In my 47 years I've never had a run in with poison ivy or any other poison for that matter; that is until 2 weeks ago when I was cleaning my back yard up. I just moved into my house in November so doing an initial clean up/landscaping in my back yard since it finally warmed up/dried up.

It's only a small amount of rash on my elbow/bicep and my stomach but what a pain in the butt!

Initially I thought I had been bitten by a spider but it kept getting worse and more red as well as very itchy. It finally hit me to look up poison ivy and the symptoms and everything matched perfectly Now that the symptoms have calmed down I'm trying to figure out how to clear the bushes and not get all messed up again.

Poison Ivy isn't bad if you're not allergic to it

Yeah, I was 'that guy' in the Marines that could literally wipe with it (causing much disdain and turmoil in those that couldn't).

I will say that as I've gotten older now, I am actually getting a bit sensitive to it (mild rash). I've seen what my wife goes through it though, and I really hope it never gets that bad for me.

As for clearing the brush away, I suggest a bunny suit (Tyvek) with thick gloves. Wash the glove with soap and water before removing them, and wash your hand again before touching anything once you get the bunny suit off.

DO NOT BURN THE BRUSH! The oils can be carried in the smoke and really irritate the lungs and eyes. Put into contractor bags and dispose in the trash. Do not try to compost it, it'll only grow in the compost and ruin any chance of using it.

Me: Hey Doc, I got Poison Ivy when I was clearing some brush in the yard last weekend.

Doc: Oh?

Me: I think I may need the pills and the shot this time.

Doc: Well, How did you come in contact with the Poison Ivy?

Me: Chainsaw.

Doc: I'll be back in a bit...

When I was a kid in Vancouver, Washington, a guy was killed by poison oak. He inhaled the smoke of a burning pile.

<---Not a dermatologist, but this info was conveyed to me from a friend who got it bad around the same time I did back when we worked landscaping in college. I found his visit to the doctor to be enlightening.

The key is knowing when you get into it, which you didn't in this case.

I have poison ivy around my place and when I pull weeds and end up getting into some of the poison ivy, I continue my work until done being mindful that I can't touch my face w/ my gloves. I often pull the ivy out by the vine which will transfer the oil onto my person or clothes.
Once done, I separate my clothes for the wash and then shower w/ a soapy wash cloth scrubbing all areas I had contact and then some, particularly the sensitive areas like between the fingers and behind the knees, etc.

I taught this to my niece who is ultra sensitive to it. She was helping me in the yard once and literally picked some, held it up and asked me what it was.
After explaining how to wash w/ a soapy cloth, she did end up getting a mild rash but only because she transferred the oil to her car seat and it then got back onto her behind her knees/thigh area next time she drove her car.

So if you treat it like a grease on your skin and wash/scrub w/ a soapy wash cloth later, you shouldn't have a problem. And if somehow you miss an area and start to see a rash, hit it w/ the soapy wash cloth and itch all you want. Once the oil is off the skin, it won't spread. The rash sometimes takes longer to appear than in other areas and makes it seem like it's spreading.

I had to get after my mother once when she got it on her face. She said it was the worst she had ever had. I asked if she had washed her face yet (she has the weekly expensive hair-do and doesn't immerse her head under the shower).
The oil was still most likely on her making it her worst case. Things changed for the better when I convinced her to do a double wash on her face w/ a soapy cloth.

Someone here posted this video at least once before and it explains it well.

I don't go out of my way to touch it, but it doesn't bother me.

2 things, 2 things for the graduate:

1) Zanfel

2) Technu

More here: https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...0601935/m/4460025764

Thank you for the info dsiets, that video is very helpful. My rash is about 90% gone now. I've not had time to go back to the bushes because I've been working so much...either that or I'm scared

Luckily my work has Tyvek suits and some gloves so I'll take a few of each prior to the next time I mess with those bushes.

I don’t react to poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. Apparently it is a genetic immunity, as I had a great uncle who would smoke it in his pipe.

For those sensitive to it, don’t forget your outdoor cats and dogs can bring it to you as well.

it loves me,

had it bad enough a few times to require a Dr Visit and medication,


I learned when I was in the meat business that Bleach kills it, or rather removes the oils and helps end the rash,

not a lot, if you have some itchy bumps or a blister just dab it with a q-tip you dipped in straight bleach
may sting just a bit, but it will stop the itch and help clear it up

My wife has the rash now. she started Benadryl lotion but i think we are going to try some zanfel. My self i use Carb Cleaner on it where i can

Went To 2 CVS stores a Walgreen and a Walmart looking for Zanful and all 4 were out of it

Cortisone ointment always provided relief for me.

The, er...senior members will remember this from the Drifters:

She comes on like a rose
But everybody knows
She get you and such
You can look but you better not touch

Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy
Late at night while your sleepin'
Poison Ivy comes a creepin' around

She's pretty as a daisy
But look out man, she's crazy
She'll really do you in
If you let her get under your skin

Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy
Late at night while your sleepin'
Poison Ivy comes creapin' around

Measles' make you mumpy and mumps' will make you lumpy
And Chicken pox will make you jump and twitch
The common cold will fool you
And whooping cough will cool you
But Poison Ivy Lord will make you itch

Your gonna need an ocean
Of calamine lotion
You'll be scratchin' like a hound
The minute you start to mess around

Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy
Late at night while your sleepin'
Poison Ivy comes creapin' around

Measles' make you mumpy and mumps' will make you lumpy
And Chicken pox will make you jump and twitch
The common cold will fool you
And whooping cough will cool you
But Poison Ivy Lord will make you itch

Your gonna need an ocean
Of calamine lotion
You'll be scratchin' like a hound
The minute you start to mess around

Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy
Late at night while your sleepin'
Poison Ivy comes creapin' around

quote:

Originally posted by remsig:
Thank you for the info dsiets, that video is very helpful. My rash is about 90% gone now. I've not had time to go back to the bushes because I've been working so much...either that or I'm scared

Luckily my work has Tyvek suits and some gloves so I'll take a few of each prior to the next time I mess with those bushes.

No problem.
Since my post I had to pull down several poison ivy vines climbing a white pine that it is scheduled for removal.
W/ gloves, hat, and safety glasses I pulled them down and out to the woods.
A shower w/ a soapy wash cloth scrubbing x2 and I've zero evidence of a rash.

And I assure, I can and have gotten it really bad before I knew better than to do the soapy wash cloth w/ some scrubbing.
I've had it so bad I had to get meds and when I think back to that time, I never washed the affected area thoroughly even after the rash appeared. Something I shake my head about when I think of all the times I got it.

I wish someone had told me "It's an oil. It's probably still on your skin. Wash it off w/ a soapy cloth."

Well apparently I didn't learn my lesson the 1st 2 times I got the damn poison ivy rash and now am covered in it again

Last Sunday I did my final clean-up of the back yard. I figured what vines were left were dead so I was ok. And I washed my hands really well with Dawn dish liquid after. Guess I was wrong. And this batch of rashes is the worst I've gotten yet.

Both forearms, biceps, chest, thighs, calves, ankles, and behind the knees. UGH

But at least it's all gone from my yard now

Dead vines don’t mean the urushiol oil isn’t still there!

quote:

Originally posted by tsmccull:
Dead vines don’t mean the urushiol oil isn’t still there!

I know that now lol.

quote:

Originally posted by remsig:
... And I washed my hands really well with Dawn dish liquid after.

It washes w/ a CLOTH and soap.
Or it gets a the rash, you dope.

Sorry, I'm not meaning to be harsh. It's the only way I could get the rhyme from Silence of the Lambs to work.

Remember, it could be worse. You could have been teenage dsiets, skinny dipping w/ friends in the river on a hot summer day and you toss your skivvies into the weeds.
And then you don't wash for whole 'nother day trying to figure out why you can't appease the itch in your groin area. I'm surprised I don't have scar tissue.