How Long Have You Been BB and Bite FREE? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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How Long Have You Been BB and Bite FREE?

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DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jun 2 2010 17:49:05
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i'd say that as of today i have 14 days with no new bite and no BB sighting
sickofbugs

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jun 3 2010 21:28:27
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8 months whoopee!!! Because of all the stress since March 2009, I have found that when overly stressed, I break out in shingles and also because I have bartonella and lyme disease and when overly stressed, I break out 2 different kinds of rashes. At least now, I can distinguish between a bed bug bite and other rashes.
Allipat

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jun 3 2010 21:45:07
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No bug sightings for 65 days and no bites in 79 days.....
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jun 3 2010 22:05:40
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That's great...(apart from the shingles...sorry about that)...8 months and 65/79 days...wonderful. I was getting worried that no one had responded to this post.

as of today 15 days...i'm beginning to be able to sleep the night through and what a difference it makes in my state of mind, ability to concentrate on my work, sense of cheeriness (which i usually have)....

i'm still vigilent and will remain so...

thanks for responding and i hope we hear from others..
freakedoutandbroke

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Jun 7 2010 2:24:12
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Since March 31st!
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Jun 7 2010 4:12:51
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Today is 19 days bb free. i actually looked at a calendar and determined that my last day of a bite was 5/20/10.
eaten_alive

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Jun 7 2010 23:13:56
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=( I was BB bite free for about 2 years until last week (and visual BB confirmation today).
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 8 2010 0:14:45
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eaten_alive,

Where do you think they came from this time and where did they come from last time? What City are you in and do you live in an apartment? How did you successfully get rid of this last time, just wondering. Sorry you're going through this again
eaten_alive

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 8 2010 0:21:09
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Jenn-
Last time I'm pretty sure they came from my NYC->home commute, before I knew about the NYC BB problem. I eventually got rid of them with the mattress encasing, laundering, and black bagging things (roast in sun when hot, and let the BBs die of cold in the winter, most of my things are still in bags from August 2008) along with that poison powder stuff (dicatomous?) and squashing the two BBs I encountered... so my house was clean after that. Sadly, my fiance's place is the infected place (4-family building with people moving in/out... could be anybody so I'm guess it came from somebody who moved in recently). My fiance's place and mine are both in NJ, central Jersey really. We live by a train station and plenty of people in town take the train to Newark Penn (where many come from New York Penn... so I'm thinking somebody may have trekked it back from NYC). I'm driving myself insane.
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 8 2010 1:46:32
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hi eaten alive...

so are you saying that 2 years ago you had bbs at your place and now you think that you brought some bbs from your fiance's place which is infested? Did you see bbs in her place? or in her building generally?

what are you going to do this time?
eaten_alive

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 8 2010 20:28:11
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DeedleBeetle-
Ah, sorry. Lack of sleep must be making me phrase stuff funny.

2 years ago I had BBs from June->August 2008, and none since then at my house.

I just saw bugs in my fiance's place, I'm pretty sure the whole building is infested though. He and I are just looking into moving him out because the person in his family in charge of dealing with the LL refuses to do anything, and told him to move out if he "can't handle" the bugs. =\
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 8 2010 20:40:57
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Well that's the darndest thang....that's the second time this week we read about family telling someone to leave if they can't stand the bugs. Amazing...simply amazing...
Bed Bug Epidemic

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 15 2010 16:45:36
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Deedlebeetle,
Are you still bb free to date???
Lauren
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 15 2010 19:03:33
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Hi BBEpidemic..

Yes, thank goodness today is 32 days i'm bed bug free and no bites or skin reactions....

well except i have those strange pimples on my face but i think they have to do with the insecticides that were used. They don't itch and they don't hurt...looks like acne and taking a long long time to resolve.

I still sometimes have that generalized itching but a nice hot shower with loofah and then astringent on skin resolves that. Sometimes i put cream on because i think my skin may be dry.

I'm still living out of the plastic bags...still continuing to packtite stuff. I did hang my curtains and art work back on the walls. I have a few things hanging in my clothes closet.

I'm cautiously optimistic...

but i'm optimistic enough that (not to gross anyone out) last two nights i slept "au natural"...which i haven't done in months. It was wonderful and no bites...i had a decent night's sleep...just once up for a trek to the bathroom...then back to bed and back to sleep without performing any inspection..

i do change my sheets every 3 days ....
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 15 2010 19:08:05
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ooops...sorry today is 27 days...
Bed Bug Epidemic

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jun 17 2010 13:29:28
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Oh that sounds so nice. 27 days, no sightings and no bites then. Fantastic for you.

Can you refresh my memory on the steps you took to eradicate them?
You are still putting things in the packtite? Like what?

Clothes you wear on a daily basis still being stored in plastic bags?

nothing gross about sleepin in your birthday suit.

and i had that one weird red pimple, didn't hurt, didn't itch, didn't change, didn't go away. starting to now though.

DeedleBeetle - 1 day ago »
ooops...sorry today is 27 days...
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jun 17 2010 14:24:39
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Yes...now 28 days...and it's very nice to be able to sleep and relax my mind a bit. But i'm still very vigilent. I had a little itch on the top of a toe this morning and i put on my glasses and grabbed my magnifying glass to see what i could see...nothing...nothing at all....it rubbed it a bit to take care of the itch...put a little witchhazel on it...and by the time i got out of my morning shower, i didn't feel anything at all..

Yes..i still packtite stuff. I am packtiting right now...i doing the clothes and sheets i plan to send out for laundering this afternoon or tomorrow morning. In that same PT "load" i have the heavy thick plastic bags that i have used before and want to reuse. When i get my clothing back from the laundry they will be returned to the PT for another treatment since i know that the chance of picking up a bed bug in the laundromat is rather high.

I am still only wearing a few things. Same two outfits for court, two pair of jeans, two blouses, three soft t-shirts, two pair of loung pants, 4 pairs of socks, 1 pair of dress socks, 5 pair of panties and 3 bras. One pair of dress shoes and one pair of sneakers...one house slipper. Two changes of linen for the bed, three towels and one summer quilt. That's it! I'm living a really streamlined existence and you know what? i really like it.

I am going to give away most of my high heels (i don't ever wear them any more) since i have PTd them and i know there's no problem with those. I might run them through again and then put them out with a note that they should be bb free. They're nice shoes...just too high for my liking now.

As i mentioned before, i had first been battling bird mites from a pidgeon nest that my husband refused to destroy which was on our terrace right next to my office window. So when the babies left, the mites came right on in the screened window. I was able to catch those fairly quickly and used amonia to clean everything in that area and after a couple of months, i did not see any more mites but noticed that as i lay on the livingroom sofa i was being having some bite like symptoms. I didn't see anything but i didn't look too carefully...i don't know why i didn't...but i never had bugs before and i've been living here for over 20 years. The sofa turned out to have carpet beetle larvae which the guy who treated my place found on the pull out bed part of the sofa bed in the livingroom. He said that what he was going to use kills those also. I told him about the mites i had and he said the spray would also kill those. This guy, although not a professional technician is a guy whose so responsible and really intelligent. He's really way more than handy and i trust him. I didn't have one doubt in my mind as i left him in the place alone to spray that he would get all the right places and do all the places we discussed as we went around looking and examining everything for evidence of bbs....which we did not, by the way, find that day. (but i am getting ahead of myself)

It was when i started feeling creepy crawly in bed and then saw what looked just like the bites i got on the sofa...look like mosquito bites to start and then turn bigger and redder and soooo itchy....then one evening there i am just hanging out in bed watching tv and surfing the Internet wheni see something on the sheet...strolling along...a freakin' bug. I look at it..it stops in it's tracks...It's red brown flattish and roundish. I grab a piece of paper and tear it in two...scoop the bug up and put it on the nightstand under the light. He's on his back and his legs are going like craaazy...i kill it....bloody stuff comes out...it dawns on me...that's MY blood and that's a bed bug!!! I've never seen one before but i go to the Internet and look around...yep...that's a bed bug...i tape it to a piece of paper and the first thing the next morning take it to the ll's office. They said it's definitely a bed bug so they came to spray my place two or three days later..it was jsut enough time to pack up all my stuff and take it to laundry and dry cleaning...take curtains and art work down...The guy who sprayed lent me a hand (since Hubby wasn't around) to lift mattrass away from the platform bed and to turn my desk and work tables upside down...i pulled everything else away from the walls....Thank God i had just finished with a thorough spring cleaning about two months before so things were already fairly purged and cleaned and organized. I ordered a PT the day before the treatment..

Here's a link to the information page about what was used in my place...

http://www.jteaton.com/PDFs/ONE%20SHEET%20PDF/204.207%20SpecLabels.ai.pdf

Every time i see the guy he always asks if i have seen anything and to let him know if i do. But he says that he thinks that one good and thorough treatment with what he used should do the trick.
Bed Bug Epidemic

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Jun 21 2010 17:08:44
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So that's your whole story??? and that was what, over 30 days ago now?

You have a wonderful success story, so brief and simple, deedle!
Your exterminator was skilled in the area , obviously.

Questions:
So, he sprayed underneath things as well, under tables, under couches, etc?
Does hubby live with the same small amount of clothing as you?
Where are you keeping the rest of your belongings?
What type of thick plastic are you using? ( I have XXL Ziploc bags)
After your clothing is washed and dried, why do you still feel the need to PT it? Knowing the hot dry cycle would kill anything on there?

I have clothing to keep track of for me, hubby and two sons. It's such a pain in the butt. we keep no dirty clothes about. everything has been washed on hot, dried on hot and sealed away. even curtains, rugs, etc. I'm just not sure where to put everything? I feel my house is just not safe anymore and I want it to be a sanctuary for me, not a place I fear.
bugnut

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Jun 21 2010 17:20:29
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13 days no bites for my son and 28 days for me & hubby!

Have had one "big" treatment 3 wks ago, doing the ziplocs, dryer, Packtite shuffle. Encased mattresses and boxsprings and generally threw away a bunch of crap I did not need (small silver lining). One more treatment next Sunday and then a doggie walk-thru two weeks later. I have not seen anything since the treatment and I vacuumed like a madman on Friday too. We are working with small amount of clothing from watertite plastic bins (staples - expensive but a godsend). Laundry everyday. Hope to be "normal" by mid-August, but will always be vigilant. If I EVER am in this situation again (and I hope I am not) I will spring for the Vikane.
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Jun 21 2010 19:54:49
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Hi BBEpidemic...

Yes...that's my story and i'm stickin' to it!

I heard (and it seems logical) that bed bugs are prevalent in laundromats and dry cleaners...Doesn't it make sense? Because alot of strange people bring dirty clothes there and the clothes hang next to each other. The reason why i packtite after the laundry is finished is because maybe the laundromat people don't leave the clothes to dry long enough or maybe there's a bug in there from the last batch of clothing from some one else that they had in a washer or dryer...And some of my things are hung on hangers next to other people's clothing and i know that after they take my things out of the dryer they are put on a folding table and the worker might walk away from the clothes to make change for some other customer, etc. So i feel safe running my things through the packtite after laundering.

(i run through PT before laundry because just in case there is a bug, i don't want to spread it to anyone else).

Hubby and i have about the same amount of stuff.
I used those heavy construction bags (is that what they call them? They're really heavy and clear). i also use some thinner clear plastic bags that i got at the supermarket.

my place is still a bit of a wreck..i haven't put all the pillows back on the sofa and i still have bags of clothing, towels, sheets and stuff that need to be sorted into other bags so that i know that all the towels are here and all the sheets are there and like that. i MUST get that done by the end of the week. Husband will definitely be back within 2 weeks at the most. (Thank goodness == in a way -- he had some tooth pain and is having the root canal done where he is -- and where it's free!) So i have these last few days to try to put things in as much order as possible.

And he knows that at the airport his stuff gets put into those big plastic bags and taped...Then the stuff goes right into the Packtite as he climbs directly into the shower and scrubs from head to toe. The suitcases will wait in the garage until they can come up one by one and the contents put in the PackTite. I'm not looking forward to that procedure, but at least i feel confident with the PackTite that he won't be bringing any creepy crawlies from 6,000 miles away! EEEeeekkk

today is 33 days - no bites, no sightings...yeaaahh! If i can get through another month or two then i think i can put some other things in the closets. But for now, i can live out of plastic bags.
ladywithkids

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 22 2010 1:17:21
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last time I saw one was June 17th and it was dead. We have been bite free since June 5th when my son smacked one off his arm
Bed Bug Epidemic

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 22 2010 10:38:31
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Good stuff, Ladies.

I have ALL of our clothing bagged up in big zip loc bags but it's nearly impossible to find an outfit like that between the four of us. I just don't know where to store stuff I don't need nor do I know how to sort it since i don't want to take ANY of it out of the bag to re-sort.

I'm scared not to vacuum and i'm scared to vacuum. I am spending a fortune on vacuum bags.

i'm physically ill over this. I just don't know what to do next, since i've taken all the proper measures so far....when you get half way through what next?

Ladywithkids, was the last one you saw the ninja on the ceiling?
bushbugg

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Posted 2 years ago
Fri Jun 25 2010 23:34:07
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guys... Guys...

GUYS!

I think- I MAY not have gotten bitten last night. (found 1 blemish unconfirmed)

(by night I mean morning, I went to bed past 4:30)

SUCCESS!

can I get a wave?
Jacksfullofaces

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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Jun 26 2010 6:24:03
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15 days and all clear so far. Changed the sheets the day before yesterday and inspected for the black dots - no sign so we are cautiously optimistic. Two treatments by David Cain and steaming.
Jacks
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Jun 26 2010 7:33:35
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Hi all...

38 days today ..no bites...no sightings..

But i will confess that i felt some itchiness on my left wrist but when i inspected the area i saw nothing there...the itchiness has since gone away....strange...
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Jun 26 2010 7:34:22
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Yaayyyy BushBug...!!
bugnut

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 29 2010 10:05:28
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Today is 21 days and no sightings/bites. We had a k9 come in 12 days ago and alerted on the stairs by an opening, but handler said it could be dead BB. Did not do my research and picked a team that alerts to dead AND alive, although he spent a lot of time and went over many places I asked him to re-check. Had 2nd treatment on Sunday and a K9 team that ONLY alerts to live bugs/eggs coming on 7/10. Vacuumed well and still no signs of anything.

Fingers crossed!
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 29 2010 12:26:50
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44 days! Hoorraayyy..

(my measuring date is may 17th, not the 20th - i don't know why i was counting from may 20th)...

anyway 44 days not bbs (although i've seen a recluse spider, one centipede, a moth and several roaches)...no bites...
Bed Bug Epidemic

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 29 2010 17:15:34
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Was at a measly 11 days until husband got three consecutive itchy bites on wrist night before last.
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 29 2010 17:28:25
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hmmmm...sorry to hear that....so now what? Are you sure they're bed bug skin reactions?
bushbugg

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Jun 29 2010 17:37:13
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At this point I feel weirder when a day goes by where I dont get bitten than when I do.

Like today, what did I do right?
bushbugg

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 1:29:54
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Dead serious, guys, I think its been a couple of days without a confirmed bite. Ive got a few redspots on my legs, but whether they are non-bug caused, left-overs from old bites or carpet beetle rubbings, or if I am just becoming more immune, I cant tell.
I havent had one of the nasty raised bites with a white center since July 2cnd, my BB diary says.

I think Im going to have to get a vacuum sooner rather than after the move; I am hoping im just feeling old BB and carpet beetle shells. Or its summer and Im sweating in my jeans. Who knows.

but things are looking up!
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 8:49:33
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As of today i would say i have 56 days without any bb sightings, evidence or skin reactions...

I think you may recall that just before July 4th i had two skin reactions on my left leg. I decided that it was not bb related because they only appeared when i sat, for the first time since treating my place, on the livingroom sofa. I sat there as a test and i did have a reaction. The guy who treated my place found carpet beetle larvae on the sofa.

My first reaction was that it HAD to be bbs because the reaction was on skin that was covered by my pant leg and so i immediately scheduled another chemical treatment for a few days later. But when i thought logically about it i realized that i had not been bitten or had any reaction in around 45 days or so at that point and that if there were bbs in the livingroom sofa they certainly would have taken the trek over to the bedroom to have a snack on me... and i realized the skin reaction was on a place on the calf that was not covered by my sock and i recalled that the carpet beetle hairs have that static electricity and might have shot up my pant leg a bit and landed on my calf...

Also, i remembered what David Cain reminded me of a while ago, that although i PackTited the sofa cushions and pillows, that would kill any bug or larvae but it would not nothing to get rid of the carpet beetle larvae hairs which would remain and likely continue to cause me discomfort....

So at that point i cancelled the chemical treatment and instead got myself a new vacuum with hepa filter and i've been vacuuming around an i'll do the sofa again really well today once i know my neighbors are awake (cause the vacuum is waaaaay loud).

So that's why i'm claiming 56 days with bbs...

hurraaaaaayy...

But still...most of my things are in plastic and since i don't need most of those things, i intend to leave them in plastic.
mcsmcs

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 9:35:51
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Deedle, you give me hope...
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 13:23:28
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mcs...

i was feeling hopeful too until i just read about someone who went 100 days and then found a BUNCH of bbs in the bed....(maybe she had a new infestation?? i only hope..because if those bbs were just waiting around to hatch or something, good grief...i'm gonna KILL myself! -- well, not really, but you get my drift).

i hung a few things back in our closets today...not too much...just enough so that if i have to grab stuff and rebag it for another treatment, it shouldn't take me more than an hour to be ready as far as clothing, linen, etc. go
Worstb-dayofall

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 15:02:02
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DeedleBeetle - 1 hour ago »
mcs...
i was feeling hopeful too until i just read about someone who went 100 days and then found a BUNCH of bbs in the bed....(maybe she had a new infestation??

Is it possible you can tell me where you read this. I have been 7 days Bedbug free and although it is just the beginning that lady who found the bedbugs after 100 days really scares me.
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 17:02:27
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Here it am:

http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-phantom-menace
bushbugg

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 19:08:15
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Deedle, how would you compare your latest reaction to the previous reactions?
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Jul 11 2010 21:45:43
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Hi Bushbug..

since my skin reactions to bb and carpet beetle larvae hairs seemed identical in terms of welting, size, itchiness and length of duration, i'd say that these last two were on par with what i was experiencing before they treated my place.
Jacksfullofaces

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Jul 12 2010 4:47:34
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32 days free of bugs - just the odd cat flea bite. Mattress still pulled away from wall and bed linen still going through our old boiler prior to ironing.
Jacks
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Aug 4 2010 11:00:08
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80 days today and loving it!! Looking forward to the next 80
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Aug 4 2010 11:13:45
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80 days for me too Jenn!! ! ! (not counting those two reactions to cb larvae hairs)

Yippieeee

The guy who treated my place came back yesterday to fix a couple of other little things. I think i may have mentioned that i saw something red dripping out of the place where the bedroom airconditioner is and i thought it might have been bb blood...or human blood in a bb that got trapped or something. This guy is so good...he comes patiently and take the freakin' air conditioner out....shows me that there ain't no bugs in there...explains that it's probably oxidation of some metal on the aircondition especially since i've been running it almost non stop for the last few weeks....Then he asks me about how i'm doing and when i asked him about cauking the baseboards, he went right down and came up with some silicon kinda stuff he says will not crack so easily...and he put that down all around the baseboards in bedroom...that's the only place there where there is a space between the baseboard and the flooring. I love people who love their work and are not looking for short cuts!! (of course i always give him a few bucks...well more than a few..but he's worth it!!)
bugnut

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Aug 4 2010 12:28:13
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Deedle - I was thinking of you today - 80 days is great -

Hmmm....we have some mosquito issues, but if I had to hazard a guess, we are 21 days bite free - no other signs either. I think it may actually be longer, but I am erring on the side of caution. If we continue at this rate, I will leave my deodorant out of it's home in a plastic bag on October 1!
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Aug 4 2010 17:34:41
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Hi Bugnut!

Thanks for the thoughts!

Yeah..80 days sounds like a lot of days, right? But it's not even 3 months.....so i'm not getting carried away with myself. Still veeeeerrrrry vigilent. Hubby wants to invite a friend up from Georgia for a weekend in about a month or so. I'm trying not to be negative controlling and castrating buttttt....i'm thinking that if that happens, the guest will have to strip down outside the apartment door and put all clothes, suit case and everything in PT and head directly to the shower..!! If that's acceptable then the visit may happen. If not...then ......Sayonara

3 weeks is an accomplishment too! I remember 3 weeks...i was just starting to sleep 5 hours at a time and that was good. I hope one day we'll be able to report 1 year...2 years!
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Aug 23 2010 0:11:18
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Happy 98 going on 99 days Deedle! You and I are on the same days bb free! I feel great today and feel like I have a lot to look forward to!! Hope you are well.
bugnut

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Aug 23 2010 9:22:19
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41 days! - that is conservative - from the date of the last treatment. I have had the climb ups in since June 15 and no prisoners yet (68 days)

Still super paranoid but fingers crossed!
bug-tired

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Aug 23 2010 9:44:36
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19 days since my 3rd treatment, 17 days since my last bite in bed. Nothing in the climb-up interceptors. A couple black spots on the sheets but I'm pretty sure that's because I don't remove my eye make-up before bed. They don't come up like fecal spots. No blood streaks.

I've noticed a few random bites when in my computer room, at work, and in my car. Of course, these could be from other types of insects that abound this time of year, or old bites flaring up, but I'm still paranoid that they've spread everywhere.

I did find a little shell yesterday on a heating pad that had been on the sofa. I think it's an old one but I'm not 100% sure.

My elbow was itching this morning and I was happy to realize it's my psoriasis flaring up, probably from the stress.... Woo hoo, the joy of psoriasis!

This whole thing is maddening.
fmlin2k10

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Aug 23 2010 9:48:35
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31 days.

s my d bedbugs!
bushbugg

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Aug 23 2010 23:47:23
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I have a few blemishes on my thighs, but I think its been since the 13th that I saw a full itchy bite. Im either acclimating to the bites (dread) or getting less of them.

I could always be wrong about one or two of them. Im only counting as I can. Much less itchy, and the itches come from old scabbed spots!
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Aug 24 2010 8:22:56
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Hi Guys...jenn..

i'm counting like 96 days? So it's just a little over 3 months...that's good...but i still don't consider myself out of the woods yet. I want to see 6 , 9 , 12 months of bb freedom! I'm still quite vigilent. Still PTing everything that comes into the crib. But it feels great to sleep through the night. I must say that i do have some generally itchy days and i still do examine things closely if i see something suspicious on the sheets or the wall, etc. I suppose that will never go away.

Good luck everybody!
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Aug 25 2010 0:38:45
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Deedle,

If we were both celebrating 80 days on August 4th, then today is the big day, 100 days!! I am counting the days beginning May 17th. Yeah for us!! I agree with you though. I am not declairing myself yet, just loving life for the moment. I was feeling restless the other night and I couldn't stop thinking about getting the flash light out. Every little mark and itch that I know aren't a result of mosquito bites makes me nervous!!
bushbugg

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Aug 25 2010 0:46:02
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Every time I post here, I get a new bite a day later. :((((
DeedleBeetle

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Aug 25 2010 4:53:38
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ohhh bushbug...that's awful...so...let's see....Stop Posting Here!!!
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Aug 26 2010 11:25:53
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Oh man! Day 101 today and I wake up to an itchy bump on my ankle. Nothing else on my body and no evidence of anything on the sheets. Of course I'm itchy all over now!! Perhaps it's a mosquito bite, but it wasn't there yesterday and I was wearing socks and shoes. It could be anything else! I'm not in a panic, but it just makes me wonder! Jeez.
uggnobugs

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Aug 30 2010 23:32:31
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bite free for 2 months, but i saw a bb last night. POOH HISS! :o(
uggnobugs

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Aug 30 2010 23:34:02
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bushbugg - 5 days ago »
Every time I post here, I get a new bite a day later. :((((

this is too funny...the first day i posted here was the first time i saw a bedbug in my home in 2 months. LOL. ive been here every day, and ive killed 4 bugs in total since (and including) that first one.
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Fri Dec 17 2010 21:32:52
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7 months today, hurrrah!!!
missyfoo

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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Feb 19 2011 0:39:24
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Almost 60 days since our last encounter... bite or bug. Im still praying with my fingers crossed that we are in the clear.
rAVENSFAN99

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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Feb 19 2011 11:41:01
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About 3 hours
Bed Bug Epidemic

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Posted 2 years ago
Mon Feb 28 2011 16:06:09
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i like to re-enforce positive thoughts

Clear for 7 1/2 months.
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Mar 1 2011 1:11:49
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9 months and 12 days here! Looking forward to celebrating 1 year in May
Ruby

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Mar 3 2011 22:15:26
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Seven months I've regained much of my life, and I live very simply these day. I'm still extra cautious -- I packtite all new purchases, vacuum often, sprinkle DE and keep very few decorations in the new apt -- but I'm generally happy to be bite-less.

Stay strong, bug-busters. We can do this.
SouthPhillyGuy

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Posted 2 years ago
Fri Mar 4 2011 8:33:23
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Your stories are giving me hope. Thanks!
scaredsilly

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Posted 2 years ago
Fri Mar 4 2011 12:55:06
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Jen28, so great! And you only had two PCO treatments if I remember, right? I'm hoping to post success soon too. The "real" PCO is due for the first treatment for me today. (He's running late though and I'm biting my nails!) Thanks to all for these posts. Encouragement is much needed!
Jenn28

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Mar 6 2011 0:28:31
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scaredsilly,

Thanks! Yes, it was two treatments. Good luck with yours. Sending, good luck, best wishes and many positive thoughts your way Keep us posted!
bedbugcrazydelusional

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Posted 1 year ago
Wed Jun 22 2011 22:49:15
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After my first infestation I went 4-5 months bite free but then I got bit again because they never checked the other apts. I went nutso on the super when I got bit again. Texting him at 3am, 6am, 8am whatever time I got a bit & sending him pics of my bites. Found the source, order man downstairs was heavily infested. I've had two treatments on this second infestation. Went three days w/o a bite, then slept on couch and woke up with clusters of little tiny bumps. I don't know if I'm just allergic to all the dust and pesticide, whether my urticaria is acting up in general or whether I'm really getting bit again. Sigh....
sickofbedbugs

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Posted 1 year ago
Tue Jul 12 2011 17:32:12
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120 days.. maybe. Started last year at this time of year. Landlord only treated our apartment. Still, he didn't hear any "complaints" from three other tenants. I live in a large building in a downtown area. A block where all the buildings share walls. Once a month a PCO (is that a proper term?) came in and sprayed. We followed everything he told us. He said he couldn't find an infestation and compared to other places said we didn't have it "really bad." We had a mattress encasement, kept our place clutter free, and kept all fabrics in bags. Month after month the PCO was puzzled and felt that they were coming from somewhere else besides our apartment. Still, how joyful it was to go the first month, then the second month, then the third month no bites no sightings! We kept the spraying appointments anyways, PCO said it was common to continue spraying 90 days after. So we did an additional one on top of it!

We are moving next month (lease is up, need more space.) I have been paranoid about moving even though we are nearly getting rid of most of our stuff.

Then.... I started getting bites again last week and wasn't sure if they were bed bugs or mosquitoes. To be honest, I'm paranoid that they are bed bugs but haven't had a bite or seen one for months now. Stepped outside my apt today to find my elderly neighbor had many people over and furniture on our porch. Then I found out he has had bed bugs for about a year (same time we got them.)

Enter meltdown.

They are cleaning and bagging up items. They got rid of his couch and bed, but I'm worried they are going to make their way back in here. Landlord says he will treat the whole building this time, but with a month left to move, I am petrified. Can barely pay rent to get out of this place, can't afford a packtite, not feeling too optimistic.
Tired

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Aug 20 2011 0:22:38
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So, we have been BB free since the middle of April, 4 months. At least our daughter hasn't had any bites since then, and have not seen any signs (she is our BB detector since she is allergic). My husband and I were talking of having a birthday party for her in October. I was excited about the prospect of having family over again for get togethers during the holidays.

I kid you not, 2 minutes after this discussion, my husband sat on the couch and can you guess what was crawling on his arm? Its the only one we have seen since April. My couch still has DE all over under the cusions, underneath the couch, in all the cracks and crevices. We inspected it completly and didn't find a single sign of them. No casings, no spots, not even any dead ones. Sigh. So now we get to start over I guess. So, I guess the lesson here is don't talk about them and they will stay away:)
AB9485

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Sep 16 2011 3:49:15
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Today, Friday September 16th we are now 5 days sighting free and have not received any noticable new bites... Please cross your fingers and keep my family in your prayers. I believe we caught this at an early stage(I hope).
Super

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Sep 30 2011 17:18:07
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Today is our 12th day clear, after being troubled by the swines since last December. We had an infestation which was treated in Jan this year, then we were almost bite free for the full 55 days before seeing a new infestation this July. We've had 3 treatments in this round, and were still being bitten after the third treatment.

I bought a steamer, and we steamed pretty much everything we could, and after the third treatment, the bites had fallen back to around once or twice a week.

Last Monday, I steamed our bedroom once more, and applied a pyethrin based OTC insecticide to the bed frame, and spread DE all around the bed - the theory being that any bugs that hadn't been killed by the insecticide or steam would be killed as a result of coming to feed.

After applying the insecticide, two bugs fell out of one of the joints of the bedframe, dead.

I've not seen any signs of anything bed bug like since then, and have my fingers crossed that the problem is fixed for now.

Unlike a lot of people, we still have bedroom carpets and didn't throw out our mattress or anything else. Our first infestation didn't move beyond the bedroom, and the second only had a few strays around our couch in the living room. The living room has been bedbug free for around 60 days now.

What I've learned is:

1) It isn't always necessary to throw things away, and it can be counter productive if you do.
2) You can tumble dry almost anything
3) Bed bugs are very hard to get rid of, but vigilance can make it possible. The second time around, we took the problem more seriously
4) PCOs can be pretty ineffective. I'm not sure that a fourth treatment this time would have solved the problem
5) DE and steam rock
6) Living without clutter is better all ways round....

Now all I hope is that I haven't attracted bad karma by posting in success stories after two weeks. But if we do have to reset the clock, I think that we're still really close to being bed bug free. At least until the next time...

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