Thursday, July 26, 2012

Leaves of Three, Let it Be!


Oh how I wish I would have heeded that advice!

I cut grass for someone the other evening and while weed eating I ran into a patch of poison ivy.
I came in contact with that same patch about a month ago when we removed some shrubs from that same yard. I managed to get a few small rashes then but I got it good this time around.
I immediately came home and showered up but evidently it was too late. I've got a big patch of it on my back and various places on my legs. (Next time I won't wear a tank top!)
 I can deal with the ones on my legs but the spot on my back drives me nuts because it's about a 4" X 4" spot right in the center of my back and I can't reach it.
Hubby has been slathering me with Caladryl which helps but it needs repeated often and he's not always home to do that. 
So tonight I tried something different.
Alcohol on a washcloth!
After showering and drying off I soaked a washrag with rubbing alcohol and then wiped it over as much of the rash as I could. 
Did it burn??
Heck yeah but afterwards it felt so much better and several hours later I'm still itch-free plus the angry red rash doesn't look so angry now.

Do you have any tried and true remedies for poison ivy?
If you do I'd love to hear them.

7 comments:

Rosemary Dickinson said...

You might need a prescription for a steroid. That's what I had to do last time I got it. It started spreading and I couldn't stop it! Hope it gets better!

annie said...

Hope you feel better, you may need a prescription like Rosemary said. Jewelweed salve or soap is very good. I don't have a online source, but it usually grows near the ivy. You can crush it and rub it on the itching, it's no fast cure, but does help.

black bear cabin said...

rubbing alcohol...good to know :) we have poison ivy up here, but ive yet to find any...and thats just fine with me :)

Trace4J said...

Oh poor you.
We have it everywhere. Thankfully I dont get it,but hubby,grandson and son in law get it bad.
Thanks for sharing about alcohol.
Hope your itch free for good soon.
Hugs
Trace

www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com

Barb said...

Oh that's no fun. I have no ideas what to do about it. A friend of mine got a good dose of it a couple of years ago and we went through everything we could think of, including most of what the pharmacy sold, and nothing really helped him except time.

Carmen S. said...

OH NO, I feel for you my friend:( We have it growing all around here but I've been lucky (knock on wood;) I will def. keep the alcohol trick in mind for future reference and sure hope it settles down very soon (((hugs)))

Cheryl said...

Have never had it, but have seen patients that are covered. They talk about how bad it is.

Hope your better soon!