Anyone have any good remedies for poison oak?


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Along with my find Saturday I also found the worst case of poison oak I've ever had. Swollen eyes, busting blisters the size of nickles, one of my arms is about 1 1/2 the size of the other, it's frickin great!

Went to the doc and got a cortizone(?) shot and some ATARAXX pills to help with the itch and sleep.

Anyone got any good home remedies or advice? (besides stay the hell out of poison oak) :spank:

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wjbell

I know the spelling is wrong but it's something like this calamine lotion and it's pink I think.I know it's good for others in my family has used this.Me I can lay down in it without trouble.

I'll try to find it and get back with you.

Chuck Anders

Thanks. Yeah, calamine. I have that. Not working too well though. This poison oak just laughs at that stuff. :D I need some jet fuel and oatmeal mix or something... Hopefully the shot will kick in and start doing something.

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Back in high school, I was a seasonal firefighter, with CDF, here in Calif. We had a fire on Black mountain, and it was like Chuck said, the Smoke gave me a case of poison oak, that put me in the hospital. for almost aweek, My nose, throat, and everything else was closing up, After that, I can take it rub it on me, sleep in it, or most anything else, and I don't get it. I' think once you get it that bad, you immune system kicks in. Leave the blisters alone, it only spreads it, try taking baking soda baths. You want that crap to dry up. Grubstake

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Thanks guys. I guy once told me the native Indians use to eat it. He said pick a bud and eat it. You'll get the worst case but never get it again. I would never do that, but kindof goes with grubstakes getting it in your immune system.

I think I'll just get some oatmeal and baking soda tomorrow.

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You can get immune to it by eatting it, but! there a catch, it has to be the right time of year. , Try getting some Calagel It comes with a bottle of Tecnu to wash the oil out first, then you put the Calagel on. It will help lots. Get it at your drug store over the counter. Grubstake

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WJBELL,

Eldorado, is right...it's tough trying not to scracth while you sleep! Here is what you need your Doctor to get you. Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream, USP 0.025%. This saves me when I get a case of it and it works fast. Good luck

LuckyLundy

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I use to get it real bad and I use to work in auto dealers under the hood of cars with hot engines and my arms would be like a swollen sunburn that itched. I used calamine and hydracortizone creams and it would work but it took forever and I was miserable the whole time. I had an idea one day at work to use a wire brush on it, real easy just enough to pop the blisters then I would spray Berrymens B-12 carb cleaner over the area. Burns like hell for a few seconds but it would dry it up in a day. Probably toxic as hell but after having it as bad as I use to for days on end I didn't care I just wanted to get rid of it. Worked for me but its not for everyone.

Good luck with it.

Wes.

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I use to get it real bad and I use to work in auto dealers under the hood of cars with hot engines and my arms would be like a swollen sunburn that itched. I used calamine and hydracortizone creams and it would work but it took forever and I was miserable the whole time. I had an idea one day at work to use a wire brush on it, real easy just enough to pop the blisters then I would spray Berrymens B-12 carb cleaner over the area. Burns like hell for a few seconds but it would dry it up in a day. Probably toxic as hell but after having it as bad as I use to for days on end I didn't care I just wanted to get rid of it. Worked for me but its not for everyone.

Good luck with it.

Wes.

Thanks Wes... the ol' B-12. That was our favorite stuff as teens after working on our cars. Cleans your hands right off.

I'm a painter and back when I was an apprentice the journeymen use to use lacquer thinner in cuts they'd get on the job. Probably not the best thing for you but it dried that thing right up and was healing by the next day.

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real easy just enough to pop the blisters then I would spray Berrymens B-12 carb cleaner over the area. Burns like hell for a few seconds but it would dry it up in a day. Probably toxic as hell but after having it as bad as I use to for days on end I didn't care I just wanted to get rid of it. Worked for me but its not for everyone.

Good luck with it.

Wes.

Wes is right...toxic as hell. At least the poison oak went away before your liver failed!

I use a combination of Tea Tree oil and witch hazel. Seems to stop the itch for a while and help dry it up. The good news..those shots should start to work their magic soon.

Kenny

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TECNU. Get the skin cleanser and the rash relief but it sounds like you may be allergic to it I have over time become more allergic. Keep Benedryl on you in case you get it out in the field and it effects your breathing, with an allergy it may get worse each time your exposed.

TECNU

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Thank God I have never had issue with poison oak or poison ivy. I really feel badly for you, I hope that stuff heals up fast it sounds like a living hell.

Doc

TECNU. Get the skin cleanser and the rash relief but it sounds like you may be allergic to it I have over time become more allergic. Keep Benedryl on you in case you get it out in the field and it effects your breathing, with an allergy it may get worse each time your exposed.

TECNU

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This is a heck of a thing to bring up after you have it, so forgive me...

But the thing that helps the most is preventive measures.

Put that Tecnu stuff on before you go - on hands neck anywhere you know from experience that you tend to get it, etc.

Always wear a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves buttoned and ALWAYS wear gloves. (turn collar up when crawling in brush)

Always make sure pants have no space down by boots, tape it if you're feeling really paranoid.

Obviously watch where you're going as best as you can although

many times it takes crawling in the brush (and poison oak), to get where you need to go.

When you get home immediately take all clothes off and let them soak in a tub that has Tecnu in the water.

While clothes are soaking go take a shower and scrub with Technu soap etc.

After a half hour of soaking, wash the detecting clothes by themselves in the washing machine (don't forget to wash

the gloves and don't forget to wipe down the detector and coil and pick you used!).

Sorry to hear of your misery, we can all relate...

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Go to your local health food store and get some of this.

http://www.oralivy.com/

Everyone in our club uses it and unless you roll in it naked or get it in cuts, this will PREVENT one from getting it in 90% of the cases. It really does work!

Now, it's a bit late for prevention and I haven't tried it since I haven't gotten poison oak since I started taking it, BUT, they claim it also speeds recovery of the symptoms. Give it a try, you've got nothing to lose at this point. Most health food stores carry it or can order it. Ordering it will take too long so hope someone has it in stock.

Digger Bob

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Interesting read from Dr Weil. I had a real bad case of Poison Ivy or Poison Oak when I came back from detecting in Llano Tx. Because I receive allergy shots monthly I went to the allergist. They gave me a steroidal Cortizone shot and Prednisone (or Prednisolone). The Dr told me to run Hot water over my arms and stated that it would be almost unbearable (the itching) but that it would reduce to a tingling then stop. He was right. It was tiching so damn bad while running the hop water on it I was jumping up and down and wanting to pee. It did ease up them didnt itch at all the whole night and I was able to sleep.

Good Luck

Bill

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Thanks guys for all the advice! I read that too about hot water as hot as you can stand. It works. I held a washcloth under hot tap water and then held it on a spot. Did that a few times and the itching gets almost unbearable and then all of a sudden stops. Then you move to a new spot. Like the guy said, it's like it's overloading the nerves and they just shut down.

But the cortisone shot sort of worked, I'm picking up a dose of cortisone pills in the morning, gotta get rid of this shit!

This is where I picked up the poison oak, took some pictures that morning. Beautiful view. Peaceful. Gold to be found...

What we won't do for our hobbies...

post-29631-0-10689600-1316657633_thumb.j

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