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DH has poison Sumac!

YukonCYukonC
in Pregnant after a Loss

My idiot DH has poison sumac and didn't do anything about it for a few days and it has now spread...great. I've got him on lots of stuff, but I am concerned that I might catch it.

Anyone know if I can use caladryl or benedryl spray? Neither of the bottles say anything about not to use in pregnancy, but...I just don't want to have to call the on call ob to ask this question. I could really kill him right now.

I don't think I am allergic to it...I've never gotten poison ivy, oak or sumac and I know I have been exposed to at least two of these, but I am still worrying. Stick out tongue

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Re: DH has poison Sumac!

  • berty12777berty12777

    My husband is the king of poison ivy exposure so I have learned a lot about this in the past year or so!

     It is the oil from the plant that causes the rash, so if you have washed EVERYTHING that may have come into contact with the plant, you should be safe.  The rash can develop at different rates on different parts of the body, so you may notice that your DH's rash is "spreading" although the exposure may have happened at the same time.  He cannot spread the rash to you with contact with his rash - only with contact with the oil.  My best advice is to wash everything that he would've come into contact with the affected areas before he washed the oils off.  

    If you do end up with a rash (which is highly unlikely at this point), call the OB and they can put you on steroids that will clear it up pretty quickly.  It might be a good idea for your DH to call his doctor too for the same thing.

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  • jnealetjnealet member

    If it's been a couple of days and you have nothing, you probably won't get it.  It's not "contagious", the only way you can get it is to touch the sumac oil that's on DH's skin before he washed it off.  It can take up to a week for it all to show up on DH.


    That being said, you (or DH) do need to be careful when washing his clothes, you should wash his shoes that he had on when he got it and if he didn't shower right when he came in, everything that he touched should be at least wiped down. My college roommate got it and went to bed and kept re-infecting herself until she washed her sheets.

    If you do get it, I believe you can use benedryl spray but benedryl will probably work better for you - at least you can sleep through the itchiness.  I hope you don't get it!!!

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  • NoVaIrishNoVaIrish
    Berty seems to have the rational answer.  I was going to suggest locking him in the basement until he is better.
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  • YukonCYukonC

    imageNoVaIrish:
    Berty seems to have the rational answer.  I was going to suggest locking him in the basement until he is better.

    Nova, I like how you think.

    Thanks ladies! Seems like I've done most everything I can, washed sheets, clothes, etc. in hot water so I gues I need to send him to the doc cause this has been going on for about a week!

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  • jnealetjnealet member
    Good luck!  I made out with a poison ivy plant last fall and I had it from head to toe - even in between my toes and on my boobs (no clue how that happened.).  It took two rounds of steroid pills and a steroid shot in the butt to make any difference.  And it still took about 3 weeks for it all to clear up.  Hopefully DH has learned his lesson.
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