Stop the itchy madness!
December 9, 2011 3:53 PM Subscribe
Two questions about poison oak aftermath. One involves shoes, the other involves prednisone.
I walked in it knowingly and by choice (and got five pounds of chanterelles as a result) and was very careful while I was in the woods. However, I was somewhat less careful after I got home, and now I have a couple of outbreaks, including a raging rash on my thigh.
1. The tennis shoes I was wearing are fairly new and are actually a name-brand pair rather than the cheap boys' shoes I usually buy, so I'm a little reluctant to put them in the washer unless you convince me that it won't shorten their lifespan. I think they might have some leather trim. What's the best way to remove the urushiol from them? I'm almost out of tecnu (most of it went towards defusing the cat), but will get more is that's the best bet.
2. I just returned from the doctor because I thought my leg was infected. It's not, but she did put me on prednisone. I've only heard horror stories about it. I'm on a tapering dose for 10 days. What can I expect? The pharmacist mentioned 'agitation.' 'Agitated' is pretty much my baseline state, so I'm wondering how much worse things might get and for how long.
Thanks for any advice.
*scratches*
I walked in it knowingly and by choice (and got five pounds of chanterelles as a result) and was very careful while I was in the woods. However, I was somewhat less careful after I got home, and now I have a couple of outbreaks, including a raging rash on my thigh.
1. The tennis shoes I was wearing are fairly new and are actually a name-brand pair rather than the cheap boys' shoes I usually buy, so I'm a little reluctant to put them in the washer unless you convince me that it won't shorten their lifespan. I think they might have some leather trim. What's the best way to remove the urushiol from them? I'm almost out of tecnu (most of it went towards defusing the cat), but will get more is that's the best bet.
2. I just returned from the doctor because I thought my leg was infected. It's not, but she did put me on prednisone. I've only heard horror stories about it. I'm on a tapering dose for 10 days. What can I expect? The pharmacist mentioned 'agitation.' 'Agitated' is pretty much my baseline state, so I'm wondering how much worse things might get and for how long.
Thanks for any advice.
*scratches*
IANAD. What doses of prednisone are your on? I take a low maintenance dose and have taken high doses on taper regimens in the past. The effects I notice on high doses (say, ~50 mg day and up) are: I am wide awake as soon as I wake up, I turn off like someone flipped a switch when I lay down to sleep, I am ravenously hungry, I am prone to road rage, and I have a bad case of motormouth that verges on spouting non sequiturs.
Also, salt-sparing drugs like prednisone increase water retention, so on high doses you may experience edema and in that case your face will look and feel like a watermelon unless you watch your salt intake and drink plenty of water.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 4:07 PM on December 9, 2011
Also, salt-sparing drugs like prednisone increase water retention, so on high doses you may experience edema and in that case your face will look and feel like a watermelon unless you watch your salt intake and drink plenty of water.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 4:07 PM on December 9, 2011
1. The tennis shoes I was wearing are fairly new and are actually a name-brand pair rather than the cheap boys' shoes I usually buy, so I'm a little reluctant to put them in the washer unless you convince me that it won't shorten their lifespan.
I have considerable personal experience with poison oak and I've never seen or heard of a reputable source saying anything other than "wash them."
The only thing I could suggest would be to wash them by hand instead of putting them into the washer.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:08 PM on December 9, 2011
I have considerable personal experience with poison oak and I've never seen or heard of a reputable source saying anything other than "wash them."
The only thing I could suggest would be to wash them by hand instead of putting them into the washer.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:08 PM on December 9, 2011
Response by poster: What doses of prednisone are your on?
It's 50mg for the first two days, 40 for the next two, etc.
The tip about the caffeine is helpful. Thanks for that.
posted by mudpuppie at 4:11 PM on December 9, 2011
It's 50mg for the first two days, 40 for the next two, etc.
The tip about the caffeine is helpful. Thanks for that.
posted by mudpuppie at 4:11 PM on December 9, 2011
1. Shoes and what I do: With the hose, make a little puddle on the driveway, add Dawn dishwashing liquid (you really really really don't need Technu for anything), stomp around in it, wet the shoes, wipe with wet cloth, wash laces separately if I think they need it.
Urushiol is't as magic as it seems, it really will come off most things with just plain soap and water. It'll even wash off your skin if you get it early (minutes after exposure) with plenty of water. After that, it's Zanfel.
posted by sageleaf at 4:11 PM on December 9, 2011
Urushiol is't as magic as it seems, it really will come off most things with just plain soap and water. It'll even wash off your skin if you get it early (minutes after exposure) with plenty of water. After that, it's Zanfel.
posted by sageleaf at 4:11 PM on December 9, 2011
Re: prednisone - in me, the agitation manifests as a feeling that I'm looking for a fight. I get sort of snarly and keyed up. It should only last a couple of days on that dose, and you'll probably be fine if you warn people close to you that you may be a little snappish. (I never really found myself actually picking fights, I was just sort of adrenalin-rush-y all the time. I dislike that sensation a lot, but it does pass quickly - and you may not get it much at all on that short span. I got it the worst when I was on 50 mg a day for a week.)
posted by restless_nomad at 4:25 PM on December 9, 2011
posted by restless_nomad at 4:25 PM on December 9, 2011
I don't know much about shoes and urushiol but I do have experience with allergic reactions and predinisone. I have been on a variety of prednisone regimens. Personally, I have enjoyed my high-dose-to-nothing taper (which it sounds like you are doing), and felt mostly energetic and just a little twitchy (like too much caffeine, but without the headache/stomachache i usually get from too much caffeine). I felt like I didn't really need to sleep. That was all. I've done that regimen a few times, always the same deal. The prednisone did an awesome job for my allergic reaction, totally worth the side effects.
In contrast, months of a low maintenance dose eventually made me insane, as in overly emotional and irrational. And fat. And insanely hungry ALL THE TIME. And also in contrast, my mother has had to do the high-dose-short-term and she became extremely agoraphobic and could not leave the house.
So I think the moral here is results vary widely. And whatever happens, DO NOT stop the taper unless you have explicit doctor's permission. If you have a side effect that bothers you, the fast taper is likely to allow you to feel better soon, so DON'T just stop taking the pills in the middle.
posted by Tandem Affinity at 5:35 PM on December 9, 2011
In contrast, months of a low maintenance dose eventually made me insane, as in overly emotional and irrational. And fat. And insanely hungry ALL THE TIME. And also in contrast, my mother has had to do the high-dose-short-term and she became extremely agoraphobic and could not leave the house.
So I think the moral here is results vary widely. And whatever happens, DO NOT stop the taper unless you have explicit doctor's permission. If you have a side effect that bothers you, the fast taper is likely to allow you to feel better soon, so DON'T just stop taking the pills in the middle.
posted by Tandem Affinity at 5:35 PM on December 9, 2011
I enjoyed my 5 day tapering doses of prednisone. It made me a bit manic but removed all feelings of fatigue.
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:44 PM on December 9, 2011
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:44 PM on December 9, 2011
Throw your shoes out. Throw out the socks you had on that day.
With poison ivy at least, you get re-contaminated over and over again.
Really, you've gone to the trouble to medicate yourself, I would spare you the pain of those little blisters on your fingers months after you think it's done.
posted by Ignorance at 7:34 PM on December 9, 2011
With poison ivy at least, you get re-contaminated over and over again.
Really, you've gone to the trouble to medicate yourself, I would spare you the pain of those little blisters on your fingers months after you think it's done.
posted by Ignorance at 7:34 PM on December 9, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks all.
Ignorance, this is the first pair of $50 shoes I've had in I-don't-know-how-long. They're staying.
posted by mudpuppie at 8:38 PM on December 9, 2011
Ignorance, this is the first pair of $50 shoes I've had in I-don't-know-how-long. They're staying.
posted by mudpuppie at 8:38 PM on December 9, 2011
To help stop the itch, get into the shower, get the water as hot as you can stand it and direct it at the part of your bod that itches. No, really—hot as you can stand it. You'll thank me, I promise.
It feels *so good* as that itch leave your body—no kidding, it feels amazing—and the relief from the itch lasts for like five hours. It's about the only way I can sleep when I get nailed by poison ivy or oak.
Also, I take an anti-histamine (I use plain old benedryl) I'm not sure if you can take it alongside prednisone or not—ask a pharmacist—but I've found that taking anti-histamines also relieves the itch considerably. (And wikipedia just told me I'm not the only one.)
I'm horribly allergic to the urushiol—in 2003 I had to go to the damn emergency room once to get some kind of something (guessing some type of steroid or other) shot into me, as my throat was closing up, real fun.
Good luck.
posted by dancestoblue at 1:50 AM on December 10, 2011
It feels *so good* as that itch leave your body—no kidding, it feels amazing—and the relief from the itch lasts for like five hours. It's about the only way I can sleep when I get nailed by poison ivy or oak.
Also, I take an anti-histamine (I use plain old benedryl) I'm not sure if you can take it alongside prednisone or not—ask a pharmacist—but I've found that taking anti-histamines also relieves the itch considerably. (And wikipedia just told me I'm not the only one.)
I'm horribly allergic to the urushiol—in 2003 I had to go to the damn emergency room once to get some kind of something (guessing some type of steroid or other) shot into me, as my throat was closing up, real fun.
Good luck.
posted by dancestoblue at 1:50 AM on December 10, 2011
To clean the shoes.
Pull out the laces. Washing machine or just replace. Put the shoes in the top rack of the dishwasher, upside down. Use the rack dividers to splay the shoes open. Use laundry soap (don't wash dishes at the same time).
No dishwasher? Put rubber gloves on. Couple inches of hot water in the sink. Laundry soap. Use a plastic bristled brush (fingernail brush is good) and scrub the dickens out of them. Drain, rinse, refill higher, more soap, let them soak (put a pot on them if they float). Drain, rinse with lots of hot water, put on the dish rack for a day or two.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:13 AM on December 10, 2011
Pull out the laces. Washing machine or just replace. Put the shoes in the top rack of the dishwasher, upside down. Use the rack dividers to splay the shoes open. Use laundry soap (don't wash dishes at the same time).
No dishwasher? Put rubber gloves on. Couple inches of hot water in the sink. Laundry soap. Use a plastic bristled brush (fingernail brush is good) and scrub the dickens out of them. Drain, rinse, refill higher, more soap, let them soak (put a pot on them if they float). Drain, rinse with lots of hot water, put on the dish rack for a day or two.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:13 AM on December 10, 2011
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posted by BlahLaLa at 4:05 PM on December 9, 2011