Poison Oak...

S

Stainz

Joined
Jun 24, 2007
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Well, it started two weeks ago Thursday - as I returned home from the range - the A/C was running - and the house was hot. Freon was heard escaping from a power feedthrough on my compressor - toast-city. Well, 36+ year old gas furnace - another A/C - may as well 'upgrade'. In with a heat pump with a gas furnace 'piggy-back' - out with $6k. Gone were my planned Gulf Shores vacation trip, also partially due to our Ruskie-named hurricane. I had to watch - supervise - as the replacement was carried out - didn't notice that the monkey grass had some new 'friends' - with three leaves.

Friday evening - that previous night in the deep south less A/C, which I never had as a kid, was enough - my wife said "Do you know what that twig in your shoe is? Poison oak!". By Saturday AM, I was miserable. She, of course, isn't bothered... I may just be allergic to air.

A couple of days trying to contend with it - an early AM run for Calamine lotion, which I practically bathed in, didn't help much. It was 5:30 PM - the doc-in-the-box up the street closed in minutes - I filled the paperwork out, got a steroid shot, Rx for two steroid packs and a cream, paid, and was home in an hour. A week later, I still look like a leper, can't take sun exposure, still want to scratch my hide off, constantly want to eat & drink, etc. Bedsheets, socks, chairs I sit in, desk surface, shoes, you name it, continual cleaning - clorox wipes out the kazoo.

My question is simple... what if this had happened on a camping trip... or in a 'survival' situation?? The answer is simple... anything with trios of leaves should be avoided. Also, a quick inspection of my yard shows that it is everywhere! Sure, I found a twig in the backyard last summer, but I got it with a brush spray... or was it a growth accelerator? Seriously, what a horrible thing to 'catch' at any age... real problem, if you are in the boonies... be careful!

Stainz
 
Stainz said:
My question is simple... what if this had happened on a camping trip... or in a 'survival' situation??
Click to expand...
Not sure it would help for that particular problem but it is generally advised to carry antihistamines in your medkit.

Edit:
After a quick research, antihistamines apparently don't work with poison oak.
 
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I have a ton of poison oak in the local canyons. The hills burn every year, but the fire never seems to get down deep into the canyons to clean out the years old growth of poison oak. So, it just gets deeper and deeper. If I could go out there with a flame thrower, I would do it....
 
I can't seem to get it :)..but I really feel bad for people that can. My cousin is allergic too it, and it isn't a pretty site
 
Yeah that stuff really can ruin a day. I use to get it real bad as a kid(poison Ivy, Poison Sumac, no poison oak up here. same crap). I use to swell up to the point you couldn't recognise me. Now if I do come in contact it doesn't seam to be bad at all. I gues my body has grown somewhat imune to it over time. If you have access to a pool, take a soaking. The chlorine seams to dry it up well. Wash your clothes thoroughly, if the urishoil is still on your clothes, you will just keep getting it.
 
I got it a few months a go. IT was all over my arms and face.
My face was all puffed up and I finally went to the doc.
The drugs cleared it up right away. Next time I'm going straight to the doc.
 
I HATE POISON OAK I HATE POISON OAK. As was mentioned before its all over the place cant get away from it. It seems that every nice shady spot where you want to rest from the sun has Poison Oak. I do geocaching and passed many caches cause i didnt want to get close to it. Im very alergic to it and nothing helps. I found that after i get it the only relief i get is standing under, Realy hot water it makes the itch go away for a few hours.
Msiley What drugs did the Doc gave you???? I dont like to take anything but i would do for this.. Yes i realy had it bad last time.

Sasha
 
My dad is so allergic to it he can catch it from the smoke if it burns. I haven't had much trouble with it (luckily!). I would say if you got exposed in a survival situation, try to find some water and get submerged. Get as much of the oils off your skin and clothes as possible ASAP.
 
Poison oak, ivy, sumac?..... look up jewelweed(touch-me-nots) nature's cure for those nasties and conveniently enough they grow in the same areas.

This will humble ANY made-made chemical/drug concoction....

Plantain and virginia creeper can help ease the symptoms.... but jewelweed neutralizes(the easiest way to explain it) the oils (urishol?) in these vicious little buggars. Can be used as a preventative, too.

Rick
 
My friends like Zanfel. They say that the CVS Pharmacy generic version (less than half the cost) works just as well for them.

I know some guys who successfully use a "barrier method" lotion before hikes. I'll try to get the name.

DancesWithKnives
 
As Magnussen mentioned, Jewel weed will neutralize the oil (Urishiol) found in all three poisons; oak, ivy and sumac. Here in the NE, we mainly worry about poison ivy. You can usually, not always, find jewel weed near poison ivy. It has translucent stems and a lot of fluid in them. They also have orange colored flowers at times that aid in identifying them.

I haven't heard of them used after the oils have taken effect on a persons skin but I am pretty certain it may provide only a little relief in feeling cool but nothing that will actually end it or cure it. As DWK2 mentioned, Zanafel is the best thing I've used in years to treat the itchyness. It has a mild abrasive that scratches the skin when applied and helps the medication seep down into the skin. Great stuff!
 
It does cure it long after the break-out sets in, Kevin. I see it all the time around here. I was a trail trimmer for Parks Canada and ran into the ill effects o poison ivy regularly. After discovering Jewelweed I've been rash free for 3yrs and the maintanence staff swear by it! Last year I noticed a rash on my neighbor's son's neck.... he had it for 4weeks and it was all oozy...... The doctors gave him cortizone cream and calimine with no effect.... 4days after applying JW a couple times a day he had ooze-free, fresh pink skin and within 2weeks you could hardly notice it.

I haven't seen this Zanafel stuff yet.... but I'll definately check it out. The problem with jewelweed is that its only above the ground during the summer months. You can make a tea out of it and freeze it.... but I'm not sure how well it keeps, frozen.
 
I'll have to try it after the fact next time. Thank you for the input. The Zanafel product is readily available and can be used 365 days a year. Check it out, you won't be sorry.
 
Here's a pic f the good guy.

Jewel weed
survivaltrip126.jpg
 
Yes..... thats it!

It is also identified by its segmented stalk(almost looks like knuckles and shallow redish roots... they will grow in the wetter areas often in close proximity to PI, PO and Sumac.
 
My skin damage on my ankles, lower legs, behind the knees, and around my waist (From pulling my britches up!) was significant by the time I gave in and went to the doc-in-the-box. They never oozed - just made raised whelps - like chemical burns. I guess it's an age thing, too - everything takes longer now to recover from - the stinking yellow jacket stings of a month back were miserable. I hit 60 this summer... maybe I need to camp in a Holiday Inn Express...

I got a steroid shot - and two 4mg methylprednisone (steroid) 'kits' - started two days later with 6 - 6 - 5 - 5 and so on of the pills until gone. Also a refillable triamcinolon .1% cream for the skin damage. No further 'infection' since the first day's worth. We cleaned/chloroxed everything. I seem sun-sensitive - it came 'alive', itch wise and redness, after being in the sun yesterday at the range - and today when I mowed the grass (I stayed out of the backyard!).

Anyone know where I can get some 'Agent Orange' for my backyard? To think, I practiced my camping in my wooded backyard last spring. I may pave it...

Stainz
 
We get into PI every year. I think I'm going to order Jewelweed seed seed for next year and plant it just to have some growing around the yard somewhere. I can never find it when I really need it. Besides, it is not an unattractive plant IMO. The only problem is it is an annual and the seeds take 2 years to germinate. If I can get some going really good to create a patch, maybe they'll self sow.
 
tonym said:
Here's a pic f the good guy.

Jewel weed
survivaltrip126.jpg
Click to expand...

That's Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). There's also a Pale Jewelweed (I. pallida) which has a yellow flower. Whether they both work, I don't know - I've never had Poison Ivy (yet).

They are also edible plants with some cautions (never tried it though).

Doc
 
Perhaps not as effective as jewelweed, but if you know you been exposed giving your self a thorough scrub down with ivory soap and one of those bathroom scrubby brushes really helps. The high alkalinity of ivory will breakdown any exposed oil and prevent it from infecting your partner.

9/10 times I get poison ivy - it is from my wife passing it off to me by rubbing her legs on mine in bed....I'm sensible with long pants....She likes wearing shorts and sandals :(
 
Here's the yella fella, not the best pic as it's growing amongst other stuff.

plants022.jpg
 
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