Poison Ivy HELP!

Three weeks ago I was weeding and caught poison ivy. After almost two weeks of benedryl and calamine lotion I went to the doctor because it wasn't going away and still spreading. He put me on prednisone for a week. It got much better and I took the last pill two days ago. This morning it is starting to spread again!!!

Anyone have any advice? I really don't want to go back to the doctor and have them put me on more steroids!

Re: Poison Ivy HELP!

i got the steroid shot at the dr office and it went away super quick after that.

in the beginning i tried at home remedies like poison ivy soap, but they never worked for me once the wounds opened and were oozing.

Re: Poison Ivy HELP!

I get a bad reaction every time I come into contact with it and honestly, nothing helps like prednisone does. I did a short course last time, only 5 days and it wasn't torture. The itching was torture. I've tried the Burt's Bees soap, oatmeal baths, calamine, benadryl, aloe, Ivarest, Tecnu, Sarna, you name it. Sarna did cut the edge off the itch a bit.

Feel better---I know how frustrating it is.

eta:I just reread your post--poison ivy doesn't spread from the rash. That's new rash surfacing because you came in contact with the oils. It takes me about 10 days for the rash to surface after exposure. Is there anything you're coming in contact with that can still have the oils on it--a shirt, gardening gloves?

Message edited 8/24/2011 11:02:11 PM.