If you've ever had poison ivy on your face come here

I just realized I had gotten poison ivy 3 days ago my neck and arm started itching and I thought it was mosquito bites but then it never went away and got red and streaky not bad, but it itched more than a bug bite. Now on my neck it's a fairly small patch (size is 2 quarters lined up) of streaky and slightly bumpy skin, light red. I had 1 sore that opened by itself and leaked fluid but dried up today and I have a few raised bumps on my arm and leg they seem a day or 2 behind what my neck had. I also have a few bumps behind my ears with some dry skin, probably from touching my glasses the day I got it.

My bike fell in a patch of poison ivy while it was really hot and i was sweating and I must have scratched a mosquito on my face and got it on me but luckily no more than an hour later I took a shower so I got most of the poison off so it wasn't as much if I never washed it off, because at the time I didnt realize it was poison ivy my bike had fell in.

I washed all my clothes and shoes to get rid of the poison but all I could do was hose off my bike with water not sure how to clean that?

My big question is my neck is a tiny bit sore and I have a headache could it be cause of the poison ivy or is it is unrelated you think like from the heat? I've had poison ivy many times before but never on my face and as of now the itching is minimal and I never had to put cream on for the itch.

http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/a.../alle4159.html

If you come in contact with the oil, symptoms can include:

•intense itching
•red blotches that are raised or flat
•blisters that may form lines
•fever
•headache
•swelling of the throat and/or eyes
•overall body swelling
•infection of open areas
•stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

Contact your healthcare provider if:

•the rash is severe or if it is on the face or genitals
•the rash covers more than 20 percent of your body
•you have any difficulty breathing
•the rash becomes infected (extreme redness, pain, pus)
•you have a fever, headache, or other severe symptoms

To relieve the itch and soothe the skin:

•apply cool compresses and cool baths or showers to ease the itching
•take lukewarm baths with 1/2 cup cornstarch or colloidal oatmeal, such as Aveeno, to ease the itching
•keep the area clean and dry
•keep fingernails trimmed and clean to prevent opening the skin and possible infection
•try not to scratch the rash to avoid opening the skin and possible infection
•apply a compress wet with Burow's solution (available at your drugstore) to relieve inflammation
•use Calamine lotion to dry the rash
•do not continue lotion antihistamine, such as Caladryl
•do not use over-the-counter lotions or ointments with anesthetics or cortisone, unless instructed by your provider

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What I would do is take a couple of tylenol, then phone your health care provider to see what they say. I wouldn't rush into the ER over a headache and some Poison Ivy.


Also remember that if you scratch it you could develope an infection which can spread, although the Poison Ivy does not.

I'm pretty sure the signs after headache are for severe allergic reactions only, but I guess I should call the doctor and ask if I need to go in since it does say on there to go in if its on your face.

Well yeah but it's only behind your ears right? I wouldn't really say that's on your face.

I think wanting you to go into the doctors if it's on your face is because it could be dangerous for your eyes? Hence the swelling and such.

Or perhaps of it getting in through the mucous membranes.

I would call to be safe, but I don't think you have much to worry over.

It's behind my ears and on my throat area. I was thinking well if my skin swells and it's by my throat may not be good...

There are things you can do to prevent and ease swelling that I am sure your doctor could tell you about.

Yes it could be bad if your throat were to swell very much.

Man I hate getting poison Ivy. And you know..for as much as I've camped in my life and gotten into a patch of something bad, I've never actually looked up what the plant looks like until today.

One of my kids had an awful case when she was about 9, it was in her bloodstream. There was literaly not a spot on her that wasn't blistered. Even the inside of her eyelids. The doctor couldn't imagine how a child who had previousley been immune could have had such a reaction. Some 15 years later she admitted she'd eaten it on a dare.

If you're the type who can't resist scratching it or like me, find yourself scratching in your sleep, I'd advise going to the doctor.

Can you take benadryl? I only got poison ivy once but it was pretty extreme (plus I had strept at the same time...doctors think that is the reason I caught it since my body was already fighting strep...haven't had it since) and it really helped me. Ask your doctor if that would help. It does make you sleepy though.

Ohh yes, been there many times. I'm really allergic and also the type of person who can't avoid being outside and avoid the little buggers, so I come down with a rash several times a year. I'd get in to see a doc, headaches are probably not a good thing. My doc tells me to come in if I get the rash on my face so he can give me a steroid shot to clear it up faster. If not only for the headaches, I'd go in just to inquire about that possibility.

Trust me, I feel your pain! Already had it 3 times this year, and the last of it just cleared up a couple of weeks ago I'd say go to the doctor, or at the very least call in and ask.

Oh also, benadryl in both the pill form and the gel can help. I really don't do well with drugs (even the low doses of benadryl ) but if I take it the itching usually stops and I go to sleep shortly thereafter. I don't know if the gel actually does anything, but for me it gets on the parts of the rash that I've scratched and makes it seem less itchy.

I know it is a little late for this, but go to the store and buy some tecnu so you can wash with it next time you come in contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac. If you can use tecnu within a few hours of contact with the plant, then it will eliminate or greatly reduce the amount of oil on your skin.