I went hiking last Friday night, and I must have got into some poison ivy. I started noticing a few spots popping up on my neck Sunday morning, and by Monday morning I had places popping up all over my body...places that were covered and never even could have came in contact with the plant.  I'm EXTREMELY allergic to the stuff

I went to the DR yesterday and he got me started on Prednisone steroid pills.  In addition to that I've been taking Benadryl caplets.  I guess I'm so allergic to the stuff, the Dr. said that it can pop up in places that never even got exposed to the plant. So now (Tuesday afternoon) I have a big 8" round patch on my left hip, the entire left side of my neck and ear is covered, and my left eye brow is swollen because there is some popping up there.  

It doesn't seem to be spreading any more, but the Prednisone doesn't seem to be doing a very good job of making it go away.....at least the swelling and redness.

How long should I expect for the Prednisone to kick in and really start making a difference?  Anything else I can do to help speed up the recovery time in order to get me back to normal?

Thanks for the help.  

Wash the fuck out of all of yoru hinking cloths and clean the floors with bleach. Your car as well.

Your body is reacting to the oil. I've found the using face/acne wipes on affected areas immediatly after contact really helps. It breaks down the oil.

I too am very allergic.

Go to a swimming pool heavy with chlorine and take a long swim.  The water and chorine dry it out or use minerial sprits and wipe the area down.  It will hurt like hell but it dries out the area.  

Quoted: It doesn't seem to be spreading any more, but the Prednisone doesn't seem to be doing a very good job of making it go away.....at least the swelling and redness.

By the third or fourth day I started feeling better.  

It also depends on how bad you were affected.

If it stopped spreading that is good.

Prednizone works!

Prednisone started working for me the day after I started taking it, but that was about a week and a half after I was exposed to the poison ivy.  If you got it the day after you were exposed it may require a larger dose to stop the reaction, which the physician will probably be reluctant to give you.  I'd recommend you stick it out a few more days.

I am extremely allergic.  The prednisone really only helps prevent new outbreaks on me.  What already is out is going to suck.  Learn what it looks like and stay away.

It is caused by a certain component called Urishiol(sp?)  It bonds with a protein.  You have several hours after exposure to remove it before it "bonds".  After it has bonded, you cannot remove it, just wait for the suffering.   Areas that are covered can break out due to you spreading the oils around.  Contaminated clothing and items can spread it back to you later.  (I got it from a chainsaw a friend used to CUT DOWN a tree covered in it WEEKS after the fact.)

Spare no expense to avoid the evil weed and destroy it wherever you frequent.

Quoted: Wash the fuck out of all of yoru hinking cloths and clean the floors with bleach. Your car as well.

+1

I wouldn't hesitate to simply huck stuff in the trash.

My wife got me some "Rhinocort" samples from the pediatrician she works for that did an awesome job when sprayed on poison ivy rashes.

Go get some Tecnu and scrub the infected area to get the oils out of your skin. It will then dry out and begin to heal.

Prednisone is changed by the body into Prednisolone  and suppresses the immune response.

This reduces the ongoing effects of the poison ivy allergic reaction and can help shorten the course of tissue already affected by the reaction also.

Be SURE to take all the pills in the pack.
The tapering is probably slightly over rated (1 gram a day for MS can be done for 3-5 days with no tapering off) but tapering will reduce (and often eliminate) the side affects of stopping cold turkey.

You may need antacids since Prednisone can irritate the stomach with excess acid secretion.
It can also interfere with sleeping, but Benadryl can help with that issue.


Benzoyl peroxide (the same stuff as for acne) can help in drying out the area.
It is a mild irritant to the skin.
Clorox probably works about the same way.

Technu from REI or other sporting goods store.  IT WORKS.  It works fast, too.

Good luck to you...I'm sso glad I'm not alergic to anything...that I know of!

Based on my experience you should start noticing some benefit from prednisone in about 24 hours.  By 72 hours you will be feeling a lot better.

Be careful not to allow any injuries you have or receive to get infected.  It does suppress your immune system.

Bleach it ASAP.

Quoted: Good luck to you...I'm sso glad I'm not alergic to anything...that I know of! i25.tinypic.com/24ctt8w.jpg

That's funny......my left eye looks just like that!!  

For the itching...Band Aid brand "Rhuli". It works GREAT. I just got into a patch of Ivy last weak. There is another product, I forget at the moment that kicks ass at getting the oil off your skin...Will post it when I find it.

For poison ivy, prednisone is usually dosed too low and too short.  A burst of 1-2mg/kg for 5 days and then a taper over about 2 weeks works pretty well.  I'll usually give a script for a high potency steroid cream to hit the areas that are really driving the person nuts as well.

Quoted: For poison ivy, prednisone is usually dosed too low and too short.  A burst of 1-2mg/kg for 5 days and then a taper over about 2 weeks works pretty well.  I'll usually give a script for a high potency steroid cream to hit the areas that are really driving the person nuts as well.

My doc has me taking (6) of the 10mg tablets for three days (once a day)...and then tapering off 1 pill less every 3 days after that.

Is that a "weak" or "Strong" dosage?

Sugar.  Sugar.  Sugar.  NEEEEEEEED SUGAR!!!!!!  followed by fucking RAGE.

At least that was my reaction to prednizone.  

I drank an entire great big huge movie theater sized cherry coke in just a few minutes.  I simply could not get enough of sweet stuff.  And I wanted to punch everyone in the face.  

My mother has had the same results.  

Quoted: Sugar.  Sugar.  Sugar.  NEEEEEEEED SUGAR!!!!!!  followed by fucking RAGE. At least that was my reaction to prednizone.   I drank an entire great big huge movie theater sized cherry coke in just a few minutes.  I simply could not get enough of sweet stuff.  And I wanted to punch everyone in the face.   My mother has had the same results.

Well I definitely have notice some sweet stuff cravings...but not so much on the aggression side of it.

Still itching?? I have the same problem you have.. I don't even have to go into the woods, or even nearby the woods for the matter, and it will spread like wildfire all over me. I don't even have to come in contact with it. I've had it a good... hmmm... 15-20 times in my life

I demand a cortizone shot when I go to the doctors.. I get that along with the steroids. It will clear up in no time. In the meantime, Benadryl cream works well for the itching.

Cortizone shot = Comfortable in nooo time

Quoted: Still itching?? I have the same problem you have.. I don't even have to go into the woods, or even nearby the woods for the matter, and it will spread like wildfire all over me. I don't even have to come in contact with it. I've had it a good... hmmm... 15-20 times in my life I demand a cortizone shot when I go to the doctors.. I get that along with the steroids. It will clear up in no time. In the meantime, Benadryl cream works well for the itching. Cortizone shot = Comfortable in nooo time

Well, it doesn't really itch all that bad....I'm just hoping that all of the little blisters dry up and go away.  The worst thins is my eye.....it all swollen up around my eyebrow and eyelid.  It looks just like that picture of will smith someone posted up.

Hopefully the steroids are doing their job!  

Does anyone make some kind of cream you can apply before you go into the woods that keeps you from getting it??  You would think that by now, someone would have developed something.

Quoted: Prednisone is changed by the body into Prednisolone  and suppresses the immune response. This reduces the ongoing effects of the poison ivy allergic reaction and can help shorten the course of tissue already affected by the reaction also. Be SURE to take all the pills in the pack. The tapering is probably slightly over rated (1 gram a day for MS can be done for 3-5 days with no tapering off) but tapering will reduce (and often eliminate) the side affects of stopping cold turkey. You may need antacids since Prednisone can irritate the stomach with excess acid secretion. It can also interfere with sleeping, but Benadryl can help with that issue. Benzoyl peroxide (the same stuff as for acne) can help in drying out the area. It is a mild irritant to the skin. Clorox probably works about the same way.

If you dont taper off you run the risk of the biggest side effect of all. Renal failure.

How long it takes to work depends upon your body, usually you notice the 3rd or 4th day.

I've got poison ivy all over me too

one word

TECNU!!!!!!!!!!


It kills it quick and lets the scabs start so it can heal

Well.....the poison ivy is just about all gone.  

Man, I'm sure glad I can start getting off of that Prednasone.  That stuff really messed me up last night. I was down at the lake with some friends...I was out in the sun, and probably not drinking enough water.  Later that night, it felt like I was having an anxiety attack.  I was extremely nervous about everything....I couldn't concentrate on anything, not even driving. I had a friend drive me home it was so bad.  It was like I had tunnel vision...all I could concerntrate on was what was directly in front of me..  It was one of the worst feelings I've ever had in my life.  After I ate dinner and drank about 6 glasses of water....it finally started to go away after about 4 hours.  My friends thought I was going crazy...I would keep checking my pockets making sure I had my cell phone and wallet (sometimes several times in 5 minutes).....they would ask me a quesiton, and about half way though my answer I would almost forget what I started talking about just minteus before.  Conversations really didn't make much sense to me at all. It was a horrible experiance.

I talked to my mother who is an RN and she said that those steroids can have some weird affects on people. She said the combination of all the sun, the prednazone, and lack of water probably did it.  I'm on my last does this week......I should be all done with that stuff in a few days.  

Man...that stuff is crazy! I never want to feel like that again!!

Quoted: Quoted: For poison ivy, prednisone is usually dosed too low and too short.  A burst of 1-2mg/kg for 5 days and then a taper over about 2 weeks works pretty well.  I'll usually give a script for a high potency steroid cream to hit the areas that are really driving the person nuts as well. My doc has me taking (6) of the 10mg tablets for three days (once a day)...and then tapering off 1 pill less every 3 days after that. Is that a "weak" or "Strong" dosage?

if your dick turns green and falls off, it was too strong.  If it still doesn't kill the stuff then it's too weak.  If you are really lucky it's both.

It's way too late for Tecnu to help on your skin, but you need to wash all of your hiking clothes and anything that they may have touched.  Otherwise, you could get infected from the oils left on you hiking clothes or anything that they touched.

I am also extremely allergic to posion Ivy. In fact my last case was from where I got secondary contact from where my roomate was cutting back ivy in the yard and his shoes and (gloved) hands had contacted the wood railing/steps of the backyard deck. This product while pricey gave me immediate relief and cured me after 3 washings. Even days after exposure it still works!

www.zanfel.com/help/

Quoted: Still itching?? I have the same problem you have.. I don't even have to go into the woods, or even nearby the woods for the matter, and it will spread like wildfire all over me. I don't even have to come in contact with it. I've had it a good... hmmm... 15-20 times in my life I demand a cortizone shot when I go to the doctors.. I get that along with the steroids. It will clear up in no time. In the meantime, Benadryl cream works well for the itching. Cortizone shot = Comfortable in nooo time

Yep, getting the shot is the way to go. After the injection and the first Prednizone pill I can feel my skin start to "crawl" as it starts to dry. The itch is usually gone the next day and cleared up by the time all the pills are gone. Prednizone will also make your blood sugar go crazy if your diabetic.

I got into it earlier this year.  After a week I finally went to the doctor.  He gave me a steriod shot and put me on steriod pills.  He also recommended Zyrtech to help stop the itching.  All those helped some but I still had blisters and a lot of itching.  I had been trying all sorts of topical creams and nothing stopped it.  Then I tried baking soda in paste form right on top of each blister.  That did the trick.  Almost immediately the raised blisters went flat.  A day of the treatment and the poison ivy was pretty much gone, the blisters were scabbing over, and I was feeling a lot better.

All you need to do is pour out some baking soda, add a couple drops of water to turn it into a paste, and then press it on to every sore.  In about 15 minutes the baking soda will dry out and flake off making a big mess but it is so worth it.  The baking soda pulls out any of the left over poison and dries out the skin.