We don’t recommend Tea Tree or lavender for bed bugs. There’s no evidence they will solve your problem, and plenty of anecdotal evidence they won’t.

If you have some documentation as to their dangers, please share a link or reference.

I’ve been scanning this great site b/c I think I have bedbugs. I just wanted to offer a tip that I discovered after fighting a flea infestation I found when I first moved into my apartment. (yeah, fleas and now bedbugs- I’m already shopping for a new place- my current building is awful!).

I tried cortisone creams for the itch but that works well for an hour at most (for me) but the itch comes back. Plus, cortisone is serious stuff you don’t want to use often. What works best for me is a first aid spray called Bactine. It’s made by Bayer. It works very well for me to stop the itching for many hours at a time. (http://www.bactine.com/)

Great website by the way! Now to start my own little war on bed bugs! I hope to get on them before the problem gets bad. I think I only have a few.

Sorry you are going through this. Allergic reactions to bed bgu bites can vary a great deal.

If your condition becomes distressing or other symptoms arise (like trouble breathing) please do visit an emergency room.

I mention breathing trouble as in rare occasions bed bug bites have caused people to go into anaphylactic shock. It is very rare but does happen. (I am thinking of one former member of our forums who had such a severe reaction only once; other times she had more normal itchy bite reactions.)

I almost never have allergic reactions to anything but this time I think I may be allergic ro just have sever reactins to BB bites. I get the usual itch after a day and then on the second, third or fourth day onward the bites itch like crazy and then swell up.For example I got 4 or 5 bites on my foot and it swell up as if I had a broken foot. At this point, the itchiness level goes off the barometer. Then after I put some 0.5 mg clobetasol propionate ointment which is a corticosteroid, I’m okay. However I become reallly alarmed when after a day this treated area turns red under the skin. I am trying to make a doctor’s appointment but in the meantime I hoped to see if anyone else experienced this. SInce it’s the weekend no appointments until next week.

The pattern you describe makes this sound like something else — since bed bug bites are likely to be a bit more random, not moving in a general direction, just appearing here and there. Exposed body parts are more likely to be bitten, also.

I have been suffering for the past 3 months, from intense nighttime, early morning and now ALL DAY itching.

I have a rash that comes and goes with the itching, that is between my breasts and up my neck and now on the inside of my elbow too.

I never considered the idea of bed bugs, but I do feel things suddenly bite me through the days. I like the idea of bagging up my clothes before wearing them again, rather than stuffing them into drawers. I may try that. I am hoping I can find some sort of relief soon. I have a dr appt on Friday, since we’ve tried every kind of lotion and nothing is working

Thanks for your input!

The only thing I can suggest is getting prompt professional help. And take heart, you can beat this.

how in the hell do you sleep knowing you’ll get bitten and they’re in your bed? i look like i have chicken pox and i’m about to crack from the stress.