What medicine do I take for posion ivy?
351942
Benadryl is garbage for poison ivy.  Like the others said it is a histamine blocker, poision ivy is a type four allergic reaction (no histamine is involved), therefore benadryl does not work.  First you should wash the area as good as possible.  Calamine is a good reccomendation.  You can also try hydrocortisone cream available over the counter.  If these don't work or if the area is very large, you will need a prescription.\n\nNO BENADRYL!!!
159364
there are several herbs that will help:\nBlack Cohosh\nBugleweed\nChaste Tree\nShepard's Purse\nWhite Willow (for pain)
529408
I get poison ivy constantly. If you call your doctors office and just tell them you need a prescription for a Z Pack. It is  a steroid that will dry up poison ivy quickly. They will call the perscription in to the pharmacy without even having to see the doctor. I know this because I work in healthcare.\n\nIt's your best defense!
20840
Musinex, works well.  You just need to remember to stay hydrated because it dries out all your mucus membranes.
1054324
calamine lotion or one of the ivy dry things you can pick up at walmart in pharmacy over the counter,, if its real bad your dr can give you a shot to clear it up.
1036431
claritin....it's non-narcotic and works well. i use it.
375751
Here is a picture of someone with poison ivy around the eye:\nhttp://www.poison-ivy.org/rash/image/eye.jpg\nhttp://www.aad.org/NR/rdonlyres/4A4EA1D9-3474-4B73-BBA7-C41D4F38E572/0/ivyacutedermatitis.jpg\n\nFrom American Association of Dermatology website:\n\nIf you think you’ve had a brush with poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, follow these simple steps: \n\nWash all exposed areas with cold running water as soon as you can reach a stream, lake, or garden hose. If you can do this within five minutes, the water may keep the urushiol from contacting your skin and spreading to other parts of your body. Within the first 30 minutes, soap and water are helpful. \nWash your clothing in a washing machine with detergent. If you bring the clothes into your house, be careful that you do not transfer the urushiol to rugs or furniture. You may also dry clean contaminated clothes. Because urushiol can remain active for months, wash camping, sporting, fishing, or hunting gear that was in contact with the oil. \nRelieve the itching of mild rashes by taking cool showers and applying over-the-counter preparations like calamine lotion or Burow’s solution. Soaking in a lukewarm bath with an oatmeal or baking soda solution may also ease itching and dry oozing blisters. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams are not strong enough to have much effect on poison ivy rashes. \n\nPrescription cortisone can halt the reaction if used early. If you know you have been exposed and have developed severe reactions in the past, consult your dermatologist. He or she may prescribe cortisone or other medicines that can prevent blisters from forming. If you receive treatment with a cortisone drug, you should take it longer than six days, or the rash may return.
156453
Try Mederma. No prescription needed. You can get it at any retail store.
696428
If he is not allergic he can take Benadryl to help with the reaction.   Alveeno anti-itch cream seems to work better than calamine lotion.  Alveeno also has a spray gel that works great.  And their bath tratment says right on the box it is supposed to help with poison sumac.\n\nThe Benadryl and Alveeno together should get him through until you can reach the doctor.   I am very sensitive to poison ivy and reach for the benadryl right away.  Might make him sleepy though.\n\nGood luck!
598667
Once in the morning and once at night.\n\nIf you have manzanita plants in your area, pick a few leaves and boil them in water.  Then dab the liquid on the rash.  It dries up poison oak within a couple of days.  I hope it works on poison ivy.
306974
Capsaicin cream or ointment. Capsaicin is the chemical in red pepper responsible for heat \nCayenne or red pepper is not the only "herbal" remedy which appears to be somewhat effective. The homeopathic remedies developed for Shingles are numerous. For example, Arsenicum album can be taken if the pain of the blisters seems to be relieved by heat and if the pain is worse at night. Iris versicolor is often helpful with shingles infection that is accompanied by gastro-intestinal problems and bumps which appear on the abdomen. If the patient is restless and the rash is itchy rather than burns, Rhus Toxicodendron can be taken in a low potency. All three of these remedies, though many claim to have found them helpful, have never been clinically tested. These remedies are probably best used in conjunction with other types of treatment\n\n\nA tea or hot compress can be made from Saint Johns Wort and Lavender, both of which are thought to be good restoratives for the nervous system . The reason that Saint Johns Wort is thought to help is that it contains compounds that act as manomire-oxidase enzyme inhibitors. A warm lotion made from the flowers and leaves may also relieve the burning of the Shingles blisters
555170
the oil from the plant is whats causing the burning and itch. if you scratch, then you drag that irritation along non-injured skin. the " just in case"anti-biotic will only help prevent secondary infection from the lesions and most steroid creams can only be used on a 3 on 1 off schedule to prevent skin thinning. and calamine lotion just turns you pink. there are pills( neuroton) that can be given to help by decreasing the impulses felt by the nerve endings and that in extreme cases, but like all things it will have to run its coarse.Remember to wash your hands after putting on your cream or touching your skin. Poison ivy, when spread to the eye can cause Cornela abrasion and even blindness, spread to the mucus membrane or inside the mouth, can cause lesions in the throat and sinus. why too many problems to mess with. next time, if you get into the ivy, wash your skin very well( at least 10 min.) with plain soap and cool water. and DON'T SCRATCH! good luck.
711288
Please, stay away from the meds. I've had two friends wind up in the emergency room from pills- not 'overdoing' it or anything. Try green tea, ginseng, anything natural
896312
Go to the pharmacist and get some antihistamines
606247
Evening primrose oil.  You can take it internally and also apply it externally.  I have personally seen amazing results with this.
46464
talk to your doctor and they can give you a Rx that will take care of it
577106
U could try Ginkgo.\n\nAsk @ your Health Food shop 4 dosage.