Need help & advice? Does this sound like a bed bug problem....

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Need help & advice? Does this sound like a bed bug problem....

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eva_777

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Posted 6 years ago
Wed May 16 2007 14:29:00
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Hi hows it going?

I just read this website and im suprised its such a huge problem at the moment!

I'm just if anyone could b kinda enough to reply on this matter!

I've noticed in the past 3 weeks i gotten random lumps or bites on my neck, and stomach. I would sometimes get 1 lump or 2 but doesnt happen every day. I today got 3 random 1s which got me worried. They dont look like ya typical bed bug bites as they are completely different places if i had 2 bites or lumps.

Now its only been recently i suspected bed bugs. However I've been under an incredible amount of stress from my studies so im hoping mayb im getting hives cos of stress.

Now what ive done with 2 other ppl is that I check my bed thoroughly! we looked at the sheets and they were virtually clean no blood splotches or excrement.

We check the sides of the mattress and nothing. WE flipped the bed but no holes in the wood. If we suspected any weird holes my friend took a swiss army and tried to poke at to the point that if anything is there it would bleed or something.

We took paper and rubbed against any soft woods we saw. We didnt suspect any jarrah as its an incredibly hardwood. But we did anyways rubbed it certain places.

Anyways it would b lovely if any1 could comment on this matter!

I'm worried cos ive recently bought some bags on ebay and some clothes. The clothes were washed thoroughly before entering my room! Bags ummm well u cant exactly wash bags.

Thank u so much for any replies and thoughts!
eva_777

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Posted 6 years ago
Wed May 16 2007 14:59:26
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Also i live in a 3 bedroom house. In the past 3 weeks ive been in out there rooms and patting the dog etc on the bed and they have not once gotten bitten. I would think within 3 weeks these bugs would wanna spread.

I'm so worried Although as stated ive been under heavy stress and havent had much sleep cos of work and studies. My friend says it probably hives as result from stress...

Oh well bet to see the doctor 2moz any comments would b much appreciated!
Bugalina

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Posted 6 years ago
Wed May 16 2007 16:18:13
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eva Its very hard to tell you from what you are saying...However...Have you ever had hives before ??? The stomach area is a favorite bite location for bed bugs...and they are very elusive....As for the Ebay purchases...Personally I have totally given up Ebay since the discovery of bed bugs....Its not worth it...So many people are throwing good stuff away..I threw away a very expensive pocket book..made me sick to do it but I did...so if someone went through the trash.....which people are doing, they could have resold that pocketbook on Ebay....I would steer clear of Ebay......bed bugs love to hide in cardboard...so you never know whose home the packing is coming from...If these bites....two or three in a row...continue...you must keep looking....bed bugs dont eat everyday...they suck blood approx. every 5-7 days...so keep track of these bites.....Bed Bugs prefer humans to dogs...they will only bite the dogs if a human is not available...When I had my infestation I was sleeping on a protected area and they started to bite the underbelly of my dog...I could see the small red marks.....so please keep watchful....I hope you don't have them however, if you do you have to take action as they breed fast...and since there is a bed bug epidmic going on....the possibilites are good..Do the bites itch ???
S

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Posted 6 years ago
Wed May 16 2007 16:39:20
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Eva,

Do you think you could try writing with a little less "texting lingo?" You abbreviate a lot of your words and some folks here might not understand. (I am 27 and had a hard time reading your note!) Sorry about that - but I really think it'll help if we can understand you better.

Please read the FAQs on bedbugger.com. Bedbugs can easily hide inside holes in the mattress, so sticking a knife in the holes would probably not help - they'll just burrow deeper. I'd suggest you buy some mattress covers - often called encasings - and seal up your mattress and box spring.

Also, it is not true that they would "want to spread" to other rooms of the house - if they have you as their blood meal, they will happily stay in your room. (At least until the infestation got really large).

Another thing - you don't need to see blood stains for it to be bedbugs. Many people go their entire infestation without seeing any signs of excrement. When you check the bed, also check for "pepper grains" - little dark flecks - and wet them with your spit to see if they "melt to blood."

Remember that bedbugs are not limited to the bed. It sounds like you did a great check of your bed - you might also want to check any furniture that's near the bed, like a dresser or nightstand. They can also be under carpet or inside outlets.

Finally, dogs have little to do with bedbugs. Bedbugs are a human parasite and would have a hard time clinging to dog fur. They will probably not bite your dogs, although you should maybe consider keeping the dogs off your bed.

Is this bedbugs? Well, you need to give us more information before we can really know. When during the day do you notice the bites - in the morning, or at all times? Are they unusually itchy? Itchier than mosquito bites? How long do they last - like a day, or like a week? Tell us about your household - who else lives there? Do you sleep alone or with a partner? Are you the only one who's getting bit? What about your building - how many units? Or is it a single-family home? Do you have wall-to-wall carpet in your room?

The doctor may help you, but keep in mind that many doctors have barely even heard of bedbugs. And since the bites look different on everyone, they will have a hard time diagnosing bedbugs. (What could help is if they diagnose hives, however this too may be a misdiagnosis).

You can certainly wash bags. At the least, you can put them in the dryer for an hour, where the heat will kill both bugs and eggs.

If I were you, here's what I'd do right now:

- Put those new bags in the dryer for 1 hour on hot
- Put all the new clothes in the dryer for 1 hour on hot
- Move the bed away from the walls, and move any furniture away from the bed so it's not touching anything except the floor
- Put vaseline on the legs of the bed
- Order mattress covers from National Allergy

That's all I'd do now - isolate my bed, monitor my situation, and learn about bedbugs. This website has a ton of information. Please read all the FAQs and look through the "archives" (older posts).
need-help

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Posted 6 years ago
Wed May 16 2007 16:56:52
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Eva
I am hoping that all you have is hives but quite frankly most drs do not know what BB bites look like. I started getting bit approx every 3 weeks since Nov 2006. At first I thought it was a mosquito bite, then maybe a spider bite (BBs were the last thought on my mind at that point) One bite oozed and looked like poison ivy so I went for my first visit to the dr....he didn't have a clue, gave me steroids for the itch. Had to go back to him when I got my next 2 bites which looked different (it seems each bite looks different depending on the location where I was bit) so he sends me to the dematologist to show him the bites...again no clue. He gave me creme for the itchiness. It is really scary that the medical profession don't have a clue because their "ignorance" about the bites even after my explanations was definitely not to my benefit. I found all that I needed to know on these forums and my heart sunk because I knew that these bites were from BBs. If only my drs could have mentioned that way back in Nov....so like I said, I am hoping that you just have hives (I was hoping that I JUST HAD HIVES too) but unfortunately that wasn't the case. All I am trying to say is sometimes the drs don't know what your marks are....
eva_777

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Posted 6 years ago
Thu May 17 2007 7:05:44
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Hi Bugalina no i've never had had hives before well not that i know off lol I actually never even heard of them when my friend research a bit on skin allergies and he personally thinks it's cos I've been under heavy stress that I'm getting these lumps and Hives do look like mozzie bites.

However I've always been a prime target for bugs moquitoes or any blood sucking thing all my life. They just love me for some particular reason :'(

I didnt get any new "bites" at all today. The other bites or lumps have calmed down and look alot better now. Even 1's I had yesterday look so much better. I had one behind my knee a couple of days ago and now its actually kinda dark grey now which is the most worrying so i better see a doctor!

However what i noticed last night while in bed, when i got nervous and starting thinking about bed bugs I got itchy again! I hope I don't have them they are so nasty! Why do all blood sucking insect look so scary and ugly!

As for the bites themselves and what they look like? Ok mines were quite big about 2-3 cm wide x 1cm. My bites don't look like a typical bug bite. There were no bites done 3 sessions in a row when i had 3 "bites" the day before. The worst ones now look like a rash more than bites...

They are quite itchy but my friend bought some cream from the chemist to put it on them that has some anastethic effects which really helps. However what i notice is when im under stress well reading this stuff got me really nervous they felt itchy again!

Hi S Sorry for any abbreviations in my sentences! I have already read the FAQ's last night which gave me the creeps

Ok I live in a house where there is 3 other people. One of them constantly travel but he never goes to my room at and sleep on the same bed with his partner. My other friend has his own room but nothing happened to him at all. We've never ever had bed bugs in the home.

As description of the room:

1. Well its got jarrah floor boards
2. I'm sleeping on a folding bed that made predominantly of foam temporarily. With metal stands but it does have soft wood for it's frame but we check everything on it even slightest spot and dug a knife into and nothing showing signs of an insect bleeding etc.

3. Sheets are virtually clean not a speck! My blanket etc have no mark or pepper grain looking this at all

4. All power sockets are clean and nothing show signs of them hiding there.

5. All furniture is pretty much mahogany and jarrah. So we didnt really look at them. But just in case my friend took a piece of paper and rubbed some of the exposed surfaces for any faeces from bugs.

My friend washing my blankets etc everything on my bed. Plus I gave a through vacumm and clean out of my room. It's quite a dusty house unfortunately as its a lovely old character home.

Thanks for the replies i really appreciate. I'm getting paranoid as it is and its not helping
eva_777

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Posted 6 years ago
Thu May 17 2007 9:18:18
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I also checked all my bags for signs of bed bugs etc or any traces of faeces and nothing else.

Ummm in my case I wouldnt want to wash my bags......they r quite expensive...
wantmyskinback

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Posted 6 years ago
Thu May 17 2007 12:56:07
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About Dermatologists:

Many of you act as though the Dermatologist is the Wizard of OZ. And if they can't determine what causes your bites you curse them.

Bites are bites. If they see you have a bite they can't determine WHAT KIND OF BUG BIT YOU. Only YOU can do that! If you see the mosquito it's obvious. If you see the Fly, then it's a fly bite. If you see the bed bug...it's obvious. If you don't see the bug...and you think you have bites...what is it that you want the dermatologist to tell you? ALL THEY CAN DO IT TREAT THE BITES. They can't cure you of bites or give you something to immunize you.

I wish that people would understand this.
I recently met a dermatologist that was fair and honest. She offered to help me with the itche and the allergy.