Lesson learned the hard way

[Digger Max]

What is the prognosis on the poison oak.
Hope all is good.

 

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[against the wind]

Sorry to hear about your exposure.
I have to count my blessings. There are plenty of reasons for me to stay out of the woods but the LURE OF TREASURE is greater. Hope you heal quickly.
Did you find any treasure?

 

[Rustic]

Hope you're starting to feel a little better.

I'm super allergic too, and what I do is always take a shower with lots of soap on a scrubbie after metal detecting: it washes away the poison ivy, but also the ticks.

Also I try to avoid the poison ivy. I won't go in it for anything, ain't nothing I could find in the dirt worth all that misery...

 

[JVA5th]

Thanks everyone I'm okay now had to take 3 different meds but it cleared it up still have a slightly swollen arm but otherwise I'm happy to not feel like one big oozey wound lol lesson definitely learned poison oak for me equals not worth it and no nothing was found just found a pick ax new one and some old aluminum to melt down taken from the old Mill that burnt down that smashed up quarts rock when they where looking for gold

 

[Sandman]

I feel your pain!!! I was never allergic to it till one day when i when I burned some brush. Oh my Gawd

 

[Honest Samuel]

I feel your pains. I use to get poison ivy when I was a kid for many summers. I am sure that there are sprays that you can put on your skin and clothes that prevent you from getting these bad stuff.

 

[dirtwizard]

zanfel is very good but also very expensive and not available everywhere. There is a similar product called Tecnu extreme that works extremely well too. Its about 1/3 the price of zanfel and is available at walgreens. I've tried every over the counter remedy out there, zanfel and tecnu are the only products worth buying. I only use zanfel if I get the rash on my face.

Otherwise hit the prompt medical clinic and pony up for a shot in the keyster.

 

[cactusman]

Glad to hear you are recovering. Sounds like some great advice was shared on meds for it for others who get nailed by the stuff.

Years ago I was detecting in Arkansas and got into a huge patch of it with some others -- they all ended up with huge rashes. Ironically, this Arizona native found out he has a natural immunity to the stuff. I've been told it depends on the strain, and not to count on always being immune to it, so I still steer clear just to be safe.

Now mosquitoes on the other hand; if there’s one within a mile of me, they find me immediately, and the bites swell up and turn purple for about two weeks. Needless to say I carry repellant for this nasty things whenever I suspect they are lurking.

 

[stefen]

There's poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak...all in the same family...(English Ivy is also poisonous to some people)

Gotta remember to wash your clothes...and boots...tools, and the like...

The oil stays virulent for some time...

 

[SusanMN]

Take double doses of ibruprophen to help with the itch, and baths as hot as you can stand. That should keep the itch tolerable for a few hours at a time.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Well at least it wasn't the 1950's Army when you got it. My Dad was a tank commander, one day his driver parked under a bunch of grape vines for cover and shade. Also in the grape vines was poison ivy. My Dad was hanging out of the turret moving the "vines: around for best cover and got a good dosing of it.

Spent 3 days in ICU because of it, Doc's said if he got it again it would probably kill him. . The Army in it's wisdom decided it wasn't safe for him to be hanging out of a turret any more and take a chance of a repeat. He got transferred to Airborne. Yep the Army figured he'd be safer jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, and teaching others, for the rest of the war.

Funny we go into the woods all the time, either hunting or fishing or cutting wood. He's never gotten it again.

 

[piegrande]

Years ago, when I went camping with the Boy Scouts, I would from time to time, ask a boy, "Have you done the poisonous plant identification?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you standing in a poison ivy patch?"

I lived in poison ivy country so long I don't even have to look for it. If it is there, I notice it instantly.

 

[JVA5th]

All I know after this experience with poison oak I want nothing to do with it I've gotten poison oak many times but this was the worst poison oak as much as I'm wanting to go out and hunt with my metal detector if it's an area with poison oak it's just not going to happen it's not worth the misery

 

[Rogerv]

Years ago, when I went camping with the Boy Scouts, I would from time to time, ask a boy, "Have you done the poisonous plant identification?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you standing in a poison ivy patch?"

I lived in poison ivy country so long I don't even have to look for it. If it is there, I notice it instantly.

I used to get Poison Ivy if you said the word so did my brother in law I was hospitalized had shots and many other treatments, When i was about 15 someone told me about Rhus-tox pills very cheap you eat them like candy under your tongue. if you already have it you take a couple of pills every few hours for a couple of days to get rid of it. To prevent it take them for a week. My brother in law takes them every year before hunting season, What it is is Ivy extract and it makes you build an immunity to it. I have not caught it in 45+ years and neither has my brother in law. i even pull it up out of my yard with no ill effects. Ask your pharmacist they can usually get it.

 

[RustyGold]

Sorry you had to go through that and glad to read you are on the mend.
Best of luck out there!