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My Story (with Questions) - My Week Long Tribulations of Dismay, Disdain & Despa
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Neurotic Insomniac
newbite
Joined: Aug '11
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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Aug 12 2011 7:45:55
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My Week Long Tribulations of Dismay, Disdain & Despair.
Friday Night 8/5 - Slept at friend's house in her room on the same bed.
Saturday 8/6 - Woke up itchy with 5-7 small welts on ankles, feet and wrists; thought they were mosquito bites and didn't scan for other bites.
Saturday 8/6 -Left friend's house back to my NYC apartment WITH my friend--we napped briefly on my bed at my apartment; woke up feeling 3-4 new bites on my arms (again, thought they were mosquito bites).
Sunday 8/7- Noticed my "mosquito bites" had gotten larger and redder. In addition, all bites were in a series of TWO. Later, noticed 2 new bites on torso and more around ankles/feet.
Monday 8/8 - New bites on hands, arms, elbows, and knee, this time in patterns of THREE. The bite's appearance intensified throughout the day (each bite was the size of a triple stack of quarters by day's end). By this time, I had about 30 bites on my body. I suspected bedbugs, but was hopeful the bites were just delayed reactions from my friend's house and not from my very own infection.
Monday Night 8/8 - Paranoid, slept for one hour; eventually found a small BB nymph at the foot of my bed (saved alive in Ziploc)--greatest fear confirmed.
FIRST QUESTION: Do you guys think I got the BBs from my friend and her room? She denies ever getting bit in her room (maybe no allergic reaction, I understand), but also claims that the other people she had over never got bit.
NOTE: I never had welts of this magnitude prior to this encounter. Also, I have had other human visitors on my bed before and not one ever got bit eg Monday 8/1 to Thursday 8/4 (4 days) had a friend sleep on my bed and she had no issues whatsoever!
Tuesday 8/9 - Called into work sick. Was disillusioned and depressed. Went to the doctor's; was prescribed cream and anti-histamine pills. Slept in my bed during the day for about 3 hours, received another 2 bites on my neck and 3 bites on my arm.
Tuesday Night 8/9 - No bug sightings. Fell asleep asleep at sunrise. One new bite on left foot.
Wednesday 8/10 - Went into work late. Welts in better shape because of medications.
Wednesday Night 8/10 - Stayed up till 3:30am and spotted an adult sized BB on my bed (running from the foot of my bed). Immediately bagged it in a Ziploc. Did not sleep at all.
Thursday 8/11 - Tired.
Thursday Night 8/11 - Did not sleep again. Caught a total of 5 Nymphs all at the foot of my bed.
SECOND QUESTION: If the infestation was due to my friend, how did the infestation magnify so fast? I caught 7 BBs! Others never see a BB ever! Does this mean that I have a large infestation, or is it simply because I do not sleep and stare at my bed all night ?
I just really want to find out how I got this infestation so I could prevent it in the future. Could something like this happen if the BBs came from my laundry, or from my apartment neighbor's? ...but then again, the first evidence were bites after I woke up at her house in her bed.
Friday 8/12 - The PCO inspectors are coming today. Wish me luck. Suggestions and advice are welcomed.
Sincerely,
Sleep Deprived & Almost Insane -
NoteToSelfPleaseRemainCalm
junior member
Joined: Aug '11
Posts: 64offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Aug 13 2011 17:20:36
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"Sleep Deprived & Almost Insane"
Many of us can relate. I miss the darkness. I haven't slept with my light off in over a month. It's still surreal sometimes how much mental, physical, emotional, and financial stress a damn bug is causing me. It really is insane.What did the PCO inspectors say/do?
If you live in an apt complex I would suggest asking neighbors if they have or had bed bugs at any point. Most do not speak up until asked. At least that's been my experience. Good luck!
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HatingTheseBugs
newbite
Joined: Aug '11
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Posted 1 year ago
Tue Aug 16 2011 22:41:49
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Hello I live in NYC as well... I just recently spoted one begbug on my bed...I've been having bites for like 2-3 weeks now... I was hoping it wasn't bedbugs...but I checked online and compared my bites with others online and they looked just like them and itch like crazy!! ...I went to go take a nap yesterday afternoon because I work the Overnight shift... I had 3 other bites behind both ears... I was fixing my bed and I noticed a bug on my pillow! ........I freaked out and paniced b/c I have a fear of any bug period... and to find out I have bedbugs just makes it worst... My daughter and partner are on vacation so i'm there only meal ticket.. and I don't want to sleep in that bed at all... I've slept on the floor in the living room but i'm scared to make them travel around the house... I've checked the mattress and box spring and i didn't find nothing.. not even the one I saw! ...it makes me seem like im crazy and seeing things. Hah..
Any suggestions???
I understand how it feels to not sleep... I'm so exhausted, stress, and depressed...especially since i'm handling this alone due to my phobia of bugs.......... I'm suppose to have someone come in a week and do some spray treatments... but I don't even know if that works.......
Please i'm in desperate need of help....
*Scared and Itchy*
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HatingTheseBugs
newbite
Joined: Aug '11
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Posted 1 year ago
Tue Aug 16 2011 22:44:08
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I also may think I got this from the trains... My neighbor next door to me don't have them and I don't get in contact with my other 2 neighbors... They're across the hall...... The 6 train in NYC is alwaysssssssssss crowded with a lot of bodies when I come home from work....... I mean literally people on top u...their bags on u...its awful... I'm guessing that may be where I got them from???
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
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Posted 1 year ago
Tue Aug 16 2011 23:30:32
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Neurotic,
One person who might have some insight on the pattern you describe is David Cain, who's studied the way bed bugs spread, in the field. I'll alert him to this thread.
Hating,
It is possible to get bed bugs from the subway, but I think that other explanations are more likely. They can walk over from a neighbor. They can climb into your purse in a cafe. You can pick them up in someone's home or a hotel.
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oldtimer
Joined: Apr '07
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Posted 1 year ago
Wed Aug 17 2011 16:29:20
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Hi,
OK here we go:
First questionAs you will see from the FAQ and in particular the bite primer not everyone responds initially to bedbug bites. It may be that she and the others int he room have all been non responders or that the issue was / is not at a level where she / they respond. The simple solution is to check her location for signs and activity, namely:
- Live samples
- Cast skins
- Faecal traces
It is also important to understand that you don't always respond immediately and that bites that come up days later may still be due to the initial exposure event and not necessarily bedbugs being brought home.
Second questionIn my experience the average infestation brought home from a location is between 6 and 12 bedbugs. They then start to breed but not at the exponential rate that people fear, remember it takes 10 - 14 days for an egg to hatch so the reality is that for the first 30 - 60 days nothing increases exponentially. After that time the eggs hatched int he location can start to interbreed and things ramp up quickly.
You should first get her to check her location, forget bites look for the physical signs. If they are present she is likley the source, if not you need to start looking at other possible sources such as:
- Adjoining neighbours - use communication sheets (see http://www.bedbugbeware.com)
- Work - check location for physical signs
- Public transport - DON'T SIT DOWN
- Regularly visited location - check when you are out and about and look at varying your routine
- Item brough into the home - check all items before they are brought in
The reality is that as the bedbug issue has exploded finding your source can be hard but its an essential step in making sure you don't bring any more home.
Given what you have said I am inclined to start the search at the friends house and see how bad it is there. If its not present then I would retrace your steps and see if there is a more obvious source.
Hope that helps.
David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited -
Neurotic Insomniac
newbite
Joined: Aug '11
Posts: 4offline
Posted 1 year ago
Fri Aug 19 2011 23:17:35
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Thanks for everyone who replied.
The PCO came last Friday 8/12 and did nothing but confirm what I already knew: I have bed bugs. He saw the ones I caught, said "yep, you have BBs" and left after 5 minutes (most of the time was spent talking).
The 1st treatment was scheduled for a week later. We were told to prep by bagging and laundering ALL clothes and linens in the highest heat and to disassemble our beds. Also, we'd have to vacuum and mop all our hardwood floors. Lastly, we were to bring all our picture frames down from the walls.
While I was cleaning my room, I continued to find nymphs on my bed (at the same spot where I found the rest --> foot of the bed between the box spring and mattress), but I couldn't find the infestation.
QUESTION FOR PCO's AND THOSE WHO KNOW: WHAT IS THE NORMAL PESTICIDE TREATMENT PROCESS? My PCO came yesterday, Thursday 8/18 at 9am. [for context, my NYC apartment is 650 square foot 2 bedroom 1 bath) He started by drilling the walls (5-10 minute process while talking with my roommate and me). During this process, my roommate and I left for work. 12 minutes later, I get a call from the PCO saying he is done!!!! HOW CAN HE BE DONE THAT FAST? He told me he sprayed everywhere, plus the bathroom... but only 12 minutes?!
He had ONE canister of pesticides with him. I ask what chemicals he used, and he said there were 3 different kinds, one of them being CEDAR OIL. When I came back home, I found that only a few things were moved around, eg the couch on it's side, plastic bags moved around, but our mattresses and box springs were in the exact same positions: upright against the same walls.
!!!--> More frustrating, THE PCO DID NOT TAKE OFF MY MATTRESS ENCASEMENT THAT IS ALL RIPPED UP (mattress exposed). That means he did not treat my mattress, right?
IS THIS NORMAL?
David Cain--thanks for your response. I have a couple of follow-up questions for you:
a. Could a non-responder later on become a responder to BB bites, or would they always react (or not react) the same way?
For the past few months, I use to be itchy in bed every once in a while (all over, not just certain spots), but had no bites. After the one night with my friend, MANY bites appeared and they were REALLY REALLY BAD. My allergic reaction showed it's face through these bites almost everywhere on my body--SUPER RED, SUPER BIG, and SUPER SUPER ITCHY.b. How long does it take BBs to bite you after they have infested your bedroom? In other words, if 6-12 bugs came in, would they start feeding immediately?
c. Don't know if you'd be able to answer this but, I'll ask anyway: I bought a PackTite from BedBugSupply recently and the box smelled like Raid had just been sprayed on it; do you know why might this be? =P
Thanks in advance to everyone. Hopefully we all become sane and get some sleep soon.....
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NoteToSelfPleaseRemainCalm
junior member
Joined: Aug '11
Posts: 64offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Aug 20 2011 0:30:43
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Neurotic Insomniac - 1 hour ago » Could a non-responder later on become a responder to BB bites, or would they always react (or not react) the same way?
I've only had a really bad reaction (SUPER RED, SUPER BIG, and SUPER SUPER ITCHY) once and it's the main reason I started paying close attention and wondering if I had bed bugs then I found them. I didn't have a reaction like that before when I was obviously getting bit and I haven't had a reaction like that since and I still have bed bugs so I have to assume I'm still getting bit.
Most of the time my reaction is mild itching like you mentioned. Sometimes its in one area sometimes it's all over but it stops after a few minutes. Before I knew I had bed bugs I didn't think much of it. I just assumed it was dry skin but now the mystery itching is no longer a mystery.
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