I've posted a couple questions on this board since contacting pi 3 weeks ago today and hope my experiences will help others.
Please understand that what worked for me may not work for you or even be advisable...kinda like the old gasoline commercials on tv...your mileage may vary.
I'm a male 54 years old and was clearing a fence line 3 weeks ago.
It's been awhile since I have been out in open brush and we just bought an acreage 2 months ago. It was 2 days after contact before my reaction began. It didn't even occur to me until then that I had been exposed. Thankfully I am pretty good about taking showers after working outside so I didn't spread it to other family members and thru dumb luck I had isolated the tools I had used.
The breakout began on the underside of my left forearm then spread to my other arm, thighs, chest and stomach. My left arm was severe. It looked like a terrible burn and weeped freely. I found Zanfel soap to be a real relief although I didn't use it until about day 4. Spray on calomine made by Bandaid helped dry the weeping although I am sure any powder would have helped.
Like others I found hot showers helped the itching. It was like scratching without tearing open the breakouts. The relief was nearly orgasmic. For that reason I would caution using too hot water or blow dryers. You could scald or burn yourself.
What I did next goes against most recommendations.
I had it on both sides of my left hand middle finger and on the middle finger side of my ring finger and index finger. The weeping was severe and the sores became like torn open, raw blisters. For relief I put Neosporin on it and wraped with bandaid or gause. The overnite result was dramatic. Very rapid healing. I tried the same thing on my elbows and got good results as well.
My experience has been that just about the time you think it's going to be months before you get better things improve. Mine is clearing up daily now and I expect it to be completely gone by this time next week. Right now it is only a nuisance.
Cleanup has been a puzzle to me. To keep from taking any chances I have thrown away the tools I used, a brand new pair of boots and some other items. The cost was small when compared to the chances of another out break...at least to me.
Sorry this has been so long.
JLK
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