Is this poison oak / poison ivy (pics of my arms)

Nifty-Chicken

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It started with a few bumps on Tuesday then more and more every day since then. Now my arms, hands and fingers are covered!

They itch like MAD!

I haven't been in a forest or anything, but I did move some wood that was split for our fireplace.

So, what do you think? It is seriously driving me crazy!

2_poison-oak-blisters.jpg
 
I hate to tell you this but it is.
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No fun - You can use lye soap on it. Resist scratching.
It can come off wood and you can even get it from the smoke if you are highly allergic to it. My husband always tries to cover with a bandaid to prevent spreading.
Lots of luck getting rid of it.
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Immediately wash whatever you were wearing when you moved the wood in hot water. My husband gets Poison ivy all the time from the dogs. He uses a product called Ivy Dry. It helps shorten the duration of the rash. I know it itches like mad. OTC benadry 25mg orally may help, but can make you drowsy. Maybe a dose at bedtime.
 
I have to agree. Worse comes to worse get a prescription for something from the Dr. so it won't get seriously infected.
 
Could be the split wood or the likeliest cause is probably thay you picked it up from the family dog if you have one.

But just in case, I would ditch the work gloves you used splitting the wood as well....

I'm very allergic to poison ivy and when I get it, that's pretty much the source for me....

If you breathed in smoke, you'd have a systemic allergic reaction and would probably present with sporadic patches everywhere.

good luck drying it out!!! crazy as it sounds, I use undiluted bleach, but it can scar if you soak it too long...use a liberal amount of gold bond powder to dry it out....
 
Another thought-

That is exactly what My arms and hands look like after I've put up a live spruce christmas tree. (I am allergic to spruce pine.) Did you recently put up a tree?
 
OMG! That's what my whole body looks like if I EAT BEEF or PORK! You are allergic to something in that wood. I'd go to the urgent care and get a prescription before it spreads.
 
It wouldn't be the first time I've heard of someone getting poison ivy or poison oak from handling firewood.


These vines attach themselves to trees and can run the entire height of the tree. When the tree is cut down and spit for firewood there are always pieces that still have bark on them, the vine part may be old and dead but the toxins are still present.

My DW can just brush one of these vines and get the rash, while I can rub it all over my hands and arms and never get it. (But I'm allergic to grass, go figure!)

Ivy dry and caladryl have worked best for my family.

Whatever you do, don't scratch, and wash your hands very often to keep from spreading it to other parts of your body, try not to rub your eyes, trust me you don't want to get it there.
 
I haven't had posion ivy for awhile so I can't give you the prescription name for the pills my Dr. prescribes but they come in a pkg that has 7 you take on the first day then six per day ect until you are down to 1 or 2 on the last day. They stop the itch and dry up the rash at the same time. I think they may be some sort of steroid, but I know they work great.
 

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