Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tales of Bed Bug Woe
New to this and utterly miserable
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MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 5 months ago
Thu May 28 2009 19:39:38
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First of all, I'm exhausted. Although I do not normally get up until 7:30 (work at 9), I have been waking up between 4:00 and 5:00 every morning, unintentionally. This morning at 5 am, I was sitting in a rocking chair outside my front door, wanting more than anything to go back to sleep, but not wanting to actually get back into bed. Not sure if the unimaginable itching or the paranoia is to blame.
I am trying to figure out the original source of this problem, since there are a couple of possible suspects. I moved into this apartment on March 13. There is only one piece of furniture here that I did not previously have, a small upholstered chair that was given to me by a co-worker. Normally, I don't accept much used furniture (due to a previous flea episode) but I was leaving a bad domestic situation and had next to nothing. The apartment was freshly painted and new carpet was installed the day before I moved in.
On April 14, the first welt appeared, although I had no reason to think that it was anything other than a mosquito bite. I have always been highly susceptible to any bugs that bite and have always had more extreme reactions than others around me. I did what I always have done - I scratched. Within 48 hours, the site was very swollen, a blister had formed right next to the bite and the area of red surrounding it had grown to about 6 inches in diameter. The center of the bite appeared to be turning black and getting larger. I live in Kentucky and have personally known 2 people who have had large areas of muscle and skin removed due to brown recluse spider bites. I looked up the symptoms and pictures of the spider bites and everything appeared to match, down to the site being hot to the touch. I went to the ER and strangely, while I waiting to be seen, 3 other spots had begun to swell and become very itchy. By the time I actually saw the doctor, I was confused - one poisonous spider bite would be one thing. Four was NOT likely. The first one was on my right forearm, the second on my forehead, the 3rd on my left lower jaw and the 4th on my lower back.
Imagine my surprise when I was told that I most likely had Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - an antibiotic-resistant staph infection. (How they could determine this without actually doing a culture, I do not know - I learned all about MRSA after the fact.) I was given IV antibiotics, 2 prescriptions for antibiotics, many instructions on how to handle the infection and was told to return if my symptoms were not better when the medication was gone. The IV made all the red around the bites go away and although I got a few more spots in the next week, I had been told to expect that as the infection cleared. However, the medicine ran out and the spots didn't. So, I dutifully returned to the ER, this time with a total of 14 spots (including the first ones, which were still very evident). I felt like my arms were on fire, I had huge areas of reddened skin and was very uncomfortable. A different doctor this time - immediately he said that I did not have MRSA. I requested a culture this time (it was negative for staph) and was frankly pissed off when the doctor said that I had: dust mites, scabies, fleas, bed bugs OR perhaps I was allergic to my new apartment. He determined that I had scabies from looking at a dermatology book. I have had scabies before and was SURE that wasn't right. He insisted and gave me that yummy topical pesticide stuff. I didn't even fill the prescription. I knew I didn't have fleas and I had no clue what the deal was with bed bugs, as I didn't realize (naively) that there was even such a thing outside of the nursery rhyme. So, I did nothing. I was mostly just relieved that I could cut down on all the precautions for MRSA.
Not really thinking I had a reason to, I did not keep track of the number of bites, but I would say that 100 since April 14 would be a conservative estimate. Sometimes only one by itself (the single ones seem to turn to a blister that with a closer look is actually many tiny blisters clustered together. The rest all come in sets of two, anywhere from 1/4 inch to an inch apart. Some just itch a lot, others cause terrible swelling (to the point that it feels like the skin will split) and skin that is very hot to the touch. Although I scratch like a madwoman, I clean them all regularly and apply antibiotic ointment to reduce the chance of infection. Now my concern is scarring from the large numbers of scabs in concentrated areas like my ankles/calves and my arms.
I finally accepted the thought of bed bugs about a week ago and started looking at any information available. The more I looked, the more convinced I became that this was the problem. However, I checked my mattress and didn't find any evidence. I will admit that I have not yet looked at the chair all that closely because I am afraid that if I see it, I will not be able to bring myself to go to sleep. I have NEVER, EVER felt itching like this in my life and I have sensitive skin that is very prone to all sorts of lovely, itchy conditions. The more I read about bed bugs, the more anxious I get. I am starting to constantly feel like something is crawling on me. I cannot concentrate at work. I am sleeping about half the time I used to. I am waking up in the middle of the night, flashlight in hand, but wasn't finding anything. In hindsight, I am positive that I saw a bed bug one night before I was considering this problem - I woke up and saw it walking across the mattress, outlined in the light of the TV. I flicked it away. =\ Tiny bloodspots on my sheets hadn't caught my attention because when I have bug bites of any sort, I scratch a lot in my sleep - with fingers, toes, my other leg - whatever works. When you have a lot of scabs like this, a few spots of blood don't exactly shock you. Yesterday, when I came home from work, it was like my eyes were immediately drawn to a tiny brown spot on my pillow. Upon closer examination, it was a skin casting of a bed bug. (Or at least it sure looks like the pictures of them.) I got it with a piece of scotch tape and am saving it for future use, if needed. That was the moment that anxiety became more of a panic. I couldn't deny it anymore. I am now sure that every speck of anything I see is related to this. I feel nauseous at the thought of laying down on the bed. I CAN'T stop scratching and constantly rubbing my arms, legs, stomach and back - even my scalp feels like it is crawling a lot. Misery barely goes there.
Let me now explain this part. Although I have lived here for 2 1/2 months now, many of my belongings are not yet here. My bed frame is not put together, my TV is in the living room and I drug the mattress to the living room floor about a week after I moved in so that I could watch TV before bed...a temporary situation that is still in effect - and knowing what I know now, I'm kind of glad. I spend 95% of my time at home in this room alone. My box spring and clothes are in the bedroom, but I only go in there to change - was waiting to get the rest of my furniture before putting the apartment "together". The suspect chair and my mattress are side by side. My computer desk is 2 feet from that. Does this mean that it is most likely that however many of the lil f***ks I have are in this room? Unfortunately, I am in some ways more like a teenager than a grown woman in that I flop my clothes on the floor or wherever is conveinent. This cannot be helping so my goal for the weekend is to restructure my habits in that area.
I haven't yet said anything to my landlord since I told him that I thought I was getting bitten by spiders - ONLY because I am going to be late on my rent this month (LOL) - I am not comfortable bringing this up until my rent is paid. I am also not sure how to prepare myself for that conversation - I don't know what sort of reaction I might get. From a lot of what I have read, the treatment for bed bugs can be quite costly - particularly in a building where there are other apartments that could be affected, as well. I hope I am not in for a battle. I am also already stressing about the costs that I will incur - I have VERY limited finances at this time. I spent a lot of money on the MRSA fiasco - bleach, disinfectants, hand sanitizer, band-aids (at one point I was going through 30-40 band-aids a day), etc. Not to mention the $2400 in ER bills I now have (for NOTHING). I cannot run out and buy protective mattress covers and all that jazz.
I know that until the apartment is treated and all that, there isn't all that much I can to do to stop this horrible violation to my skin. I just want to sleep through the night again. I want to actually WANT to come home from work. I want to stop scratching all my skin off. I know it doesn't help, but I have a ton of lamps constantly on. I know it doesn't help, but I am sleeping as fully clothed as possible and rolling myself up in the sheets, trying to cover every possible surface that I can.
Sorry for this incredibly long post but this is first time I have been able to get it all out to anyone who has a clue what I am going through. It is a little embarrassing to discuss with co-workers and so on - and hard to explain the multitude of visible scabs and new bites without giving all the gory details.
I want my sanity back. =(
P.S. This is one of the first places that I found the pictures that made me truly consider that bed bugs were my problem - I will post some of my own tomorrow.
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MyWorstFear
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Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 266
Posted 5 months ago
Thu May 28 2009 20:26:50
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I feel your pain, but the sooner you get someone in to assess the problem, the sooner you'll be on your way to getting a solution. Don't do massive cleaning etc until a PCO comes in as they might refuse to treat your apartment without any proof. Have you met your neighbors yet? It's possible that they weren't in that chair, but are coming from them, or that even the previous tenant had bed bugs. Perhaps the landlord thought that fresh paint and a new carpet would solve the problem, but it doesn't.
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MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 5 months ago
Thu May 28 2009 20:36:33
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There isn't that much to clean yet, a lot of the stuff that is here is still in boxes (now of course, I am worried about that - thought about taking everything out of the boxes, putting it into garbage bags and throwing away the boxes) - I definitely need to keep my clothes off of the floor, though. I am not going to move the chair, the mattress or anything else until it is checked out. Any idea if keeping as much of the skin covered by clothing as possible helps at all? I must say I don't think so - I'm still getting bitten in places that are far from the edges of the sheet, like my belly button and thighs.
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MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 5 months ago
Thu May 28 2009 21:15:36
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Oh, and I haven't really met the neighbors - I did meet the guy who lived in this apartment before me - his brother lives upstairs. He didn't mention anything at all - and I had no reason to ask. I did consider that perhaps the new carpet and paint might have been suspicious - I know that the apt. was empty for at least a month before I moved in.
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MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 5 months ago
Fri May 29 2009 23:53:34
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When I woke this morning I felt slightly triumphant in that I only had one bite. I went to work and by the time I came home, 7 other welts had appeared - as usual, mostly in pairs - although oddly, I had one single bite on both elbows - the outside, normally bendy part - big fat welts that look like - well, I don't know what...big huge, puffy things. I can't put my elbows on the desk without discomfort. I wrapped myself like a mummy last night in the sheets - obviously that doesn't work - not only the ones on my elbows, but another pair on my forearm - a pair on my chin and another pair under my chin. Kill me now.
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Traumabugged
junior member
Joined: May '09
Posts: 103
Posted 5 months ago
Sat May 30 2009 0:15:41
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Midnight,
I'm also new to the situation and it is really unbearable. Your post actually make me more paranoid because it feels like no where is safe. I'm currently considering moving but the truth is all the apartments available right now are sort of attached and it is very hard to find one bedroom single house...I feel desperate again...and totally understand how it could be...
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MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 5 months ago
Sat May 30 2009 0:44:32
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OH - I had no intention of making anyone more paranoid than I am - but am so grateful to have this site - I am not the only one. I am really unsure as to how to deal with it. I hate to cry but HOLY STUFF - I can't help it - I am miserable. :( I never had any reason to consider this - my main focus in an apt. was to make sure the water pressure was ok. I am so terribly sad because I was so happy to be here. Triumph! Single life again. Independence at its best - right? Just one more thing to throw into the pile of s**t that has become my life. I am having a hard time digging out.
I can't wear shorts. Or capris. Nothing that shows my feet/ankles/calves - an ungodly number of scabs and scars. It isn't worth explaining. My arms are bad enough. It doesn't even seem realistic to play them off as mosquitos anymore. I tried wrapping myself in the sheets - what happened was 4 bites on my chin and face. The LAST thing I want - it is bad enough trying to explain them away to everyday people. I am truly desperate. I can't afford to do a damn thing.
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losingit
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Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 292
Posted 5 months ago
Tue Jun 2 2009 11:39:37
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midnightsnack - you have to speak to your landlord. It's not going to go away by itself. In most places (US and Canada) I think the LL is responsible for pest issues, but you'll have to check your location to be sure.
Take a look at where you are right now. Look at the crap you've just gone through. Do you want to still have bbs in 3-6-9 months? No? Then get the LL to deal with it. I had them at my workplace for almost 8 months before my employer took me seriously and even then I had to TELL them to do something, cos they didn't believe bbs could live in office towers (the city of toronto 'healthline' actually told them that!). I was soooo ashamed to say it to them at first but I also knew it was the only way to deal with it. Took 5 months of half assed treatments before I convinced them to get a K9 in and only then did they step up to really tackle the issue. Each day knowing deep down I was going to have to sit at my desk with a fake smile yet being munched on was unbearable. But I did somehow get through that. Don't ask me how...
I had fled my bb apt with next to nothing. Slept on a couple of towels in my new (bb free) apt until I could afford a mattress, sat on a plastic deck chair. I had zero furniture, some dishes and my stereo, and a few clothes. It was Xmas, I was completely alone and 100% miserable. I can relate to your story so much...
Bottom line: it's only going to get better if you speak up.
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MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 3 months ago
Tue Jul 28 2009 19:13:02
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Update: Tomorrow they are coming to do whatever it is that they do for bedbugs. My landlord finally got the point after seeing the many, many..many bites, scabs and scars that I had gotten since I moved in here. He didn't get it when I first talked to him about it but when he later saw the physical evidence on me, he apparently had a change of heart. What a huge pain in the ass, and I must say that the written directions delivered by the pest control place was a little vague in areas...I am working on it. Blah. I hope this works - the twice a week super-duper vacuum fest helped a LOT but I am hoping to not have to worry about it. Approx. 1,000 bites and counting.
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seriously phobic
newbite
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 21
Posted 3 months ago
Tue Jul 28 2009 19:41:09
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Just wanted to say, hang in there!!! And hope things are much better since May.
Stay strong, you'll get through this. -
Jason1
banned
Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 224
Posted 3 months ago
Tue Jul 28 2009 19:49:05
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That's great, good luck!
By the way, perfect name (MidnightSnack) one of the best i've seen :)
MidnightSnack - 34 minutes ago »
Update: Tomorrow they are coming to do whatever it is that they do for bedbugs. My landlord finally got the point after seeing the many, many..many bites, scabs and scars that I had gotten since I moved in here. He didn't get it when I first talked to him about it but when he later saw the physical evidence on me, he apparently had a change of heart. What a huge pain in the ass, and I must say that the written directions delivered by the pest control place was a little vague in areas...I am working on it. Blah. I hope this works - the twice a week super-duper vacuum fest helped a LOT but I am hoping to not have to worry about it. Approx. 1,000 bites and counting. -
MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 3 months ago
Tue Jul 28 2009 19:59:47
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Midnight snack was the first thing that came to mind and I was very surprised that it wasn't taken. Thanks, guys and I will update, they are coming every Wednesday for the next 3 weeks. I have some of my fingers crossed. My right middle finger has 2 bites on it and is all puffy - how ironic.
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sisterfaith
junior member
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 48
Posted 3 months ago
Tue Jul 28 2009 21:45:44
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Hi Midnightsnack,
I read your plight and wanted to say "you are my hero". I'm new to this and realize that we all have different things to overcome, but the stamina it takes to fight on after all you've been through is admirable. I'm glad you finally got the LL to act. Good for you! The post that said " it can't get worse" was right. You have to move forward with that thought...it will get better.
PS: I'm not even sure how effective it is, but I wash my bed down with 91% Isoprobal (rubbing) Alcohol and Murphy's oil soap diluted. Kills on contact. Luckily I have a meatle frame, which I put in 99 cent stainless steel bowls. Keep fighting.
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MidnightSnack
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 20
Posted 3 months ago
Wed Jul 29 2009 14:57:27
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Thanks, sisterfaith! I am soooo tired - I was up half the night preparing everything for the PCO. The landlord said that by the time I get off work, I am able to go back into the apt. I hope this works...I will say this, the guy who lives upstairs from me was carrying stuff out of his apt. this morning when I was taking all my clothes out of the house - it wouldn't shock me if the BB were having a party on his head. I know that BB doesn't discriminate as far as dirty house/clean house, etc. but I do know that his apt. is smaller than mine and he was dragging all kinds of stuff out of there that looked like..well, garbage. 3 couches - which he put out with the neighbors garbage (they should love that - although I will give him credit for slicing up the fabric so nobody else will take them), 2 mattresses, bags and boxes of just..crap. Where he was keeping it all I don't know but it couldn't have been helping the situation. His brother lived in my apt. before I moved in, so I find it very hard to believe that anybody is shocked by this other than me. Maybe he just doesn't get the same reactions I do and so they didn't bother him. Either way, I am so tired and I want to go home and go to sleep after work, but I know I have quite a bit of work ahead of me.
I just hope I don't have to go through this battle again - my apartment neighbors better do their part in this.
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