Ugghhhh! Poor Me! - vent and pity party.

MommyToAshley wrote: Somehow I managed to get poison ivy... again. I haven't been near any, I am very sensitive to it so I know what it looks like and avoid it. I think I could get it from 10 miles away. Who knows, maybe I was near someone or something that came in contact with it?

Anyways, I had to get a shot, some creme and some pills to take. I have a bad systemic reaction to the oil in ivy. I know they say that poison ivy isn't contageous at this stage (the blistering stage) because the oils are usually gone, but I am not taking any chances of passing it to Ashley so I am wearing a long sleeve shirt and long pants right now, which means I am staying inside in the ac. It looks so beautiful outside, why couldn't it be raining so I don't feel so bad.

Ok, enough of my pity party... thanks for listening to me vent while I itch.

redchief replied: Awww sorry. BTW, you don't have to torture yourself by wearing long sleeves, etc. Once you wash with soap and water, the oils you're allergic to are gone and all that's left is the miserable rash and blisters that are the trademark of poison ivy.

I used to get it like that. About 10 years ago I was fighting a fire with lots of poison ivy in it and inhaled the oil laden smoke. I had blisters in my trachea and throat. It was quite awful. But now I'm no longer sensitive to it. NO, I'm not recommending that... just adding a little anecdote to your misery. Hope you're feeling better soon.

MissyKay2005 replied: Awwww I hope it goes away soon! And close your windows so you can't see the niceness of the outdoors. lol

A&A'smommy replied: awww that sucks!!! I use to be that way but after I got pregnant I wasn't anymore anyway I hope it stops itching soon!!

MommyToAshley replied: Thanks all for your good wishes.



OMG Ed, that sounds aweful. That must have been horrible. I guess I should consider myself lucky since it could be worse. I am glad you aren't sensitive to it any more though. I seem to be getting more and more sensitive to it each time I get it.

Thanks for the tips. I know you're right and I shouldn't have to wear the long sleeves, it's a mental thing I suppose... it just looks contageous. And besides, Ashley likes to climb all over me so I am kind of protecting the affected area from her as well.

kimberley replied: oh no! that really sucks. hope you feel better soon

JessC replied: Ohhh that sucks!!! Put that special kinda lotion, my brother has poison ivy right now too!

mummy2girls replied: That sucks!!!!!!! lets hope it goes away soon. and i will send the rain fairy your way

mckayleesmom replied: sorry....hope you feel better soon.

TeagansMom609 replied: Im sorry you have poison ivy. Its awful! I used to get it EVERY summer when we lived in a more woodsy area. We also had 4 cats who would go outside and play in the bushes, and then I would pet them and end up getting poison ivy. The cats got the oils on their fur, then I would get it. Luckily, we moved and I no longer have cats. Do you have outside pets? Maybe thats how you got it? I used to get it so bad I would have to take steroids to make it go away.

Also, I dont suggest using the lotion, I honestly think it just ends up putting moisture into the rash which doesnt help dry it up. I used to put alcohol on my rashes over and over all day and it helped. Dry it up, thats the trick!

amymom replied: I used to get poison ivy all the time. But have not in many, many years. I thought I was just more careful but.......

..... maybe this is why

The last time I had poison ivy, I got it by weeding and then burning all the weeds. Yup you guessed it --- poison ivy was in those weeds. I had it in my throat and trachea too! And so many other places that I do not want to mention. Not recommended at all!!!!!
However, maybe some kind of cure can be discovered from this info?!?!?

luvbug00 replied: Brad has it too! I had it a long time ago with chicken pox!! The blisters were huge and all over my body. I hope you feel better.

iluvmysweetiepies replied: Oww! I hope it goes away soon!!

ediep replied: oh no!!!! I hope it goes away soon!!!

b&bsmom replied: So sorry to hear it. Hoping it will be better soon. Understand the mental thing. Guess it is better to be safe then sorry. Feel better soon.

My2Beauties replied: Oh Dee Dee that is the pits! Brin got poison Ivy so bad last year, it was awful, he looked miserable. My dad got it so bad one time, he was cutting down a small tree in his backyard and the branches were sort of cutting him on his arm as he cut on them and the poison Ivy got down in his cuts! Yep he got it in his bloodstream. He broke out so bad and he got swollen and it was just awful, he had to get shots and everything! He was miserable. I sympathize hon, I hope it goes away soon!

redchief replied:
My allergist said that reactions like poison ivy are similar to other contact and respiratory allergies. He said there are basically two treatments for allergens:

1. And most effective: long term exposure to the allergen to "trick" the body into reacting less to it.

2. Treat the symptoms (cortizone creams and steroid inhalants; brochiodilaters for accute respiratory symptoms).

He says most likely what happened to me was that I got such a massive exposure in an area where it couldn't be removed with soap and water that my body's immune system simply isn't overwhelmed by contact with it any longer. That led to the next obvious question; why not do that with all allergens? His answer was that the medical community feels it's too dangerous to "play" with the body's immune system like that, citing the unpredictability if each person's allergic response. In other words, he said I was (as you were) lucky I didn't go into anaphalaxis and die.

DansMom replied:
Uggh, Dee Dee---I'm itching just reading your story! So sorry for you!

coasterqueen replied: Yikes Dee Dee! Hope you get rid of it soon.

3xsthefun replied: Oh, no! I hope it goes away soon!

I use to get it alot as a kid, but now I don't get it nearly as bad. Whenever I got it we put some kind of pink stuff on it, can't even remember what it was. We also put rubbing alcohol on it.

Kaitlin'smom replied: eeekk I have never (knocking on wood) had poision Ivy so Ihave no clue how bad it can be but the itiching does not sound like fun. I hope it clears soon. Oh I have seen it and I too probably woudl wear long shirts and pants just to keep from looking at it and protect it.

amynicole21 replied:
That happened to me with poison oak when I was little! It was EVERYWHERE because of the smoke, but luckily not in my mouth... very luck I guess.

So sorry you are suffering, Dee Dee! I hope you heal quickly.