I live in Northern California, less than three hours in from the Pacific Ocean, so I really never considered having Poison Ivy, but thanks. I'm a boat mechanic, and got it from climbing on and off the back of a landlocked houseboat at work. You couldn't see the poison oak branches cause they were tangled in with oak tree branches. The funny thing about it all is I had specifically asked them not to park the boats that close to the bushes again. My employer sent me to the doctor yesterday, and he said it looks like it is starting to go away. He gave me some Triamcinolone Acetonide cream, and prescribed Methylprednisolone tablets, which both seem to be helping, though I do still have times when I itch very badly, though it's a different kind of itch. I've also found that if I stay active I seem to itch less. The more I sit around, the more it bothers me, so I'm trying to keep busy right up until I go to bed.
Thanks to those who had suggestions or tried to help. I have decided to try an expirement once it warms up for good, when I can wear shorts every day. I am going to apply poison oak to a small spot on one leg, wait for it to pop up and try one specific method of treatment. I will alternate legs as each heals, switching to a different method of treatment each time, keeping track of how well each one works. Having poison oak has never bothered me this much, but I have never had it in my armpits before either, so I shouldn't have a problem with this. I used get it when I was a kid, but spent so much time crawling through it as a teen that I seemed to build up an immunity to it. I am hoping this expirement will yield similar results, but even if it doesn't I will hopefully find the quickest and best way to stop the spread.
One last thing. This may be a little controversial to some people, but you must take it with a grain of salt just like all other suggestions. Some people swear by rubbing it until it opens and wiping off with bleach. If you've tried this, you know it stings pretty badly. I tried that one time and it did me no good, so I tried the same thing with another chemical and I had great results. It didn't sting any more than the bleach, or anything else you rub on an open sore for that matter. The chemical was gasoline. It didn't mess with my system or anything funny, just killed off the poison oak.
Nate |
