Poison Ivy... how much longer?? - Skin Problems Message Board

ladyofkypros · 04-13-2007, 08:51 AM

I got into poison ivy almost 3 weeks ago... and been in hell ever since. I've used Technu, Zanafel, IvyDry, Alchohol, Peroxide, Caladryl, Benadryl and god knows what else. I called the doctor after the first 10 days, because I kept getting new eruptions and they called in a 6 day pack of oral steroids (not Prednisone) and that helped a little, but the night after I took my last dose, I errupted all over my chest, stomach and butt. So, I went to the doctor the next day and she gave me shot in my butt (a combo of two different steroids) that REALLY HURT! She also has me taking Prednisone on a daily basis...tapering off for the next several days and I see an improvement, but I still look like a freak of nature. I have palm size spots on my leg that looks like it's just spread out under my skin and looks like nothing I've ever seen before. The itching is subsiding, but does anyone know how long it will take for all of these lesions to heal? I tell ya, I will NEVER complain about a zit again!

fotofox · 07-02-2007, 09:01 AM

So how long did it last?

I'm on day 15, I don't feel like its getting any better but I hope it is. I'm going insane! The back of my thighs sound like what you've described. Although now they are all dried out and I'm peeling as if I had a sunburn. Is that normal?

wakkochic17 · 07-02-2007, 11:47 AM

if they are drying out that is a good sign.. I had it really bad a few years back.. it took 2 days for the first bumps to even appear.. and it was 10 days after that which it peaked and then started healing.. it was at least 2-3 weeks before I was really relieved of it all.

fluffy30000 · 08-27-2007, 10:57 AM

Hi,

I feel so sorry for you because I know what you are going through. When I was younger, I lived in California and used to get Poison Oak a lot. I used to get it whenever there was a forest fire and the burning fumes of the poison oak was in the air! One summer before 7th grade I spent my entire summer trying to get over the worst case of poison oak I ever had. It ended up covering my entire body! I couldn't see or eat and had to suck things through a straw while my mouth cracked and oozed with the movement. That entire summer I basically laid there crying it was so miserable until it all ran its courses. I had to wrap towels around my arms and legs to keep the juice from spreading it further. It was horrible! Nothing helped, I'm sorry to say, no lotions, or anything the doctor gave me worked. As long as it is oozing it just keeps on spreading. My parents used to take me to the ocean so I could soak in the salt water for relief. Prior to getting it this bad I had had it off and on for years. The doctor ended up putting me on poison oak extract drops to try to immunize me from it. Well, that didn't work. Even though I was not even around poison oak the drops broke me out! Then I got the summer episode and picked the last scabs off the day before school started. I guess I kind of grew out of it over the years, or maybe it's just that I don't live in California anymore so am not in an environment that produces the situations that produce the breakouts. My mom would put anything on it that she could think of that would have a drying effect and even tried tide soap (dry kind), nothing worked. So, this was my experience with poison oak and all I can say, is just try to stay away from it as much as possible and stay away from dogs or cats that could have rubbed up against a plant. I used to get it that way too.