Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed bug bites, skin, etc.
New here and trying to figure out if it's BB
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all4him
newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 5
Posted 1 month ago
Sun Oct 18 2009 21:10:26
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Hi. I'll tell you what's going on and see if you can tell me if this is typical BB stuff.
About 3 weeks ago, I woke up with 5 "bites" on my belly on the right side under my waistband of my PJ bottoms. It was in a V shape with the top and bottom of the V about 4" apart. The next morning, there were a few more "bites" on my belly and within 4 or 5 days, I was at over 30 of them. I've now lost count. I still see the original "bites" which got much larger and darker but they're no longer raised or anything. I now have these marks all over my trunk from my hips to my breasts, under my arms next to my breasts (not in my armpits) and there are a few around my tailbone. I have none on my legs or arms, none on my upper chest, neck or face. It looks to me like a bad case of chicken pox although the "bites" don't have blisters or real centers to them. I'm not itchy in the least and I see no marks whatsoever on my bed. I am a side sleeper and so these areas that I have the bites are most likely what is contacting the mattress when I sleep. All of the area that's got the rash/bites are covered up but the parts of my body that are NOT covered have no bites at all.
Additionally, my husband has SEVERE eczema and he sleeps right next to me - yet he has not one thing on his body that looks like a bite. Is it possible for only one person in the bed to be bitten? Is it typical for this TERRIBLE looking rash/bites to not be itchy at all (I'm terribly itchy with regular bug bites like gnats and mosquitos and I'm highly allergic to poison ivy so I DO get itchy easily)? I've done a pretty deep inspection of my bed, including stripping the bed of the allergy cover and looking EVERYWHERE and I have not seen one bit of evidence of BB. I looked at all of the seams and gussets of the mattress and box spring (I didn't open the box spring to look inside, however), in the seams of the sheets, in the frame, etc. and have seen nothing.
So, could this be bedbugs? How can I tell if it really is? I'm going to try to get in with the doctor this week to see what I can do about the rash/bites (not sure what it is so not sure what to call it). Like I said, it's been 3 weeks or so since this started and I still have marks from the first bites and none of the "bites" have cleared up at all. Is that typical too??
Thanks for your help!
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It is possible that it is bed bugs. You have the classic "symptoms". Using a flashlite and possibly a small magnifing glass examine closely your beds mattress and box springs (take the cover off), and don;t forget the frame of the bed, including in the screw heads and screw holes. You may find the bed bugs or the small eggs, usually white pearly color.
As for your husband not getting bit, it is possible and also possible he is not having any reaction. Just recently at a University of Kentucky meeting we were told that in a survey, a quarter of the population being bit does not react. That is aproblem we are seeing where a neighboring property is infested but not reported, causing problems with the neighboring apartment
You could also call a pro near you, but be sure to check out their experience and credentials first. -
all4him
newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 5
Posted 1 month ago
Sun Oct 18 2009 22:02:58
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I'd be surprised if my husband was getting bitten and didn't react. Even the allergist was amazed at how he reacted to everything she tested him for and said "I think if I put water on him, he'd react." Seriously, if I change my soap or detergent, he's a mess and needs to go on steroids so I really think he'd react if he was getting bitten. So my guess is that he's not getting bitten. *shrug*. I'll go look deeper in a few to see if I can find anything else but I did a pretty good search and found nothing but dust. LOL I DID find one bug but putting it under the microscope (I'm a homeschooler so we have one at home) found me looking at a very hairy bug - nothing at all like the pictures of bedbugs.
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all4him
newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 5
Posted 1 month ago
Sun Oct 18 2009 22:38:46
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Oh - I have another question to expand on what I wrote (sorry, again, I'm new and trying to figure this out). Is it typical to get bitten in more difficult areas - like under clothing - than exposed areas? I'd figure they'd bite on exposed arms, neck, etc. rather than having to go under clothing to bite.
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all4him
newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 5
Posted 1 month ago
Mon Oct 19 2009 16:19:05
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bumping
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buggyinsocal
oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 1,130
Posted 1 month ago
Mon Oct 19 2009 16:53:44
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You mentioned a very hairy bug. any chance it's a carpet beetle larva? Many people develop bite like reactions to the hairs on carpet beetle larvae.
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all4him
newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 5
Posted 1 month ago
Tue Oct 20 2009 18:50:58
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buggyinsocal - 1 day ago »
You mentioned a very hairy bug. any chance it's a carpet beetle larva? Many people develop bite like reactions to the hairs on carpet beetle larvae.Yep - that's what it is. Being homeschoolers, of course we had to look it up. LOL But I don't have any in the bed that I've ever seen so I don't think it's that.
OK - So I was up all through the night with the flashlight trying to see if there was any kind of ANYTHING that I could find and....nothing. I checked everywhere even pulling apart the nightstands (turning drawers upside down as well as the nightstand itself), opening a hole in the boxspring fabric on the bottom and getting on my hands and knees with a flashlight to check EVERYWHERE. I don't even see any debris of bedbugs no less any bugs themselves. So I'm thinking it's most likely not (thank God!).
Additionally, I just went to the doctor finally and she said it's not bedbug bites at all but something called pityriasis rosea and from looking at the info in the office and seeing pictures, and looking online, it's EXACTLY what this looks like. So while I'm not ruling out bedbugs for now, I'm going to stop going so crazy looking but instead get a good nights' sleep for the first time in weeks. LOL This should go away on it's own but it might take a while. However, I'll still keep my eye out for bugs since you never know.... ;)
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