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Worst outbreak case

Subject: Worst outbreak case
Author: Jim Dunphy
Date: 3/20/2003 0:43 am
Views: 8357
Status: Approved
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My Horror Story: I haven't read of anyone that has had such a bad time as I have, and I wonder if there are long term effects that just haven't been written about yet. While I lived in the San Francisco area I did a lot of hiking and got poison oak three times. Each time was worse than the previous time. Each bout lasted about two weeks and were over completely, with progressive treatments including steroids. The last round included medication to make me sleep so I wouldn't scratch and/or maybe lose my mind.Later I moved to Arizona and got exposed to poison ivy while hiking. I had such a severe reaction I was unable to wear clothes for two weeks. I was on steroids, compresses, cold showers, the works. I couldn't go to work of course. My dermatologist said he had never seen such a severe reaction and thought I was allergic to it, which isn't clear to me because I've learned the reaction is an "allergic" reaction by the body. I had huge oozing sores everywhere. After about a month, it subsided somewhat, however, I continued to be afflicted with blistering rashes for nearly six months. It would move from one part of my body to another the entire time. I would wake up in the night, finding myself scratching until my skin bled. Because I knew when/where I was exposed, I had taken all the regular precautions to avoid re-exposure (meaning I washed all the clothes, etc.) at the advice of my dermatologist.To this day, I suffer from periodic small outbreaks of raised small bumps that are extremely itchy.My question is: I've read that poison stays in one's body permanently. Since I've had such severe reactions to it, I'm wondering if any research or recording of symptoms has occurred that may indicate that cases of severe poisioning may have long term effects? Because my reaction was so bad, I am now deathly afraid of the vines, and have changed my lifestyle to do very little hiking.Please feel free to pose my history/questions to others you may think have explored this. I really am wondering about the long term effects of cases like mine.
--"helen" ([email protected]) submitted 16/Apr/2002

SubjectAuthorDate
Worst outbreak caseJim Dunphy3/20/2003 0:43 am
  Re: Worst outbreak caseJim Dunphy3/20/2003 10:33 pm
    Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)AB7/12/2009 12:27 pm
  Re: Worst outbreak caseJim Dunphy3/25/2003 4:35 pm
  Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)Becky4/17/2003 10:37 pm
    Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)becky4/17/2003 10:42 pm
    Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)[email protected]6/28/2004 4:38 am
  Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)Regina5/13/2003 9:26 am
    Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)Steve B.6/12/2004 2:42 pm
      Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)Steve B.6/24/2004 12:45 pm
        Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)josh11/25/2007 10:10 pm
          Re: Worst outbreak case (Approved)Brian11/26/2007 9:09 pm