Flippin poison ivy.

Just wanted to inform you guys the importance of knowing what poison ivy looks like. Just got out of the hospital for a 5 day vacation and a few grand poorer from contact from poison ivy. Mr. Larson and I fished a tournament 2 weeks ago and were fishing cut banks and hung a fish up in some ivy that was hanging into the water. We went in after him and wrestled him out. Mr.Larson immediatly told me that I just handled a bunch of poison ivy, so I washed my arms the best I could for a minute and went back to fishing. 3 days later I broke out in a rash and within 48 hours had blisters that were oozing a clear liquid out of them. Well besides the itch, I thought this will clear up. 3 days later I’m admitted to the hospital because the broken skin let bacteria enter the body and was diagnosed with cellulits (Infection under the skin). My right arm looked like a football and cherry red. Whole right side of my stomach was broke out from rubbing the arm against it when not wearing a shirt. It’s the oil in the plant that transfers the poison not the puss from the blisters. After tons of antibiotics both I.V. and oral, I’m back on my feet and within a week will be ready for action. Just wanted you guys to know how bad this stuff really is. I always presumed it was a plant that had a stem, like needles,and grew on land. After this experience and alot of education, I realized that their are many different forms of it and we have LOTS of it on the river. The stuff I got into was an ivy that hung off the bank atleast 4′ and into the water. Look it up at mayoclinic. com and enter poison ivy and they’ll have pictures of the stuff. Just trying to save someone else the hassle and expense I went through. The brightest moment of the week was when talking to my mom, she quoted “Don’t worry you’ll be able to fish again!” Thanks Mom

Wow, that stuff is nasty.
Glad to hear all is well.

I know all too well about poison ivy. I got it while fishing too. Except, I jumped up on an island in the late spring to look for some morel mushrooms. I was wearing shorts. My arms and legs took a beating. It is very true, that this stuff can transfer itself to other parts of the body. I had it on my forearm and during the night my forearm would rest against my bicep. So it spread to my upper arm.

Poison Ivy sucks…..’nuff said….

something to look at if you’re not sure what ivy looks like

http://www.poison-ivy.org/

Good post! Thanks for the pics Slop.

Some people seem to be affected more than others. My neighbor will get it BAD even in winter…

Last summer I was taking a break from clearing a over grown corner down the road when the same neighbor stopped by…did you realize your sitting in a patch of poision ivy, he said? In looking around, yup there I was drinking a diet while sitting in the huge patch of ivy. Never did change my cloths and never noticed a reaction… but from what I hear, that could change the next time I take a walk throught the stuff.

Glad you’re out of the hospital and ok! THAT would suck!

I’m immune to the effects. Same thing with itchweed. I can roll around in it and walk away fine.

However, my dad: Mention the word posion ivy and he breaks out, this is at the Chrismas table dinner!

Just to let everyone know you can handle poison ivy if you avoid the leaves. You can touch the stem it is the leaves that will hurt you. For over ten years I have not gotten poison ivy but used to get it regulary but lucky me I am now immune and can walk through it but I do not push my luck.

Also of note: the clothing that has come across the oil/resin of these plants….say like deer hunting that goes unwashed can re-expose you to the resin and again cause poison ivy or rhus dermatitis year after year. Thoroughly wash your outdoor gear!

Leaves of three let it be. I learned this phrase in Boy Scouts.

Glad to hear you’re doing better.I heard recently that if you contact it,you should wash your skin with dish detergent like Dawn.This will help remove the oil/grease layer that sticks.

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something to look at if you’re not sure what ivy looks like

http://www.poison-ivy.org/

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The rash slide show is worth a look.

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Just to let everyone know you can handle poison ivy if you avoid the leaves. You can touch the stem it is the leaves that will hurt you.

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Not true! That oil can be in everthing. Roots, stems, leaves. Alive or dead!

And Slop – That is a great link! Everyone should read it.

Worst case I ever got was digging in a garden early spring. Just the oil from dormant roots. Man that was terrible. Spread every where….

-J.

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something to look at if you’re not sure what ivy looks like

http://www.poison-ivy.org/

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The rash slide show is worth a look.

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Yep. I know exactly what it’s like to be “Digger”

I learned quite a bit from that site. The one thing I know I’ll never forget is the slide of what happens when you take a weedwhacker to poinson ivy while wearing shorts.

I believe it was the great Homer Simpson that said “Leaves of three, let it be; leaves of four, eat some more.”

I got poison ivy last winter. I got it on my feet from the sandals I was wearing. I also got poison ivy last summer. While wearing those same sandals. I’ve since thrown out those sandals. I have to get a prescription everytime I get it to get rid of it. It can stay on your clothes for a long time, and I never thought about it staying on my sandals.

I’ve had it from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and every where inbetween and I meen every where!!!!Dang near killed me. I feel for ya.

I hear ya – At a softball tournament a few years back I had to chase a couple of balls into the woods during batting practice. Little did I know that while chasing the softballs, I was also trucking through poison ivy.

So of course later in the day I had to relieve myself…. apparently I still had some ivy on my hands! Put the two together & you have one bad situation!!!!

I hate poison ivy

i MUST be immune to the side effects of poison Ivy. I don’t know if i could pick it out in the woods, as I saw a lot of 3 leafed plants today in the woods, but they were all different looking. Even though i looked at the pictures on the link, i still couldn’t tell. Well anyway, i have never had poison Ivy after Many days fishing, walking through river bottoms and tall grass, big woods and what not, usually wearing shorts because its hot out. I morel mushroom hunt with passion each year and have gone out several times with shorts on then too. I always regret it not because of ivy, but because of stinging netals, thorns, and anything else that rubs against your legs and scratches the H%^& out of them! But i still have never had poison Ivy before!

i have been flippin docks, logs and weeds but never flippin poison ivy before haha he he.

i too am one of the luckys and my body does not react to it. A friend of mine also doesn’t react to it and he took it to the next level by rolling around naked in it and proving he wasn’t allergic. I woulndn’t ever test it that much but he never did break out. good luck flippin that ivy, ike

Cade, When I was younger I lived in the woods like you talk about.Did not have a reaction until I was about 36yrs old.If you’ve ever wiped your rump with a boiling hot cactus plant and then salted it,you still would’nt be close to the pain and discomfort of it. may I sugest you learn to identify it and avoid it at all cost?