Allotments 4 All

I am not alergic to many things, perhaps marriage and in-laws, but today I was cutting out a load of bamboo which comes from next door. After about ten minutes I came out in a terrible rash. It has never happened before. Is it the time of year or what?. 

Serious question, Ace? ::)  If so think the answer is that the bamboo is 'ripe' enough (for want of a better term?) to bring out the reaction in you. Praps when you've cut it back before it was at a different time in the maturity of the bamboo. My dad could cut back ivy with no probs except in the summer, when he developed an horrendous rash. Same ivy cut in the winter didn't cause a reaction at all.

So he left it to Mum to do while he was at the pub 8)

Not heard of that, but if you have been in the thick of it maybe summat fell out of it and nibbled you a few times, I've been itching with green fly and the likes but no rashes ???

Definately  serious, I still have welts all over my arms 9 hours later and they itch like hell. I was phoning a mate earlier and he told me the same thing  happened to him a month ago.

Phone NHS Direct 0845 4647 they may put your mind at rest, good luck.

We have 2, and I have to brush past our black one when I go to the greenhouse and it always brings me out in little hives.  I assumed the stems have tiny hairs as that is the sensation on my arms.  I'm sure somebody I was talking to said bamboo stems have small amounts of poison....arsnic...or something in them.... ???

Ace, have you taken an anti-histamine table eg. Piriton or other Hay fever relief as it may help the itching.  Good luck!

 :'(

Also calamine to cool it down a bit, old fashioned, but works.

Sounds nasty ACE! I would do as Tulippa advices and take some antihistamine tablets, or pop in to see a pharmacist.  Hope you feel more comfortable soon! busy_lizzie

Not really my field, as it's more biochemistry, but I thought I'd see what I could find out...
Brief investigation suggests that bamboo does contain small amounts of cyanide based toxins, especially in fresh growth. HOWEVER, do not be alarmed - bear in mind that people have eaten bamboo shoots for the odd thousand years or so! The lethal dose for a human has been estimated as eating a plate of 20kg of bamboo shoots!  ::)

I would suggest that it's more likely to be many very fine cuts, given that a lot of the sturdier grasses and bamboos usually try to cut me to ribbons if I go anywhere near them. Combined with the fact that bamboos seem to generate a lot of fine, fibrous, dust which (if not irritant in itself) could get into those cuts,  I would suggest that this is a more likely cause than actual toxicity.

Even if its got better really quickly, you might want to ask a pharmacist or NHS Direct as Roy suggested - so that you know for future and can be prepared with gauntlets, overalls, etc!

That's my two-penneth, hope it helps.
Pete


PS: the toxin is a cyanogenic glycoside. Google throws out some papers which make informative, if unpleasant reading - reasonable knowledge of chemistry needed.

I would go with the NHS direct, but i think that bamboo has little hairs on it, make sure you wash with something for sensitivity and wear rubber gloves. It must be driving you mad, hope you feel better soon.

All cleared up overnight, after a good shower. But I shall cover up next time,it only affected the soft lower arms and just above the knees. There was a load of sappy new shoots to cut down so I expect it was them. I usually cut this stuff down in the winter and have not been troubled before. Thanks for the suggestions but beware if you have to cut some yourself.

It sounds as though you could be reacting to something in the sap. A quick seach turned up nothing specific, but I did find a vague report of 'possible allergic symptoms'.

I think it is probably the sap.  I have never had a problem with bamboo - mostly as I have never cut any back!  but have regular run-ins with the Jasmine (mine) and next doors fig tree.  Until I worked out the problem and/or remembered to wear gloves and long sleeves, my hands and legs would be covered in welts and a rash. 

I found that throughly rinsing my arms and hands under running water helped, washing away the sap or fine hairs.

Not just bamboo Peeps - its lethal out there ;)