound reaction.
-topically, my sister recommends showers as cool as your husband can tolerate, and as few as he can stand. Then, if he has severe itching afterwards, sit quietly and rub ice cubes gently over the itchiest patches, pat dry and slather with standard calamine lotion. She swears it works best and all the other products were created because people resist the goopy texture and sticky sweet smell of calamine. But she swears, medically, it works best. If he’s had prednisone, he won’t need a topical with steroids.
-here’s the killer: sit still, don’t move around much and absolutely avoid sweating, which will trigger additional itching and salt exacerbates blister formation. Until the worst has past. If he does end up sweating, jump back into the cool/cold shower and start it all over again. If he has major itchy flare ups, rub with ice cubes, pat dry and reapply calamine lotion. Repeat, repeat, until you’re over the worst of it!
Linda says
My husband is extremely allergic to poison ivy and needs to see the doctor for a prescription.
Heather Leichtenberger says
Wash with fels naptha it well help remove all the oils from the poison ivy then use the sap Fri the stems and leaves of jewel weed or as we in Pa call them popper plants. It will take the rash away in no time.
Deborah says
Don’t burn poison ivy! Hubby got it in his lungs from burning it when he was younger. Taking a tepid bath with some powdered laundry starch, about a handful, helps to dry up to oozing. I used it when my children had chicken pox when they were little. Doctor recommended even. LOL. The best thing is to not get it. Wear long sleeves and gloves, and yes, long pants with socks and shoes or socks and boots. Do be careful when removing foot ware and clothing. The oils can get on them. It can also get on Lucy. And she can transfer it to her humans. Get well soon Mavis’ HH.
Margery says
Trip to the doctor, cool showers, try not to sweat. Took me six weeks to recover once, now if I am working out side near it I am covered top to bottom, wear gloves and wash everything including shoes after. And then I take a cool shower with an antibiotic posion ivy soap.
Gee says
Poor hubby. If it’s spread, then the doctor and prednisone is the best option. Don’t mess around.
I had it the last time for 3 months, because I didn’t recognize the rash right away. That’s how I found out it doesn’t have to be green to cause a reaction. I got it raking up leaves in the spring – before the snow was even all melted.
My brother once got it on his face so bad he had to be hospitalized. His eyes were so swollen he literally couldn’t see. Double ugh. (I think the allergy is genetic.)
Tamara Reid says
Sorry to hear about your poor HH!!! If it is bad, get him to the doctor! But next time, try a plantain poultice, using the plantain weed (not the banana kind of plantain). It works well for insect bites/stings, burns and poison ivy type rashes. You can look it up online. You can chew the leaves or mash them. But it would need to be used right away I would think. If he’s been itching a lot, it’s probably spread already. I’ve been using this for bug bites this summer and it works so well! Hope he heals up quick! And don’t touch him!!! LOL!
Sharelle says
To all the folks recommending the Zanfel. It really really works but is expensive. The thing to know is that it is EXACTLY the same stuff as mean green power hand scrub. Purchased that way you get 16 Oz for $16 at Amazon.
I deal with poison ivy all the time. Come in and shower scrubbing down with the mean green. The only time this summer I have had trouble… the day I cleaned my pruning tools and did not scrub down with Mean green.
I think Zanfel was marketed after Mean Green” figured out the amazing poison ivy removing power of their product
Karyn says
I wanted to chime in on the poison ivy with a different spin—I am allergic to poison ivy also, but it took years to find out that you can also have same reaction to mango skin or cashews. The urushiol oil as in poison ivy is also in mango skin (a relative, as also cashew cross reacts). The mango flesh/fruit of generally ok, but hard to not contaminate with the oils. I had broken out with blisters around mouth and it was terrible! Just FYI….anyone else have this?
M says
This is a really great natural option for poison ivy. Hope he feels better soon!
https://www.amazon.com/Boiron-Rhus-Toxicodendron-30C-Pellet/dp/B005P0XMNW/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1535958807&sr=8-4&keywords=homeopathic+rhus+tox#customerReviews