Thanks so much. I've usually gotten through poison ivy just by waiting it out, washing everything and keeping it from itching using various things. This time, however, it was right along the waistline of my work uniform, and kept getting irritated. I normally wouldn't take an actual medicated route, but with this hot and humid weather, I've been really uncomfortable without the poison ivy. Luckily my doctor was very supportive and the prednisone is finally doing its job and the rash is starting to go down. I'm not a fan of taking it, but in this case, I'm happy to be feeling better.

What I'm hoping for is that I will eventually not be allergic to it again. When I was younger, I did not seem to get it, and whether that was because I was lucky and didn't run into it (which is highly unlikely, I was in the woods all the time, home or camping, it was my playground), or with adulthood my body chemistry is different enough to react to the oils, I can hope that either I will change again, or I'll be more lucky when I'm camping in a group and I won't get it.

I can tell you that for next years East Coast Camping Trip, I'm going to wash off every day with my anti-poison ivy soap, that way if it's on someone else's clothing it shouldn't have enough time to affect me.

I really do appreciate the plant for its wonderful contributions to our natural environment though. Through my current position, I've become more away of the realm of plants native to North America, and trying to concentrate on mainly the east coast, and poison ivy is a remarkable plant. It provides an amazingly nutritious food source for our native wildlife and really is beautiful in every season except winter (try as I might, the hairy stems just arent' attractive to me), but the spring color of the leaves, the bright green carpet or cascade in the summer and the breathtaking red fall color would really recommend it if a large part of the population weren't allergic, and the white berries it produces are really interesting, if you get a chance to see them before they are eaten.

I hope you are having a wonderful summer and are keeping away from the poison ivy!

I'm a horticulturist. And the organization for which I work (it''s a non-profit, residence) focuses on using organic/environmentally sound practices and native plants.

Hmm, besides fuzzy, what did it look like? Did it have flowers?

There is a type of primrose that has fuzzy leaves that some people have an allergic reaction to. A co-worker of mine actually has scars from the reaction he had to it. But, it doesn't seem to bother me.

I chose my profession accidentally. I wanted to be a biologist, took a botany class and some other hort classes my first semester at college and ended up with an AAS in Landscape/Nursery Technology, and an AAS in Interiorscaping and Floral Design.

So, I do design work as well, and actually prefer it, especiallly since my job right now is changing into something I didn't want it to be - constant weeding.

I'm working on my bachelors in Technology Management, it takes my associates credits and applies them toward the bachelors in management . It was designed to train managers in technological fields. It is another reason I'm annoyed by my job now. My manager has a bachelors in liberal arts and has risen to management through promotions, not actual training, so my idea of what a manager should do and what he actually does conflicts. He's got more experience in the hort industry (although, he's got a commercial background - I have more of a non-profit background), and we work in a non-profit organization.