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That prick, a list of undesirables, inconvenience of getting an appointment, driving to the doctor, the waiting room, finally checking out, $$$.
Pic, above, here.
Twice this year, welts. First time I searched online looking for a 'new' cure, perhaps there is a new over the counter drug to try. Nope.
Pic, above, here.
Then, something to lock on, apple cider vinegar. Too wild. Perfumed myself like a well-made vinaigrette, generous dabs of apple cider vinegar on each poison ivy welt.
Pic, above, here.
Six to seven times a day, for about 6-7 days, using a q-tip, I put apple cider vinegar on the welts. For 4-5 days it seemed stupid, not much happening. Excepting the itch not too noticeable. Finally, day 6, the welts gave up, dried out, nothing spread.
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Cured.
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Didn't want to share this after the first cure, maybe it was merely good luck. Cured twice. I'm hooked.
Pic, above, here.
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Of course I know what poison ivy looks like, but I didn't get it gardening. More on that later.
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Telling you, because I wish someone had told me years ago.
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During the day, at job sites, I bring a tiny cruet of apple cider vinegar & q-tips in a zip lock bag. The cure demands consistent application. Applied at waking & getting into bed at nite, for sure.
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Garden & Be Well, XOT
Thanks for the tip Tara. Apple cider vinegar is great for lots of things.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend ~ FlowerLady
Good to know this. Thanks for sharing, and sorry about your past experience. Have a wonderful weekend ♥
ReplyDeleteOMG, I didn't know this either. Just found out that Listerine will cure toenail fungus. Seriously !!! Too good isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI will definitely be trying ACV the next time I'm exposed to the stuff. We don't even know how I got my last bout of it. Was it from touching the faucet he used to wash up? Who knows? It doesn't take much!
ReplyDeleteAnyway - the only good story I have about poison ivy happened in 1968. My husband and I were highschool friends and I went to prom w/my boyfriend and he went w/a platonic friend. I came in late from prom and, for punishment, I had to weed our huge vegetable garden. Alas, I came down with a horrific case of poison ivy. My face, scalp, eyes and ears were even affected.
Days later, the boyfriend called to go out on a date and I described how awful I looked and he agreed it would be best for me to stay inside.
A few minutes later my friend, Murray, called and wanted to take me out so we could catch up on prom night, etc. I told him the exact same thing and he said, "Sounds like you need to get out of the house - I'm on my way". I slammed down the phone (something your younger readers may not understand) and muttered, "Who does he think he is?", but went and tried to dab some mascara on my lashes, even though you could barely see my eyes, they were so swollen!
It was then and there I realized what a treasure unconditional love is. I dumped Boyfriend Barry, and we've been together ever since, having gotten married in 1969.
My kids and grandkids love our story of romance amid poison ivy!
In spite of that - I will happily try apple cider vinegar the next time he comes in from the woods!
Hello Tara,
ReplyDeleteYou might also want to try Zanfel, which I have used for poison oak (I live and garden in Northern California). A landscaping company I worked for kept it on hand for the employees, and I have found it to be very effective. Hopefully, it will work for poison ivy too. Thank you for the teachings and insights.
Debra
Tara, I am incredibly allergic, to a lot of things, and poison ivy is a bad one for me. I hadn't had any for more than a decade. I was clearing English Ivy and I knew there was a teeny, tiny amount of the poison variety. Used gloves, extra careful etc, but got it anyway, and badly enough I needed steroid shots, and a week of oral. I found a way to dry it up quickly and stop the incredible hotness and itch, and dry the blisters. Wet, say your arms, and put some good ole table salt on it and rub and scrub. It does not burn, it feels good and within a couple of minutes after rinsing it off, no itch. To double up on the anti-itch, after the salt scrub, at night I put on some tricalm, a steroid free hydrogel. Even good old Domboro did nothing for my case, it was so bad. I was at my wits end, and remembered hearing about the salt wash from way back. I wish I had known about the vinegar early on, but with blisters I am afraid it might have really stung? I go from exposure to blisters so quickly. Glad you caught your early.
ReplyDeleteJUST read in HARPERS B. a 70 year old bathes in it once a week to get the IMPURITIES out of her BODY!
ReplyDeleteWE BETTER LOAD UP!!!!!!!
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