Poison Ivy remedy?

[pontifex]

Anyone have any poison ivy remedies? the worst is my right leg with that huge streak and large patch. not only does it itch, but its painful and i can't bend my leg all the way.

I have about a foot long streak on my left under-arm, probably another foot-long (or close to it) streak on my left leg (back side calf), a large patch on my lower back thigh just above the knee and in the crease of my leg, a small patch in the same spot on the other leg, and a few small spots right above my ankles.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Take a Benydryl, use Calamine lotion and an oatmeal bath, those are the only things I know of to work. They only offer temporary relief though.
If it is really bad you may be able to get an antihistamine shot to help reduce the itching and swelling.

 

[olds]

What CR said and I use a soap called Zanfel. $30 an oz but it helps clear it up.

 

[SoulAssassin]

I had poison ivy pretty bad last summer on both fore arms and hands as well as a little on my face, ear and chest. Definitely take Benedryl. I also recommend hot water. I'm talking scalding...as hot as you can take. Either in the shower crank it up as high as you can and hit the poison ivy areas or if you have a hot tub or know a friend with one (it's not contagious) then spend as much time in there as possible. It really relieves the itching for a while.

 

[SLU MD]

if you see a doctor, he can give you some steroids which will help decrease inflamation. thats what i would recommend.

slu M.D.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
I had poison ivy pretty bad last summer on both fore arms and hands as well as a little on my face, ear and chest. Definitely take Benedryl. I also recommend hot water. I'm talking scalding...as hot as you can take. Either in the shower crank it up as high as you can and hit the poison ivy areas or if you have a hot tub or know a friend with one (it's not contagious) then spend as much time in there as possible. It really relieves the itching for a while.

Web MD said to soak in cold water

 

[Skacer]

Zanfel works, It actually pulls the oil out of the skin, or more likely rubs the skin right off your body. I've had poison ivy probably 5 times in the last 2 years. It's expensive but worth it. Other products just relieve itching or attempt to dry the skin, this can help, but isn't really any sort of fix, it's just buying you time while it heals. Zanfel can speed up the healing process significantly. The only other real option is steroids from a visit w/ the doctors.

PS. I've got poison ivy right now too!

 

[Dirigible]

I regularly get a poison oak rash from mountain biking. The only things that really help are prescription steroids, and those have side effects so only go for them if it's really bad.

Temporary relief can come from putting the rash in water as hot as you can stand. It'll get INCREDIBLY itchy, but then not itch much for a while. Some people find Zanfel helps a little bit, but it's awfully expensive. I find it's slightly more helpful than the hot water trick. The other things mentioned above also may provide minor temporary relief. You'll be itchy until you get steroids or the layer of skin to which the urushiol has bonded is gone.

Your rash won't spread on its own. However, be ultra sure that you don't have clothes or other items that still have the poison ivy oil on it. This can keep spreading the oils and causing fresh rash for a long time. Wash anything that may have been contaminated with detergent. It takes an amazingly small amount of oil to cause the rash.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
I had poison ivy pretty bad last summer on both fore arms and hands as well as a little on my face, ear and chest. Definitely take Benedryl. I also recommend hot water. I'm talking scalding...as hot as you can take. Either in the shower crank it up as high as you can and hit the poison ivy areas or if you have a hot tub or know a friend with one (it's not contagious) then spend as much time in there as possible. It really relieves the itching for a while.

Web MD said to soak in cold water

I don't care what they said...scalding hot water felt so good on the poison ivy it should have been illegal. Cold water might help w swelling/inflammation but nothing got rid of the need to itch it like the hottest water possible.

Also, you can pretty much plan on it sticking around for two weeks.

 

[Skacer]

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Temporary relief can come from putting the rash in water as hot as you can stand. It'll get INCREDIBLY itchy, but then not itch much for a while. Some people find Zanfel helps a little bit, but it's awfully expensive. I find it's slightly more helpful than the hot water trick. The other things mentioned above also may provide minor temporary relief. You'll be itchy until you get steroids or the layer of skin to which the urushiol has bonded is gone.

Zanfel only works if it is used correctly. You can apply it to your skin and wash it off 100 times and never have it used properly. To work, it has to be rubbed in really hard with the palm of your hand. Its like giving yourself an indian burn. When it works properly the oil forms into black balls on the surface of the skin and can be washed away. If this is done, the itching will go away permanently and the rash will clear up from there on out.

 

[jtusa]

A hair dryer on HOT feels sooooo good on poison ivy/oak.

There is no cure for it though, just have to wait it out. Doc might be able to give you something that will make it go away a day or two sooner, but there's no magic pill for it, sorry.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Rubbing Alcohol will also help dry out the oil (which is causing the itch).

The more scratching you do, the more it spreads.

 

[GasX]

A bit of a "home remedy" buy I have found that rubbing alcohol dries out the rash very quickly and makes it go away. your case sounds fairly severe. I'd go with the benedryl and doctor's visit.

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: Skacer

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Temporary relief can come from putting the rash in water as hot as you can stand. It'll get INCREDIBLY itchy, but then not itch much for a while. Some people find Zanfel helps a little bit, but it's awfully expensive. I find it's slightly more helpful than the hot water trick. The other things mentioned above also may provide minor temporary relief. You'll be itchy until you get steroids or the layer of skin to which the urushiol has bonded is gone.

Zanfel only works if it is used correctly. You can apply it to your skin and wash it off 100 times and never have it used properly. To work, it has to be rubbed in really hard with the palm of your hand. Its like giving yourself an indian burn. When it works properly the oil forms into black balls on the surface of the skin and can be washed away. If this is done, the itching will go away permanently and the rash will clear up from there on out.

That sounds like what I did. And it did help more than anything else I've tried. It's just that it still wasn't close to making the itch or rash go away. I've known lots of people who've tried it, and even those who love it report results not much better than mine. If no one I know reports such good results (and I know a LOT of mountain bikers who've tried it) then my skepticism grows.

Still, I've got a tube lying around that's only half used. Next time I get the horrible rash I'll try to rub it even harder. Thanks for the description/response!

 

[slimrhcp]

I used Zanfel once. It felt so good it was almost worth getting poison ivy in the first place. GL.

 

[The Sauce]

Second Zanfel. It's new. almost a miracle drug. Earlier you use it the better.

 

[pontifex]

well, it looked like it was going away for a bit but now it (or maybe something else) is happening. I have bright pink red areas and spots all over my legs. they are very itchy and sometimes cause sharp pain, especially if i am standing. its almost like its stabbing me with pins or something. its sore to the touch in some areas as well.


any ideas wtf is happening to me?

 

[WildHorse]

Man I suffer terribly with poison oak all the time from running around in the mountains by me.

Well for poison oak, what definitely does NOT work, at least for me, are:
Tech Nu soap
Homeopathic poison oak remedy

What DOES work, for me at least, is Cortisone cream.

Once I had such an extremely bad case that I saw a dermatologist.

He gave me some dry powder you mix with a tiny bit of vinegar and put on the poison oak ooze. It helped a lot but, unfortunately, I don't remember its name.

 

[lokiju]

Theres tons of stuff at the drug store for it.

Thank God I'm not allergic to poison Ivy or Oak.

 

[luckysnafu]

Have a look at some of these "home" remedies - http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/medicine.html
You may find something that helps ease the itching.