<p>Hey guys any of u have had a severe case of poison ivy this summer or anytime before?</p>
<p>I got mine two weeks ago and its killing me, first my face swelled up so bad i could barely see, then it spread to my neck and as soon as my face seemed to clear up, it spread to my chest and stomach and arms. </p>
<p>THis is horrible, anybody feel my pain? THis is ruining my summer cause i cant go anywhere until it reasonably clears up and it makes me look horrid. </p>
<p>Anyone know why the poison ivy keeps spreading to others areas even when other parts seem to clear up and how long does it spread for???</p>
<p>I had some a little while ago. I feel your pain man (but mine wasn't as bad as yours).</p>
<p>Okay, it spreads because the oils that cause it are spead when you scratch. The best way to stop it is to get some ivy medicine (availibile at most stores lke Wal mart) and apply it to the areas where it itches. Check to make sure it has calamine in it. That should stop the itching for a few hours at a time. then just wait for it to go away, which should take 1-4 weeks. How did you get it?</p>
<p>I went to the dermatologist today and he said also that oils are spread when u scratch. I have so much on my body now its covering like almost half of it becausee i didnt know about the scratching!</p>
<p>Any tips/suggestions on how to avoid scratching completely esp during the nighttime. Im going to use a special cream thing and benedol or whatever its called, but anyone have any good suggestions on physically restraining my fingers/hand from scratching and spreading?</p>
<p>Poison Ivy and I have a hate/hate relationship. A few years back I went hiking and must have gotten it all over my face because my face swelled up (like yours) and I had to go to the emergency room it was so bad! I looked like the Elephant Man! I don't remember how long it took to clear up but it was awhile. </p>
<p>The oil that the doctor says keeps spreading is the urushiol oil. The oil can live on your skin, your clothing, just about anywhere for 1-5 years. Specimens of urushiol several centuries old have found to cause dermatitis in sensitive people. Once it makes contact with your skin if you don't get it off within something like 2 minutes it will affect you and it's almost too late to do anything about it. You can minimize spreading it by getting rid of the oil. </p>
<p>Go to CVS or something and buy this product called Tecnu. They're the only brand I've used that will actually kill this d*mn oil. Wash all your clothes in it (ALL your clothes, including the sheets your sleep on, pillow cases, even couch cases you've lounged on because the oil might have accidentally been transferred) remember - it doesn't DIE or become ineffective for YEARS! Wash your body with the body stuff Tecnu provides and you're on your way to a full recovery.</p>
<p>Please heed my warnings if you want to kill it - people have been known to get poison ivy years after hiking just by touching their unwashed hiking gear. That oil is my nemesis. Grrr.</p>
<p>This is a myth: Poison Ivy rash is contagious.<br>
Reality: Rubbing the rashes won't spread poison ivy to other parts of your body (or to another person). You spread the rash only if urushiol oil -- the sticky, resinlike substance that causes the rash -- has been left on your hands.</p>
<p>This is a myth: Breaking the blisters releases urushiol oil that can spread Reality: Not true. But your wounds can become infected and you may make the scarring worse. In very extreme cases, excessive fluid may need to be withdrawn by a doctor.</p>
<p>If your doctor is telling you that by scratching it you're causing it to spread then you need to find a new doctor or at least school him to the evil ways of the urushiol oil. </p>
<p>Below is just one source you can look at for more information but there are plenty more. Very easy for a doctor to simply google it rather than feed you myths he learned when he was a kid. </p>
<p>i really appreciate ur help smiledarling, these past few weeks have been absoultely horrid. </p>
<p>Its so weird because every site I go to it says u cant spread it by scratching but it just seems like evereytime I scratch, new patches always appear. I went to a two different dermatologists and they said u can definatly spread it by scratching. I would sure hope not, but it just seems too true because i dont know how everynight (only time i unconsciously scratch) new scratch line marking of spreading ivy appear. This is so horrible and weird at the same time. </p>
<p>Every web site that is authoritve tells me that this is a myth, yet i dont know how else I could keep getting huge new areas of ivy almost every night, spreading faster than its healing, even when i have washed almost eveyrhitng in my house that could have been contaminated. I also wash my clothes and bedsheets compeltely with detergent everyday so this cant be why. I have been washing my hands everytime i touch something because i have become so paranoia about all this. </p>
<p>I have become so desperate, but all of your suggestions are really helping.</p>
<p>Hey dank08 btw yeah i went to three different doctors overall in the past 2 weeks, and the first tiem i went they gave me a injecton type shot and prescribed me the steriod pills. After two days i went to another doctor and he gave me more compacted pills so the length taken would not be forteen days but eight but more stronger. Is eight day course not long enough, it is very strong stuff though. I went again to the dermatologist today which is about 9 days from the second doctor's visit and he was the one who told me about the scratching and thats why it keeps spreading.</p>
<p>As far as scratching in your sleep goes, get some cotton gloves at the drugstore. Years ago I had poison ivy for a whole summer and it was AWFUL! I don't know but it sure did seem like the scratching made it spread since I washed everything- sheets, socks, towels, clothes, you name it, I was washing it on a daily basis. I ended up sitting in the sun with dishwashing detergent spread on my legs for 30-40 minutes at a time to help dry out the areas. Ok, I was far from home and poor to boot from buying up all that laundry detergent, but I thought it seemed to help me. And I used every bottle of calamine lotion I could get my hands on.</p>
<p>I didn't see that you have already been down this route. If it didn't do the job the first time around, forget my suggestion and make sure your doctors (since you have seen more than one) knows the full history (everything you have taken).</p>