Poison Ivy

Do any of you have a good remedy for Poison Ivy. It normally does not bother me but I have a good case of it.

I have been plagued all my life. We lived in Grants Pass OR for 6 years . It is the local color plant there, and grows 6 ft as poison oak with stalks up to one inch dia. It barberpoles trees. I cut it and poisoned it with cross-bow. Gradually I developed some immunity, but I used to get it in my eyes and that is not a good thing. Any ray of sunlight on such a place and you are not a happy camper. When it got really bad the Dr would prescribe prednisone (nasty steroid drug) which is a miracle cure. No sooner than swallowing a pill the itching stopped. But that drug is not good to rely on. Long sleeves help. Pets can transfer the urusiol (sp) oil to your skin. Do not let smoke from burn piles hit you. When we moved north to Portland area we found the stuff doesn't grow as widespread. My wife would get it and her forearms would swell. Some tourists would drive around it and be hospitalized. (not a tall tale):frown:

Don't freak out on me but this is what I do.
Take a hot shower and scrub poison till it bleeds. After the shower before you dry off wipe down with bleach. Then just stand there till dry. Go to bed wake up and it's gone. Works real good on poison oak.

I am immune right now(I was told it could change). I do not roll around in it or anything but have cut it down and hauled it off and I got none and everyone else got it all over,

A local hardware store has poison ivy soap. I keep a bar in my bathroom, truck and my trailer. Sometimes I wash up with the customers garden hose before leaving their place. I think that it is a lie based soap, but it works great even after some blisters show up the next day after exposure. Good stuff!!! As I also do tree and brush cutting, I keep a stock of new work gloves and long sleeve shirts in my trailer and if I know that I have contaminated a pair of work gloves, they get trashed.

I have no problems with it.I have done a few jobs where we cut it and removed it everyone working for me was covered in it but not me. My wife broke out from just washing my clothes I try to avoid it but not afraid to be around it.