P is for....

vandaria · Apr 15, 2013

Poison Ivy! And I am one of those ppl who just needs to have it somewhere within a 100 mile radius to get it. I was good the last couple of days in the woods making sure to have legs arms and hands covered...but at some point I apparently touched my face. Made the hubby freak out when he first saw me, sadly I suspected it would be there when I went to bed due to how my eyelid felt. Hoping this doesn't blister too badly in the next few hours. Funny enough this is an improvement as before I couldn't even open my eye...maybe it is an overall improvement eh? =)

Digger2 · Apr 15, 2013

I have never caught poison ivy, but it hurts just looking at you're picture :sadsmiley:

Sure hope it gets better fast!!

Roy

River Rat · Apr 15, 2013

Yikes! Speedy recovery!

SusanMN · Apr 15, 2013

One of the hazards of the hobby....be sure to wash everything you touched, including your gear. And regular doses of ibruprofen for a few days will greatly help with the itchiness and swelling.

CoilyGirl · Apr 15, 2013

Ouchie and ewwie but its nice to finally have a face with a name now. Get better soon!

vandaria · Apr 15, 2013

Thank you everyone =) I am usually covered in poison ivy rash at least once a year and tried to take precautions this time, but apparently I must have rubbed my face at some point, probably after removing my gloves or shoes. I am so allergic to the oils I have found ways to get it in the winter time lol This is maybe the 3rd time I have had it on my face tho and I definitely do not like it around my eyes =/
We are expected to get about 3-6 inches of rain in the next 84 hours so at least I will have reason to stay inside and mend rather than wanting to get back out. At least I can do a good Quasimoto impression now =P

Charlie P. (NY) · Apr 15, 2013

Speedy recovery. We have a friend who is highly susceptable. Her husband was burning some brush and apparantly it included some posion ivy. The smoke was like mustard gas to her. She had to be rushed to the emergency ward and injected to keep her airways open. Her skin blistered up and looked like it had been in the fire!

Doesn't seem to bother me . . . yet. I understand its one of those things like bee stings and epoxy contact that can suddenly be a problem after repeated exposure.

Mzjavert · Apr 16, 2013

I consider myself lucky I've never come in contact with the stuff. You need a biohazard suit when going into the woods. :laughing9:

Native Floridian · Apr 16, 2013

OUCH!!!!! I too am highly allergic!!! What a PIA!!!! Worse was after a climbing trip where, apparently, Poison Ivey had covered a rock wall that we had no choice but to traverse. I was covered. Tow of my friends and one of my sons same. AS cool as that place is we never went back.

PI also affects summer MD in the woods. More it's the Deer Ticks that keep us out of the woods this time of year, but PI is another threat.

Lastly, most people don't know that they can get Poison Ivy from contacting the the plant in winter. Looks like any other winter dead stick. Butttt...

Hope you feel better soon!!!!

hvacker · Apr 16, 2013

Growing near to poison ivy often are plants that have been used for treatment. The first one I heard about was in a Euell Gibbons book. The plant is Jewelweed. It's called that because water beads up in the leaves and looks like jewels. It's ez to identify. Another that has been used is Burdock (dockins) I used to call elephant ears as a kid.
If you have another bad reaction you might give them a try. Learn the plant first and locate it in the wild so there's no mistake.
The thing about plants is you can treat the first exposure rather than wait and treat the result.

vandaria · Apr 16, 2013

Thanks hvacker! Will watch for that this summer. The issue now is of course nothing is growing yet so I have no clue where I picked it up other than somewhere near my yard.
My eye was totally swollen shut this morning and I caved and went to the doc. They prescribed prednisone but after being told of the side effects I fear taking them lol So downing the benadryl and advil and at this moment my upper lid has gone way down, but my lower lid/upper cheek are still fused as one. At least I can see again. However if I wake up tomorrow and it is swollen shut again I will start the pred =(
It was such a beautiful day today for some md too :

out::

Rob in KS · Apr 16, 2013

It's strange how some people just have to look at it and they get it, and others can walk through it. My wife's family is that way. Half of them are deathly afraid of it and half don't know what it looks like cause they never had it. My 85 year old Mother-in-law pointed to this 5 foot tall little tree and asked "what's that?" I said I'll bet you don't get poison ivy. She looked at me kind of puzzled. It was the biggest freakin one I've ever seen. Probably Benedril and Calamine lotion is the best thing.

SusanMN · Apr 16, 2013

One more suggestion for you - be sure to change your pillow case every day till your breakout is over to prevent reinfecting yourself. Even after washing, sometimes some of the oil remains, so you need to be careful of those you have just laundered as well.

hvacker · Apr 17, 2013

I react to insect bites. Really react. We have these ants, half black and red, that if I'm bit I puff up and itch like mad for about 2 weeks.
Once when it happened I was home and RAN in and doused the bite with hydrogen peroxide. I don't know why I grabbed the HP but it worked. No reaction at all. Maybe it was a fluke but I will do it again when bit.
Funny, there was an apprentice working construction at Intel and was ant bit on the scrotum. He went to medical for treatment but the funny part was management was really upset as they lost over a year of no lost hours due to injury. The apprentice just shrugged and said "Hey, it wasn't them."

Native Floridian · Apr 17, 2013

The problem with PI is once the oil gets on your skin it soaks in. You literally have only minutes, if that long, to wash it off before your skin absorbs it. Washing it off only happens if you are aware you've come in contact. Usually, we are not aware. If we've gotten it on our hands or fingers, eyes, mouth, privates can all get a dose before it loses it's contagious toxicity. Oh what misery that can be!

Coincidentally, my son got PI over the weekend. His 6 year old's kite broke loose from the string ending up about 15 feet up a tree. He went into the woods to get a long stick to free the kite. He couldn't find a stick long enough, but he did come out with PI on his left hand.

Pop pop rescued the kite by tying two sticks together. After-all that's what Pop pops are for!!!!

hvacker · Apr 18, 2013

Euell Gibbons was a religious guy, a Quaker. When he wrote "Stalking the Helpful Herbs I got the impression that he felt the fact Jewell weed almost always grew close to poison ivy wasn't an accident. It allowed someone to grab some right away if they knew about it.
Knowing wild plants goes right along with treasure hunting. In the early 70's I saw a kids tv show with Gibbons showing how to ID plants. I bought his book and it changed everything. I used to see the world as one big green riddle. After a couple years that all changed. The world became recognizable. The unfortunate part of living where I do in the high desert is lack of variety and abundance the wetter areas have. Plus everything here seems to sting, bite, or prick.
Finding a plant you've not found before is like finding other treasures. It's why I have problems with 4x4's and quads tearing up their home.

hvacker · Apr 18, 2013

Native Floridian said:
The problem with PI is once the oil gets on your skin it soaks in. You literally have only minutes, if that long, to wash it off before your skin absorbs it. Washing it off only happens if you are aware you've come in contact. Usually, we are not aware. If we've gotten it on our hands or fingers, eyes, mouth, privates can all get a dose before it loses it's contagious toxicity. Oh what misery that can be!

Coincidentally, my son got PI over the weekend. His 6 year old's kite broke loose from the string ending up about 15 feet up a tree. He went into the woods to get a long stick to free the kite. He couldn't find a stick long enough, but he did come out with PI on his left hand.

Pop pop rescued the kite by tying two sticks together. After-all that's what Pop pops are for!!!!

I think you just got a nick name.

vandaria · Apr 18, 2013

I didn't end up taking the prednisone, but was giving myself the max dose of benadryl and the swelling has FINALLY gone down to nothing. Now everything is just really dry from the icing and astringent I was using. So now oatmeal lotion. Hoping to be in decent shape for the nice weather Saturday is supposed to be so I can try and get out. I say try cuz we just got hit with almost 5 inches of rain and everything is flooded. :heart:

to all!!

ryaan21 · Apr 18, 2013

My brother and I have gotten it so many times that now when we get it we hardly notice it, I think we built up some sort of immunity to it...weird but true.

CoilyGirl · Apr 18, 2013

Rob in KS said:
It's strange how some people just have to look at it and they get it, and others can walk through it. My wife's family is that way. Half of them are deathly afraid of it and half don't know what it looks like cause they never had it. My 85 year old Mother-in-law pointed to this 5 foot tall little tree and asked "what's that?" I said I'll bet you don't get poison ivy. She looked at me kind of puzzled. It was the biggest freakin one I've ever seen. Probably Benedril and Calamine lotion is the best thing.

It IS funny(not haha funny of course) but my husband who has very Irish sensitive skin does not get poison ivy but. I do. I always manage to get a case putting down new pine straw in my flower beds. I don't think there is any way to control the vines being mixed up in the straw. I'm glad you are better Vandaria.