My Detecting Career in Jeopardy . . .

[SaginawIan]

I have been a deep woods homesite hunter for a long long time. I have made many great finds busting through the bushes and pickers to those cellar holes. Well, for some reason that I can't explain - This year, I have become extremely allergic to poison ivy and sumac. Despite my best efforts I have been totally obliterated by this stuff every time I go out. Arms, legs, hands, face, neck, back, etc. etc. I've tried Ivy block, allergy medication, gloves, covering all skin, washing thoroughly with special soap after every hunt. I've started tossing my previously used cloths in the trash in case the oil doesn't wash off! Also, I'm careful! I'm not rolling in the stuff and I am constantly watching for it! Nothing works well for me. I'm getting the stuff UNDER my shirt where there is NO way the poison ivy could touch! My wife says that repeated exposure can cause some syndrome or hyper allergic state (can't remember the name of it). A guy I work with says that you can get it by simply being near it? I don't know. . . My hunting partner never gets the stuff on the same sites and he is also allergic to it - that I cannot explain. I'm about to go to the ER and get a shot of something cause this is torture. I'm toast for a while. I'm on a steady diet of benadryl and Ivy Dry - consider me on the long term disabled list . . .

Anyone else suffer this?

Ian

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[mpostma]

Ian,
So sorry to hear about the poison ivy! Most of my life I could touch it and not get anything. In 2005 I had a Kidney Cancer, Blood Clots and a few broken bones. (really wasn't my best year) When I went back out in late 2005 I saw some garbage in the poison ivy at the park, so I picked it up. Next think I knew I had a nasty rash. I went to my doctor to find out what it was. He actually laughed at me! I had never had it before. Now I have to be very careful too, cause I get it very easy now too. Though I haven't had it as badly as you apparently! I feel for you man! Good Luck!

Mark

 

[Mike from MI]

I think you should switch to field hunting in the fall and spring and go water hunting in the summer!
I hope you are well soon!

 

[SaginawIan]

Thanks guys. I hope the reverse is also true - that once you become allergic you all of the sudden become resistant to it? That would be nice. Yeah, I think I'll be hunting only grassy areas and open fields- although there are not alot of clear old sites that I know of - actually only one. In the late fall and early spring I feel like I'll be safer out there. I'm hoping to find an old beach or something.

Ian

 

[mlayers]

Being near Detroit they say there is a lot of vacant lots now. So y0u may find some lots to detect....Matt

 

[Slipperyjack47]

your friend is wrong about the not having to touch poison ivy to get the bad effect! The pollen can get you as well if its burned the smoke can give you a rash if you come in contact with it. I even know 2 guys who had water drip of ivy plants and gave them a rash so bad they spent time in a hospitol, maybe you should take Mikes suggestion and take up water hunting, might be safer!


Slipperyjack47

 

[BuckleBoy]

One of my digging buddies has an unstoppable reaction to poision ivy--once they get it it will end with an emergency room visit or strong medication. Fortunately poison ivy is one of the things that I am not as allergic to in the woods, but I have had to tone it down this summer due to other woods allergies. Last summer we were out three times a week. My last hunt was a month ago today.


Best Wishes,



Buckles

 

[LadyDigger]

Well, Poison Ivy and I are NOT the best of friends and every chance Mr. Ivy can, he will attack me! He thinks it's so funny seeing my eyes swollen and blisters on my body! I have given up fighting with him and just try my best to stay clear of him. Now, it seems, he has recruited Mr. English Ivy. I recently found out I have a reaction to English Ivy!!! YEP!!!

My breakouts with English Ivy are different from Poison Ivy. English Ivy is nothing but a red rash for me and itchy, whereas Poison Ivy, I get blister breakouts and itchy! UGH!!! And of course my yard is covered with both...trying to get rid of the English Ivy...and it's not an easy task...that stuff is so evasive!!!

Very true, just being around it when the pollen is blowing...you can get it! Clearing our creek that was covered in Poison Ivy...I covered in long sleeve shirt, long pants and then covered my body in plastic trash bags, taped everything with the exception of my face! Well, I did not it anywhere on my body except for my face and my eyes were swollen shut!!! It was the pollen from the plants! Oh Vey...

And when the birds eat the white berries off the ivy....well, when they leave their droppings in your yard, they may leave the start of an ivy plant as well as the pollen leaving it's mark too!

And it don't matter what season...you can get poison ivy in the dead of winter, if you dig up a root!!!

I wonder, if there is a way to make a poison ivy suit that is safe to wear, easy to clean, reusable and of course, fashionable! (LOL on the fashion part!)
Annmarie

PS: My hubby is NOT allergic to any of it....but he does not seem to understand, does not mean he won't be later on....heck, just with skeeters....when we met, he would not get bit! No he wouldn't and those skeeters had a feast on me! Now, hubby can't step outside without skeeters all over him!

 

[Giant056]

I get it about once a year in the spring usually but it never is really bad, about 20 years ago I got it kinda bad and got steroids for it cause of the place that I was doing landscaping for sent me to the doctor and for several years after I never had it but in the past several years I've had a little bit every year but never extensive. I caught it in the middle of winter once and the doc said yup it's poison ivy cause that's what I thought it was too but didn't know you could catch it in the winter by simply rubbing against the vine. Last fall I was wallowing in the stuff before I noticed it and afterwards I hit the shower and washed all the cloths I was wearing and didn't get it (knock on wood). The stuff gets right in your bloodstream I guess, very nasty stuff.

 

[Michiganne]

Man, sounds terrible Ian! I have older brothers who became very reactive to P.I. also and can sympathisize with your pain. Take it easy and stay out of the woods for a while.

HH

 

[Great Lakes]

Hey Ian, It may not be you as much as it is the poison ivy. Over the last few years as CO2 levels (greenhouse gases) have risen poison ivy has been flourishing as it thrives on the stuff and causes the active ingredient urushiol the resin that causes the rash to be more toxic than it used to be. I've been fighting it in my old overgrown apple orchard for the last couple years with Garlon as it has been growing out of control. When it comes time to remove the larger vines I wear Tyvek coveralls you can buy them in bulk and then just toss them out when your done. They make all kinds of Tyvek clothing if you find what suits you it's cheaper than having to throw out your real clothes. And they pack real small and light so not much hassle to carry a pair around if you should need them. Wash in cold water if you come in contact with it, warm/hot water opens your pores and gets it into your system quicker.

Good Luck
Brett

 

[Zofchak]

I used to get Poison Ivy when I was young, but have not had a bad case since then. I ran into some Poison Sumac earlier this year (While metal detecting) and I'm pretty sure Satan sent that stuff straight from hell! Ivy Dry spray was the only thing that saved me from tearing my hands off.

 

[Ray S S]

We have P I in the woods back of our house. I have been lucky not to have broke out with it for a while
but my wife gets it sometimes. When she does, she holds an ice cube in a wash cloth on it for as much
as she can. The cold will dry it up. One time when we were living up at Wolverine Karen had it on her
ancles and toes pretty bad. So for something to give her something more to do than just be bothered by
the poison ivy we took a ride up to Grand Marais. We followed the two-tracker from there eastward along
Lake Superior toward Whitefish Point. There are several places along there where you can get to the
water's edge and we would stop and walk in the water and look for agates and other stones in the water.
We would walk in the water looking until our feet got too cold, then get in the car and drive a ways
to the next place where we could get to the water and do the same. After a few hours of this , she
noticed that her poison ivy was all gone off her feet. It was amazing how that Lake Superior water
took it all away. But that was what started her using an ice cube to take away the itch.
Try this and see if it helps. She uses wash cloth with it to help with the drips. I hope you can get
relief from it. That itching can be awful agrivating to say the least.

I hope you had a good 4th of July holiday in spite of your itching.

Ray

 

[Stanl (MI)]

Ian,
A good friend of mine (my wife) suffers terribly with bouts of Poison Ivy. And has to avoid any contact whatsoever. It seems that the drier someones skin is, the more likely they are to have severe reactions to the toxic oil.
The Doctor stated that if it gets in your bloodstream, from various means, then your resistance to the oils/toxins is lessened. Each bout with it becomes worse.
With that, I have to be extremely careful when I've been out in the woods. Boots, clothes, and tools sanitized.
That Poison Ivy is some nasty stuff, and this year seems like there is an abundance of it here in MI.

I carry with me packets of bleach towelettes to cleanse my skin if I know that I've made contact with the stuff.

I hope you can find a remedy.

Regards,
Stan

 

[mikewaz]

That's nasty Ian!
You're probably best off following most everyones advice and staying away from the woods for a while. The big problem is you don't know how much it's gonna affect you until it erupts, and then it's too late. Don't let it slow you down too much, just find another angle.
Mike

 

[warsawdaddy]

Go to WalMart and get a tube of Zanfel(not cheap).Follow directions and it'll be gone in 5 min.All the utillity workers here in the ozarks use it and so do I.Great stuff.

 

[oneeye]

your friend is wrong about the not having to touch poison ivy to get the bad effect! The pollen can get you as well if its burned the smoke can give you a rash if you come in contact with it. I even know 2 guys who had water drip of ivy plants and gave them a rash so bad they spent time in a hospitol, maybe you should take Mikes suggestion and take up water hunting, might be safer!


Slipperyjack47

Exposure to smoke from burning poison ivy can be very toxic. You can also get poison ivy anytime of the year, even the winter when the plant appears dead (in fact, it is dormant). The worst case I have ever gotten was during February while fishing. I could not figure out why I was breaking out. At the time, I did not know you could get the reaction during the winter. My doctor got a good laugh at that.

Personally, I seem to be more sensitive to poison oak than poison ivy. Try getting it between your toes. That will teach me to wade a brook trout stream in my bare feet.
Dan