LymeNet Flash: Steroid cream for poison ivy?

This is topic Steroid cream for poison ivy? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by HeathO947 (Member # 2890) on :

Hi,

I have had a rash on my leg for about a week and I think that it is poison ivy. It has spread to the other leg and to one of my arms. I has used calamine lotion, tea tree oil with no help.

I have never had poison ivy but I usually have pretty strong reactions to mosquito or spider bites. I went to a doctor today to get it checked out and she said she was going to put me on an oral steroid.

I told her that I have Lyme and she prescribed me a steroid cream (clobetasol) instead and she told me to take benedryl at night and she gave me Zyrtek for during the day.

My question is, is a steroid cream ok to use? What other things could I try to get rid of the poison ivy rash if this is no good?

Thanks,
Heather

Posted by jlovelace (Member # 6755) on :

From speaking with my doctor no steroids are the best course of action. You may want to try soaking in an oatmeal bath as that helps with the drying. Good luck!

Posted by Starphoenix (Member # 2402) on :

If I have small rash lesions, I will use steroid cream judiciously. It's the only thing that works, and I doubt much is absorbed.

Since you're speaking of a larger area, I'd be more concerned.

I HAVE been on oral steroids, for years, for an inaccurate diagnosis, and I will avoid all forms like the plague, usually. However, as mentioned above, for small rashes, I will use a cortisone-type cream occasionally. And I would use oral steroids if my life were in danger. That's it!

Steph

Posted by HaplyCarlessdave (Member # 413) on :

What you need is fresh jewelweed. But at this time of year, that seems like a pretty tall order, at least around here! I've never seen it at a health food store. It's incredibly effective for poison ivy, and helps other kinds of itch-generating things, too.
DaveS

Posted by fish (Member # 4096) on :

A non-steroidal OTC cream called ZANFEL worked like a miracle for me for itch.

I had poinson ivy from head to toe...it was the worse case my general doc had ever seen in 30 of practice.

It is available at most major drug stores now. It's a product that came out about 3 years ago. Very easy to use.

Most of my itching was gone after two applications. Incredible improvement! Redness and rash/sores still remained but very little itch. It is pricy, but one container will do ya. (I think around $39.00 a tube) but I would have paid $100 for it! It works even after poison ivy is established. That was my case.

Good luck!

Leslie

Posted by pattiecake (Member # 6424) on :

I had a rash that looked exactly like a bite (spider)in the beginning and then EXACTLY like poison ivy a lot of the time. Good derm put me on steroids 3 times and it helped only 2 of them. as it turnes out I have lyme and the rash is bartonella. VERY ITCHY!!!!! SPREADS and did not ever completely go away x-cept when (A)given prednisone then it came back right away and (B)finally being treated with zythromax and Doxycycline. 90% gone now after suffering for over 1.5 years with it .
just my rash experience,
Pattiecake

Posted by HeathO947 (Member # 2890) on :

I am pretty sure that it is a poison ivy rash because my dad has the same rash. I helped him cut down a tree a few weeks ago and the tree had a vine wrapped around it. We were not sure at the time if it was poison ivy or a rose bush vine wrapped around it, but it had to be poison ivy.

I think that I am going to use the cream. I am supposed to use it twice a day for seven days. I will try to put on as little as possible since it has spread and in not getting better. Along with Lyme I also have an autoimmune disease which may be why I am getting such a reaction.

Thanks for your replies I will try some of your suggestions.

Heather

Posted by HeathO947 (Member # 2890) on :

Leslie,

With the cream that you used, how long did it take before the rash started to subside? It sounds interesting. I will look into it.

Thanks,
Heather