re-learning a painful lesson

Hi Peter,

That looks pretty bad.  It turns out that I got a bit of it as well.  Not as bad as yours but I have a little bit of a rash on my arms too.

Michael

When I was a park ranger, poison oak was a year round problem for me. I got it so often I for REAL GOOD at washing with Tecnu right away.
I suggest the scrub with pumice. (gets all the oil off and feels glorious)

Since you already have the rash, go see a doc and get cortizone or prednizone. Be sure  to continue taking the meds as directed. The rash goes away after the first day, but will come back if you stop.

I feel for you, as I have had more poison oak than I care to remember. I used to get it really bad, even by indirect contact. The worst case I ever had was when I slept on a leather couch only to find out my friends sister had taken the dog to the American River and the dog was on the couch. I missed several weeks of school over that one. I couldn't open my mouth to eat.

I've had it in about every place on the body you can imagine.  I've had it on the surface of my eyeballs, eyelids, in my ears, Yes...the family sack area too. The eyes were the worst.

I've studied a bit about poison oak and the most relevent thing to know is that everyone reacts differently. Around 10% of people never develop a reaction to the oil. Some will react the first time they come into contact with it and some take repeated exposure before they'll become sensitized. Once sensitized then typically they react every time after that. My son and brother both thought they couldn't get it until we went firewood cutting one day. They were wrong.

For what it's worth, I love a hot shower when I have poison oak. Not much else works for me.

I had at the exact thing happen to me at Bean Hollow but this several years ago.  I got in my legs when I was loading my yak for the trip home.  I now keep a sharp eye for those plants.

I'm one of the lucky ones that never had it
Tad
 

I got a terrible case of it annually for the first 10 years I lived in Bonny Doon. Lots of brush clearing after previous tenants were "keepin it natural" (being lazy). I was having to kill poison oak trees 8" thick. I got it on my face several times.

IMH experience,
It is true that the effects are cumulative. Also true that TecNu works if used right away.

I made a concerted effort to avoid it for a few years, and I've been fortunate to not have gotten a case in 2 years. It is not longer wondering if I got exposed while I am working outside, I just assume I always have been exposed to it.

Treating work clothes like toxic waste (washing them separately), and washing yourself in a cool shower with lots of good soap, and paying extra special attention to your hands has worked for me so far.

You have my sympathies OBK.

 Jim, sounds like it may have been cosmic payback for something....but I still winced reading your tale you dawg! I am never looking into your gear bag!

Been there.  Now I keep a bottle of liquid dishsoap like Dawn in the shower, and I use it as soon as I get home if there's any chance I touched it.  Can't say it's 100% effective, but since then my outbreaks have been contained to just tiny spots.  I used to get it everywhere.

Used to get it plenty when I was a kid, but haven't had it in many years.  Do remember one time in Highscool that I contracted it, and somehow it ended up on my fruit   Man, all I can say is be careful what you itch! 

Never thought of it a cumulative... Growing up in SC I recall the belief being the opposite?  There are many people I have heard claim they never get it, regardless of exposure. Are some people actually immune or just lucky??  I'm so paranoid about it while hiking in the woods, its like I have to look at every leaf to be sure i'm not going to brush up against some! 

Never thought of it a cumulative... Growing up in SC I recall the belief being the opposite?  There are many people I have heard claim they never get it, regardless of exposure. Are some people actually immune or just lucky?? 

Yep, if you get it often the oil ends up in your system and you can get systemic outbreaks without touching a plant. Fortunately it disperses at about the same rate as it accrues. I got systemic cases in the summer after I quit all yard work. But after that the cases were less and less, and I haven't had it in 2 years. For me it was heat that brought it on, I'd get  breakouts during heatwaves or if I tried to lay out in the sun.

Folks who say they are immune may be, but they can lose the "immunity" if they experience metabolic changes etc, like as you get older. My sister in law never got it all throughout her life (and she camps and flyfishes a lot) until around the time she hit 40. She got a wicked case a couple years back, because she had gotten used to disregarding the evil, evil oak.

My dad is immune, apparently.  He's never had it, but my grandma used to get it from doing his laundry when he was a kid.

B T Scratched T !!   i avoid that plant like the plague......good to know/learn about the Tecnu = i need some of that.

aren't poison ivy/ oak specifically marked at some parks if not all? 

aren't poison ivy/ oak specifically marked at some parks if not all?

No, not at all, In California it's so pervasive that they'd have to mark just about everywhere,

I've never used the Tecnu, but will be getting some for the camping pack,

For severe cases, large doses of benadryl at bedtime makes sleeping possible, and Prednisone is truly a wonder drug.

aren't poison ivy/ oak specifically marked at some parks if not all?

LOl. I've never seen more than a warning sign at the places I've been. I wish it were that easy. That stuff is literally everywhere.

Groups of three, let it be!!!