Poison ivy still itchy!
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello, 7 days ago ( friday) I ran across poison ivy and I caught it just about everywhere ( bad spots). So I decided on monday to go the doctor because the rashes were getting worse. I was giving a shot and a prescription for Methylprednisolone 4 mg 21 tablets( 6 day doses) and everything seemed to be working.I was finally not itching nearly as bad and sleeping much better, but the relief only lasted for 2 days. Now im back to being itchy in the same exact spots and the rashes are still there. I only have one pill left which I'm taking tomorrow morning.My question is should I go back to the doctor? Could I get another prescription or perhaps another shot? Or will it clear up before monday? It just seems like the less pills I'm taking the more my poison ivy is reacting again. Does the pills and shot have a short lifespan?And sorry I don't know what kind of shot the Doctor gave me. Thanks for any help!
0 likes, 3 replies
EileenH tyler35259
Posted
It was possibly a steroid shot for immediate effect (though I don't know obviously) and then a taper of the methylpred? A lower dose each day? The level of inflammation is probably too high for the lower doses. I think you need to go back and ask what next. The antiinflammatory effect of pred lasts about 24 hours at most so once you get to a lower dose that isn't enough the rash will be painful again.
This
https://www.healthline.com/health/outdoor-health/poison-ivy-remedies#creams
may help a bit - and certainly to avoid it happening again!
Don't know much about poison ivy luckily - we don't have it!
tyler35259 EileenH
Posted
Hi thank you for the info, and yes its a lower dosage each day your take it. You start with 6 pills( each pill is 4mg) on the first day ( all at different times) and it goes down to one pill on the 6th day.So now im completely out of methlypred since I took my last one 3 hours ago. I would go to urgent care since my regular doctor is closed but I'm afraid they won't give me a shot or a prescription because my regular doctor treated me Monday. So I don't know if I would be wasting my money. My local urgent care charges $100 to see a doctor and then charges more once you're back there. I went in for a boil 2 months ago and it was lanced, I was charged $200. My local doctor charges $65 total so I'm hoping I can hold out till Monday. Im just worried that they won't give me anymore meds because I was treated already and because the dangers of the steroids.I don't care about any side effects, I just wanna stop itching....
EileenH tyler35259
Posted
Short-term steroids are not dangerous - I've been on pred for the last 9 years and I haven't crumbled yet. Far more to the point is to use them properly for the problem at hand. I can't comment about your system It is beyond me how anyone can afford to be sick in the US!