Thirteen Reason I HATE Poison Ivy
I hate poison ivy. I’m extremely allergic to it, and I currently have patches on it spread over various places on my body. I called my doctor yesterday hoping she would prescribe something over the phone to give me some relief. But no, that would be too easy.  She must see the rashes for herself. So this afternoon, I will leave work a little early to go to the doctor. I remember as a child getting poison ivy so bad that I had to miss a week of school because my eyes were swollen shut from it. Once, as an adult, my father-in-law was burning a pile of leaves that unfortunately had poison ivy in it. I got rashes from breathing the smoke - it was all inside my nose and mouth. Yes, I HATE poison ivy, and here’s why:
(1) It itches. Poison ivy has a very distinct itch. I know it well.
(2)Â It forms blisters and oozes.Â
(3) It is red.
(4) The oozing is contagious - and causes the rash to spread.
(5)Â It looks disgusting.
(6)Â It takes a long time for the rash to clear up.
(7)Â When it gets really bad, it not only itches and looks awful - it HURTS.
(8)Â It can get into my system, and then poison ivy breaks out in places where the poison ivy plant never touched.
(9)  Even though I hate it, it likes me so much that once I get it, it hangs around for WEEKS.
(10)Â The only way to get relief is to go to the doctor and get a steroid shot.
(11)Â Even with the shot, it doesn’t go away quickly.
(12) Right now it is so bad on my right arm that I will probably end up with a scar.
(13)Â I can think of absolutely NO reason for poison ivy to exist.
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April 4th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
My husband is so allergic that he now has a dark area on his arm as a scar. I used to think I was immune until one day golfing….the oil stayed on my clubs and I got again two weeks later. So I truly empathize with you. Hope you got the medicine/shot you needed today!
April 4th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
OH! You must be miserable. I hope the doctor can give you something to clear it up quickly.
April 4th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Thursday Thirteen: Easter Facts…
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Easter is a Christian Festival that celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the third day after Good Friday, the day of his crucifixion, now called Easter Sunday, He rose from the dead. Mourners went to His tomb to collect His body. How…
April 4th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Eek! After reading your list, I’m especially grateful that I’m not allergic to Poison Ivy! Hope you feel better!
April 4th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Now, I am itching all over the place. Thank. You. Very. Much!
April 4th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
I feel for you!
April 4th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
OUCH! I hate it too!
April 4th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Gosh, I hope that you feel better soon!!
April 4th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
My husband gets it bad like that too!! I hope it goes away soon.
April 4th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
is there anyone who does like poison ivy? i guess maybe the terrorist…
happy TT
April 4th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
I so feel for you, I have been in your shoes. Many times, many years ago…
April 4th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Oh, no! I’m so sorry! I hate it, but I am not allergic to it — one time it did get into my system (through my scratching.
ops: ) and was making my mouth itch. Horrible stuff. I hope you get some relief asap.
April 4th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
That is horrible! I have never had poison ivy and hearing your reaction to it I pray I never do!!! Hope you get over it soon!! And as my mom would say, “Don’t scratch!”
Happy TT!
April 4th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
That has got to suck hun. I’m lucky. I have never had poison ivy.
April 4th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Uggghhh… I know how you feel. The last time I had Poison Ivy so bad that my whole knee turned into one giant (painful) blister that would ooze down my leg every time I bent it to take a step.
And I really hate it when the doctor won’t just give you something for it.
Hope you are feeling better soon.
April 5th, 2007 at 4:41 am
April 5th, 2007 at 6:46 am
Baby..i am so sorry i passed that on to you. I definitely know the misery of it. If either of your children alergic to it, I have not heard??? Ask the doctor the rationale for the treatment they do now??
TMS: Thanks. It’s always good to have some motherly sympathy!
The doctor gave me a shot (steroid, I think) yesterday afternoon and prescribed an ointment - which the pharmacy did not have. So I have to wait till Friday afternoon to get that. I’ve had a lot more spots pop up in the past two days. Hopefully the shot will make them go away soon. Really, the only place that is awful is on my arm - and I’ve got that covered with gauze and a flesh-colored stretchy bandage - so it’s not so noticeable - especially with long sleeves.
April 5th, 2007 at 8:05 am
I’ve been lucky so far to have not run into poison ivy. I hope you get something to make it all better!
April 5th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Ow. I feel for you.
April 5th, 2007 at 9:00 am
I totally feel your pain and hatred for poison ivy! I refuse to do yard work anymore b/c I get it so bad. I also have scars on my arms from previous encounters with the evil little leaves! I always follow the steriod shot and doctor prescribed creme route but for a little relief try “Domeboro”. You should be able to get it at any pharmacy. You soak white cloths in this solution and wrap them around the poison ivy places (or take a bath in it if necessary) and it helps dry the spots up quickly. Good Luck!!!
TMS: Thanks for the recommendation. I will look for it.
April 5th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Poison ivy sucks — you don’t need 13 reasons, either - LOL!
TMS: You are SO right about that! However, since it was time for a Thursday Thirteen, and since poison ivy was on my mind (and all over my body), I wrote 13 reasons. LOL!
April 5th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
I’ve never had it…thank goodness. I know my Mother had it really bad as a child though.
:-) Susan
April 5th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
You poor thing. Poison ivy is wretched, and I agree with #13 — why does it even exist? I hope it clears up soon. Happy Easter!
April 5th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Gah…! I have had very few problems with poison ivy; and the most recent outbreak I was able to halt the spread by tying towels around my arms and hands at night. (Kept the oils from getting into my bedding, but also kept me from scratching.)
All in all, I’ll keep the epilepsy.
April 5th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
I can almost look at it and have it break out! The worse case my husband and I had was with a load of firewood his Daddy cut us many years ago. We handled it, not realizing it was covered with the stuff! It does get in your system and breaks out time to time.
Check out my Thursday Thirteen
April 6th, 2007 at 12:06 am
Poor you! hope it goes away soon… Thanks for visiting!
April 8th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
September 9th, 2007 at 11:30 am
<p>Your PI information is wrong. It is not contagious, doesn’t spread after the oil is all washed from the skin, and it does not get into your system. These are all old tales before we learned what PI actually was. It’s just a resin from the plant that your body over reacts to. Some parts of your body react slower making it seem like it’s spreading. After it’s on your body 2-3 hours it’s all absorbed all of the damage is already done..Nothing you can do. If you touched the plant then scratched your legs, face etc…That’s how it got there..Not because it spreading in your system.</p>
TMS: I’ve dealt with poison ivy for over 50 years. YOU are the one who needs to check your info. Yes, the urushiol is what causes the rash. You can spread it by touching other parts of your body - IF the oil isn’t completely washed off. If poison ivy is burned, the oil can be in the smoke and if the smoke is breathed, a person can get a rash inside the nose/mouth. For a person who is highly allergic to the urushiol, however, it can become systemic. It isn’t an old tale. I’ve experienced it myself - several times. I’ve had my own physician (a highly trained and young doctor) affirm the possibility when I expressed doubt about it. The itch of a poison ivy rash is unique and readily identified.