View Full Version : Best start date NOBO to avoid poison ivy?
On a 6 month pace.
I can deal with most everything else but the poison ivy.
There is no way to "avoid" poison ivy. The earlier you start in winter and the faster you go, the less poison ivy you'll see. I'm allergic to the stuff, but I had no problems on the trail.
Learn to recognize the plant. And if you inadvertently come into contact with it, wash the affected body part as quickly as possible with a strong, non oilly soap such as Ivory.
There are also over the counter concoctions that are supposed to help, but I've rarely used them.
Weary
TurkeyBacon
02-08-2007, 10:48
Poison ivy is contageous year round. The twiggy stalks that remain in winter are still contageous. So don't go digging a cat hole in the middle of a feild of twiggy stalks, mistake it for normal jock itch and scratch away... trust me, I know this.
Amazingly enough I'm very contageous and the ONLY poison ivy I got was in the Whites and it went away quickly. That previous story was before the AT.
TB
Why would you want to avoid Poison Ivy? I've hiked with her a couple times and found her to be a pleasant companion.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/8/picture_370-med.jpg
Mountain Maiden
02-08-2007, 11:14
I am also terribly allergic! :mad: Have had several really bad :eek: bouts with the nasty stuff! But---not even one breakout on the Trail!
Being aware and washing if exposed is the best advice. Watch were you walk and sit.
I have also seen recommendations for drinking jewelweed tea for the months of Feb, mar and April as an internal preventive measure. Jewelweed is a distant cousin and this supposedly encourages immunity to the real thing. Jewelweed soap is also available. The plant itself does not bloom til later in the season.
I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just be cautious.
Good Luck!
Sunny aka Sunrise game 02 aka Cody Zamora :sun
icemanat95
02-08-2007, 16:01
Poison Ivy will be there, and as others have said, every part of the plant contains the sap that causes the reaction including it's hairy roots climbing up a tree. (So watch those hairy vines).
I've gotten some really nasty poison ivy in the past, but got exactly NONE on the trail despite hiking through the stuff hip-high. Actually, not too many folks seem to get poison ivy infections on the AT and I've got a theory about that. The fact that most of us are VERY sweaty and filthy on the trail may put a p[rotective coating of skin oil, dirt and sweat that prevents the sap of the plant from rubbing off on us.
It's a theory...don't know how good a theory, but...
Seriously, the advice to be aware of it and wash after exposure is a good plan, it's what I did and it worked out pretty well.
Can you splash a little denatured alcohol on the exposed site if you're not carrying soap out there?
That works if you get it within 10 minutes of exposure. Remember, you're trying to remove the oil, so you also need to scrub with something. After 10 minutes you're pretty much done for though.
oldfivetango
02-08-2007, 17:34
Remember that the rushnikol found in poison ivy is also
carried in smoke.If there are vines on the pieces of campfire
wood-avoid the smoke.Also,it can rub off pets onto you.
You might want to carry the lotion if you are THAT contagious.
Oldfivetango
Mountain Maiden
02-08-2007, 18:06
That works if you get it within 10 minutes of exposure. Remember, you're trying to remove the oil, so you also need to scrub with something. After 10 minutes you're pretty much done for though.
Whooaaaa--be reealllyy careful with that scrubbing technique! :eek: LOL--my WORST case was after I had worked outside in the early Spring doing landscape chores.
Since I was so dirty from all my hard work---I used my "nylon bath scrubby" to "scrub" my arms and legs. OH MY GOODNESS! :eek::( I woke up the next morning COVERED in poison ivy welts wich continued to increase in severity as time passed. Essentially, I guess all my scrubbing spread the urishiol (poison ivy oil) even further!! What a disaster! It was almost eight weeks before I was free of the little exploding volcanoes on my skin. It also took several drs visits, oral meds, four injections and many sleepless nights! The doctor said it was one of the worst cases he'd seen.
So--rather than "scrubbing" maybe a good soapy "lathering" would help.
During that time--someone even offered to "talk it out." Anybody ever heard of that???
Sunny aka Sunrise game 02 aka Cody Zamora :sun
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-08-2007, 20:08
Michele, alcohol (denat, hand santitizer or Jim Beam) will dissolve the oil and then you wipe the alcohol off with something to remove it. As Cody Zamora says - Don't scrub !!!
The male dino is very allergic to it and we use dish detergent with degreaser to cut the oil at home. When hiking, we use powdered laundry detergent (very light) I keep a couple of tablespoons in the first aid kit.
Mountain Maiden
02-08-2007, 20:19
"dish detergent with degreaser..."
"DAWN Detergent"is my friend!
:sun
Blissful
02-08-2007, 20:32
Yeah I've gotten poison ivy all times of the year. In some places here in VA the hairy vines are up the trees -ugh. I got it from my pack once too - set it down in a patch without looking. Not a good idea. Had it on my upper arm, back, and on my face. No matter what it takes me 2 wks to get over it.
Octogon soap may be the best product and works well with cold water, which is better than hot for washing with for poison ivy.
Oops, sorry! :o Shouldn't have said scrub, more like dab the affected area with a cloth after pouring alcohol on it. Just scrubbing will get you in a world of hurt, as Mountain Maiden said.
For what it's worth... there's a product I use called Tecnu, available in decent-sized drug stores, that's billed as a "skin cleanser" for poison ivy and poison oak rashes. The instructions say to apply as soon as possible after contact, and after applying the solution, to "rub vigorously" for two minutes. It does caution to "avoid breaking skin."
As far as I know, alcohol does not dissolve oils.
smokymtnsteve
02-08-2007, 21:17
predisone,,,don't leave home without it
Blissful
02-08-2007, 21:36
predisone,,,don't leave home without it
You have to watch prednisone though - there are specific ways it is given with the milligram doseage adjusted a certain amt each day. MD supervision is best for that, but it does work well. My hubby was put on it when his poison ivy got on his eyelid.
smokymtnsteve
02-08-2007, 21:52
6,5,4,3,2,1
mweinstone
02-08-2007, 21:59
there is no better time than all times. any start date is bliss.how dare you suggest otherwise? to touch the trail even in thaught is the same. all and any trail is good trail. trail =crack. give more.
Why would you want to avoid Poison Ivy? I've hiked with her a couple times and found her to be a pleasant companion.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/8/picture_370-med.jpg
This post is all I have time for today.:) The only thing that could improve your post would be hers.;)
doodah man
02-08-2007, 22:47
On a 6 month pace.
I can deal with most everything else but the poison ivy.
Austexs, I have heard that you can help build a resistance to the poison ivy reaction by taking the homeopathic remedy Rhus Toxicodendron. The primary use for 'Rhus Tox' that I am aware of is joint/muscle pain treatment that I have used it for in the past (works). A web search should find plenty of references. doodah-man
Why would you want to avoid Poison Ivy? I've hiked with her a couple times and found her to be a pleasant companion.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/8/picture_370-med.jpg
Or this one
http://www.jackmagazine.com/issue6/CrampsVentura4.jpg
Thanks for all the replies. I remember last year there was a thread on this and at some point the Poison Ivy that had overtaken the trail was cut back. I don't want to wait until late in the season to start though.
BTW... Thanks to the maintainers doing this kind of work. :clap
I guess I'll start early in the year (Mid Feb '08?) or just take my chances and be on close lookout for the stuff.
When you get to Duncannon check into the Doyle Hotel. Ask for room 20, it is a nice room even though Baltimore Jack found a dead man sleeping in that room once. Stay there for a week and then hitch 100 miles north and get back on the trail with your friends. When you cross the river and the RR tracks and start to climb the hill north of Duncannon you will find a virtual garden of poisen ivy. It was growing on both sides of the trail and reached out for you as you passed, It seemed to hang from the trees leaving just a small opening for hikers to pass through. It had a mind of it's own and sometimes would close in on you. Between the rocks, the rattlesnakes, and the poisen ivy the hike through Pennsylvania can be a real challange. I forgot to mention, the year I hiked many water sources listed in the guide were dry.
Between the rocks, the rattlesnakes, and the poisen ivy the hike through Pennsylvania can be a real challange. I forgot to mention, the year I hiked many water sources listed in the guide were dry.
From what I've seen so far of PA, the lack of water is more of an issue than the rocks. Trail angels were doing their best to help, leaving gallon jugs of water at the trailhead in a couple of places.
... Between the rocks, the rattlesnakes, and the poisen ivy the hike through Pennsylvania can be a real challange. I forgot to mention, the year I hiked many water sources listed in the guide were dry.
Scarce water in summer, mostly north of Port Clinton, is the only real thing to worry about in Pa.
The rocks are overrated. Just slow down in the worst sections (also mostly north of PC) and keep your eyes on the road.
Pa. timber rattlers are big scaredy cats unless you actually step on one, which is damn hard to do. Make some noise and vibration in the obviously snakey areas, and they'll flee before you ever see them. You have a much greater chance of being stung by an insect than bitten by a snake.
Poison ivy is easily recognizeable and avoidable.
StarLyte
02-09-2007, 13:46
predisone,,,don't leave home without it
I take a prescription of prednisone and Zithromax with me every time I hike or road trip. Learned my lesson well.
prednisone scares me frankly - ever since I talked with Can-Do Man last year and found that his hip problems started with using prednisone and ended with hip replacement surgery
Can you splash a little denatured alcohol on the exposed site if you're not carrying soap out there?
Why not carry a sliver of soap? It need only weigh an ounce or less, is harmless to both you and the environment, and serves numerous trail needs.
I've never tried denatured alcohol, but it strikes me that it would mostly move the poison oils around, and perhaps dilute them, rather than removing them as is needed to be safe.
Soaps puts the oils in an emulsion, that can be flushed away by water.
This predudice against using soap on the trail as near as I can tell is based mostly on ancient legends about harmful impacts that lack any serious scientific evidence.
Weary
On a 6 month pace.
I can deal with most everything else but the poison ivy.
:D i love poison ivy:cool: neo
On a 6 month pace.
I can deal with most everything else but the poison ivy.
POISON IVY, POISON OAK & SUMAC are all part of the woods you'll be hiking thru....learn more about the plants & how to best avoid contact with them.
prednisone scares me frankly - ever since I talked with Can-Do Man last year and found that his hip problems started with using prednisone and ended with hip replacement surgery
As far as I can tell, responsible MDs are loathe to prescribe Prednisone these days, except for the direst of situations. I seem to have a bout with poision ivy every few years. Back in the 1980s, if it was serious enough, I always got a prescription for Prednisone. These last few times around, not.
Fannypack
02-09-2007, 14:29
I noticed a couple persons mentioned taking Prednisone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prednisone)
and I noticed on the wiki site a possible side effect:
This medicine may also increase the sex drive.
Is this true?
I was also conserned with getting poison ivy during my thru. In the past I have had it quite bad.
I used gaters that came alost up to my knees, when it was close to the trail. This was mostly in sections of southern Virginia.
Be carefull when you remove your boots as they will probably have the plant oils on them. Don't put the handles of your trecking poles in the stuff when you set them down or touch the end that may have contacted the plant.
With these few cautions I never got any poison ivy during my hike. :)
There is a product sold in Drug Stores by the brand name of "Tech-Nu".If you rub this stuff on your skin ahead of time, old P.I. won’t get you. You can pour a little in your washing machine and get the P.I. oils out of your cloths, and wipe off tools with a rag to remove P.I. also. If you have P.I on you already, just put this Tech-Nu liquid on the infected skin and leave it. It doesn't burn, use this stuff twice a day, and by the second day, old P.I. will start drying up!!
Links
Tech-Nu
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/technu.html
Poison IVY
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/welcome.html