OK Guys - how to get rid of poison oak?

SheBeFishin · 10-23-2001, 12:57 PM

I have a mighty hunter at home. Like most of you he goes off in all directions in search of the great elk or deer or what ever the season is at the time. ( By the way - he got his first elk with a bow this year) But never the less he leaves me a big pile of laundry to do when he gets home. And it never fails that if he's romping through poison oak, I get it. I dont just get alittle, I GET IT ALL OVER! I try to take precations (like washing the cloths with Technu, or washing me in Technu ) But it never fails.

So here is my question - What is your secret for not getting poison oak (if you get it at all) and how do i get rid of it once i have it. any help would be greatful. (I have it now [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

bigshark · 10-23-2001, 01:25 PM

Dear SheBE
You are a good wife to tackle the problem,
knowing what will happen. The oil from the schrub gets on the clothing and you make contact with it. The best way not to get it is to treat each piece of clothing as if it is contaminated. Get it washed asap and pick it up with gloves or a stick, just don't touch it. Using a strong detergent and a little ammonia or something else to cut oil will help....I usually wash the same load a second time without taking it out of the machine. To get rid of it after you have already gotten it....go straight to the family doctor or call him if he knows you well and tell him you need the percription
for the **** poison oak treatment. This is usually a 5 day cortizone treatment. If you are very severely infected(eyes)etc. don't fool around, this can be dangerous. The doc can jump start the treatment with a cortizone
injection which gets the stuff quicker.

I have fought this battle for many years and
as the dummy who brings it home to the rest of the family I believe this is the best way to get rid of it. It is usually gone in four
to five days but the blistering may stop in one to two days.....I hope this helps [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

bigshark · 10-23-2001, 01:39 PM

SheBe
I don't know what the asterisks are for, I did't use a bad word. Anyway, please don't take this stuff lightly....It can get into the blood steam and spread. The topical lotions do nothing really helpful. Don't waste your money and time. Only the doc can
get it gone in a hurry.

CAGEY · 10-23-2001, 01:54 PM

When your little hunter comes home have a wash tub or something simular filled with hot soapy water. His clothes go from him straight into the water.(you do not handle them except with a pair of rubber gloves. Let them soak for several days and this will break down the oils. Then dump the water out and fill with fresh water and a real harsh laundry soap, soak again. Then dump, rinse and into the washer on hot and let the little monsters go down the drain, works everytime if you follow the procedure.

SeanD · 10-23-2001, 05:11 PM

I get poison oak about once a year and when i get it it always seems to get into my blood and then i get it real bad. Dont mess around , just go to the doctor and get some prednasone pills. By far the best way to treat poison oak i have found.

Tilla · 10-23-2001, 07:17 PM

I grew up with poison oak and got it several times a year growing up. The worst was poison oak pollen covered Eucalyptus leaves in a traditional Finnish sauna. I now never get it anymore. I even touch it on purpose just to test it. I found Calamine lotion the best and Bactine spray best in taking care of the itching.

periwinkle · 10-23-2001, 08:41 PM

Holly catfish SheBe, move way north of the Columbia R.. I've no solutions for you. the first year of my marriage my wife was in her senior yr at CWSC and had a botany class that required monitoring a wetlands area for foilage. We were living in Yakima (my first year of teaching) and I would stop at her plot and cut vegitation for her to take to class and identify - ooooh, guess what I collected and she handled --uh-huh, poison oak. I had no problems but she went to the hospital!!!!!!! She wasn't fishin or doing much else for awhile.. As others have said ---see the Doc. Apparently some are more affected than others. Stick some 'oak' in hubbys shorts to teach him where to hunt and not to hunt. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Snapset · 10-23-2001, 09:59 PM

SHEBE-Teach your husband how to wash his own clothes, that would help a bunch. Better yet, he should be wearing the same pair of woolies all season long, and bring them to the dry cleaner after the season, then store them in a plastic bag with branches from the area he hunts-then you would never have to touch them.

TILLA_ loylya lisaa, vai mita?

Dogfish · 10-24-2001, 12:04 PM

Step one: Don't find it.

Step two: He/She who finds it, gets rid of it.

Baldpate Basher · 10-24-2001, 03:00 PM

Personally I like �periwinkle�s� idea but you have to live with the guy so discretion is probably best.

After that I�d make him wash his own clothes. After all, he�s the one who had all the fun getting into the stuff.

Finally, make him take you hunting with him. Then fake getting real sick when you get home and have him take care and pamper you.

How�s that for a plan? It may not fix the stuff you have now but what fun you can have next year!

Have Fun!

[ 10-24-2001: Message edited by: Baldpate Basher ]

Tilla · 10-24-2001, 11:57 PM

Snapset, Eh puhuun Suomia. Pikkosen (Sp)? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

SheBeFishin · 10-26-2001, 12:56 PM

Thanks guys [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] For the information.

BigShark - " It is usually gone in four to five days but the blistering may stop in one to two days...." Not me! I've had this for about 2 weeks now.

SeanD - Prednasone pills are the best, I agree but i don't like to take them every time i get poison oak because I think it does weird things to my body.

Tilla&Snapset - What language you speak?

Baldpate - I like your idea most of all. A couple weeks of pampering would be great.

Thank you all for your posts. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

bigshark · 10-26-2001, 01:29 PM

She Be

The stuff is gone on "me" in four or five days after the zone shot and pills. Two weeks is no time at all for me without treatment. As a youngster I spent that much time in bed with my eyes swollen shut. I'm not a good writer so I said it wrong as usual. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

OneLastCast · 10-26-2001, 03:42 PM

SheBeFishin
I am the vertible canary in the coal mine when it comes to poison oak. If it is within a mile of me I am going to get it. I agree that once you have it you need to see the Doc for medical solutions but if I think I have been exposed this is what I do.
I have tried Technu with fairly good success but if I know I have been in the area I take a very hot shower and scrub every portion of my body with a stiff brush and lots of antibacterial soap. Almost taking off the top layer of skin. After rinsing I make the final minutes of the shower nothing but cold water to close all the pours and rinse off the blood in the scrub brush.
It seems to work for me.

OneLastCast