Poison Ivy anyone?

[StareNorthSteve]

After the wind storm, we (the family) found that we picked up a bit of poison ivy. My 8-year old daughter, who is very allergic, has broke out all over her legs and even on her face...it's really quite awful. And the poor girl had to go to picture day at school with it.

Yesterday I heard someone mention that 16 people came down with it after being outside, watching a football game during the wind storm.

Did anyone else come down with it after leaving the festival?

[Scotsman]

Not me ... but I can see how it could happen. There was all kinds of crap blowing around out there!

[Lady Mikayla of Phoenicia]

I hear Preparation H applied to affected areas is a help to the rash. 

[Ratman and Bobin]

Hmm..........now that you mention it....I (Bobin) got exposed to some poison ivy also, and the only explination is the wind.  Who would have ever thunk it!  We feel so sorry for your beautiful young lady, not fun to have it, expecially on picture day.  Dang that poison anyhow!!   
Cheers,
Ratman & Bobin

[jinx]

Yay!  I was beginning to wonder how I'd gotten it, especially on my legs, since I always wear pants, and on the top of my chest since I rarely wear anything but t-shirts.  See, I started out thinking "Man, how did I get so many bug-bites on the backs of my knees?"  Then the "bug bites" kept spreading.  Down my legs, on my arms, and up my neck.  That's when I started looking at the place of origin.  "Those aren't bug bites!  That's poison ivy or oak or something!"  So, I thought I had maybe picked it up at the castle somewhere...I'll get poison ivy if I'm in a 100-yard radius of it, and there's lots of wooded area there.  So I just chalked it up to bad luck.  XD  But if other people were at Faire in the windstorm, and especially those who weren't at the castle, well, -there- would be my explanation!  Now, if only I could get rid of the dratted stuff.  XD  I put some of that Benedryl stuff in the pen thing on it to stop the itching....OOPS.  Big mistake.  I'm somewhat allergic to benedryl (odd, I know).  I didn't think that a topical kind could put me in hives, but it did.  >.<  I hallucinate if I take the pills.  I was too itchy to think logically though, so I just made my itching worse for a few hours 'til my actual medicine kicked in.

[Ragna]

lots and lots of folks got poison ivy from the wind blowing foilage with the oil on it.  If we were still at faire I'd suggest crushing some jewelweed (its all over the site) and rubbing it on your exposed parts takes the itching away and if you get it soon enough can even counteract the poison ivy oils before the rash even begins.  Where ever there is poison ivy, oak, sumac and stinging nettles you're going to find jewelweed which is natures remedy to the stuff. 

but now that we're all home, except for using on the face, I use a 1:2 dilution of bleach and water dabbed on with a cotton ball, oatmeal bathes, and pastes of cornstarch can work too.  None, save the bleach, are as quick as our modern Calamine lotions and Benadryl but they do work well especially if you want to avoid medications.

The winds seemed to stir up the buggaboos as well and I've heard of people with chiggers and a plethra of 'squito bites as well.

Hope all afflicted find comfort in some way soon.  That stuff is enough to drive any one batty!

[Lady Nicolette]

I was lucky enough not to get it, but usually I'm quite susceptible, even a distant view of it can start raising welts.  I once did get it from some being burned at Bidwell State Park in Chico, CA (where they filmed the original Robin Hood).  My face swelled up like a pumpkin and I had to visit the ER.  It's no laughing matter, I feel your itch!

[CapnFayeCutler]

Ohhhhhhhh yeah I got it bad! Well I hate to hear that I'm not the only one who got it.... I figured as soon as I looked at some of the leafy bits that landed on me that I was in trouble. In fact I remember mentioning at least one "Ohhhhhhhh crap".

[mehan]

Although this majorly sucks - I have to admit, I am happy to figure out what it is the hubby and I have been suffering from.  Neither one of us is "super allergic" but we both ended up with blister like rashes.  I have been harboring fears that it was bedbugs from the hotel!  The "ick" factor of poison ivy is MUCH easier to deal with than that!

[Painted Lady]

The Green Plague. 

I feel for the suffering. Ohio poison ivy is evil.

Ragna, Thanks for the remedy. It probably works for fire ant bites too. Although I doubt it grows freely in this scrubland.

http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Jewelweed.html

[Synikul]

Are you all sure it's poison ivy? Since the wind, our booth has been infested with chiggers. I'm going down there tomorrow night with an indoor bug fogger to get rid of them.

[Bugsy]

My kids dad did.  But he wasn't at the faire, he got it (ironically, the same day as the invasion) while we were at a park.

It was odd too, just a couple spots on his face.

[Ragna]

I make a tincture of jewelweed for regular use.  I gather the jewelweed from the back of the booth (its always there in abundance when we move in), crush the leaves, stems, flowers and let them steep in vodka (I know, I know, Larry swears its alcohol abuse) for several days.  The mixture turns a pretty shade of orange when "done."  I keep it in the fridge for up to about a month (longer would be okay), works great for the green plague, bug bites and such.  I even use it on the dogs when they get mosquito bites.  

I don't know how it would work on chiggers but it couldn't hurt to give it a go and see if it works.  I'll put it on my list of things to bring this weekend, Ember can try it and see if it helps.

[Nailin]

Your poor baby i hope she didn't get it near her eyes - i too am very allergic to it and know how much it hurts - oatmeal baths as crazy as it sounds are very soothing and of course you've got the standard evil pink potion - hope she feels better :0)

[filip]

lots and lots of folks got poison ivy from the wind blowing foilage with the oil on it.  If we were still at faire I'd suggest crushing some jewelweed (its all over the site) and rubbing it on your exposed parts takes the itching away and if you get it soon enough can even counteract the poison ivy oils before the rash even begins.  Where ever there is poison ivy, oak, sumac and stinging nettles you're going to find jewelweed which is natures remedy to the stuff. 

Ive had issues with poison ivy several times through the years and I have a really bad reaction to it. The best thing ive found is a product that Tecnu makes. It is a cream that you shower with. It is by far the most effective thing I have used to counteract poison ivy and is available at most walgreens/cvs/insert local drug store here.

http://www.tecnuextreme.com/

other than that, I think bleach is one of the more effective ways to control it.

[CapnFayeCutler]

Looking at the bumps and where they're located on me, I'm starting to think that it's not poison ivy at all. Someone said something about chiggers and now that I look...they do look more like chigger bites. Either way...I'm still covered in calamine and taking benadryl and it's been what...almost two weeks? Ugh. Someone please duct tape my hands inside of oven mitts so I stop scratching!


Arg...apparently not chigger bites afterall. I had to ask my former farmer boy dad. LOL

[Lady Pagos]

clear nailpolish is the only thing that has worked for me for chigger bites.

[ragtimegal]

i got the poison ivy really bad... worse part... i live on site and cant get away from it!