I don't think you're crazy, and it frustrates me, too, Betsy! I am now a firm believer in urushiol getting into your blood, and working it's way out of your system over time.
6 days after hiking in the deep woods I broke out on my left forearm. I went to the doctor after about a week, because the small itchy bump I started out with had morphed into a red lump covered in a bunch of small itchy bumps.
The doctor informed me that it was contact dermatitis from poison ivy, or something similar. He gave me a shot of steroids and a cream, and told me to come back in 4 days if it hadn't improved. The following day the rash started popping up all down my left rib cage, and around my lower back. I went back to the doctor, and he gave me another shot of steroids. After that, he told me I needed to see a dermatologist.
It took nine days to get into a dermatologist, and I was losing my mind. He took one look at my side, and said I had poison ivy. I was seriously wondering at that point, having never had it before, and the entire world telling me it should clear up in a couple of weeks. I was afraid I had some horrible parasite, though my husband is just fine (other than my driving him crazy). So the dermatologist gave me a HUGE dose (two shots) of steroids to last two weeks, and he said that ought to take care of it.
Well, it'll be two weeks on Thursday. The place on my arm and all the spots and stripes and patches on my side seem to be healing nicely. The itch is gone, and there's no more burning, but I've been getting these little clear bumps on my arms and hands now - just randomly. And they do seem to pop up after I've been sweaty. They look similar to the first itchy bump I got over a month ago when this whole nightmare started. The only difference is they don't itch, thank God.
At this point, I'm scared to death it's going to start all over again when all the steroids are out of my body. I just pray it's trailing out of my system, and won't cause such a reaction. I certainly hope & pray it gets the heck out of me soon! I'd really like my life back, and this SYSTEMIC POISON IVY RASH TO BE OVER! |
