[pct-l] Poison oak - Seiad Valley to Ashland

[Edward Anderson]

Hey Mush-Shroomer,

I'm surprised that, by now, realizing all the time you have spent mushroom 
hunting in N.California, and all the times you have suffered from PO, you have 
not immunized yourself to poison oak. I did it over 20 years ago and have not 
had it since. 


I used to get it every year - more than once each year. I first got it really 
bad when I was in grammar school and lived in Southern California. I had it so 
bad that one eye was completely closed by blisters and I remember that I could 
only see out of the other eye through a very narrow slit. I had it several times 
after that - a very bad case when I was in the Army and stationed at Fort Ord 
and living off post in Carmel Village. My wife and I both got it that time. It 
was winter and we were hiking in Point Lobos Reserve. We got PO from the bare 
branches.  After that I learned to recognize it in all seasons and rarely got 
it. It helps if you wash off as soon as possible with an oil-based soap. I used 
Dove. 


In the early 1980's we had discovered horses and bought a ranch in 
Comptche. There was lots of Poison Oak on our ranch and in many places where we 
rode and hiked (and picked mushrooms) on the Mendocino Coast. I started getting 
PO again, but not as bad as before (but bad)  even tho I washed. I would get it 
at least three times a year. Knowing what it looked like didn't help much 
because our dogs, our cats, and our horses would have it on their coats and I 
would get it from them. The horses would walk right through it while grazing and 
even sometimes eat it. I could not avoid touching them. 

So, I had heard of poison oak immunization pills, and also drops. I knew and 
learned of others who had immunized themselves. Two brothers, who owned 
a Comptche ranch near ours (third generation) worked around PO all the time but 
never got it. They raised cattle and logged. They claimed that they were born 
immune to PO. How lucky. And they  were not Native Americans. When I tried to 
buy the pills I found that they were no longer available.  They had been taken 
off the market - perhaps because some people got PO from the pills - perhaps 
they were super sensitive - or perhaps they overdosed. Then I discussed the 
subject with my doctor. Dr. Robinson was unconventional, a country doctor who 
was very well respected in my area. He was into a holistic remedies and 
treatments that the Fort Bragg doctors were not aware of or didn't believe in.  
As I recall, he pointed out that what the PO immunization pills included was an 
extract from the Poison Oak plant. You swallow them and over time, gradually 
develop a resistance and finally an immunity to PO. You don't get PO internally. 
Not inside your mouth, in your throat, in your stomach or in your intestines. 
You can get it in your lungs from the smoke of burning PO. That can be fatal! 


So, here is what I did - and it worked for me!  I hesitate to even tell about it 
on this list because when I did in 2008, two or three doctors gave me a lot of 
flack claiming that "No one is immune to PO". "It is impossible to immunize 
yourself". One doctor from Germany even said that if you do what I did you would 
get it inside your body - even in your intestines. She said, "This could kill 
you." One or two hikers who posted in claimed that they had successfully 
immunized themselves with the pills. One claimed that he had become free of PO 
for 18 years. He said that he used to get it often. 

Oh yah, I was going to tell you how I immunized myself. Since the pills were no 
longer available I decided to swallow leaves. Please note that I did not say I 
"ate" them. No chewing.I started with a very small leaf - the size of a 
dime. Dr. R. said to be very cautious and use a tweezers and a mirror and wash 
it down with lots of water. Then wait three or four days. ( I should mention 
that I made a mistake the first time and allowed some of the PO oil to mix with 
my saliva and got a little PO on my lips. I learned from that to carefully 
 place the leaf on my tongue and then immediately swallow it with lots of water 
- two full glasses)  If no reaction repeat but with a slightly larger leaf. I 
always waited three or four days between leaves. At the end of more than two 
weeks I was up to a quarter-size leaf with no reaction. Since you can get PO 
externally, I always washed my butt hole with soap and water after a BM.  I 
repeated this treatment for the next two years. It has been over twenty years 
since I have had PO. Same horses, same ranch, until I moved to Agua Dulce nearly 
four years ago. There is quite a bit of PO in places in the canyons of Vasques 
Rocks Park. There is an obscure, hard to find trail (secret) in the park that is 
overgrown in places with PO. It leads, eventually, to a cave with impressive, 
old pictographs. I have gone through and cleared the PO so I could show them to 
friends. Of course I'm careful not to touch the PO. I wonder if I'm still 
immune. I have cleared that trail for the last three years and have not got PO. 

Recognize that people vary in their body chemistry. What worked for me my not 
work for you. If you try this method do so with caution. 


MendoRider/Ed Anderson



________________________________
From: Scott Williams <baidarker at gmail.com>
To: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
Cc: PCT L <pct-l at backcountry.net>; "Tow, Doug" <DTow at americanriverbank.com>
Sent: Fri, March 18, 2011 5:01:52 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Poison oak - Seiad Valley to Ashland

Hi Doug,
I get poison oak, and know it in all it's stages as you can get it winter
and summer, from the leaves or just the sticks.  I mushroom around the stuff
and have learned to be careful.  I can't remember if you are NOBO or SOBO,
but last year I hiked NOBO, and down into Seiad Valley from the Marbles, and
it was unavoidable.  The trail was overgrown with it pretty badly in places,
and even pushing it out of the way with hiking sticks didn't stop me from
getting it all over my ankles and lower legs.  Had I known it would be this
bad, I would have brought along a tube or bottle of Tecnu, which is a
cleanser specifically for poison oak, and a bit of industrial strength skin
barrier.  I used to have a tube of skin barrier made to protect workers skin
from caustic chemicals, but don't remember what brand it was, or what
happened to it.  It was given to me by a petrochem worker, and I used it for
several mushroom seasons, and liked it.  I'm sure if you research skin
barriers, you'll find something.  Put that stuff on your legs before you
enter a PO area, and remember it will be all over your shoes and socks, both
of which should be washed in Seiad Valley, with detergent, before you wear
them again.

I had it so badly by Seiad Valley that I took a dose of prednisone to
relieve it, and then walked up and out of Seiad Valley on the dirt road, one
of the alternatives.  I just  didn't want to get it again, it was too
miserable.  Also somewhat effective is to leave yourself really dirty, and
with lots of your body's natural oils on the surface before you get into an
area you know PO will be present, as your natural oils are quite effective
as a skin barrier.  Not hard for thru hikers.  You guys will be filthy if
you live up to your "Dirty Hiker Trash" name.

I hope trail crews will have cleared the overgrowth on this section by this
year.  Last year they were focused on the incredible blow downs, and I think
the berries and PO were left for later.  Some of this section was completely
covered by thimble berries, three to five feet high which we ate and were
delicious, but plenty of PO was in there too.

Shroomer
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