Poison Ivy Time of Year

[goodhors]

For those working outside, clearing before winter, BE CAREFUL. I just got my first case of it thru being careless. Thought I was immune!! Big joke on me. Clearing garden beds, knew I was in poison ivy, then forgot to wash skin carefully with Dawn dish soap after, change clothes. The blisters appeared the next day, itching started.

I faithful applied the no-itch lotion for the next few days, but it only lasts about 4 hours. Itching the blisters felt so good, in a bad way!

Looked up treatments yesterday after catching myself itching without knowing it! I found a recommendation for using vinegar on the skin and blisters. I thought I have plenty of vinegar, I can try a old-fashioned idea! I soaked a paper towel in vinegar and wiped it on, even over the open blisters. The paper towel rubbing vinegar on felt good too! In a very short time the afflicted skin felt better, itching need kept reducing!! Amazing results, so I laid vinegar wet paper towels on the skin and just let it soak in for a while. It has kept me from itching for a while now, though not sure how long the effects will last.

I will continue to use my lotions because I can’t sit all day with paper towels on me. But as a handy itch reliever, the vinegar is truly wonderful!! I was going crazy with the itching, could not resist at times.

So I thought to share this information, in case you unknowingly come in contact with poison ivy and NEED an itch reliever right now! Add it to your “Voodoo Medicine” list of peculiar but they work, collection of horse and people treatments. I have some quite odd things on my list, learned over time from helpful friends or I stumbled on a solution when nothing else worked.

[luvmyhackney]

You need to acquire goats, poison ivy is like candy to them!

Glad you were able to soothe the itch.

[Simkie]

I just started reacting to poison ivy this year, after really not being bothered for it before

I find the Technu Extreme wash/scrub stuff to work much better than dawn, and it helps even after the rash has developed. Once the itch has started, I wash, run under hot water, then wipe down with alcohol. Usually keeps things quiet for half the day.

But it was much better when I could pull it without having to worry about reacting!

[PaddockWood]

I now get it too and just got another bout after clearing my patio. Even w scrubbing w soap hard.
Ordered a pair of sun sleeves and haven’t test them yet but think I’m onto something.

Amazon.com: WELLDAY Black White Flowers Arm Sleeves with Thumb Hole UV Sun...

[endlessclimb]

Whenever I know I’m about to get into it, I wear clothes that I throw away at the end. It’s SO HARD not to roll up sleeves, not to wipe face, not to brush back hair.

Last handful I grabbed was hiding out in an astilbe plant - the leaves look so similar, I didn’t see the intruder until it was too late!

Hope you feel better soon, OP!

[Texarkana]

I never reacted to poison ivy until I was in my 30s. My sensitivity has progressively gotten worse ever since. At this point, I feel like I just look at it and start getting welts.

I didn’t know about vinegar or the Technu Extreme- will have to try both.

@luvmyhackney Do goats eat poison ivy even when there is other, better stuff to eat? Or do you have to let them graze the area bare to get rid of it. It’s everywhere here.

[clanter]

also recommend the use of Goats

[Simkie]

If I know I’m going to be at risk, I wrap my wrists in vet wrap. Works great to protect that area that seems to be at most risk, and there are always rolls around.

There’s also stuff you can put on your skin before exposure:

https://a.co/d/iTm2vrs

I haven’t been on the ball enough this year to actually use it, but it does get good reviews!!

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I heard that it’s progressive with many people–the more you’re exposed to it, the more you react the next time.
Throwing away the clothes is a good idea post-exposure, because I’ve heard it’s almost impossible to remove “The Taint.” You might want to look into getting a prescription-strength steroid cream to really knock it out–they work much better, and then you can save it it happens again. A friend had to go through a round of oral steroids to knock out her case!

[Bogey2]

I am highly allergic and usually catch it from the cats rolling around in it. I swear by the TecNu products. The scrub really helps to keep it from spreading.

[Maythehorsebewithme]

@Simkie

I find the Technu Extreme wash/scrub stuff to work much better than dawn, and it helps even after the rash has developed.

The Technu stuff works!
DH gets poison ivy rash just by looking at the plant. We carry the Technu stuff with us when hiking after he got a mean case when we backpacked the Lost Coast in northern California.

[luvmyhackney]

Poison ivy is like candy to my goats. They love the stuff. I’ve always been highly allergic to it, so the goats have been a great addition even if they drive me to drink some nights.

[walkinthewalk]

Jewelweed. Years ago, I went to a little shop where the owners made their own soaps.

I had managed to get myself in some sumac on our new property. The owners sold me a bar of their red clay soap with jewelweed in it. I washed thoroughly with that soap and ran the damp bar over the burst of bubbles on my arms.

That soap not only quickly cleared up the bubbles but completely stopped the itching.

I doubt you’ll find the red clay soap but look at a local store that carries home made soaps or buy from someone on line that sells jewel weed.

As a sidebar. I went the opposite direction. When I was young, it was a sure thing I would get poison Ivy every spring and there went an $80 doctor bill - a lot of money when I was young.

I seemed to have finally developed an immunity to it but not to oak or sumac. Sumac is horrid, makes the same level of outbreak of poison Ivy look like a cakewalk.

Anyway, Jewelweed:)

[goodhors]

Thanks all for the sympathy!! Thank you also for the good tips and ideas to try. Things are improving SLOWLY, but I am better.

Poison Ivy was in the gardens, not a place I want goats grazing. So the goat solution is out.

I HAD Technu in the cupboard, did not use it “because I am special, not allergic to poison ivy!” Ha, just had never really gotten into it before. I did not know Technu is effective after a breakout. Good news there!

No jewel weed soap that I have ever found and if it is growing locally I am not recognizing it. Had been considering making some soap because we got several pounds of lard back with our processed pig. If I can locate jewel weed maybe I can make the soap. I had heard jewel weed soap was quite effective on poison ivy and other garden rashes. I don’t cook with lard, was trying to think of other uses for it when soap came up. Now I have a goal! Ha ha

For those who are highly reactive, have you ever asked about the shots for poison ivy? I worked for a Utility Company where the outside guys regularly got into poison ivy. Some got highly reactive from numerous cases. As you said, all they seemed to do was look at it to break out, take MANY DAYS to recover. They said the shots were a huge help but they still took all precautions to avoid contact too. I handed out Technu like it was water all thru the warm months. They washed in it before and after going thru the road ditches and fence rows.

Having learned “I am not that special” I will be a lot more careful with the stuff! Wrist wrapping sounds useful, there can be gaps between my gloves and long sleeves. I never wear shorts out there. But wiping off face sweat (irresistible tickles!) will mean glove removal. Gardening is a tough hobby, you work hard out there and the garden fights back! Ha ha

[endlessclimb]

@goodhors

But wiping off face sweat (irresistible tickles!) will mean glove removal. Gardening is a tough hobby, you work hard out there and the garden fights back!

I do everything I can to keep any poison ivy contact from the elbows down. That means strategic planning on pulling, and not taking armfuls of waste out of the garden - handfuls only! Then, I can wipe my face on the shoulder of my shirt (no hands!!) without worry.

[dressagetraks]

I do my best to avoid it on the property (don’t have goat-proof fencing yet), but it’s definitely around. After trying this, that, and other, I finally simply asked the doctor for a standing prescription of triamcinolone. I now have that Rx always available and just put myself on it for a few days as needed. Great stuff - in short doses. I know about the dangers of staying on steroids long term, but they have always worked great for me with no short-term bad effects.

P.S. Also, remember in winter that poison ivy vines in off season can look like a hairy rope when not covered by the classic three leaves. Just as reactive. I’ll get a picture of a nice rope of it tomorrow on my walk for reference. Avoid the hairy rope!

[goodhors]

Not always showing the extra “feet” if a young plant, but still lethal! I think mine were young plants growing into bushes, though not the climbing poison ivy form. They were creeping thru the desired flowers, via a vine that sent up the leafy shoots.

I had one of those big climbing vine poison ivy on a tree. It was huge! I cut it at the tree base, never regrew. I tied a pink ribbon on it as warning to stay away from. Did not pull it down because it would seriously have damaged the nice tree’s bark, let the bugs get in. It still had not fallen off lat I checked. Still dangerous I expect.

Poison Ivy is sneaky, coming in various forms, though the leaves all look pretty much alike as your warning.

[SusanO]

I have tons of poison ivy here. My go to is “Ivarest” - it is a combination of Benadryl and calamine lotion. It seems to work better than cortisone for me. The worst part of poison ivy is that you don’t get the reaction instantly. It creeps up on me a few days after exposure and then it is too late to do much. I have been out in the flower beds and wooded areas trying to water stuff before it dies (we are in a bad drought). Because of the drought a lot of the poison ivy doesn’t have leaves at the moment but the stems/ vines are still pretty potent. But you don’t notice them being poison ivy. I had several “Oh Crap” moments when I figured out the vines I was pulling up were poison ivy. I came in the house and applied Ivarest cleansing foam all over my face, arms and hands and left it on for a few minutes. I barely got a reaction later on so I guess it helped.

I hate the stuff. I spray it with weedkiller and also paint weedkiller on the leaves to kill the plant. You really don’t want to weed eat this stuff! My father never was allergic to it. But my mother would get horrible rashes when she washed his clothes. I did at one time order some horse OBGYN gloves to put on my arms when I pulled it up. They worked pretty well.

[walktrot]

You can get it any time of the year. It has enough oil to contaminate surfaces. If you are really allergic you can pick up the oil and not know it until you start itching. I haven’t gotten it in a long time, but I’m careful to leave it untouched when I mow the lawn.

People have been known to burn it, a definite no-no.

[Texarkana]

@luvmyhackney

Poison ivy is like candy to my goats. They love the stuff. I’ve always been highly allergic to it, so the goats have been a great addition even if they drive me to drink some nights.

You and I seem to have the same opinions on goats.