Poison ivy in Europe?
Jul 25th, 2005, 10:04 AM
#21
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Ira,
I knew not to burn poison ivy but really didn't know why. I'm dreading hacking down those plants--if we do do it ourselves, I will be the idiot neighbor covered head to toe and using that Ivy Guard stuff that the dork's derm. recommends.
OWJ
I knew not to burn poison ivy but really didn't know why. I'm dreading hacking down those plants--if we do do it ourselves, I will be the idiot neighbor covered head to toe and using that Ivy Guard stuff that the dork's derm. recommends.
OWJ
Jul 25th, 2005, 10:17 AM
#22
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I did my poison ivy cutting and pulling July 16, and the symptoms began the next night. They are now getting worse rather than better, probably because of my scratching. I think this may actually be a mild to moderate case. I've seen so much worse.
I mistakenly bought triple antibiotic when I intended to buy egeneric neosporin (a double antibiotic) and unfortunately, I'm mildly allergic to component antibiotic #3. So I'll have to stop using it and get the neosporin.
I also have either p.i. or insect bites on my neck. It's a vertical row of three huge welts, but doesn't really look like p.i.
I think if we are only mildly allergic we can brush past it without harm, or a dog or towel that brushed by it will not give it to us. I've had it touch me many times when walking, and I used to have a dog that routinely got under it, but never got it from her, even though she was all over me, including in my bed. If we cut it or whack it, crush the leaves, or otherwise bruise it, we may get more of the oils, and they may even squirt and spread further. Whacking with a weed whachker is probably a big no-no.
Also we can be resistant some years and allergic other years.
I mistakenly bought triple antibiotic when I intended to buy egeneric neosporin (a double antibiotic) and unfortunately, I'm mildly allergic to component antibiotic #3. So I'll have to stop using it and get the neosporin.
I also have either p.i. or insect bites on my neck. It's a vertical row of three huge welts, but doesn't really look like p.i.
I think if we are only mildly allergic we can brush past it without harm, or a dog or towel that brushed by it will not give it to us. I've had it touch me many times when walking, and I used to have a dog that routinely got under it, but never got it from her, even though she was all over me, including in my bed. If we cut it or whack it, crush the leaves, or otherwise bruise it, we may get more of the oils, and they may even squirt and spread further. Whacking with a weed whachker is probably a big no-no.
Also we can be resistant some years and allergic other years.
Jul 25th, 2005, 10:50 AM
#23
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My sympathy to all the PI sufferers. I swear I can get it by looking at a picture of it! Just reading this thread has made me start to itch! I think that once you are exposed to it, future reactions become worse. At least that has been my experience. The last time I had it, my arms looked burned and blistered and one became quite swollen. Be careful out there!
Jul 25th, 2005, 11:54 AM
#24
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Years ago I met a nice young man a couple of days before a trip to Europe with my parents. He had a mild case of poison oak (west coast, no poison ivy here, but our plant is just as nasty!). "Don't worry," I said, "I am completely immune to the stuff (I had been!)."
Well, a couple days later in Vienna, I started itching and scratching and sure enough, a nasty case of poison oak was breaking out all over (don't ask) my body.
That is when I (and my parents, and I had to come up with an interesting story) found out that there isn't any poison oak/ivy in Europe, at least not in Austria. The pharmacist gave me an over the counter antihistamine and some type of topical gel for insect bites/ skin rashes, etc.
The treatment helped but not a lot -- I remember slathering my skin with plain yogurt in the hotel to soothe it, and just trying to deal with the itchiness.
And the guy? Well, the relationship evolved into a long and mostly happy marriage which, sadly, recently de-evolved...is there a moral in this story? hmmm
Well, a couple days later in Vienna, I started itching and scratching and sure enough, a nasty case of poison oak was breaking out all over (don't ask) my body.
That is when I (and my parents, and I had to come up with an interesting story) found out that there isn't any poison oak/ivy in Europe, at least not in Austria. The pharmacist gave me an over the counter antihistamine and some type of topical gel for insect bites/ skin rashes, etc.
The treatment helped but not a lot -- I remember slathering my skin with plain yogurt in the hotel to soothe it, and just trying to deal with the itchiness.
And the guy? Well, the relationship evolved into a long and mostly happy marriage which, sadly, recently de-evolved...is there a moral in this story? hmmm
on't use benadryl lotion AND take the pills). It will make you worse.
Jul 26th, 2005, 04:05 AM
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Interesting fact: Poison ivy is native to North America and to Asia, but not to Europe. A related plant that produces the same urushiol oil used to be valuable in Japan, because the oil was used to produce a traditional shiny lacquer. See http://www.pentrace.com/east/wajima/urushi.html
I thought the reason we are not supposed to use both oral benadryl and the topical benadryl cream at the same time is that the total of the drug taken by mouth and the drug absorbed through the skin could amount to an overdose. (I didn't think it was because it would be ineffective to use both.)
I thought the reason we are not supposed to use both oral benadryl and the topical benadryl cream at the same time is that the total of the drug taken by mouth and the drug absorbed through the skin could amount to an overdose. (I didn't think it was because it would be ineffective to use both.)
Jul 26th, 2005, 05:25 AM
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Do you live near the ocean? My son looked for a lost ball in a big patch of poison ivy and ended up with his legs completely covered with weeping blisters. Nothing worked.
But we happened to go to the beach for a weekend. After a morning of sun and salt water, his bumps were all dried up by that evening. The rash was completely gone in two days.
Jul 26th, 2005, 05:34 AM
#30
My dermatologist has a brochure in his office about a PI patient he treated. It seems the man was golfing and hit the ball into the rough and there must have been PI there also. Everytime after that he would get PI when he golfed even though he was not hitting the ball into the rough. The doctor finally figured out he had the oil on his clubs and once the clubs were cleaned no more PI breakouts playing golf.
Be sure you are not reinfecting yourself with any tools/weedeaters that may have the oil on them.
Be sure you are not reinfecting yourself with any tools/weedeaters that may have the oil on them.
Jul 26th, 2005, 06:06 AM
#31
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I had my first experience with Nettle on a trip to UK in May. It is not as bad as PI--we have tons of it surrounding our back yard. But Nettle is a nasty plant. We saw it throughout Cotswolds, Derbyshire, Lake District, and Scotland. I grew up in a family in the landscape business so I'm always curious about plants, trees, gardens, etc. I picked some Nettle thinking it was in the mint family. Some barbs which were hair like got into my fingers and caused pain and swelling. It was several days before the irritation went away. It was impossible to remove the barbs because they were too small. The plant must be poisonous. We saw sheep grazing in the same pastures where it was growing and they must steer clear of this stuff.
Jul 26th, 2005, 06:08 AM
#32
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I forgot to clean my loppers, which I was using to cut back the top of the PI so I could then pull out the roots without leaning into the leaves. I have to remember to clean them before next use. I guess I'll rub then with Tecnu, wash, dip in a Clorox solution, and then rinse it all off. I washed the two pairs of leather gloves in the machine two or three times, and same for the clothes. I hope that was enough.
The healthiest, lushest, tallest, thickest PI I've ever seen was in the wild natural parts of Sandy Hook in Monmouth Country, NJ. PI was pretty lush everywhere in that area. In those days I enver got it, even though my dog used to walk under and into it.
The healthiest, lushest, tallest, thickest PI I've ever seen was in the wild natural parts of Sandy Hook in Monmouth Country, NJ. PI was pretty lush everywhere in that area. In those days I enver got it, even though my dog used to walk under and into it.
Jul 26th, 2005, 06:30 AM
#33
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nini:
Nettles aren't remotely poisonous: nettleade, nettle cordial and even nettle soup feature frequently in country recipe books, though you need to be careful how you handle the plants.
Dock leaves, as Miss Prism says, are the traditional antidote. Can't see the point of squandering good money on anything else. As she adds, dock is always abundant close to nettles.
Nettles aren't remotely poisonous: nettleade, nettle cordial and even nettle soup feature frequently in country recipe books, though you need to be careful how you handle the plants.
Dock leaves, as Miss Prism says, are the traditional antidote. Can't see the point of squandering good money on anything else. As she adds, dock is always abundant close to nettles.
Jul 26th, 2005, 06:53 AM
#34
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This thread is making me itch!
I used to get poison ivy very badly. During one particularly miserable time, a coworker recommended something that a friend of hers "concocted". It was poison ivy extract in liquid form. You mix two or three drops in a glass of water and take it over a few days. (It tastes like you would expect bleach to taste!) It is supposed to build up an immunity to it.
Anyway, I took it nervously, because I was desperate, expecting to wake in the morning with a swollen throat. But the poison ivy went away after about a week and the best part is, I haven't had a reaction since.
I'm not sure where one could find this stuff, though.
I used to get poison ivy very badly. During one particularly miserable time, a coworker recommended something that a friend of hers "concocted". It was poison ivy extract in liquid form. You mix two or three drops in a glass of water and take it over a few days. (It tastes like you would expect bleach to taste!) It is supposed to build up an immunity to it.
Anyway, I took it nervously, because I was desperate, expecting to wake in the morning with a swollen throat. But the poison ivy went away after about a week and the best part is, I haven't had a reaction since.
I'm not sure where one could find this stuff, though.
Jul 26th, 2005, 10:15 AM
#37
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From information here I gather that I can travel through the wooded European countryside and not have to worry poison ivy will find me. Right now that sounds like heaven to me.
cmt, my doctor told me to continue the oral antihistamine and topical cream just as we are already doing.
Now its just a matter of letting it run its course.
Poison ivy wounds certainly are disgusting looking, and mrgreen is right, calamine lotion is a hideous color of pink
Deborah
cmt, my doctor told me to continue the oral antihistamine and topical cream just as we are already doing.
Now its just a matter of letting it run its course.
Poison ivy wounds certainly are disgusting looking, and mrgreen is right, calamine lotion is a hideous color of pink
Deborah
Jul 26th, 2005, 11:29 AM
#38
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Yesterday I was crazy with itching, so I took a benadryl while I was at work. Never again. I got NO work done and was worried about driving home.
Here are some things I tried that soothed it temporarily: gel from my big old aloe plant in my office, rubbing the inside of a banana skin (someone at work had one for lunch), oil from vitamin E capsules. The best thing was calendula gel, which I keep on hand for bad itchy insect bites. It's almost as effective as benadryl cream without the associated riskes. I never really liked calamine lotion, becasue it's messy, and since my skin is on the dark side of medium, the pale pink calamine shows up from 1/2 mile away.
It's really nice that Europe doesn't have poison ivy. I guess we should brush off the soles of our hiking boots before going there so we don't carry over any seeds. I find it intersting that it's native to both Asia and North America, and I wonder whether it somehow spread from Asia or just happened to develop on both continents.
Here are some things I tried that soothed it temporarily: gel from my big old aloe plant in my office, rubbing the inside of a banana skin (someone at work had one for lunch), oil from vitamin E capsules. The best thing was calendula gel, which I keep on hand for bad itchy insect bites. It's almost as effective as benadryl cream without the associated riskes. I never really liked calamine lotion, becasue it's messy, and since my skin is on the dark side of medium, the pale pink calamine shows up from 1/2 mile away.
It's really nice that Europe doesn't have poison ivy. I guess we should brush off the soles of our hiking boots before going there so we don't carry over any seeds. I find it intersting that it's native to both Asia and North America, and I wonder whether it somehow spread from Asia or just happened to develop on both continents.
Jul 26th, 2005, 11:50 AM
#40
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I've found that Tecnu (available at CVS, Walgreens, etc.) shortens poison ivy suffering more effectively than anything else. The claim is that it removes urushiol from the skin. I got good results with it.
