catbirdseat Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 This is so bizarre, I didn't know where else to post it. I was climbing at Poison Ivy Crack. Being very sensitive to poison oak and poison ivy, I stayed well clear of the plants. When I was putting my rope away, some dust was raised and breathed it in. My throat and lungs were on fire. It was like breathing hot peppers. I just about coughed up a lung. We cleared out and the condition soon passed. Can it be possible that oils from the plants might have condensed on the soil and were carried up with the dust into my lungs? I don't know any other explanation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lummox Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 yea. and stay the fuck away from mangoes. they gots something in them like poison oak and if you really alergic it will fuck you up. heard of boy scouts putting poison oak on a fire and dying by drowning in lung pus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregm Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 ditto. i have heard forest fire fighters have died from breathing the smoke from poison ivy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fence_Sitter Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 is it possible to be unaffected by poison ivy? while up in the icicle i was all up in it as was my partner... he had a shitty ride home and i felt nothing... what's up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregm Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 Fence_Sitter said: is it possible to be unaffected by poison ivy? while up in the icicle i was all up in it as was my partner... he had a shitty ride home and i felt nothing... what's up? Â yes. reaction to poison ivy varies considerably from individual to individual and across time (you could still get it bad some other time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted July 14, 2003 Author Share Posted July 14, 2003 Some people are completely unaffected by poison ivy, while others are extremely sensitive. I've heard that some become more sensitive with each exposure. What I do know is that rashes are made more severe by hot weather and sweating. It probably aids penetration of the oils. The oil is known as Urushiol and is a phenolic compound with long unstaturated hydrocarbon side chains that are very similar in structure to the compounds in hot chili peppers. It basically fools your immune system into thinking it is under attack. If you have been exposed, wash with soap and water (warm, but not hot) as soon as you can and you may likely avoid getting the rash. Â My father once was exposed to smoke from burning poison ivy and got a horrible whole body rash. Severe cases can be treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 gregm said: Fence_Sitter said: is it possible to be unaffected by poison ivy? while up in the icicle i was all up in it as was my partner... he had a shitty ride home and i felt nothing... what's up? Â yes. reaction to poison ivy varies considerably from individual to individual and across time (you could still get it bad some other time). Â If you've been exposed to poison oak/ivy repeatedly and have no problems, you probably don't react to it. Lucky you. If you've only had exposure the one time, you'll have to wait until next time to see if you are sensitive. The second exposure (and subsequent ones) will let you know. The first one just primes your system for an allergic reaction next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 cbs  wash with cold water as it keeps your pores closed and lessens the affect of it.  or use alcohol to attempt to break the oils down.   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted July 14, 2003 Author Share Posted July 14, 2003 Cold water may be a good idea, but alcohol is a very bad idea. It acts as a penetration enhancer. It can carry other chemicals across the stratum corneum that wouldn't otherwise penetrate. In other words, just use good old soap and water. Â When I was a little kid, my mother gave us baths after we were exposed to poison oak. It had the effect of spreading the oils over my entire body. A shower obviously is a much better idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 As one who has worked and hunts in areas filled with poison oak (I don't think Poison Ivy is on the West Coast?), I am a true believer in Technu. Since the Oak gives off oils, water is not always the best thing since it won't always wash away. Secondly, if you cannot get to water and soap in a short period of time (ie. less than an hour) the oils will seep into your skin. Technu can be bought at any forestry supply store or drug store. You apply it to the affected area ande rub it into your skin then you can wash it off later when you get to an area with water. Â There are also pills out now with trace amounts of the poison in them to build up your immune system. I became totally immune to poison Ivy back in Va. over the years, butr as soon as I moved out to Oregon, I got it just as bad as when I was a kid. A friend of mine played a trick on his then girlfriend (now wife) He told her that if she ate poison oak she'd never get it again. She did, and was inthe hospital for a few days cause it got in her throat. That was 20 years ago and to this day has never had it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 Can it be possible that oils from the plants might have condensed on the soil and were carried up with the dust into my lungs? You'll know in about 2 days! If worried, go ahead and start that steroid pills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Fence_Sitter said: is it possible to be unaffected by poison ivy? while up in the icicle i was all up in it as was my partner... he had a shitty ride home and i felt nothing... what's up? I have never had poisen oak or poisen ivy (knock on wood) I belive some people are immune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHE Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 Muffy_The_Wanker_Sprayer said: Fence_Sitter said: is it possible to be unaffected by poison ivy? while up in the icicle i was all up in it as was my partner... he had a shitty ride home and i felt nothing... what's up? I have never had poisen oak or poisen ivy (knock on wood) I belive some people are immune  Yeah,same here never gotten poison oak either. I'm pretty sure you are right about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 The stuff around here (well at Skaha anyhow) is definitely poison ivy not poison oak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegetablebelay Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 Worse case scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 chose the wrong toilet paper again? leaves of 3 let it be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 (edited) catbirdseat said: Severe cases can be treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids. Â I am severely allergic to poison ivy and have gotton it an uncountable amount of times. I moved here to WA from TX 2 years ago and hadn't encountered it here until 4th of July weekend. Coming back down off of Easy Ridge (after attempting Challenger) bushwhacking until we found the trail. At some point during that bushwhacking session I picked it up. I got a systemic infection (I think that is the term) which is where it gets into your blood stream and causes swelling. (probably got into my blood stream through a bug bite I was sratching at the time). My arm swelled up pretty good with the normal yellow, pussing blisters, so on Saturday I went to the ER and got a Cortisone/Steriod and a Benadryl shot in my Swelling started going down about 36-48 hours later. My arm is much better now. I have recieved at least 6-8 Cortisone shots battling poison ivy in my life. I would rather get cut and recieve stiches than battle poision ivy. I hate it more than any thing besides maybe a broken bone. I once had it for over a month. Not fun. Â And for some reason, it is very unattractive to the ladies. Edited July 16, 2003 by Dustin_B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 FWIW I use this stuff  Really good info on poison ivy here for those interested/infected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted July 25, 2003 Author Share Posted July 25, 2003 Here's the culprit: Â Â You'll note the similarity to capsaisin, which is the active chemical in chili pepper. Â Note: the ring is actually aromatic although the structure doesn't show it. Â Also, the structure of piperine which is in black pepper: Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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