POISON OAK

mudguts · January 03, 2007, 08:53:59 PM

I'm 36 years old and have never had a touch poison oak, ivy or stinger nettles. Well, on Dec, 27th 2006, my crew gets sent from Fresno to the San Jose/Cupertino area for storm damage $$$$

After stomping around through the forest for three days, without a shower and climbing old poles and tree's, I notice an itch on the back of my hand

I figure no big deal, it will go away. Saturday night, we get sent home for a well deserved rest. Sunday morning, I wake up itching all over the place, and I mean ALL over the place. I look in the mirror and see tiny pustules all under my arms, over my chest, neck and up into my beard.
Over the previous few days, I had unknowingly itched and spread that

everywhere. I mean everywhere

It had spread into my eyelids, around my lips, nose, in my ears, my ball sack and down into the forbidden zone. I go to Doc and show him whats up and he tells me I'm a mess. He says it's one of the worse cases he's ever seen.
So, 5 days later, after a bottle calamine lotion, a tube of benydryl, poison oak cleanser from Rite Aide, two shots in the ass and days of misery, I'm still itching.
What else can I use to stop the itch?

Signed,
Giant Festering Itchy Pustule
$Beer Chug\'n$

jimbo74 · January 03, 2007, 08:59:02 PM

ewwwwww..... that sucks... dont know what to tell ya, it sounds like you are already on everything....

kneedownnate · January 03, 2007, 09:16:22 PM

That's a bummer! I've had it south of the border a few times and it's never a pleasure

This doesn't make much of a difference for you, but when I get it I sometimes scratch it till it's opened up and rub gasoline on it. Sounds crazy, but I did it by accident with good results. Tecnu has worked well for friends before too, should be able to find it at longs or wally world.

snowshoebrue · January 03, 2007, 09:21:42 PM

put oatmeal in a nylon and and get it wet and rub it on yourself. or take cold oatmeal baths

rockcrawlinredneck · January 03, 2007, 09:26:48 PM

Get a can full of gas and some matches. It has got to feel better than you do right now. I have had it a couple times and I hate it.

Kevin

FIREBALL · January 03, 2007, 10:07:55 PM

Don't get it myself, but we carry the tecnu on our engines if we get into the nasty stuff on a fire.

I do have a little problem with your story though....you said san jose and forest in the same sentance.

topar · January 03, 2007, 10:11:07 PM

Cant help you but thanks for the laugh! Hope you feel better soon though!

kneedownnate · January 03, 2007, 10:24:14 PM

Quote from: rockcrawlinredneck on January 03, 2007, 09:26:48 PM
I have had it a couple times and I hate it.

You've only had it a couple of times? You're lucky! I usually get it a couple of times a year.

motorider228 · January 03, 2007, 11:40:43 PM

When I was younger I used to get it 5 or 6 times a year stomping around in the sierras and Folsom lake but around 16 I just quit getting it. My doctor told me some people get it SO bad so many times that their body builds an immunity to it. I have also had it where my uhh member looked like I had a disease that i do not have haha. Sorry to tell you but nothing really works THAT great, atleast it didn't for me. However, if you turn the water up as hot as you can possibly stand and run it over a rag and get the rag soaked in burning water then apply it to the itchy spots that worked the best for me to suppress the itch. Mostly though I just always got the shots in the ass, was prescribed some lotion and I loaded down on that stuff then LOTS of prayer to make that crap pass. I have learned since i was young what to stay out of and what can and cannot be burned in the camp fire haha.

BLACKDOG · January 04, 2007, 12:32:37 AM

that really sucks dude. I can't stand that crap.

I'm really sensitive to it, and people make fun of me for it, because I watch for it EVERYWHERE, and I stay the hell away from it

As in, I don't walk within 20 feet of it if I can help it.

I forgot exactly how it works, but the hot water trick does work. Has something to do with causing a reaction with the histamines that make you itch. It is temporary relief (anywhere from 20 minutes- 6 hours) but it is relief. Downside is, the more you do it, the hotter you have to get the water before it works again. Be careful not to scald yourself.

itches like hell while you do it, but afterward, your good for a while

Also, poison oak is spread by the oils. After a few days, the pustules dry up, and even if you itch them, it won't spread anymore. You can (would recommend avoiding "the boys" ) put rubbing alcohol on the worst areas to get them to dry up sooner.

Also, wash EVERYTHING you may have worn, touched, etc. That oil can sit dormant for up to a year and still cause a reaction. you can find soaps and sprays that help kill it, but make sure you at least wash all your fabric work gear, as well as your boots.

Cheesemaker · January 04, 2007, 02:49:06 AM

I've got a family member that is so sensitive to poison oak, that if somebody is burning it across the valley, he will break out! The only thing that works for him is plain old Crest toothpaste. Not the new fancy ones, the old Crest! Another option that works for my bro-in-law is to soak in a bathtub full of branches of Manzanita bush! It leaves a mess in the tub, but I've seen it work! Good luck!!

The only thing I've got to worry about stomping in the brush around here is nettles and devils club! If you've never seen devil's club, I guarantee as soon as you see this bush you'll know why it's called that! It is some nasty stuff. I've know old loggers loose body parts to this stuff!

johnny_boy02 · January 04, 2007, 12:32:53 PM

Man that sucks! I prefer the prednisone pills over the shot. I think they work longer.

Here is how I do the hot water thing. Spray the water over whatever area you want. Slowly increase the heat till you cant stand it, then turn it on cold water.

When I was young my mom used to put baking soda or baking powder in I dont remember which. What ever one comes in the ornge box. Anyway, but that in some bath water and soak in it.

mudguts · January 04, 2007, 06:59:09 PM

OK, so I tried the Tecnu and took a hot shower. It seemed to relieve the itching under my arms, my chest and neck. Under my beard, inside my ears, eyelids, and some parts below the belt, still have a diabolical itch that is unstoppable. This must be my payback for making fun of everyone else over the years who've suffered through what I'm going through.
It looks like smallpox or something

Quote from: FIREBALL on January 03, 2007, 10:07:55 PM
Don't get it myself, but we carry the tecnu on our engines if we get into the nasty stuff on a fire.

I do have a little problem with your story though....you said san jose and forest in the same sentance.

In the backwoods between Cupertino and Santa Cruz, there is some rugged country with rain forest type fauna. The poison oak grows big and thick along with the red woods and live oak.

kneedownnate · January 04, 2007, 07:25:58 PM

Poinon oak grows everywhere I go! I have some not 15 feet from my front door, and it's not the first time either. I used to get it when I was a kid, but when I got older I went fishing almost daily. I'd carefully snake my way through it, but still got it somewhat frequently. I must have built up an immunity, cause one time my dad and I were fishing and he pointed out I was standing in a bunch of it in shorts. He thought I was lying, but was surprised to see that I never broke out. Those days are long gone now though, and I get it no matter how well I try avoiding it.

I may try rubbing it on my arms and legs as the weather gets better, just to see if I can build back the immunity.

BLACKDOG · January 04, 2007, 07:53:31 PM

Nate, I've actually been told that no one is immune to Poison oak, some people are more sensitive than others, but no one is immune, and it breaks down the immunity over time. This is prolly why mudguts is feeling it now, when he's never gotten it before.

can't expalin why you didn't get it for a period of time, but I would not recommend rubbing it on yourself.

when you were fishing, did you walk in the water at all? If you wash it off with COLD water (closes your pores) within a few hours, you can wash the oil off before it starts the reaction sometimes. Mabye you got lucky?

Mudguts- When you take your hot shower, get it as hot as you can stand it, then direct the stream where you are itching. don't do a whole body soak, but direct spray on one body part at a time, for 3-5 minutes will really help. Sounds bad, but when I had it one summer during HS, when I was working at a hardware store, I also had it on my "nether regions" the only way I got through work for about 2 weeks was the hotwater treatment before work, run home at lunch for another quick hot spray, then as soon as I got home.

Lady Di · January 04, 2007, 08:02:41 PM

I hear the baking soda/baking powder (not sure which one either) paste works wonders. But doing a mix of either and giving it a shot is not going to hurt.
What about soaking in a bath of epson salts?

kneedownnate · January 04, 2007, 09:10:19 PM

Quote from: BLACKDOG on January 04, 2007, 07:53:31 PM
Nate, I've actually been told that no one is immune to Poison oak, when you were fishing, did you walk in the water at all? If you wash it off with COLD water (closes your pores) within a few hours, you can wash the oil off before it starts the reaction sometimes. Mabye you got lucky?

Nope, I didn't wanna go in that water! It was dank and warm. It got to the point where I would just walk through it and let it rub on my legs and not worry about it. I seriously am going to try rubbing it on myself, though I think I should isolate it to one leg only and NO ARMS! It's too easy to wipe the sweat from my brow in the summer without thinking about it...

johnny_boy02 · January 04, 2007, 11:33:15 PM

Quote from: kneedownnate on January 04, 2007, 09:10:19 PM
Nope, I didn't wanna go in that water! It was dank and warm. It got to the point where I would just walk through it and let it rub on my legs and not worry about it. I seriously am going to try rubbing it on myself, though I think I should isolate it to one leg only and NO ARMS! It's too easy to wipe the sweat from my brow in the summer without thinking about it...

Dude you are crazy!!!! It would take much money to get me to rub PO on myself.

When I was subcontracting for PG&E I had PO for almost 6 months straight. It was Awful, but the $$$$ was good for my age. Now I still get it sometimes but its not bad, and I only get tiny bumps that dont ich much.

motorider228 · January 05, 2007, 12:19:25 AM

you may be right blackdog but I remember reading alot of stuff where native americans would feed the leaves to their children when they were young so their bodies would get used to it. May be a wives tail though....

KYOTA · January 05, 2007, 01:26:15 PM

how you doin bro? how the hell did you get it on the stepchildren?

< (me trying not to laugh)

mudguts · January 05, 2007, 01:42:19 PM

Quote from: KYOTA on January 05, 2007, 01:26:15 PM
how you doin bro? how the hell did you get it on the stepchildren? < (me trying not to laugh)

I've reached monster mode, I bare a strange resemblence to Jeff Goldblum metamorphosing into the fly. My eyelids are almost swollen shut and the rest of my face is hived out

As for the the stepchildren, the only thing I can figure is before I knew what it was, I was scratching my itch with the towel when drying off after a shower and spread it that way.
Oh yea,I have cotton balls in my ears to stem the ooze from flowing into my inner ear.
I'm a complete mess.

KYOTA · January 05, 2007, 03:14:12 PM

Quote from: mudguts on January 05, 2007, 01:42:19 PM
I was scratching my itch with the towel when drying off after a shower and spread it that way.

so that must mean you have it deep down in the valley too then? poor bastad

BLACKDOG · January 05, 2007, 04:10:06 PM

that sucks

Quote from: KYOTA on January 05, 2007, 01:26:15 PM
how you doin bro? how the hell did you get it on the stepchildren? < (me trying not to laugh)

easier done than you'd think. Walk through poison oak. retie loose bootlace. now its on your hands. take a leak, and its in the area

Quote from: motorider228 on January 05, 2007, 12:19:25 AM
you may be right blackdog but I remember reading alot of stuff where native americans would feed the leaves to their children when they were young so their bodies would get used to it. May be a wives tail though....

wouldn't surprise me either way. Poison oak is one of those things that if you ask the same question to 100 people, you'll get 100 different answers

It kind of makes sense though, I know plenty of people that camp and hike all the time, never got it, but now they do

A few years ago I talked to a park ranger down in Big Sur, CA and he said he used to never get it, could walk through it and not get bothered. After working in the Big Sur area, and being exposed to it daily, he can get it by looking at it now

I don't know the real deal, all I know is I am staying away from that

DTB · January 05, 2007, 04:16:18 PM

brushman · January 05, 2007, 04:30:26 PM

had poison oak about 10 times the only thing i found that helped was tecnu used it like lotion and washed with it. washed cloths in it. wore it for weeks smells like crap but was the only thing i found that keeps it from speading. but it sounds like its to late for the spreading part. good luck next time take it with you and put it on before and after you get in the brush then wash off. prevents me from getting it.