Seems like bank fishermen might be experts in this area. I'm more than middle-aged and have been in all kinds of woods all my life, but recently down on a creek bed in Austin got my first ever case of poison ivy. I guess I'm one of those who developed a sensitivity later on. Anyway, I found out for the first time what all the grousing was about! Itches, don't it? And it doesn't quit. So... started searching out remedies. This may be old hat to poison ivy "experts" but I was wondering if anyone uses it. Dissolve 20 regular aspirin in 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol, and apply to the blisters. Keep doin' it, I guess, as needed. Worked pretty darn well for me, cut the itching right away and started drying up the blisters. The one other remedy people raved about in my internet search was a product called "Zantel", I think about 40 bucks at Walgreens and others. I didn't try it, preferring my cheaper fix. Any experience out there with either? Or other good ones. Looks like I'm gonna have to contend with that bad boy now.

I started itching just reading your post!! I'm no spring chicken myself,and used to endure it and use home remedies in my youth.I have a good job and insurance and opt for a steroid shot and the 7 day pill pack now!!Does seem like I become more sensitive to it as I gotten older.Don't play with this stuff ,seek professinal help.

Jjoe

Where did you find your remedy ? As, I find every bit of poison ivy out there.

Brandon,
I found it on one of those informational sites on the internet, like About.com or somesuch... can't remember exactly. A bunch of folks had sent in their best remedies in answer to someone's question. If you do a search "poison ivy remedy" you'll run across all sorts of stuff.

Zanfel is the s^#$ man... Rash is instantly gone. Expensive but worth it. I have a severe allergy to poison sumac and Zanfel is just awesome. lol I didn't care what the cost was I just wanted it GONE!

There is a spray that I used a lot. It was called Rhuli spray and now it's been bought by bandaid. It's an aerosol calamine spray with some sort of anti itch stuff in it. The best remedy for me to dry it up was always bleach. I would rub it with a cottonball dipped in bleach. Wait 5 mins, repeat. I would do this until it actually started burning a bit and it would literally burn the rash off. The pain from the burn was a welcome feeling. Anything besides that terrible itch is good to me. Only catch to this method is you have to wait until the bumps show up real good.

Poison Ivy is the devil !!!!

I got it so bad a few years ago. I tried everything. Nothing worked. I went to the doctor twice and got a shot each time, as well as the pill pack.

I tried it all:

Calamine Lotion
Caladryl
Cortaid
Lanacort
Aveeno (oatmeal bath)
Clorox (Someone's home remedy)
Zanfel
Rubbing Alcahol
Tecnu

and others I can't remember.

I did buy some stuff called IvyBlock that is supposed help prevent getting poison ivy. I don't always remember to use it, but I have used it when fishing and riding my moutain bike, and I've never had a bad case when using it.

I always get a little bit every year. I seem to always have a touch of it all summer long. Sometimes just a little spot, but I know it's there. Obvously I'm very allergic, but when I got it the worst, I was pulling weeds in the flower bed in the front of my house, not knowing I was grabbing poison ivy and rubbing right into my skin.... stupid, stupid. Once it's in your bloodstream, the topical stuff just helps with the itching, but it has to run it's course. Even the shots didn't seem to help. I had it for 3 weeks...sucked for me.

If it's a green plant, I don't touch it.

Troy

YES..Poison IVY is the DEVILS PLANT!!! Did you know that Deer will actually eat this plant. Forced me to stick to fishing, from a boat.

I have wasted several days in the emergency room looking like "the Elephant Man" from coming into contact with Poision Ivy, oak, and sumac as a kid (on the Softball fields for the University of Oklahoma). I even managed to get it during the winter when there was snow on the ground. I now keep a supply of prednisone(sp?) to keep the swelling down.


Odd... I have gone to my doctor for the steroid shots, and never heard of ZANFEL, however I was in the office 6 months ago and notice a brochure in the back of one of the nurses stations, with a drawing of a 3 leave cluster with little berries and the caption "Poison Ivy, Oak, & Sumac" and after fighting the temptation to scratch, I picked it up... Lots of picture of the plants and people with the reaction. I brought it into work with me and I just noticed that it is put out by ZANFEL (doctor never mentioned this product to me - I will request it next time ). www/zanfel.com (1-800-401-4002).
Interesting facts listed on this brochure provided by ZANFEL..

Urushiol stays active on any surface, including dead plants, for up to 5 years in wet climates, and up to 10 years in dry climates.


I found that the best treatment for me, until I try ZANFEL...Is a HOT, HOT shower (DO NOT DO THIS TO CHILDREN, ONLY TO YOURSELF). You may find that you can't get your water hot enough after a while. Then, after a minute or so, it will not longer feel as good, and you can simply make the water cooler. Do this as soon as you feel the first sign of a reaction. I start off warm, and it feels good, but then you don't feel the effects, so I turn up the heat and again it feels great on the areas that were exposed. Wash with plenty of soap, water, and tecnu (make certain to wash clothes with tecnu in warm to hot water several times) to remove the urushiol (the substance that causes the reaction) and this stops the itching. I use the clear Caladryl lotion, and after I apply it to an area, I dry it with the hair dryer...it feels really good, and you can feel areas where the rash has not yet surfaced, so I apply caladryl to those area (creates a thin skin covering). It dries quickly and eliminates the rash.

I no longer spend much time in the field, as the more you get it, the worse and quicker your body reacts to it the next time you are exposed. There is no cure , except to stay away from it....

My sister has never had it, however, she recently discovered that "Mangoes" are in the same family, so if the "Mango" skin is not properly treated, you can receive a reaction. This reaction, "Mangoe Rash" is common in the Pacific Islands.

steroids.

Do a cool water shower first, as soon as you get infected, with strong soap (dish detergent is good). If you do a hot shower right away, it opens up your pores and the stuff gets in. It's an oil, and strong soap or detergent is needed to get it off. Clay works well, too. I've not seen it here, but in Europe you can buy gauze bandage that is impregnated with clay, you wet it and put it on, then let it dry. It soaks up the oil. Works great. Somebody said Kaopectate works, too. (Kaopectate has kaolin in it -- a type of fine clay powder.)
For bee stings and fire ant bites, I put tobacco on it. Last time I got bit by fire ants, the welts still lasted a long time, but they didn't itch and didn't get the puss-filled blisters.

old Indian remedy:

wear protective clothing and dig out the root of Poison Ivy and "EAT IT" yes,,,,, eat it... you will never be sensetive to PI again... and no you won't die.

Jager,
Have you eaten PI root?
If so, how much/often.

PK

Jager Died from eating Ivy Roots

RIP

Had a scout master who did that when I was younger. He said it only itched in two places.....


Where it went IN, and where it came OUT!!! Imagine that. I'll stick with the ROIDS!