🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Jul1.164145.29494@pbhye.PacBell.COM> mjvande@PacBell.COM (Mike Vandeman) writes:
>-I was walking around in a bushy area of the Carmel Valley last 2 weekends
>-ago.  I got some minor cuts and bites on my legs then.  Now the skin around
>-the cuts and scrapes has turned red and is swollen.  My left ankle is 
>-swollen to the point where I can hardly move it.  The areas are also 
>-extremely itchy.  Does this sound like something that could be caused
>-by poison oak?  And more importantly, what can I get for it?  I tried a
>-creme called DermaRest Dricort and it hasn't helped very much.  The areas
>-also seem to be spreading slowly.  It's quite fascinating actually.  Any
>-clues or hints would be appreciated.
>
>Yup, poison oak. The only thing I have found that helps at all is a very
>hot shower or bath immediately after exposure, to try to wash off the 
>oil that causes the allergic reaction. Calomine lotion, aloe vera, ice,
>etc. are all really worthless.

When I was young I got poison oak so bad that my eyes were swollen shut.
That was the last time that I had it.  I don't know but it seem that I've
developed an immunity to it.  A couple of weeks ago I was up in the Sierra's
on a weekend fishing trip and was hiking a river that was loaded with poison
oak.  I had a few scratches here and there but never developed symptoms from
it.  A couple of the guys that I went with are quite prone to it and were
using this stuff that was supposed to prevent poison oak.  Basically it
was like a soap. You rubbed it on any exposed areas and then waited a few
minutes and then washed it off.  I don't recall what it's called but was
told it works well.  It has to be used within six hours or so of exposure.
 
-- 
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| John Fereira            "Is that all you ever think about?"                |
| johnf@auspex.com                                                           |
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