Calling all Poison Ivy Victims

[Robyncz]

I'm suffering through poison ivy for the first time in my life and WISHING for a miracle cure, and would you believe, I think I found it. I was putzing around on a poison ivy information site
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/ and I noticed this product called Zanfel. Then, a friend of mine who is also suffering from poison ivy said she tried it and it worked. I was miserable enough to shell out the $$ myself ($30 for one ounce!) but I really didn't think it was going to make a difference.

I used it about 3 hours ago and I'm not itching at all. Hooray! I don't know what it is or why it works, but apparently it does. Of course, I may wake up tomorrow with an extra arm or something, but hey, at least I'm not itching!

I remember a couple of others on the bb saying they were suffering, so I thought I'd share my discovery.

[RunnerKim]

I will have to take a look at this. My DH has an extreme sensitivity to it. He thought oatmeal baths were a miracle!

Thanks,
Kim

[Beth]

Eww, hope you're still feeling better and it clears quickly for you. I had to come look because I thought I might have gotten into poison ivy last week. Turned out to be something less problematic.

[BosunsWife]

I'll have to bookmark that. DH is so allergic to poison ivy that he has been hospitalized several times.

[HeidiD]

Thanks for the link to information about Zanfel, I had never heard of this product. We live on a tidal marsh and poison ivy runs rampant in back of our house. I am very allergic and if I even get near it, it seems to jump onto my body and spreads like wildfire. I have always had to go on steroids to stop it from spreading, except when I was 9 months pregnant -- all I could use was Calamine lotion and the rash spread all over my huge belly, arms, legs and face (at least my breasts were spared so I could nurse when the baby arrived!). This spring, I tried to cut back some of the poison ivy early, before it had leafed out, but even though I stripped off my clothes and showered immediately afterward, it broke out on one arm and went all over from there. I did 10 days of prednisone in April but I still have spots popping up. I guess I need to order Zanfel since we are not planning on moving anytime soon!

[JenniferJJ]

I had poison ivy for the first time this spring. It was awful. My doctor told me to take Benedryl for the itching, but had to stop because it made me way to drowsy. A week later, it was still too itchy. Then she prescribed a perscription of Claritin for me. The benefit of Clariton is that it does not make you drowsy. Unfortunately, because it has that great benefit and is new, it's very expensive - $30 for a prescription of 30 pills after insurance. The pharmicist told me they had a coupon for a free sample of 7 pills. She said it was from the manufacturer, so I would suggest you ask your pharmicist have they have that offer.