When I had poison Sumac, which sounds similar to what you describe, it was 100x worse than any poison ivy I have ever had the pleasure of being inflicted with. I had blisters the size of American quarters. My feet and hands swelled, I think the condition is appropriately called hot dog fingers, and I couldn't fit into any of my shoes.

After seeing the doc and getting some prescription meds things starting getting better the next day. I think the worst of it lasted for about a week. It felt like a month at the time.

Best of luck.

I hope this gets diagnosed and resolved since I live in SoCal.

Well, doc said its some kind of Poision Oak or Ivy. They both do the same thing to the skin. Somehow it got on my crotch and my dick this morning.:eek: I can only think that my underwear may have dragged accross infected areas on my lower leg as I was putting them on. I developed a pretty bad reaction to the stuff. My face swelled up and my eyes lids felt like two water balloons. I almost couldn't see out of them. All my life, I wish for a bigger dick, now that is big and swollen, I am begging my Genie for a small dick. He must think I am one indecisive little man.:D Anyway, He gave a huge dose of steroids. Within 2 hours, I can control my eye lids again. He think the worst will be over in a couple of days. Things will taper off. I do not wish this carp on my worst enemy.

Uconntim,

I can't imagine what the heck Sumac infecction must be like?:(

And there's an idea for a sig line.

Full blown case needs steroids prescribed by your Dr. When your blisters are weeping and you look like the elephant man you should, or should have been on steroids.

A frend of mine had a spider bite on his willy. He said he was hung like a horse for a while, and he would never wish that on anyone. He had to stay home wearing just a robe until the swelling went down. Then he asked if I wanted to see the scar, but I declined :D

Well, where the hell where you to get PI or PO? That stuff doesn't grow in the city.

it grows around here, all over the place. if you feel that SLC can be counted as a proper city.

It fall off in three day anyway.

Did the medicine come with a little comb in the box?

I hate to say it but.......

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1277267851.jpg

Damn Milt, almost 1,000 posts since your return to active duty on Pelican. You are the man! It is good to have you backSmileWavy

Sorry my original post was not so exact. TECNU to remove the oils, the CalaGel to sooth the itching.

As I understand it, the rash is from the chemical reaction to the oils in the plant. Not everyone has the same reaction, some people have zero reaction. Wash sheets every day, wash towels after each use, I change clothes several times a day and wash them. I'll even wash the pillow. Yep once the oil is gone it is gone but the rash will still appear to spread on me.

I would suggest TECNU for several days (or IVAREST or what works best for you). I take several cool showers a day using only TECNU and put on things to dry out my skin. Topicals. Not everyone can take steroids for various reasons. I've had it so bad I have scars on me. This time was rather mild in comparison. I was with it from my scalp to my ankles minus the top of my back. Eyes swelled shut. Missed work most of last week, out all weekend, back at work yesterday. BUT people do not want to go by your desk! Some good things...

Some people say the hot water trick will prolong the infection/reaction others swear by it. I know that at times it is the only thing that will dull the itch/pain to the point where you can bear it for another hour.

I wish you luck! Find where the plant is and KILL IT!!! And don't mess with the kool-aid (round-up) get something stronger! ORTHO Brush-B-Gone or something such as that! Mix and use. Ya want the thing dead! And when it is dead it can STILL make you sick!!! Treat dead poison oak/ivy/sumac as if it were living!!!

I spent the weekend spraying PI in the neighbors ditch bank. I know it's not my property but the dog likes to run and she's how I picked it up last time. last time it transferred to me while I was giving her a bath.

BTW - do NOT burn the dead plants

some have done so, only to have the urushiol (the nasty oil) wind up inside their lungs

nearly everyone will be allergic after their 1st or 2nd contact with these plants - so don't think you are "immune"

I posted the hot water trick and the steroids from the doc back on the 19th but did anyone listen? Noooo.
Glad to hear you're doing better.

Ooops, missed it. +1 to you too.

Gee, I thought we were just giving you some props.

I actually did listen and boy did it work wonders for 3 hours. Read my earier post.

We were flying kites at Griffith Park with my little boys.

It will not fit in your screen when it was all swelled up. Now that its back to normal, it too damn small and you will need your reading glasses and blow up the pic 300% to find it. So, here we go... Sorry, my camera is out of battery.

Jeff,

I was just reminded of this thread as it looks as though I may have gotten a little touch of poison ivy on my arm yesterday.

How did you make out?

I am fine now, thanks for asking. Sorry to hear about you new case with the devil. Was it you that said you get it every year? the guy next door is from Virginia. He tells me that he used to get it every year running around the woods as a kid. You guys must have this stuff over the east cost?

It no longer itches. I am scared up pretty bad. It should go away some over the years. I got a huge dose of steroids and the swelling went away. I did end up in the hospital. I had no idea my body would react to the steroids. I could not stand up I was so dizzy. I had to hold on to something when I take a step. If not, I would hit the deck.

Jeff

Wow...quite an adventure...

"leaves of three...let it be" BSA handbook

Fortunately, I over reacted to a nice grouping of mosquito bites on my arm.

My neighbor has a bush fence on his side of the property line that is never taken care of and is full of poison ivy. I take care of it the best I can but eventually I brush up against the new poison ivy growth when mowing the lawn, etc. That stuff grows fast over here.

Round up

Nope. Round up is great for "soft" vegetation...grasses & common weeds. brushy stuff calls for something stronger...ask for CROSSBOW, and add a commercial surfactant to the mix. I often blend Crossbow & Round-up when going for a total kill around here...

My qualification? Quit paying the fee, but my Oregon Pesticicides Consultant's license was # 137...

Where can I find this crossbow product? Does the local big box hardware store carry it? What will it do to my neighbor's bushes and my juniper trees that it is under?
Round up just makes the poison ivy wilt a little, but it survives. I usually wear long sleeves, pants, gloves, hat, etc. and pull it out by hand, followed by a thorough wash wih ivy dry and a shower. This results in the loss of a few pounds of sweat but prevents me from getting any of it on my skin. I usually do this about once a month or so. Good times...

I buy Crossbow at a local farm supply store....be sure to add a surfactant to the spray mix. For spot spraying, I go a pretty heavy mix...2 tablespoons Crossbow, 2Tablespoons Roundup, plus surfactant...per gallon of water. Crossbow is available in quarts...IIRC, $32.95 here...Since I keep after the brushy stuff, a QT lasts me quite a while. Roundup I buy the 41% strength in 2.5 gallon jugs...around $150 IIRC...I use lots of roundup. For broadleaf weeds in the lawn, look for "weedmaster"...I usually buy a gallon of it...

(edit) Crossbow & roundup both kill by "translocation"...meaning by sticking to the leaf surface of the target plants. IF you can avoid drift onto neighbor's bushes & juniper, they should be fine...just be sure of your target & watch the wind.

Thanks. :)

Wow, you guys really have a mess on your hands. Your property must be huge.

Not at all, maybe by Philly standards though. I live close to a small river and the soil and trees make a perfect climate for ivy like this and neither of my neighbors take care of their yards. :(

yep sounds like poison oak...used to ride in chino hills and would brush up against it a little on a ride would get a few blisters at the area of contact...you need to get a hot bath right after and clean what you were wearing by itself so it doesnt spread. also since you were having issues at night you should have washed the sheets that first night of itching.
the oils from the plant are the culprett.

freind of mine would have a terrible reaction...he had to carry benadril with him all the time in the summer when the plants were green. he also was deathly alergic to bee-stings. i am just the oposite...i used to have real issue with bee-stings, now they are little more than a misquito bite.

we all react differently...probably why your wife was better off than you.

when my mother was a kid she made a wilderness salad of poison ivy and got it all over the inside of her mouth....now thats a childhood story