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EricInHB

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Posted 3 years ago
Sat Aug 29 2009 0:43:11
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Greetings all,

I just wanted to introduce myself. I've found this site quite helpful over the months I have been fighting my bedbugs. I discovered them in my bedroom in April, and have been fighting ever since. I've been living out of a suitcase in my living room and dining room since I discovered them, since I found I absolutely could not sleep upstairs in the bedroom once I knew they were there. Fortunatly, I've never seen a bite or a bug since I moved downstairs, or I wouldn't be able to sleep in my apartment at all. I've been through four spray treatments and one heat treatment so far. I kept finding more of them upstairs after each spray treatment. I haven't seen a live one yet in the ten days since the heat treatment, so I'm really hoping the heat finally finished them off.

I'm venturing back into my bedroom tonight for the first time since April. I'm going to sleep on a cot isolated with climbup cups hoping to lure out and trap any live ones that have eluded my inspections so far. I think I'll need a couple Advil PM to get to sleep.

I'm hoping that I wake up in the morning and find no bugs in the cups. Wish me luck!

Eric
NOTOBUGS

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Posted 3 years ago
Sat Aug 29 2009 0:47:46
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Eric - GOOD LUCK!! We are all with you and hope you are now fine after the heat treatment. Looking forward to hearing your good news tomorrow.
EricInHB

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Posted 3 years ago
Sat Aug 29 2009 11:45:30
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Well, my first night as "bait" went as well as it could have. I didn't sleep very soundly, but the climbups are still empty! That makes me very happy, and means I will probably sleep better tonight.

A question: How many nights of empty cups should I accumulate before declaring the bugs gone? Does anyone have suggestions? My old mattress and bedroom furniture were 17 years old, so I threw them out before I started treatment. I plan to celebrate my bedbug victory with a new bedroom set, but I don't want to buy them prematurely. Any suggestions?

Eric
NOTOBUGS

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Posted 3 years ago
Sat Aug 29 2009 15:02:01
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Congrats! Here's to a second night!!
Reallytired5

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Posted 3 years ago
Sat Aug 29 2009 17:48:49
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EricInHB,

I've read in other posts that 60 days bite-free is an indicator that the bbs are gone. Good luck and keep us posted on how it's going.
EricInHB

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Posted 3 years ago
Sun Aug 30 2009 0:34:59
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Thanks, reallytired.
DrFrank

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Posted 3 years ago
Sun Aug 30 2009 4:19:47
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I don't know where that number comes from:

http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/how-long-before-im-in-the-clear#post-56679
EricInHB

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Posted 3 years ago
Tue Dec 29 2009 0:58:55
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I just felt like adding an update... and maybe give some hope to all those folks fighting the bed bugs. I have seen neither bug nor bite since my heat treatment in August. I am back to sleeping soundly and comfortably in my bedroom.

Don't give up! Perseverance will beat the bugs.

Eric
ace76clark

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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Dec 18 2010 16:21:58
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Hi Eric,

I googled Orange County and your post came up. First off, congrats on being free of the critters! I think I may have bed bugs so wanted to ask you what company or PCO you went with for the heat treatment you went with?

I'm itching to know, lol. Any Orange County PCO recs appreciated. Thanks!
Nobugsonme

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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Dec 19 2010 3:12:08
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DrFrank - 1 year ago »
I don't know where that number comes from:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/how-long-before-im-in-the-clear#post-56679

Since this thread has been revived, let me answer this question for anyone who's curious, since DrFrank posted this query on two threads.

Since this thread was referenced in another post, I will comment on the "55 days" idea. I believe Richard Cooper originally suggested it (and I am paraphrasing) that you should wait until you have seen no signs of bed bugs and have had no bites for 55 days before you decide you are bed bug free.

It's not a bad rule of thumb, because some people get a treatment, have no bites for a week, and start unpacking bags of clean, dried clothing. That is probably a mistake for most folks. If your prep took time, you might want to wait a while and be more confident they're really gone. It can take time to have that confidence. And it's a lot better to put up with treatment conditions longer (i.e. bags or whatever your deal is) than having to start it all up from scratch when you have to do it all over again.

On the other hand, 55 days is not a magic number. If someone does not react to bites (especially if no one in the household does), then it may not be very helpful at all. You could have bed bugs for 55 days and be bitten and if you don't react, you might not see bed bugs. You may not notice new fecal traces.

If I did not react to bites, I'd want more assurance they were really gone. So in this case, I would recommend ongoing monitoring methods (which you can discuss with your pest pro, and read about in our detection FAQ).