I agree that going to a doctor is the right thing to do if you are unsure of the rash or feel you need more advice. BUT remember that doctors are human too - be sure to take a list of questions and talk, really talk, with your doctor. If something doesn't make sense, keep asking questions. Diagnosis and treatment should be a joint effort between you and your doctor.
The rash from contact with urushiol oil (the toxic compound in poison ivy) is an allergic reaction. As such, the rash will tend to vary from person to person and from time to time. It is not unusual for a first timer to see an outbreak over a period of time (as you all have noticed). There are a number of other plants and chemicals that can cause allergic contact dermatitis, some people are susceptible and others are not (case in point: virginia creeper). There are also unexplained events that can cause rashes or hives. From what I've read, something like 75% of hives are never explained as to source. I'll leave a few references here about this.
So it may be poison ivy or it may not. I would bet that without knowing positively you were in contact with the plant, even the doctor wouldn't know for certain it was poison ivy. It may be something else that caused the immune system to react. The prescribed treatments are not "poison ivy specific" so much as they are treat the immune system and rash specific.
Here are some references I've found interesting relating to rashes:
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