# Poison Ivy Remedy?



## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Does anyone have a good poison ivy remedy? I have it on my wrist, upper arm, leg and ankle. The itch is driving me crazy! I need help:surrender:


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

If you can get it quickly, the products made by TecNu work very well.

For immediate help, go check your medicine cabinet for any cream that contains hydrocortisone. If you don't find something, try something used for when you get an itch in your "private parts" (jock itch cream for the guys, vagisil or similar for the ladies).

My teenage daughters zit cream works too.

Taking a couple Benadryl may help as well.

For homemade options, apply products that will dry the area. A mix of baking soda with a dash of salt and enough water to turn to paste works. _Apply paste to affected area._ Vodka or rubbing alcohol applied to the area works to help dry the skin.


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

Plaintain. Don't know where you live if it is growing in your area yet. This stuff I'm finding out is amazing. http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2008/04/reader_suggests_a_natural_way.html You can get the dried herb as a tea in health food stores. If the fresh isn't available I'd be tempted to make a poultus from the tea bags or tea if baking soda paste doesn't work.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I agree with the Plaintain.

Others ... plain yogurt (leave it to dry) or baking soda & sea salt bath in cool water. (avoid hot baths or showers.)

You have any volcanic clay ...


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## JoKing (Mar 11, 2012)

Here's how to make a homemade calamine lotion alternative:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7776875_make-calamine-lotion.html


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

ZoomZoom said:


> If you can get it quickly, the products made by TecNu work very well.
> 
> For immediate help, go check your medicine cabinet for any cream that contains hydrocortisone. If you don't find something, try something used for when you get an itch in your "private parts" (jock itch cream for the guys, vagisil or similar for the ladies).
> 
> ...


I've tried TecNu products before, they don't work well on me. Hydrocortisone, nada. I am getting desperate enough to try Benadryl, but one will lay me out for 12 to 14 hours with a hangover after that and I have a baby calf in the barn that I am bottling, so I can't sleep through it, plus giving DH bath and getting him dressed.

I opened the blisters and applied bleach last night and just before bed put a bandage over the wrist with Neosporin on the bandage so I could sleep and not spread it further. I just put vet strength iodine on it and will try the baking soda and salt. The wrist is the worst, the other places don't seem to be spreading.

THanks for all the help.

I used to go to a dermotologist (SP?) for this and he would give me a very large shot of something that would dry it up within 24 hours. He's now retired:gaah: and no regular md has ever given me anything that helps.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

We can get that shot at our local urgent care clinic. I don't know if you have one near you, or if it's a financial option for you, but you can always call an urgent care before going and see if they administer that shot. Our clinic will also prescribe a steriod pack, in case the shot doesn't get it all. Of course, not all folks like the idea of taking prednisone. 

My husband and I are like you - the other stuff just doesn't work. And yes, Benadryl totally knocks me out, too - and I find it really doesn't help (well, except in that it helps me fall asleep when I'd rather be scratching).

Wishing you the best. DH and I are on our third week of a bad breakout (we knew when we started a certain project that there was no way around it, we were going to get poison ivy and we just had to do it and get it over with). I _really _hope you don't have it as long and as bad as we have. :flower:


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

goshengirl said:


> We can get that shot at our local urgent care clinic. I don't know if you have one near you, or if it's a financial option for you, but you can always call an urgent care before going and see if they administer that shot. Our clinic will also prescribe a steriod pack, in case the shot doesn't get it all. Of course, not all folks like the idea of taking prednisone.
> 
> My husband and I are like you - the other stuff just doesn't work. And yes, Benadryl totally knocks me out, too - and I find it really doesn't help (well, except in that it helps me fall asleep when I'd rather be scratching).
> 
> Wishing you the best. DH and I are on our third week of a bad breakout (we knew when we started a certain project that there was no way around it, we were going to get poison ivy and we just had to do it and get it over with). I _really _hope you don't have it as long and as bad as we have. :flower:


It's 50 miles one way to an urgent care clinic. It would take several hours and I really don't like to leave DH that long. I stopped at TSC today and found some lye soap. I have washed the arm and wrist with it and it is already drying. I was amazed. I also found 6 rhubarb plants and they were 20% off. :congrat:


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## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

I can imagine what your going thru.
My entire life i was immune to the stuff.

Even in the army guys would tell me I am lying in poison ivy and i am like "meh" but a few months ago I had scratched up my legs on thorns and then ripped out posion oak with my bare hands not knowing what it was...

it took me 3 weeks to recover..


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## Ncognito (Oct 27, 2011)

Has anyone tried plantain on chigger bites?


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

LilRedHen said:


> *I opened the blisters* and applied bleach last night and just before bed put a bandage over the wrist with Neosporin on the bandage so I could sleep *and not spread it further.*


This is something my doctor tells me can NOT happen. Once you have washed the plant oil completely from your skin, the broken blisters will not spread the rash. It's ONLY the oil that will cause a rash. It kind of makes sense to me but many people I know say this is simply not true. They have had the rash spread from broken blisters.

Since we now have a doctor in the house, may I impose on you Dr. Hubbard to weigh in on this issue? Thanks.


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

Have you tried jewel weed? It grows right next to the poison, just bust open the stem of the plant and it has a gel like substance in it. Spread on and cover it up, cut off the toes of a sock and put it on your arm or whatever else you can find. It has worked for me. Also if you can find any Unkers Salve. It works on me but not hubby. Other than that, it just has to take its course through your body.


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## Gypsyshome (Apr 21, 2011)

when you even think you were into chiggers, and believe me I had it so bad I had to go to the Dr for steriods and a shot..they are on our place. what will work is wash asap with shampoo any place you suspect they are on your body...I let it stay on a few minutes then rinse with water as hot as you can stand. Now EVERY time I go out I rub on skin so soft, then spray deet type spray onto my socks, shoes and pant legs...so far NO MORE CHIGGERS. they are almost as bad as shingles.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I second the jewel weed or if you don't have it near and you have a plant called Impatiens or even Balsam they are related and seem to work as well.. mash till gooey and smear on the area you think you got into poison ivy as soon as you can. let sit for a couple minutes and wash with cold/cool water. hot or warm water will cause the pores to open and you will get worse blisters.
My Aunt had been getting poison ivy almost contantly in her new home and when went to visit I tagged as many plants as I could so that could get them removed.. we went to the front yard and she starts leaning in to this big tree trunk that had been cut off and she had put a planter on it.. IT WAS COVERED WITH THE POISON IVY! and she was in a tank top.. lucky for her she has jewel weed alllll over the place.. we picked as much jewel weed as we could I got uncle to crushing it in a bowl and we put some everywhere.. let it sit for about 5 minutes and then we washed her well with cold soapy water.. (oh after we took her shirt and pants off and put directly into the washer.. most spreading comes from contaminated clothing) then I put another layer of the jewel weed on her and we let it dry on the skin.. 
the next day at the family reunion.. she ran up and gave me the biggest hug.. not one blister.. not a one!

Okay on to the chiggers.. preemptive strike.. go to pharmacy and ask for powdered sulfur.. put in jar with a nice puffy powder puff or big makeup brush.. lightly puff it on to your skin that is exposed or where you tend to get chigger bites the most(around tight clothing like waist bands and ankles) this will keep you from getting bitten.. sure ya kinda smell like an egg fart but it really works well.. I used to use it in florida. I am not sure what to use once you get bitten as for me it was a "do not dig your skin off while waiting for it to stop itching" thing..


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## md1911 (Feb 9, 2012)

When I was a kid grandma used to dab powdered boric acid on the poision ivy sors. It dried them up and they did not spread. It worked well on me. I used it on my children.


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

MMmm I want to smell like an egg fart!


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> If you can get it quickly, the products made by TecNu work very well.


I have only had poison ivy once and that was enough! I used the TecNu products and it worked great. I always keep it on hand "just in case".


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

UncleJoe said:


> This is something my doctor tells me can NOT happen. Once you have washed the plant oil completely from your skin, the broken blisters will not spread the rash. It's ONLY the oil that will cause a rash. It kind of makes sense to me but many people I know say this is simply not true. They have had the rash spread from broken blisters.
> 
> Since we now have a doctor in the house, may I impose on you Dr. Hubbard to weigh in on this issue? Thanks.


I have heard that from a doctor before, but unless that doctor has had it so bad that the pain and itch caused a stroke, been hospitalized for the stroke and was told by their doctor that he could not do anything more for my poison ivy and until it dried in he could not get my blood pressure down and sent me to a dermatologist, I'll believe your doctor. That episode was 23 years ago and I was out of work for a month. The scars took 2 years to clear up. The rash spreads on me from broken blisters and always has.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Gypsyshome said:


> when you even think you were into chiggers, and believe me I had it so bad I had to go to the Dr for steriods and a shot..they are on our place. what will work is wash asap with shampoo any place you suspect they are on your body...I let it stay on a few minutes then rinse with water as hot as you can stand. Now EVERY time I go out I rub on skin so soft, then spray deet type spray onto my socks, shoes and pant legs...so far NO MORE CHIGGERS. they are almost as bad as shingles.


I'll try the shampoo, but I'm allergic to skin to soft. It makes me break out so bad that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between that rash and the chiggers. Many many years ago, I would get them while picking blackberries and would put finger nail polish on them. My mother would rub vinegar around her ankles and on her arms to prevent chiggers from biting.

The deet spray might be good, but the scent bothers my breathing.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

lilmissy0740 said:


> Have you tried jewel weed? It grows right next to the poison, just bust open the stem of the plant and it has a gel like substance in it. Spread on and cover it up, cut off the toes of a sock and put it on your arm or whatever else you can find. It has worked for me. Also if you can find any Unkers Salve. It works on me but not hubby. Other than that, it just has to take its course through your body.


Sounds interesting. Could you post me a picture of jewell weed. I'm learning a lot about weeds on this forum, but I don't know the names


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

md1911 said:


> When I was a kid grandma used to dab powdered boric acid on the poision ivy sors. It dried them up and they did not spread. It worked well on me. I used it on my children.


Boric acid as in roach poison?


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Emerald said:


> Okay on to the chiggers.. preemptive strike.. go to pharmacy and ask for powdered sulfur.. put in jar with a nice puffy powder puff or big makeup brush.. lightly puff it on to your skin that is exposed or where you tend to get chigger bites the most(around tight clothing like waist bands and ankles) this will keep you from getting bitten.. sure ya kinda smell like an egg fart but it really works well.. I used to use it in florida. I am not sure what to use once you get bitten as for me it was a "do not dig your skin off while waiting for it to stop itching" thing..


I will get some sulphur the next time I go to town. I used to use sulphur to make a salve for my horse, but haven't seen it on the shelf in years.


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## md1911 (Feb 9, 2012)

LilRedHen said:


> Boric acid as in roach poison?


Not sure its the same. I get it at wal-mart its in the same isle with the rest of the first ais stuff. Never heard of it in roach poision? Ill check tommarow and get you more information. Sorry I am out of it right now.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Here is a link for jewell weed ... Ours is just starting to leaf out ...

http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm


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## JoKing (Mar 11, 2012)

LilRedHen said:


> Boric acid as in roach poison?


It's got a hundred plus uses. The most common thing I remember is powdered soap and laundry detergent before the little green men came along. I was in a drill once where there was a radioactive waste spill in a hospital and I'm pretty sure we used boric acid to clean it up.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

JoKing said:


> It's got a hundred plus uses. The most common thing I remember is powdered soap and laundry detergent before the little green men came along. I was in a drill once where there was a radioactive waste spill in a hospital and I'm pretty sure we used boric acid to clean it up.


Looking under my sink, I have an old box of '20 Mule Team Borax' laundry additive and an old can of 'Roach Destroyer'. The Roach Destroyer has 99% orthoboricacid and 1% inert ingredient. You can still purchase the 20 Mule Team Borax and I have made a kind of silly putty with it for a children's party and last year I made a batch of laundry detergent with it and 2 more ingredients; washing soda and grated up bar soap. That's why I immediately thought of the roach poison.


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## 1969cj-5 (Sep 14, 2011)

Lye Soap kills the oil. Cold water and Lye soap is what I do.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

I am also immune to almost all of those things (my mother was incredibly allergic) but my buddy said that when he gets it he uses plain old household bleach.


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

LilRedHen said:


> Does anyone have a good poison ivy remedy? I have it on my wrist, upper arm, leg and ankle. The itch is driving me crazy! I need help:surrender:


Butter milk and baking soda with some crunched up aspirin.[2-3 per cup]


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Vodka. Pour it on and let air dry.


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