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There are times when a corticosteroid like prednisone can make a huge difference. One of those times is when we have been exposed to something nasty like poison ivy or poison sumac. Contact with these plants can lead to an itchy, red, blistering skin reaction. Urushiol is the oily resin that triggers contact dermatitis. Even someone who thinks he is immune to this toxic substance can develop an allergy late in life. This reader is now taking prednisone for poison ivy because of such a reaction.
Q. I never used to get poison ivy, but last weekend I cleared out a lot of weeds and vines from my backyard. The result: I am covered with an awful rash. It’s red and blistered and itches like crazy. Does this mean that I am now susceptible to poison ivy going forward?
My doctor prescribed prednisone after a telemedicine consultation. It seems to be helping. What should I know about this drug?
Prednisone for Poison Ivy:
A. Yes, you should absolutely consider yourself sensitized to poison ivy now. People can develop this allergic contact dermatitis at any point in their lives.
Surveyors, national park rangers and telephone linemen have discovered this the hard way. These hard-working folks have to be very careful to avoid plants that secrete urushiol. Weekend gardeners are also susceptible. Even when you are cautious, it is sometimes hard to completely escape this resin.
Hiking outdoors means that your shoes and pants can touch poison ivy. When you take them off, you can be exposed. If you have a pet that runs around outside it can also pick up urushiol. When you pet your furry friend, you can develop contact dermatitis.
Oral corticosteroids such as prednisone can bring relief to a bad case of poison ivy within about 24 hours. The dose should be tapered gradually over a week or two. That allows your own body to compensate as the steroid is withdrawn.
Another Example of Prednisone for Poison Ivy:
Q. There’s poison ivy, and there’s POISON IVY! My husband gets a barely noticeable itchy rash that doesn’t impact his daily life in any measurable way. When I get poison ivy, I swell up like a balloon. The blisters are the size of half golf balls and when they finally start draining, it takes days before the oozing stops.
Twice in my life I spent over a week in bed prior to finally going to the doctor for help. I was only able to get up to use the bathroom, which was agony. For me, a typical course of poison ivy lasts over two weeks. Prednisone is a life saver in my case.
A. For a severe allergic reaction like yours, corticosteroids like prednisone can be extremely helpful. A slow taper over a week or two is generally recommended. Dropping the dose too rapidly can lead to symptoms of adrenal dysfunction such as muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, fainting, headache, nausea, loss of appetite and low blood sugar.
Side Effects from Prednisone for Poison Ivy:
Side effects of prednisone or other strong steroids can include insomnia, irritability and mood swings, fluid retention, elevated blood pressure, headache and dizziness. Be alert for more serious complications such as blood clots or susceptibility to infections (BMJ, April 12, 2017).
You may want to use a low-salt substitute containing potassium chloride on your food to replenish potassium. That’s because prednisone can deplete the body of this crucial electrolyte.
To learn more about the dark side of prednisone when it is used for long periods of time you may want to click on this link.
Prednisone Side Effects: Deal With The Devil?
Prednisone is a valuable medication for many serious conditions, but prednisone side effects can be serious, including sepsis and psychological reactions.
Share your own story with prednisone for poison ivy in the comment section below.
Natalie
I got into some poison ivy or sumac a couple weeks ago and went on a 14 day Prednisone taper starting at 70mg a day. My body could not tolerate the side effects so they lowered dosage and started tapering. The side-effects of this medicine are horrible. I have every side-effect listed, and the worst one now is the water retention in my face and around my eyes.
Linda
In my area, we have poison oak, which is similar. I’m very allergic and have found that hot, hot water (as hot as I can stand) works really well. It lasts about 12 hours, and I apply once in the morning and again before bed. I wouldn’t use it on my face, though. I’ve tried everything and usually have to reapply every few hours because it starts itching again.
Felicia
I never had a reaction to outdoor plants until 4 weeks ago; another lady also was in the immediate care for ‘mystery weed rash.’ I was prescribed a 2 week steroid treatment and antihistamine. After reading about the side effects, I tapered the steroids off at 5 days, but I continued the calamine lotion 6-10 times a day. The lotion helped as soon as the itching started. The rash left scars.
Barbara
I developed a sensitivity to poison ivy in my 50s. and several times it was bad enough that I had to be treated with steroids. I discovered Tecnu, which is a preventive measure. Once I started putting Tecnu on exposed areas of my skin before working around poison ivy, I never had another case of the rash. The Tecnu bonds with the oils in poison ivy so they will wash off when you shower after working in the yard.
Susan
I had a boss who would take prednisone for flare-ups of his Lupus. His wife was kind enough to explain the psychological change that would happen to him if he did not take care to decrease his dosage slowly. So glad she did because I was ready to quit because he was so verbally abusive. Be very careful to decrease the dose as prescribed!
Sandie
I too am very allergic to all the poison ivy, sumacs, etc.
I’ve ending up in doctors’ office several times. Years ago I was covered on both underside arms and both legs. They just oozed with puss. I tried everything they sold on the market. I cut off the toes of socks and wore them on my arms. Otherwise the oozing was all over my clothes. Dr. always gave me a cortisone shot and pills.
One night I asked Google how people treated poison ivy a hundred years ago. Got a lot of info. Lots of herbs and stuff. Most sounded like witches’ brew. Then I found someone who said to mix a solution of half and half, alcohol and vinegar. I got a pill bottle and mixed some and took a cotton pad and wiped my arms and legs. I used it every couple of hours. Had to get bigger bottle. Within the day, my arms and legs were drying up. Still itched…but drying up. Now I keep this on hand for bug bites and stuff.
Pat
When I come in from yard work I wash with dishwashing soap. I just had a large patch that I missed. Always the dishwashing liquid first. Then I used aloe from the plant. The skin turns red, itches some, but no blisters or weeping.
Paulette
As a child in the 1950s, before so many of these antihistamines (and their resulting side effects) were developed, I used ice packs on my poison ivy rashes. It seemed to dry up the itchy patches almost immediately. Makes sense: ice is still my cure for mosquito bites, bee stings, and bruises.
Ruth
A little know side effect of steroids is Central Serous Choreoretinopathy. I had an outbreak of poison ivy and was given a shot of cortisone followed by a round of prednisone. I lost the vision in one eye (it could have been both). It did come back gradually but vision in that eye is still not what it once was. I’ve been told not to take steroids.
Lucille L
I also got poison ivy or poison sumac from working in the yard. I never had problems until about 4 weeks ago I was weed-eating around the fence. I got a rash on my ankle and upper arm. It itched so bad when I scratched another place would show up. I used oatmeal, domeboro, anit-inch. A week later, went to the doctor and she prescribed Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream which I used twice a day. After 10 days, the itching stopped but skin is still rough and red. The rash on my arm is slowly fading. I believe I cut that poison sumac or ivy and the oil spashed on my legs and it spread. Also made a paste out of baking soda to apply after shower.
Jim
I found that the old antihistamine diphenhydramine is as effective as prednisone for mild to moderate poison ivy. The directions say to take it every 4-6 hours, and I can usually tell by the itching returning when the 6 hours is up. I find that it keeps new blisters from emerging but existing blisters take about a week to dry up. I haven’t had to take prednisone for over 20 years after I found out how effective diphenhydramine is for me. There are warnings about diphenhydramine causing drowsiness, but that has not been a problem for me.
N
I am very allergic to poison ivy, poison oak etc. and have been treated with prednisone on numerous occasions . I found a natural remedy that works every time. I use Burt’s Bees Poison Ivy Soap. There are also other soaps you can buy at the pharmacy that work just as well, but they are more expensive. No prescription is needed. It’s a simple, effective and inexpensive solution. I wet the soap and slather it on the spots showing an allergic reaction. I don’t rinse it. Repeat when the area starts itching, about four times a day. The allergic reaction disappears within three to four days. It works even if you wait until the symptoms appear. If you know you have been exposed to poison ivy etc. start using it before the symptoms appear. Keep a bar of this magical soap around for emergencies. I’ve had the same bar for several years and it still works. I don’t know why Doctors don’t tell their patients to use the specially formulated soap for poison ivy. It works EVERYTIME!
Bonnie W
Can you believe that I had a reaction to prednisone ? I broke out in a hive type rash and one evening my lips began to swell etc. My husband and I were out of town and this happened all at once. We went to a nearby pharmacy and the pharmacist there said “you are allergic to some meds and asked about my most recent Med change”. She said well you definitely have an allergy to it and I told her it was prednisone. How can someone have an allergy to something which is used to treat allergies? My Dr said that it is not common but it can happen. It was a big surprise for me!
Mark
After taking Prednisone for a back injury I developed a significant increase in depressive symptoms. I was not aware that this medication could cause that. I was already taking antidepressants but the depression became much worse.