Is this poison oak / poison ivy (pics of my arms)

[mirecipes]

I personally don't seem to be allergic to the stuff, but I have heard that others swear by dawn dish liquid or tide detergent..Basically just get the oil off!!!

My roomate got it once and I gave him some clay (I have a kiln and potters wheel)..
He unfortunatly had been out camping that weekend (away from here) And oooh the poor guy..Guys have to ...uhm...aim....
Lets just say...be -very very- careful what you touch!!!!

 

[debilorrah]

Calamine lotion, dude. Get it quick.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Soak in a tub of Tide or Ivory Snow. It will dry out the blisters. If it spreads or is any place near your eyes, you will probably need a steriod shot.

 

[Mahonri]

Take some benedryl.

That's hives. If anyone knows, I DO!

 

[suebee]

Quote:
Yep, hives. I have a life threatening reaction if I eat: cheeseburgers

, steak

, bacon

, ribs

, etc. I went to an allergist and he confirmed I'm allergic to meat.
Oh The Humanity!

 

[Mahonri]

Starting Jan 1st of this year I became VERY allergic to peanuts, (and anything with peanut dust), green peas, some beans, (can't do chili anymore) bananas, avocados and LATEX. It's been fun to learn to do procedures with Vinyl gloves rather than the latex I've been using since 1984.

 

[suebee]

Isn't that weird it was all the sudden? I wasn't allergic to meat until I turned 40. The same time I got my first chickens. My doctor thought it was the chickens but turns out it was from eating beef or pork. I can eat chicken and fish. Wonder why some people like us get it later?

Mahonri, did you go to an allergist and check off all the items on the list they test for? They test on your back. Can't imagine what your back looked like!

 

[ChickaD]

For some folks (like me) allergy testing done on the skin may not show anything if your body doesn't react in that way. I reacted through my nervous system.

 

[Prairie Mary]

I don't know what it is but would like to give you a friendly heads up. Ticks hang out in firewood and places like that. California is endemic for lyme disease. I and many others have been disabled by misdiagnosed lyme disease. The bulls eye rash isn't always shaped like a bull's eye and many people don't get a rash at all. I don't want to scare you but unless you can difinitely determine what it is, I'd get tested. I live in WA state and travel to a lyme doctor in SF. You're lucky to live in CA. If you choose to test, IGeneX is the way to go - ELISA, although the standard lab, is notoriously inacrurate.

I can't stress enough how critically important this could be for you and your family. Honest.
ILADS.org is a great source of info. Or CALDA, the CA branch of LDA - which I'm sure you could get local help from. But feel free to contact me if you like.

I SO hope it's only poison oak. And I know how bad poison oak can be too. Oh, the experts say Technu is the best treatment for poison oak/ivy.

The best to you!
Mary Jo Gilbert
slomo86 @ comcastdotnet

 

[luvmychicknkids]

If it is poison ivy I can tell you the quickest, easiest and oh so best cure.

Rub peanut oil all over it. Seriously. It will stop itching immediately and in a day or two should be gone...or darn close. I didn't believe it until I tried it myself and it really works.