Has anyone gotten Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac while caching?

[+critter_crazed]

Ouch! Sorry to hear about your nasty reaction, but also glad that dogs can't get it. That would've been even worse, you and the dogs all itchy at once? Hope you feel better!

 

Oh lordy my spouse would run for the hills if the dogs and I were itchy. The boys (chocolate labs) sound much like your dog and just stick their noses where ever they see something interesting. (like the dog in the movie UP... Squirrel! but for these two it's WATER?!?!) So they enjoyed their bath (literally) and aren't allowed to wander on the back of our property until I figure out where they picked it up. Things are improving now that it's been over a week but what a week it was! I learned a little bit from this escapade so that's a good thing. The eyes were definitely the worst of it.

 

CC

[+FourRiverRatz]

You need to get rid of the urushiol oil from the poison ivy plant. We found out that Dawn dish washing detergent gets rid of that oil on your body and your clothes. Other soaps just rub the oil around, it does not get rid of it. After a day of caching in the woods, we come home and shower in Dawn, and wash our clothes in it too. Just in case we came in contact with it and did not know it.

 

We learned the hard way.

 

Remember that cold water keeps pores closed, hot and warm will open those pores...letting the oil in. Shower in the coldest water possible, for the first rinse, at least.

 

My daughter got some on her feet...it would go away, and she would have it back..we assumed because she always cached in flip-flops. Realized one day that the oil must still be on her favorite flip-flops and that was what was doing it. Soaked those flipper-floppers in water with Dawn (though most detergants do have a degreaser..Dawn was recommended even by the vet for cutting the oil from skunk when the dog was sprayed) over a w/e, and scrubbed them, and she never got it again.

[+geekslady]

Doc's say that your allergies change about every 7 years or so. That could be why some people are allergic now and never were before. Stinging nettles bother most people because they break the skin and allow the oil to get in there.

 

I am allergic to PI and only got a little bit this summer while doing the massive cache ground known as Goddard Park in RI. Being an old pro at this whole PI thing I cleaned it up asap and put calamine lotion when we got home. Only had a single line of bubbles on my calf for about a week. However it did leave a scar and I didn't even scratch

[+Team MacKenzie]

An old country doctor shared a secret when I had bad poison ivy a few years ago.

 

Use pure turpentine (not varsol or paint thinners). A disposable rag or cotton pads to apply it to the rash area. Obviously it shouldn't be used around the eyes.

 

It will feel cold at first, then after a few minutes it will give you a warm feeling. If it gets too hot for comfort then wash it off with soap and either a rag that goes directly into the wash or a disposable cloth (those blue shop rags work great).

 

Repeat three or four times a day.

 

Eau de turpentine isn't my favorite fragrance but it sure beats fighting PI for days and weeks.

 

The last time I had PI I spent two weeks battling it and had one of every product in the pharmacy..nothing was working. Turpentine had it stopped spreading in 24 hours and dried up in 48.

 

I used it on an itchy rash on my hands this past winter too. It just came up in little white bumps, didn't appear watery and there was no pus but it kept spreading, so I'm not sure if it was dormant PI or not. The turpentine stopped it as well.

[+Friendswood]

No but we go chewed up by chiggers! Holy moley!

 

We are now well protected and have not gotten bitten again. That was a rough 3 weeks.

 

....I got chiggers while hiking in the Loess Hills of Iowa a few years back.

The next few days were some of the most miserable I've ever spent.

[+geekslady]

No but we go chewed up by chiggers! Holy moley!

 

We are now well protected and have not gotten bitten again. That was a rough 3 weeks.

 

....I got chiggers while hiking in the Loess Hills of Iowa a few years back.

The next few days were some of the most miserable I've ever spent.

 

 

In florida we cover the red mark with nail polish top coat, aka the clear stuff. Clears the little buggers up in hours.

[+Friendswood]

No but we go chewed up by chiggers! Holy moley!

 

We are now well protected and have not gotten bitten again. That was a rough 3 weeks.

 

....I got chiggers while hiking in the Loess Hills of Iowa a few years back.

The next few days were some of the most miserable I've ever spent.

 

 

In florida we cover the red mark with nail polish top coat, aka the clear stuff. Clears the little buggers up in hours.

 

....that's what my mother in law had me do. It worked somewhat, but the little bastards somehow migrated north, close to my nether-regions! I went to Wal-mart and bought something (name eludes me) to put on the rash...paid for it and went immediately into a bathroom stall and applied it.

It worked, but took some time!

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

i encountered what i think was stinging nettles. i reached my hand and arm into a tree to feel for a cache when i felt painful stings all over my hand and arm! i screamed and yanked my arm out. i thought i was bitten by spiders or snakes. Immediately, the hand and arm turned bright red and began to swell. i started to freak out. i've had poison ivy many times and it never went down like this.

 

i drove home (arm and hand stinging painfully and getting white raised bumps all over like blisters). i almost went to the ER but i stopped myself.

 

Went home, washed arm with soap and water, put all clothes, backpack etc into washer. Jumped in the shower.

 

After an hour the rash and blisters and swelling were gone. Seemed over with. NOT. The next day an itchy (like poison ivy) rash was all over my arm, legs and...hmmm...just everywhere!

 

i just treated where i could with calamine lotion for the itching and cut my nails so i couldn't scratch. That rash healed in about a week.

 

i still am not sure what i ran into. But i googled for about a week and stinging nettle seemed the most likely. Scary experience but ok outcome. Made me more wiser!

[+Tank and Spaz]

South Texas is a poison plant mecca! I carry antibacterial cleaner with me, Dawn soap, and wipes. There is nothing like a day of caching, only to come home and give a small case to your 6month old daughter. Remember, leaves of three leave them be!

[+dfx]

stinging nettles have a very characteristic look and are easy to recognize:

 

the grow on the ground only and sizes vary greatly, they can be very small, only some dozen centimeters high or so (but still stingy), or very rarely can be over 2 meters tall.

 

they sting as soon as you touch them, giving you a burning sensation. usually it wears off fast (half an hour to an hour) but if you get a lot of it the sting can also last longer. the sting can be quite painful, especially when it's fresh, and you may get blisters from it.

 

i don't see it lasting longer than a day though, and areas affected are only the ones you touched the plant with - the rash doesn't spread by itself. of course it's possible that you're allergic to the plant.

Edited September 29, 2010 by dfx

[+a2n]

Poison Ivy on my arm from a recent cach hunt in short sleeves. The benedryl gel worked great and it went away quickly.

Edited September 29, 2010 by a2nren2e

[+ipodguy]

Got another case of it, this time on my face. The spot's small though and Halloween is around the corner so I think I'll be OK.

[+M 5]

Oral Ivy not only cures it, but will make you immune. I know 3 people that have braved it and are very glad they did.

[+niffir]

Fortunately I don't get poison ivy. I can pick the stuff with my bare hands without a problem.

 

Same here. My dad has sent me out to pick poison ivy growing in the yard before, since he reacts strongly to it. My sister manages to break out with it when working in her back yard even though there isn't any visible in her yard-- I think maybe she's getting oils that migrate into her back yard from the woods behind the fence? Anyway...I've always heard the figure that 1 in 4 people is not allergic to poison ivy. In my family that holds true.

 

I don't know about poison oak/sumac/etc. I've never had a reaction to any of them, but perhaps I've just not rubbed against them.

[+TeamTurtles]

In North Central Texas, where I work, the PI is ankle to knee deep everywhere. I take care of over 600 acres of Goverment property and I am always in the stuff. Oral Ivy pills and cold showers before I leave for home helps.

[Night_Hiker]

I'm not allergic to Poision Ivy so on discovery of a perfect place for a 4 terrain geocache location me and my friend went strolling threw the woods without a care in the world. Sadly i did not know about this stuff called sumac. It got both of us and the stuff spreads like wildfire across your body. It iched like crazy and lasted over a weak. It makes a huge rash and takes up a much larger area that poison ivy. Rough stuff

[+edscott]

I'm not allergic to Poision Ivy so on discovery of a perfect place for a 4 terrain geocache location me and my friend went strolling threw the woods without a care in the world. Sadly i did not know about this stuff called sumac. It got both of us and the stuff spreads like wildfire across your body. It iched like crazy and lasted over a weak. It makes a huge rash and takes up a much larger area that poison ivy. Rough stuff

 

Urushiol is the chemical in the Poison Ivy and in the Poison Sumac that causes the rash. If you are affected by one you'll be affected by the other.

[+NicknPapa]

Poison ivy, oak, sumac? No problem, I can weed eat the stuff all day wearing shorts and sandals with getting more than a couple ob little blisters that go away in a day or so. Ticks? Maybe one a year if it's really hungry. Unfortunately the darn chiggers make up the difference. Those things just love me......

Edited January 1, 2011 by NicknPapa

[+pyromomma]

 

Anyone know any really good products that will get rid of the PI residue? I asked a pharmacist and she recommended Zanfel. It runs $26 (at Hy-Vee) for 15 uses. I think I might try some.

 

Zanfel is a miracle cream if you already have the rash, especially if you have it over large areas. It is the only treatment that works after the rash begins for all Rhus species (including Poison Ivy, P-Oak, P-Sumac, and Poisonwood in the Florida keys). It can be used as a wash, but it is quite pricy - wash as soon as you get home with cool, soapy water (Dawn works great, but any soap will do) or one of the poison ivy washes like Technu and wash clothing that has been exposed to the sap. If you start to break out use the Zanfel. Be sure to follow directions carefully - you have to use a certain volume for it to start the reaction. For those of you that are "immune", you are simply not-allergic. That can change with multiple exposures and you can become sensitized to the oil. I speak from experience.

 

By the way, email the Zanfel company (contact them through Zanfel.com) and ask for some samples for your geocaching club - if they have extras they will send you one and they have a wonderful (free!) "What to do and how to avoid" pamphlet that is great for clubs, Scouts, or summer camps.