Maybe I should back off a little bit on this. What I have been experiencing are probably not hives, but a rash, an itchy rash. I have not seen a dermatologist, so I don’t know. As for the classic “how do I know if they are new bites or old bites” dilemma, I should also say that, while I still experience symptoms that could indicate new bites, overall the marks on my body seem to be lessening or maturing (= many new freckles). A month ago, I had rashes so huge on my upper body that I couldn’t even detect them as that. It just seemed my chest, shoulders and upper back were all red. Now the red patches have shrunk and in some cases turned into just old, individual bite marks. So even though I still see seemingly new marks which itch, my body does display evidence that the bite marks are fading or old.

Worse some seem to reactivate. I checked myself quite frequently before this bb problem as I am prone to rashes and skin irritations from a comprimised immune system. I have noticed that some of the old bites seem to reactivate and many I had thought were gone actually just got smaller and less red so less noticable.

Just makes me feel better knowing it is not just me experiencing this.

Thank you to you all for posting your own experiences with this phenomenon.

While I think it is a complete jinx to say I have bedbugs NOMORE, I will say that I am someone who went through multiple iterations of fleeing and taking NOTHING except eyeglasses, ID and credit cards. So my chances of having the bugs now, unless my luck is abominably poor, are pretty low.

Nonetheless, everyday I will feel an itch somewhere, peel up my clothes and see welts where I had not seen any before. I really have to believe my last instances of being bitten are almost 2 months ago. Therefore, it is likely these are months’ old bites flaring up. But Holy Hell - they look fresh out of the oven! The terror of the bugs lingers. Funny thing is, I’m one of those who was not initially reactive. But I am months later!! My chest, shoulders and back are positively plastered.

In response to another post-er, I also add that my body is extremely prone to moles and discolorations. And what’s weird is that the old bites on me seem to eventually fade into moles. First they form bright red, mole-shaped dots, like someone else mentioned. But I am pretty sure these are bedbug scars, because then I get regular moles - but in lines of 3! I have always kept pretty good track of where my moles are and I swear to god my skin has all sorts of astrological constellations of moles that weren’t there before.

So for all of you who think you have beaten them and are freaking out - maybe you have beaten them. Then again, if I find blood marks on my white sheets tomorrow, I will hang myself.

ForF

I confess I have carpet phobia after bedbugs (though I did not have it, thankfully) and could never live somewhere with carpeting. It’s just a bad idea in my opinion.

Yes, thanks again. I just think it helps all of us to share what we have learned. I have certainly learned a ton from my personal experience. I have a lot of theories that aren’t proven, but I do understand them much better than I did a year and 1/2 ago.

Tammy
As Hopeless said, check out the FAQs. I will tell you I did everything. Sprayed, dusted, hired a PCO, cleaned. Vaseline. I didn’t win the war until I got rid of my bed and my carpeting. Then I sealed every tiny crack and crevice in the floor and wall. I know it sounds drastic, but after 1 1/2 years drastic measures were required. I’m still not totally sure I am out of it, but it looks promising. The lingering sensations are always make me wonder if that was another bite!! But since I don’t receive several bites at a time or regularly, and they aren’t as intensely itchy as the real ones, I believe they are gone.

Barb,
I’m not sure, but it makes sense that if the antigen persists it causes all kinds of mischief. The issue is whether these new papules can be in different locations as well as old bite sites; the way I read it, they can. It’s also worth noting that there isn’t much out there on bedbug bite allergic reactions and a lot of it is old but it’s encouraging to see some attention paid. The authors here, writing in 2006, were at pains to note that clinicians should be aware of the rise in bedbug infestations. Well, yeah.