It itches worse than you can imagine

[tsaiko]

Often when something happens in my life (a cold, train ride, visits to another country, etc.), I'm tempted to write down my impression of it to use later for stories.

This is not one of those times. I would not wish this on my worst enemy much less one of my characters. On the rare occasion I come across an author using this as a plot point, I'm going to think "Low blow, author. Low blow."

What event am I talking about?

Coming into contact with poison oak/ivy/sumac and not realizing it in time to wash it off.

I now have a line of raised blisters on my arm and a rash around them that itches worse than anything I have ever encountered. I have had to trim my fingernails back because when I wake up in the morning/middle of the night it's to discover myself scratching frantically at my arm in my sleep. I have every anti-itch remedy I can fine in this house, and it still doesn't completely stop the itch. The blisters are nasty looking and if they pop, they weep and crust over. It's disgusting, but more than anything, it's itchy.

I'm not even 100% sure what I came into contact with. The entire back slope is a mess of vines and weeds. I'm pretty sure it's not poison ivy: I can instantly recognize that. Poison sumac is more shrub like than most of what we have back there. My guess is poison oak, which would be hard to distinguish from all the oak saplings and trees.

And of course, I discovered that I didn't immediately break out so I could then go wash it off. Oh no. My skin started itching and blistering almost 10 hours after I came in contact when the urushiol had had time to be absorbed. Hence the nice blisters. From what I've read on-line, the rash can continue to erupt up to 7 days after it first appears. This started Thursday. ;_;

Then again, maybe I can use this. Only instead of poison ivy, maybe I can give my characters silver poisoning or something. Because I guarantee after this, I'm not even going to want to hear the word poison ivy/oak/sumac for a long, long time.

Comments

[mechante-fille.livejournal.com]

I weeded a neighbor's ground cover once. I was out there all day, my mom helped me finish for a short while. I'd gotten some scratches on my arm, so I washed it and wiped it down with peroxide. I got one tiny, tiny blister. My mom... she was covered nearly head to toe in blisters. She ended up taking predinisone to calm it down and control the itch. And now she has too be very careful, because after a case that bad, she could get a rash just from walking by poison whatever.

*pets* Good luck with your arm, and avoiding whatever it was in the future (elbow length gloves, maybe?) and go to the doctor if it gets unbearable.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

If you are able to wash the oils off within an hour, you can avoid the itch. Otherwise not. Also you don't need to contact the leaves. bare sticks are enough. (Future ref.)

[tsaiko.livejournal.com]

I know. I wish I had known I'd come in contact with it because I've had allergic reaction before and gotten the sap/oil off before it blistered. This is what happened when I found out I was allergic to morning glory sap. I noticed the angry red lines on my skin and immediately washed it off.

I will keep in mind that even the twigs will cause issues. I have the feeling I'm going to be working on the back slope in long sleeves from now on.

[flamebyrd]

I've had two sustained allergic reactions in my life (not entirely sure what from - they were in two completely different parts of the country, but could have be caused by the sunscreen) and it was awful. Even steroids couldn't eradicate the itching. For two weeks.

Which is to say, ugh, I know your pain, and I hope it clears up as soon as possible... and take lots of cold showers. (Ice packs? Mine was over two arms and my chest, but if it's a small area, maybe?)

[tsaiko.livejournal.com]

It is a small area (it just showed up on one arm in the area between my gloves and the sleeves of my shirt). Ice packs are my friend.

If this was any larger, I'd go crazy. I can't even imagine an itch/rash like this covering both arms and my chest. D:

[flamebyrd]

Well, I've never had poison ivy/sumac/oak, so I don't know how it compares. But... *shudders* I didn't wear sunscreen for 2 years after the last incident. And now I use hypoallergenic.

[skyknyt.livejournal.com]

This might just be a folk placebo, but every time I got exposed to poison oak a good scrub-down with fels-naptha soap cleared it up relatively quickly.

Of course, it could just be the act of scrubbing it down that's incredibly satisfying.