For All You Plant Gurus...

[Carpathia]

I know this has absolutly nothing to do with Halo or armor-making, but it's the general forum, so here it goes. I recently started working for a surveyor, and I'm out in the woods alot surrounded by hundredes of plants I can't even begin to identify. I've already ran into some poison ivy that messed my arms up as well as my knee (even though I was wearing pants). The other day, I was cutting through a group of plants that look like the plants in the picture below, and I ended up with welts all over my hands (as seen in the second picture). Does anyone know what type of plant this is? If so, does anyone know the best way to deal with the welts? I'm currently using Calagel and keeping my hands as clean as possible, but if there's any other sort of treatment that speeds up the recovery time, I'm game.



Here's what the plant looks like.

And here's what it did to my hands. The top photo is unedited, the bottom photo has been photoshoped to emphisize the welts.

 

[Dizzerak]

Does it itch or burn? When you scratch does it go to that spot too? Theres alot of possible information that could help when addressing a cure. Off the top of my head, it looks like what I called Nedles ( not needles).

 

[Carpathia]

It itches like an SOB. And every so often, it will feel like my fingers are swelling up. My boss said that it wasn't nedles, he wasn't sure what they were. I've seen these things all over the place growing up, but they have never done this to me before.

 

[Dizzerak]

I guess, since he's been out there, he would know better then most. I would say, if it's that bad for you, go to a doctor. Sorry..



If you have a closeup picture of the leaf and stem, it would help alot to figure this out.

 

[Bloodl3tt3r]

I'm in vertebrate anatomy and physiology, we don't have a botany class. Sorry, dude.

 

[Carpathia]

I guess, since he's been out there, he would know better then most. I would say, if it's that bad for you, go to a doctor. Sorry..

Yeah, he's been surveying for better part of 30 years. I may have to see a doctor. It's funny, because I just went to the doctor for the ivy infection on my knee and I was put on corticosteroids. Ugh.

 

[HeavyGunner]

Man dude, I spent at least 30 minutes googling this for you, and I couldn't come up with a darn thing.



Honestly though, I think it's best to just go see a doctor. Chances are they'll identify it right away, and you won't have to worry anymore. If it's really itchy though, you should go as soon as possible. It might spread, and just get worse from there.

 

[Sigma LS]

It itches like an SOB. And every so often, it will feel like my fingers are swelling up. My boss said that it wasn't nedles, he wasn't sure what they were. I've seen these things all over the place growing up, but they have never done this to me before.

Especially after seeing your reaction to poison ivy, I would say you're just really allergic to the thing. It's really common for folks to get much more allergic to plants later in their life. Poison ivy never even bothered me until I was 17.



Looks to me like what we call "tall nettle" down here. Doesn't look like the stumpy prickly nettles you usually see but that's what down in some parts of the creeks at this time of year in Texas. 2 pics to show what I mean.

EDIT: Take some Benadryl if you can afford to pass out a whole day.

 

[Carpathia]

I've been doing a little research, and it looks a little like Common Goldenrod. What do you guys think?



]

May even be what's called a Giant Goldenrod. The one's I cut down were over my head, and I'm 6'1". I didn't notice the yellow tops, but I wasn't really paying that much attention.

 

[adventchildmatrix]

looks to me like stinging nettle

rub vinegar onto the welts if the pain eases then thats almost certainly what it is

if not go see the doctor

 

[smilie120]

Definitely isn't a nettle I fell in some the other day! >.>

 

[Carpathia]

Went to the doctor yesterday. Turns out it is an alergic reaction to whatever plant I was exposed to. Got a shot in my @$$, and it's already feeling better. Yea!

 

[Gman]

Ouch, shot in the butt! A year ago I had a bad allergic reaction to something unknown and have to have a shot in the butt and steriods to ease the hives. Then a week later they came back. Guess what. Another shot in the butt. When you got yours did it feel like she punched you in the butt?

 

[ImaGonnaGetYou]

Ouch, shot in the butt! A year ago I had a bad allergic reaction to something unknown and have to have a shot in the butt and steriods to ease the hives. Then a week later they came back. Guess what. Another shot in the butt. When you got yours did it feel like she punched you in the butt?

*Ahem* two shots in the ass of two extremely thick medicines. Hurt like a bitch and I couldn't sit straight for days.



But I did get knocked out ASAP, since one happened to contain some Benadryl. Thank God.

 

[Carpathia]

When you got yours did it feel like she punched you in the butt?

As I was getting the shot, I barely felt anything, but about an hour later, I was limping. Totally worth it though, the welts on my hand are pretty much gone now.

 

[Dizzerak]

Glad you got that taken care of. The method, not so much.



Might want to think about wearing some gloves next time.

Steel mesh Gloves @ Hexarmor