Ohh Samantha, what are you DOIN' to me?

[Samantha Puppy]

Oh man... for the second time in 10 days I am at the beginning stages of a nasty breakout of poison oak, courtesy of my Samantha. On Friday the 16th, I noticed my first outbreak of it. The right side of my face swelled so much, I couldn't open my right eye. Since the doctor was closed all weekend, I called first thing Monday (the 19th) and went on medication that night. But I was very itchy and miserable all last week. I couldn't sleep, so I was tired. My legs and arms and face were raw from scratching so much. But... this past weekend, I felt much better - still slightly itchy once in awhile, but back to normal. I was extremely happy that whole ordeal was over - I'd never had poison oak before and I was just miserable.

However, last night I noticed some raised bumps on the back of my left leg. They began to itch. My heart sank, but I began applying Ivy-Dry to it immediately, hoping that if I started with that stuff, it would knock it out before it got much worse. No such luck. This afternoon, I noticed it had spread much more and I geared myself up for another nasty outbreak akin to last week's. I've already called the doctor to put me back on Prednisone. So hopefully it won't be as bad, but still... I am miserable just thinking about the prospect of going through another week like last. I don't want to deal with this again! I know where the poison is and I've been trying to keep Samantha away from it, but I can't babysit her everytime she needs to go outside. She's a grown dog in a fenced yard, I shouldn't *have* to babysit her.

So I've laid down the law to my husband:

1) He must clear out the poison and treat the area with herbicide IMMEDIATELY.
2) He needs to give Samantha a bath, pronto.
3) We need our carpets and sofas steamcleaned.
4) I will do the appropriate laundry.

*sigh*

Anyone have any secret weapons against poison oak? Any special treatments that work like a charm? PLEASE?

Signed,
A very sad Jaime

[Tonya]

Poor you! Poison oak is such a nightmare! Do you guys have that Technu stuff? It works great. We use it at my work.

Here's the link:

http://www.life-assist.com/al100.html

[Logan]

I'm to the point that I don't know the difference between Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac, etc etc etc. I am even allergic to English Ivy. My outbreaks are frequent and terrible. My doctor has told me to stay out of my yard. How can I do that????

I wish you luck. I'm getting over a recent outbreak too. Takes major shots and pills to get me through them these days. Sorry to be such a spoiled sport, but my doctor says it will get worse each time now.

Logan

[robinh]

I didn't even know what poison ivy was until about 3 years ago. Now I can't get through a season without at least one really bad bout. The doctor told me I get it systemically (sp) - I may only touch it with one part of my body, but my whole body breaks out and like Logan, it's a major job to get rid of it.

Now I watch really careful where I am, which way the wind is blowing and hide if necessary. We live on 3 acres in the country. We have poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac The dogs can only go places I know are safe so that I don't break out.

[Tonya]

My MIL burned a pile of stuff once and got it in her lungs. Imagine that.

[Cookiebaker]

Ouchie, ouchie, ouchie! Poor, poor you!

{{{HUGS}}}

I hope you feel better soon! It sounds worse than chicken pox!

[Samantha Puppy]

It is far worse than the chicken pox I had. It's lasted almost three times as long too. *sigh* I am back on steroids, and I have continued to put Ivy-Dry on it, but I've used an entire bottle of that in ONE WEEK (it's a spray so that's hard to do) and since it has alcohol in it, my skin is REALLY dry which itches, too.