# Poison Ivy Immunity Potion #9



## Kevin (Mar 30, 2012)

I made the name up, but not the potion. Every Friday on one of my talk shows I listen to in the shop the guest is a doctor who uses the best methods for what ails you no matter if it be modern medicine, naturopathic, homeopathic, ayurvedic, shaman whatever if it's the best for what ails you that he's found, that's what he prescribes. 

He just gave aq poison ivy immunity booster than he says cuts your sensitivity to it by a full 50% the first year, and you take it again next year and you are pretty much immune to it. I *used* to be immune to it because I could roll in the stuff and get no reaction at all. Nada. 

But year before last man it attacked me with a vengeance and again last year. I'm gonna mix up some of this and drink it, but was wondering if anyone has ever heard of this before and tried it. He didn't say anything about poison oak but they work the same so I assume the potion is effective for both. 

Take two leaves of poison ivy put in a bowl.
Add a heaping teaspoon of sassafras root.
Pour boiling water over it (he didn't say how much). 
Smash up the leaves with a spoon to get them to lose their fluids.
Let sit 15 minutes and strain it.
Drink for two days (he didn't say how much.
Repeat in one year.


He said he was super allergic to it but hasn't had a single episode since he took this 15 years ago and goes out in the woods regularly, knowing he gets exposed to it. 

:i_dunno:

But I am a bit leery about drinking *any* amount of poison ivy, so I was hoping someone else would try it first and report back. 


haha. Actually I am wondering if anyone has ever tried this. 


???


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## Mike1950 (Mar 30, 2012)

Don't have a clue but if you used to be immune and now you are not I would think twice about drinking it. As you get older-not to imply anything-heaven forbid :dash2::dash2::dash2::dash2: but allergies that you did not have or did not bother you seem to be worse. Now me I am a perfect example I used to not be allergic to them but now whenever I get close to a politician my wallet seems lighter. :shout::shout::shout: Iknow I know-back to the hole. :wacko1::wacko1::wacko1:


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## Kevin (Mar 30, 2012)

Mike1950 said:


> ..... whenever I get close to a politician my wallet seems lighter. :shout::shout::shout: Iknow I know-back to the hole. :wacko1::wacko1::wacko1:


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## Mike1950 (Mar 30, 2012)

You know Kevin to be very serious-if I can do that-it could be very bad for you- I am sure there are doc's here that will do a much better job then I did above- How about long sleeve shirt and gloves???


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## Kevin (Mar 30, 2012)

Mike1950 said:


> ...How about long sleeve shirt and gloves???



Yes I have to wear them now even when it's 110+ in the bush and humid and no wind. Fortunately, I can still take the heat quite well especially to be so 'advanced' as our Aussie friend likes to say. 

I am going to hold off on drinking this until I at least talk to this guy. He has his phone number on his website. Thanks for your concern Mike I do believe it's sound advice and will heed it.


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## Mike1950 (Mar 30, 2012)

"can still take the heat quite well especially to be so 'advanced' as our Aussie friend likes to say. " [email protected] puke kids and he is a feriner to boot..........  Worked with my gramps as a kid in the woods. he always wore Black long sleeve shirt with a tee shirt- and always told me he was a lot cooler than I. Never believed him. Fast forward to my 30's tee shirt and sweatshirt-longsleeve became my work attire. Once you sweat-tee shirt gets wet and you are cool. Kept the plaster of arms also-lime burns are no fun.


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## DKMD (Mar 30, 2012)

I'd pass on that remedy although I don have any first hand knowledge of its effects... I would be concerned about throat swelling and breathing difficulties when ingesting a known allergen.


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## Daren (Mar 30, 2012)

I don't know about ingesting poison ivy :hornets: Sounds a little dicey to me. I am mildly allergic to it (can get it, don't often) I found *Tecnu* stopped me from getting it all together. I can literally roll in the stuff now and as long as I come home and wash off with Tecnu I have not had a problem since I found out about it.

.


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## Kevin (Mar 30, 2012)

I have used Technu also - still have a bottle somewhere. No doubt that it helped me and is more effective than anything I've tried. My problem is I don't usually address the problem until it's out of control. That's why I was really attracted to the good doctor's 'potion' since I don't have to use the brain I no longer posses. 

:scratch_one-s_head:


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## Dane Fuller (Mar 30, 2012)

DKMD said:


> I'd pass on that remedy although I don have any first hand knowledge of its effects... I would be concerned about throat swelling and breathing difficulties when ingesting a known allergen.



There ya have it. The good doctor has spoken. I personally know of a guy on a surveying crew that was told that if he ate (yes, ATE) a poison ivy leaf that he would not be as susceptible to break outs. He nearly died from just what Dr. Keller said. It would seem that by drinking the potion, you would effectively be doing the same thing. The boiling water would probably help steep the oils out of the PI and that sassafras would be only to make it more palatable. I'd pass, Kevin.


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## txpaulie (Mar 30, 2012)

I am NOT a doctor*:timeout:

I am pretty sure that it's possible to decrease your sensitivty to stuff like PI with a measured exposure regimen...

I will not be the guy that tries it first though, no way...:stop:

As DKMD states, I would HATE to find out that the oil from the plant had a party in my mouth, throat, etc...

I DO have a vested interest in this though, I've got PI vines in the back as thick as my calf!:diablo:

p


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## Daren (Mar 30, 2012)

Come to think of it I used to work with a guy who burned off a PI patch in the winter when it was ''dead''...Just passively inhaling the smoke he and his son had to go to the ER because of breathing problems/swollen eyes and throats...So I'm not sure boiling would neutralize it if burning it didn't ?


.


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## Daren (Mar 30, 2012)

txpaulie said:


> I am pretty sure that it's possible to decrease your sensitivty to stuff like PI with a measured exposure regimen...



Kinda like those guys who are ''immune'' to snake venom because they have been bitten so many times...I would just rather not get bit :i_dunno:


.


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## Dane Fuller (Mar 30, 2012)

Daren said:


> txpaulie said:
> 
> 
> > I am pretty sure that it's possible to decrease your sensitivty to stuff like PI with a measured exposure regimen...
> ...



*+1*


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## Gene Howe (Mar 30, 2012)

Daren said:


> Come to think of it I used to work with a guy who burned off a PI patch in the winter when it was ''dead''...Just passively inhaling the smoke he and his son had to go to the ER because of breathing problems/swollen eyes and throats...So I'm not sure boiling would neutralize it if burning it didn't ?
> .



The same thing happened to my mother and I. Every orifice and all skin was affected. She nearly died. She was in bed wrapped in calamine soaked sheets for a week. I couldn't urinate for a couple days. Eyes swollen shut, too.
On the upside, neither of us have been bothered by it ever since.


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## txpaulie (Mar 30, 2012)

Gene Howe said:


> Daren said:
> 
> 
> > Come to think of it I used to work with a guy who burned off a PI patch in the winter when it was ''dead''...Just passively inhaling the smoke he and his son had to go to the ER because of breathing problems/swollen eyes and throats...So I'm not sure boiling would neutralize it if burning it didn't ?
> ...



Glad you both recovered!

I'm still thinkin' it's not worth it!

p


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## Mike1950 (Mar 30, 2012)

I have a feelin that Kevin is thinking the same thing............


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## DKMD (Mar 30, 2012)

Kevin said:


> Every Friday on one of my talk shows I listen to in the shop the guest is a doctor...



His name doesn't happen to be Dr Charles Darwin, does it?:rofl2:

Sounds like he's trying to chlorinate the gene pool down there in Texas!


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## West River WoodWorks (Apr 1, 2012)

Tecnu and callagel are my best friends at the momment.
First large burl I find, first case of poison ivy for the season!
I would like to find a cure all, but not willing to suck down that lovely concoction!:wacko1:
Tom


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## DKMD (Apr 1, 2012)

I did a little research on the topic, and there seems to be a fair bit of controversy about the practice of ingesting the plant. There are definitely case reports of systemic allergic reactions.

It seems to be consensus that most people will have decreasing sensitivity as they get older and with repeated exposures. If you're serious about developing an immunity, I'd talk with a dermatologist or immunologist to see what's available.

I found the following passage which I found humorous, so I thought I'd share…

_But if you're determined to become resistant to something unpleasant, you could always start with poison ivy. The active ingredient in poison ivy (as well as in poison oak and sumac) is the chemical urushiol, a nasty and persistent oil contained in almost every part of the plant; contact with this stuff produces a serious allergic reaction in about 85 percent of the populace.

And as difficult as it may be to imagine doing, James, outdoors types have long advocated eating poison ivy leaves, in small amounts, as a way of building up one's urushiol tolerance; Euell Gibbons recommends the practice in his foraging guide Stalking the Wild Asparagus. Does it work? Dermatological testing says yes — ingesting urushiol made subjects less likely to break out in a rash following skin contact. The benefits decrease fairly quickly over time, so you have to keep up with it, and* one noted side effect is pruritus ani, also known as itchy ass syndrome*. You can also develop urushiol resistance via injections, or through occupational exposure — the oil is a key ingredient in traditional Japanese lacquer._

Insert emoticon here that demonstrates itchy ass syndrome!


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## txpaulie (Apr 1, 2012)

DKMD said:


> I did a little research on the topic, and there seems to be a fair bit of controversy about the practice of ingesting the plant. There are definitely case reports of systemic allergic reactions.
> 
> It seems to be consensus that most people will have decreasing sensitivity as they get older and with repeated exposures. If you're serious about developing an immunity, I'd talk with a dermatologist or immunologist to see what's available.
> 
> ...



...and that tends to lead to smelly finger syndrome...:xyxnervous:

p


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