Help!! Poison Ivy!!!

Hi J.! My poor 9 year old son ended up with poison ivy last summer, and a neighbor gave us a tube of Zanfel which is over the counter. It's hard to find sometimes, but I thought they said they found it at either Rite Aid or CVS. It is a gritty type of wash (kind of like the apricot scrubs), and it has some sort of something in it that takes away the redness, itching and swelling almost immediately. You have to read the directions and follow them precisely. My son whined the whole time I was scrubbing it onto his poor little face, but when we were finished, he was thrilled with the outcome. You might even be able to read about it online. Good luck!

HIGHLY contagious! Do not use any towel or anything else that he's used or touched. HE needs to put his own clothes in the washer, keep it COVERED, take Quercitin (herbal) for itching if it's a problem, rubbing alcohol and/or hairspray are helping in drying and "sealing". Oxygen is what makes it itch.

He needs to be VERY careful where he sits, kissing the kids, etc. depending on where it is. HIGHLY HIGHLY contagious! I got it from a pair of socks that had not yet hit the washing machine after they'd been exposed to the oils. NOT something you want to even "give an inch" with.

Husband needs to use PAPER towels to dry hands and HE throws them away, etc. I would only use a bath towel ONCE and he needs to put it in the washer.

Just had recent experience with this, not actually me...my best friend. Poison ivy is not contagious, she has a 1 year old and called her doc about it. She is very allergic to it (reddness, swelling, horrible blisters) and had to be treated with a 6 day dose of Prednisone (steroid) and it went away instantly!!!!

As for the landscaping I don't know what to say than put on protective clothing and remove it by hand. As for your husband, how badly is he affected. Is it all over, on his face, etc. If it's bad a doctor can prescribe steroids. My brother used to get it really bad every summer. You can use cortisone cream to reduce the itching and some of the inflammation. If it is oozy it can be contagious. Just make sure his rash doesn't come into contact with the kids. If it's really really bad they can even give him an injection. It all depends on the extent of the rash I suppose.

I have had many a case of poision ivy. You have a lot of great info here - just thought I'd add my two cents. It is the oil of the plant that causes the rash & itch, this oil is present in the leaves AND in the stems of the plant so even in the winter you can catch poision ivy from the plant. The oils stay active for 24-48 hours which is what gives the appearance that it is spreading. The newer oil touching the most sensitive skin will rash up first. Also, oils can stay on the fur of cats and dogs so if you have pets, they may spread it as well. Burning the plant is a no-no - the oils get in the air and can be inhaled. Also they make a wash - Tecnu (sp?) which you can use after contact with the plants to keep from getting it. I also wash all my clothes in hot if I think I've come in contact. In a pinch (out in the woods, no soap) you can wash with beer (I know- if you don't have soap would you have beer??) to help break down the oils. Once you have it - it can take a couple of weeks to clear up. I've been very lucky with a product called Ivy Dry and or Caladryl clear along with an oral anti-histamine. As one lady wrote doctors may prescribe prednisone if it is a really bad case and/or if it is on the face near the eyes. You and your children can't catch it from your husband through the rash. Good luck!!

Poison Ivy is actually pretty contagious so it amazes me that you and your kids don's have it yet...There's really nothing you can do for poison ivy it has to run its course just something to treat the itching and NO scratching

Check out www.mayoclinic.com and type "Poison Ivy" in their search engine. It will give you lots of information. Poison ivy is not contagious.(Here is a paragraph from the Mayo Clinic: "The reaction usually develops 12 to 48 hours after exposure and can last up to three weeks. In severe cases, new areas of rash may break out several days or more after initial exposure. This may seem like the rash is spreading. But it's more likely due to the rate at which your skin absorbed the urushiol.")You can only get it, if you touch the oil on the plant.If your husband mows your lawn and keeps brushing up on the plant, the oil is on his clothes and anybody touching the clothes can get poison ivy. The same with pets, if you have dogs or cats that brush up on the plant, you can get poison ivy (that's how I got it one year). I would hire a landscaping company to take care of the poison ivy. It's a stubborn plant and not worth you dealing with it.

My daughter gets poison ivy from what's in our backyard. The last time she had it, Calamine lotion didn't do anything to help. We were at the grocery store and a woman suggested olive oil. I put it on and within a day or so it was gone. I don't know about getting rid of it in the yard. My husband just keeps pulling it up, which seems to be thinning it out.
Good luck.

YES IT IS VERY CONTAGOUS!! IT SPREADS LIKE WILD FIRE!! CAL A PHARMACY AND ASK WHAT TO GET FOR IT, I AM ALLERGIC TO CALEMINE LOTION SO I USE ZIRADRILL, WORKS GREAT BUT DOES NOT HAVE CALIMINE, BOTH DO WORK. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO KILL IT, YOU COULD CALL A PLANT NURSERY, THEY MIGHT KNOW, OR A LAWN CARE PLACE. MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T BRUSH UP AGAINST ANYONE AND WASH HIS TOWELS AND SHEETS IN HOT WATER,THE BLISTERS POP AND THATS HOW IT SPREADS.

DO NOT BURN THE PLANTS IF YOU GET THEM DUG OUT SOMEHOW.... IT WILL SPREAD IN THE AIR AND YOU CAN GET IT THAT WAY TOO! i HOPE THIS HELPS!! DONT SCRATCH!!!!!!!!! WASH HANDS A LOT!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

You've had lots of good responses. One thing I might add is once you come into contact with the oils, you may not have an immediate reaction. If I recall correctly, it can take up to 2 weeks before you have a reaction. That is why some people think it is contagious. An open blister cannot spread the poison ivy, only the oil from the plant. also, be aware, animals can carry the oils on their coats, so if you have a cat or dog who goes outside, they can spread poison ivy to family through contact with the oil.
Good luck, Poison ivy is no fun.\
R.

J.,
I have read a few posts and I'm gonna comment! DO NOT and I repeat...DO NOT BURN POISON IVY! It is highly poisonous especially if it is being burned! You see what happens when you get it on your skin! You will definately feel it in your throat and lungs! My fiance was a scout master and he had to learn about poison ivy and all that, especially being out in the woods. There ain't a whole lot you can do to rid of poison ivy. The only way that has worked for us is putting on full covering clothing, from head to toe and covering our faces and putting thick gloves on, we had went and pulled every poison ivy in our yard. We have all sorts of different ivy too. And not all is poisonous! We even have hybrids! I have went on google to search about what the leaves and stems look like and how to deal with them and what chemicals to use! So try that if you would. Good Luck & Take Care!

Hi J.! I've had lots of experience with poison ivy (PI) and I'm very allergic to it! Not everyone is. About the plant: it's the oil in the plant that causes the rash. Any time someone who is allergic comes in contact with the plant, they get the oil on their skin or clothes. This oil can then be transfered from the original contact surface to another surface. The rash that comes from contact with the oil is like little blisters. The liquid in the blisters does not spread the rash. Only the oil spreads the rash. Many times people do not realize they have come in contact with PI and they spread the oil all over the place, and before they know it they have a rash over half the body! If you are allergic, you can pick the oil up off your husband's clothes when doing the wash (that happened to me). Round-Up is the only thing I know of to get rid of the plant, other than hand-pulling it (which I don't suggest). If you know you have been exposed to PI, wash really well immediately with a good soap and lots of water. Some people swear by alcohol (rubbing not drinking :-))or bleach to treat the rash and prevent spreading, but I just use cortisone cream.

I have used Calagel. It is clear and it is to help stop the itch. Everytime you scratch or tap on the skin it will spread and it you can't get it under control, you will have to visit the doctor to get steroids.

Hi J.,
They make poison ivy killer that they sell at most stores. There's a aerosol kind that when you spray it it turns to foam so you can see that you have what you want covered. Just normal weed killer won't do the trick. I recommend wearing long pants and shirts with gloves if you plan on being in it or trying to pull it. I would not recommend burning it, it's too risky. Just bag it up and it'll die out. The oils on the leaves will continue to be there after it's dead so don't mess with it, just pitch it. Then wash all the clothing you were wearing and take a good shower.
I've been allergic to it all my life. When I get a case of it no matter what I try I usually end up at the doctor for a shot and a weeks worth of prednisone. On occasion I've had to go back for the second shot as well.
I've also heard that it is not contagious, but I'm convinced that the stuff that oozes from the sores will cause another outbreak, it does on me anyway.
:-) T.

my husband and i have never had poison ivy, but our son gets it quite easily. i get benadryl clear & put it over the infected area & then cover it with a 3inX3in bandaid to keep him from scratching & spreading.he should also ask his doctor if he can take the benadryl by mouth and what dosage he should take.it is easily transferable to others who aren't immune to it. i suggest wearing a thin longsleeve shirt & gloves & pulling them up by the roots, beware though if you burn them like some people do, that whomever is suseptable to getting it can get it by breathing in & being around the smoke. good luck & God bless.

My husband recently had poison ivy/poison sumac and I agree with the posters that said to go to a doctor. They can give him a steroid shot/cream that relieves the itching almost instantly and clears it up much faster than the wash, which we also tried.

Dear J.,
The best way to get rid of poisin ivy is internally. Antronex was a supplement suggested by a chiropractor and it helps even in severe cases. The suppplement is from Standard Processes and I think you have to buy it from a health practitioner. They will need to tell you how many you have to take. This is the best remmedy if you want to go the natural route. Hope this helps. L. J

Hi J.,
Until you get your poison ivy taken care of in the yard, make sure you get some Ivy Block. Ivy Block is what state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employees all over the country use to PREVENT the oil from getting on their skin. Check online to see if any stores near you carry it, or order it online.

You don't say how big your poison ivy plants are. We live on an old farm, and while I can use the Ortho aerosol brush killer on the little plants around the house and on the landscape trees, there are vines as big as my arms out on our old barn and in some of our woods. You really have to teach everyone what to avoid. I'm very allergic to all those plants so I don't even touch them with gloves. If you need to get of really big vines, you should have them removed professionally.

Also, while the weepy rash doesn't spread it to others, the oil is very long lasting. Anything your husband has touched with the oil on it can spread it, from today through next year. Lawn mower handle? Car steering wheel? Boots? I got some dots of poison ivy this spring from some garden shoes I hadn't worn since last summer.

When your poison ivy rash doesn't go away and itches so much it wakes you up at night, it's time to go to the doctor. Don't be afraid of the steroid regimen - it can keep you from going crazy and it really helps.

Best of luck,
S.

There is poison Ivy meds that you can get over the counter at Walmart and such. They take about 3-4 weeks to clear up. My son gets poison Ivy every time the wind blows I think. LOL I but bleach on his spots and in a week it is dried and gone. It's an old farm remedy. Yes it is contagious. The bleach only burns for a minute. It has never killed me or my sons so you don't get enough to do any damage.

Poison Ivy is very contagious. If he's had it that long, he probably needs to see a doctor. As far as how to get rid of it in your flowerbed, I've never tried it, but have heard that you can pour boiling water in it. Give it a try. Good luck.

On spreading - there is a misconception that the rash can spread. It can only spread if the oils from the plant touch a spot on you. Hence, if the oils from the plant are on some clothing of yours, you can keep giving it back to you. You should put on gloves and protective clothing and pull all of it out of your garden to get rid of it. There are other sprays too, but i'm unfamiliar. Also, one year my dog got in it and had the oil on her and gave it to me a few times before i realized it. There's an old fashioned soap called Fells Naptha (i think) that can get the oil off of your skin. That's only for prevention though. For treatment, just try to treat the pain/itching and wait it out. If it gets too bad go to the doctor and they will put you on steroids.

Good luck. I had it climbing up my old brick house and didn't realize what it was.

Hey J.,

You've hit on something I know a lot about. I am a nurse by profession and a gardener by hobby. For your hubby's poison ivy. Kids are all different. I wouldn't advise rubbing up against him. They may or may not be affected. If he has scratched a spot and touched somewhere else, more than likely he's spread it on himself. Sounds like his skin is a bit more sensative. I'd start with calamine lotion to the site. It will dry up the spot and help with itching. You can give him benadryl as well. If you've already done this, I'd recommend getting to your doctor. If it is pretty severe, they can put him on a steroid pack for a week or so and that usually clears it up quite quickly.

As for getting rid of the stuff, I say do it the dirty way and get it over with. I avoid chemicals because you risk killing your landscape and more importantly, harming the kiddos. The stuff is wicked contagious so be VERY careful and take special precautions when getting rid of it. You need to get dressed in jeans, socks, heavy shoes or work boots and long sleeved shirt (if it is really hot do it before the sun gets too intense). If you sweat... DO NOT WIPE YOUR FACE... just be drippy ;). Be sure to have gardening gloves on . Get a trash bag and a shovel. Dig the stuff up and IMMEDIATELY put it in the garbage bag, then out to the trash. Hose down the shovel to remove any plant matter. Then go inside and strip down. Throw ALL of your clothes (including shoes) into the wash and go take a cool shower using soap to remove any plant oils that may have gotten into your clothing. Best wishes. Hope he gets to feeling better!

Put Deoderant on it. the antipersperant kind. it dries it up and keeps from spreading. just wash clothes in hot water.

Nasty, nasty plant! You've gotten a lot of good advice, but I didn't see two of my "tricks" for dealing with the rash. They are "old wives tales" but they've worked for me.

GO SWIMMING! I know it's ugly, and the last thing you want is to go out in public with that red bumpy rash hanging out. But chlorine breaks the bond of the oil to your skin. The concentration in pool water is plenty strong enough. (I've heard of people dousing themselves with bleach and ending up with a worse problem than the poison ivy--I know you would never be so stupid as to do that!)

HOT WATER! Run the affected area under tap water as hot as you can stand it for as long as you can stand it. [of course, being careful not to burn yourself--see above comment ;-)] Hot water triggers a natural numbing response in your body, and you will be itch-free for quite a while.

I saw a segment on This Old House about getting rid of a poison ivy infestment. They put on hooded shirts and long pants, rubber-banded at the ankles and wrists around gloves and old shoes. Goggles and I think they may have also covered their faces. (bandanas?) They pulled it out and threw it away in garbage bags (DO NOT BURN IT! you don't want poison ivy in your eyes or lungs!!), then threw the all the clothes (even the shoes) away, too. Then straight to a hot soapy shower. I'd add ivy block to any skin that could possibly be exposed, too. Any re-growth (and there will be some!) can be hit with roundup or poison ivy killer while it's small. If it's too close to other landscape plants, you can apply it with a paintbrush. The dead plants still have urushiol (the irritant oil) in them, so don't handle them bare-handed either. Just leave them in place for mother nature to take care of.