Eating Posion Ivy

[Fried Pie]

I am extremely allergic to poison ivy and the fact that I regularly eat the leaves to maintain my non-allergic condition has created some discussion with some of my friends.

Here’s the deal.  I eat one poison ivy leaf a day for about two weeks in the spring as soon as the leaves start showing, then eat maybe a leaf a month until the fall.  I do not understand it, but I never break out inside my mouth.  Sometimes when first starting in the spring, I can get a blister on my lip if it touches the leaf.  To avoid this when starting out in the spring, I will clip a leaf and let it fall on a piece of bread, then fold the bread over it to make sure the leaf  doesn’t touch my lip.

I have not had any ill effects…. and it works.

[mullet]

 How's your butt feel?

[Cacatch]

I had heard of this and wondered if it really worked and if anyone actually did it. I've read where it was a trick the NA's used to reduce or eliminate susceptibility to poison ivy. I'm scared to try it though, because some sources say it can be deadly to the wrong person by causing them to have all sorts of internal infections. Don't know, but at least it works for you. Not everything works for every person. 

[El Destructo]

I'll just take your word for it..... 

[Badger]

 That scares the crap out of me. I have had my throat almost close up and choke me to death tasting things I shouldn't be tasting, or smoking things I shouldn't have been smoking LOL. I chewed up a philadandren leaf when I was a kid and came real close to dyeing, might have been an elephant ear not positive anymore. Steve

[jeff halfrack]

       DANG!!!!!!!!!!   I'm  writing  this  by  proxy!   I  can  catch  poison  Ivy  off  the  internet!!!  you  crazy  boy!!   good  luck!  my  bro  works  for  the  phone  co  he  gets  some  shot?  He  dosn't  break out  that  bad  any  more JEFF W

[HoBow]

Works the same as an allergy shot. Take in concentrated dosages to help your body build up immunity to the allergens. I've had to get on a shot both times I've moved to a different region of the country. Taking honey works the same way with tree allergens. Your mouth probably doesn't break out because of the acid level. Your method may work, but the controlled method of shots would be safer!

[sailordad]

ya,aint never done that
but i can see how it would work,after all they say if you have seasonal allergies
ti make them a lot easier tp put up with you should eat a tbsp of local honey every day in the spring/summer
that way you are ingesting all the local pollens that you are allergic too

[Pat B]

El D, my sentiments exactly!!!

[John K]

Good luck with that one ! I would just aviod the Ivy 

[El Destructo]

El D, my sentiments exactly!!!

I have no desires to eat Poison Ivy...I am allergic to Shell Fish...it swells my Throat and makes it itch...I almost died of Anaphylactic Shock once...and don't want to chance it again...so I will only eat Shrimp till my Throat starts to Itch...and then Quit....

As for Allergy Shots being a concentrated Dose...when I used to take them...they were a Minimal dose to make your Body react to them and build it's own immunity to the Allergen...not a Concentrated Dose...I would think that this would trigger an Attack....JMO

[mullet]

 I grew up in Florida eating Mangoes all my life, I've been told that's why I don't break out at all. I sat down in a big patch turkey hunting one morning. I set up in the dark and when the sun came up I was covered in the pretty green stuff. No problem.

[DanaM]

Me I'm allegric to deer, go figure eh but it never bothered me until I skinned several hundred for extra cash while in college,
doc said it was from over exposure, now when I field dress a deer I wear a dust mask and a tyvek suit, No fun when yer eyes swell shut and yer wind pipe closes and you break out in hives

[FlintWalker]

I have a buddy that could wipe his butt with poison ivy leaves and not have a problem. Me...I can't touch the stuff with out looking like I've been shot with a load of #9's a day or two later Ticks me off! 
 I wouldn't eat a leave of it for $500

[Timo]

I wouldn't eat a leave of it for $500

That would pay for the roofin ,popacap!