Poison Ivey in the winter?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Larrys land

New Member
Jan 12, 2010
29
CNY
Woke up with a itchey foot this morning, thats right good old ivey. I don't get it any time cept in the winter. Why can't I step on a money vine and break out in cash? Always try to cut vines off trees in the winter so I don't have to worry about it inside. Am i the only one that Mother nature hates? This stuff is bad,I need to think about getting the shots.
 
How did you get poison ivy on your foot in the winter? I realize you can get poison ivy rash from the vines in winter, especially if you cut them. What I can't understand is how you could get it only on your foot.

I don't think they give shots to desensitize for poison ivy.
 
They used to give shots but I believe they stopped long ago. People were dying from the shots. I'm extremely sensitive to it. I got it all over my legs a couple of years ago. They swelled up so much I could hardly move them to walk. My doctor said it was the worst case she had ever seen.
 
I really can't tell ya where it comes from but I only get it on my feet. Must come from the wood. Didn't know they stopped giving shots for the stuff,death doesn't sound like an option [not a good one] Guess I will keep washing my foot with Fels Naptha soap until it dries.
 
wood spliter said:
I would just be careful when dealing with the vine's. Had it on the boys one winter.

OUCH!
 
wood spliter said:
I would just be careful when dealing with the vine's. Had it on the boys one winter.

And that right there is why I am glad I am immune. ivy, oak, sumac . . .i've never gotten any (and i've definitley been in situations where is should have)
 
Larry, poison Ivy is a contact allergy. How are you making contact with it on your feet in the winter?
 
Fall and Winter can be the worst time, the plant's cells are easily fractured releasing the oils.
 
gzecc said:
Larry, poison Ivy is a contact allergy. How are you making contact with it on your feet in the winter?
What he said. Unless you are walking barefoot on it, you are tranferring it from your hands, which maybe would show symptoms too. I'm no doctor but maybe you have athlete's foot or similar.
 
I am also allergic to urushiol. I got into some of it a couple of years ago, and had to get a prescription for steroids to clear it up.

To add to how Larry might have contracted it on his feet, if he has a dog that got into it and brought the oil into the house on his coat, it is very possible to get it on the feet and not have any on the hands.

The oil can stay active for up to 5 years, even on dead plants.
 
Morning everybody, I have no doubt it comes in on the wood.It's not a big deal I was just wondering if any one else has ever gotten it from seasoned wood? Mike what is urushiol never heard of it before, don,t think I want to. My Rorry and GSD both used to bring it in during warm seasons ,I blamed them for it. Couple of days and it will be gone till next time.
 
Yikes on you feet! That's got to smart when you lace up.

Larry I use to get it every year before I started using over the counter 'Tecnu'. A lot of our wood has vines on them but just leave them alone and cut and split as is. We never ever handle wood without gloves. To get it on your feet I'm thinking there must be some cross contamination going on. You better lock that down before you contaminate your Johnson tool.
 
Urushiol is the oil in poison ivy/oak/sumac that causes all the problems.
 
Thanks, now I have coffee all over the office. Thankfully just on the foot, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Can anyone help with coffee burns in my nose?
 
How could one get it on their feet? Easy. If it is on the hands, then just touching while removing socks. Picture someone washing the hands and thinking that takes care of it. But then he removes some outer clothing...and touches some sap that is on the clothing. Bingo. The next thing he touches gets poison ivy.

Good luck Larry.
 
The answer to your question Larry is yes. I got poison ivy on both wrists one winter when I carried a big round that was laying around. Summer, winter, you can get the oils on ya just the same.
 
Hi -

I'm sure my wife got it from the dog last winter.

I have been avoiding it, but will cut though it on ocassion in the Winter. I think you have uncovered a hole in my routine. I walk back and forth though the stuff. I carefully wash all the clothes.... Then proceed to walk around the garage and even in the house once in a while with the BOOTS... Not good. I'm going to be a good deal more careful with this.

Thanks for posting,
Mike
 
Thanks folks I always enjoy coming here, always good info. Thanks Mike, so the oil has a medical name[ better than itchy crap.]I've had this before,sure it's going to run it's course. Could stop burning wood and eliminate this problem but I could grow wings and crap through feathers to. Looks like we are heading for a stretch of snow so keep your wood dry and thanks for your input.
 
One of the worst cases I ever got, I knew I had gone through it here and there with the weedwacker, I was careful as can be washing my hands before touching anything and taking off my clothes like they were hazmat contaminated. Couple days later I put the same boots on and realized the next day I should have taken the laces out and washed them.... Yep, all in between my fingers.. Talk about hell. Now I wear a tyvek suit and disposable booties over my boots when I'm using the weedwacker. I may look stupid but I'm only making that mistake once.

PS. many people have died from inhaling the smoke from burning Poison Ivy... it carries the oil straight into your lungs. Be careful what you throw into your stove. One more good reason to strip the bark off.
 
I had a very bad case last month, was cutting through some down dead stuff with vines all around on a fairly nice day, and got it just above the glove line, then spread it to my other arm. It runs 10 days, if it's bad I go to doc, if not, I let it run it's course and wash anything that might of come in contact with it.
 
Go to the drugstore and get yourself some Zanfel cream. It's a soap that washes the oil away, works very good may take a few washings though.
I heard about it on Paul Harvey....I keep some on hand all the time.
 
mike1234 said:
I had a very bad case last month, was cutting through some down dead stuff with vines all around on a fairly nice day, and got it just above the glove line, then spread it to my other arm.

+1 - mine hasn't spread, yet
 
Status
Not open for further replies.