Poison Ivy?

My poor mother is having a tough time of it with some poison ivy on her legs and arms!  She saw the doctor this morning because of how it's spreading (she caught it a week ago!) and they told her she can't go back to work until next week because she's contagious.  She was out of town over the weekend in this misery and when I saw her yesterday she looked SO uncomfortable!  The doctor gave her a high dose steroid; which she's not happy about.  But I told her sometimes that's what it takes. I've had a BAD reaction to something before and that's what it took for me too.  

Does anyone have any tips on how to relieve her discomfort?

Also any tips on making sure it doesn't spread via the laundry and that sort of thing?  She has her couches covered with sheets for summer anyway; but she's concerned about spreading it.  Of course her cat wants to lay between her legs and that's where the worst of the rash is; on her calves and knees.  

Ugh. I feel for her. I get poison ivy every year. She's past the point of using Zanfel from the sound of it.

Tricia turned me on to Ivy-Dry, which helps with the itching a bit.


I've used Calagel before as well.

Some of the tecnu line can be used on clothing, etc:

http://www.teclabsinc.com/products/poison-oak-ivy/tecnu


I hope she gets some relief soon. :cross:

Okay, she doesn't have to worry about her kitty catching it as only humans have reactions to poison ivy. I'd looked it up several years ago when I'd gotten into a patch under my porch where the colony sleeps. I would suggest she wash all her clothes/towels/blankets etc in very hot water and rinse them twice. I've used hydrocortisone cream, the 1% kind, it helps to relieve the itching a little bit. Walmart sells it for about 88cents a tube, at least mine does. Its best to try to not scratch it but its not easy to do. The main thing that you have to worry about is the clothes that she was wearing when she caught the poison ivy since it is the oils in the plant that causes the reaction.

It's been ages since I got into poison ivy, nasty stuff.  I never really found anything that helped much.  Oatmeal type baths help a little, using cool water for bathing also helps.  I think any kind of anti-itch, allergy type lotion probably would help a little.  I remember the last time I had it bad I was given the steroid as well.  I remember they were on a card where there was one less each day until the last day was only one pill.  The first day I took some absurd number of pills like 7 or 8.  I do think that really helps though.  They did the same thing with the steroid when I had Bell's Palsy.

AbbysMom said:

Ugh. I feel for her.

I get poison ivy every year. She's past the point of using Zanfel from the sound of it.

Tricia turned me on to Ivy-Dry, which helps with the itching a bit.


I've used Calagel before as well.

Some of the tecnu line can be used on clothing, etc:

http://www.teclabsinc.com/products/poison-oak-ivy/tecnu


I hope she gets some relief soon.

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I'm looking to see how fast I can get her some of that Ivy-Dry!  She's at the blistering stage.  It sounds incredibly painful! 

Is Zanfel something you have to start using right away to get it to work?  

nansiludie said:

 
Okay, she doesn't have to worry about her kitty catching it as only humans have reactions to poison ivy. I'd looked it up several years ago when I'd gotten into a patch under my porch where the colony sleeps. I would suggest she wash all her clothes/towels/blankets etc in very hot water and rinse them twice. I've used hydrocortisone cream, the 1% kind, it helps to relieve the itching a little bit. Walmart sells it for about 88cents a tube, at least mine does. Its best to try to not scratch it but its not easy to do. The main thing that you have to worry about is the clothes that she was wearing when she caught the poison ivy since it is the oils in the plant that causes the reaction.

Click to expand...

Good to know the cats cant get it!  Hopefully they won't spread it either!  

I'm pretty paranoid about it in our backyard and DH is vigilant looking for things like that since we are in the country.  I'm going to have HIM go look for it at her house!    She thinks its near the entrance to the crawl space because she was helping my step-dad out there last week.

Denice said:

 
It's been ages since I got into poison ivy, nasty stuff.  I never really found anything that helped much.  Oatmeal type baths help a little, using cool water for bathing also helps.  I think any kind of anti-itch, allergy type lotion probably would help a little.  I remember the last time I had it bad I was given the steroid as well.  I remember they were on a card where there was one less each day until the last day was only one pill.  The first day I took some absurd number of pills like 7 or 8.  I do think that really helps though.  They did the same thing with the steroid when I had Bell's Palsy.

Click to expand...

I've had to do rounds of steroids a few times myself and I always feel like I'm swallowing tons of pills that first day!  I don't like the side effects either; but if it does the trick it's worth it.  She is worried about the increased appetite.  But the Benadryl is making her sleepy; so maybe she'll sleep right though it. 

MoochNNoodles said:

I'm looking to see how fast I can get her some of that Ivy-Dry!  She's at the blistering stage.  It sounds incredibly painful! 

Is Zanfel something you have to start using right away to get it to work?  

Click to expand...

Here's a list of where it is sold:

http://www.ivydry.com/buy.php

The Zanfel is supposed to be used as soon as possible.

I'll see if my Step-dad can find the Ivy-Dry at RiteAid on his way home from work.  Otherwise I can order from Amazon with my Prime.  

How is she doing?

The cats don't have reactions but I've had a few odd rashes from the cat stepping in stuff then stepping on me.

The blistering stage is more gross than painful.  Recommend something to dry the ooze.

She's getting a little better I think.  The blister got even bigger as of yesterday; but she seemed in less discomfort last night when she brought DD home from her class.  (Mom volunteered; they were going to be nearby anyway.)  She's been using the spray and calagel.  

She went to a local pharmacy today and they were helpful too.  Our heatwave has broken a bit (its still in the 80s but far better than the 90s and humid we had earlier this week) so I think that's helping her too. 

Thank you for asking! 

Poison ivy is not contagious once you wash the oils off, which (assuming she bathes regularly) happens before the rash appears! Some people are under the impression that it spreads because a rash will appear in some areas on the body after others, but that has more to do with the amount of oil (called urishiol) the skin came in contact with or if some areas came in contact with oil after others.  As such, I don't know why a doctor would say she can't go back to work- doesn't make sense as it's certainly not going to spread to anyone else even if they directly come in contact with the rash.  However, I can totally understand not wanting to go to work with an oozing poison ivy rash.  I've had some absolutely disgusting ones that covered large areas, and it can be a royal pain in the butt to keep people from soaking through bandages   If you/your mom are that allergic to it make sure you keep good poison ivy soap around to thoroughly wash your bodies with if you know you've been around it/see the first signs of a rash.  This makes sure you get all of the oils off as soon as possible so as to reduce the severity of the rash and prevent the "spreading" effect that's really from new areas coming in contact with the oils.  Brief info about "spreading" on this site:  http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm049342.htm

I'm outdoors a lot and usually get minor poison ivy reactions a few times per year.  Very irritating, but minor compared to some of my reactions.  Every year or two I end up getting into it really badly and it's just horrible.  I always try to wash any oils off with special soap when I think I came in contact with it, but sometimes I can't in time or I just don't know I've been in it.  Huge, oozy sores that make me want to cry result that seem to get huger, oozier, and worse with time and the only thing that provides any real relief is going to the doc and getting a steroid shot/prescription itch cream.  I think I've even been given a dose pack in the past.  It can take a couple of days for it to really start helping, but sometimes it's just necessary unless you want to endure the long period of time it'll take to get over it on your own.  My doctor recommended buying Domeboro (I think that was the name) packets to soak the areas and help dry it out.  I haven't found those to be much help, but perhaps it would be more effective in minor reactions.  The only thing I've found that really helps dry it up is letting Epsom salts sit on the areas to help dry it out.  It stings, is kind of painful, and can overdry the surrounding area, but seems to help.  If it's as bad as mine have been plan on buying lots of bandages and changing them very frequently to keep up with the rash and keep it from being gross. 

I feel for your poor mother.  Bad outbreaks of this stuff can be absolutely horrible!