Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed bug bites, skin, etc.
One person reacting to bites in different ways?
(3 posts)-
BittenandStressed
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 9offline
Posted 3 years ago
Fri Aug 14 2009 0:39:52
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I'm still not sure that I actually have bedbugs, it's been suggested that I may have carpet beetles instead (god willing).
I've had three "sets" of bites, one set on each hip and one on my forearm, plus some other single bites on other parts of my body (legs & hand.)
The single bites and the ones on my hips have reacted the same - they swell up like mosquito bites, with a small dot in the centre of a large, round puffy raised area with a distinct edge, lots of itching, lots of redness.
The ones on my arm were reacting the same way for a few days, but they seem to have changed. They're still red and itchy, but the redness is patchy around the area of the bites and instead of being round and puffy, they feel kind of rough and rashy, like there's lots of small raised bumps.
I've been doing a bit of scratching (trying not to, but it's so hard to leave them alone) but no more on my arm than on my hips or the isolated bite on the back of my hand.
Could these bites all be from the same type of bug, or does it sound like I'm being bitten by two different types of bugs (bedbugs and carpet beetles? Please no.)
I know bites aren't diagnostic, but as I've not seen a single bug or evidence of bugs since I started looking (just a couple of days ago) and haven't been able to get a PCO in yet, bites are all I have to go on for the moment.
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lumpyredthing
newbite
Joined: May '09
Posts: 32offline
Posted 3 years ago
Fri Aug 14 2009 3:56:38
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Firstly, please don't take this to mean that you definitely have bedbugs! we all react to bites in different ways and there are plenty of things that aren't bedbugs that will bite us!
When I first started getting bitten I was 100% sure they were mosquito bites - raised white blotch, red round the outside, mainly on my arms and shoulders. They did seem to last for a long time though and the itch didn't wear off.... Then I started to get a few that were different, smaller bumps that blistered and itched beyond belief, I tore them to bits and still have the scars. Next came lines of bumps which also itched like crazy but weren't so visible, they seemed to be under the skin (all this time I was still getting the 'mosquito' and 'blister' style as well). Then in the area below my elbows I developed amazingly itchy patches of closely clustered tiny bumps. By this time 3 doctors had told me I had contact dermatitis and my arms were a disaster area!
I'm no expert and had knew nothing about bedbugs until May this year, although I'd been living with them and feeding them for 5 months! I suspect that if we are bitten often enough by anything our bodies will react differently as it adapts of tries different ways of fighting the irritant. I think the scratching also tends to bring on the areas of small bumps.
I truly, truly hope that it's not bedbugs but get a PCO in as soon as you can to be on the safe side. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!
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loubugs
old timer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,642offline
Posted 3 years ago
Mon Aug 17 2009 11:12:35
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You aren't bitten by carpet beetles, but your skin can react to having hairs or dusts from the larval molts settle on it. The larval mouthparts are the chewing type and not the bed bug type for taking liquid food. If they bit, it would be more of a nibble. The reactions you are experiencing can be from bed bugs. Technically we don't all react differently to bed bug bites, but there are certain reaction scenarios that can be attributed to bed bug bites. These vary from not much of a reaction to very bad hives and welts and from no itchiness to extreme itchiness, and a varied amount of bumps and rashes, some that remain and some that disappear due to the components in bed bug saliva and your body reactions to certain components. You can experience a small raised area, but still get lots of itching. Anaphylactic reaction is extremely rare. If you react to mosquito or black fly bites, for instance, it doesn't mean that you will react to bed bug bites the same way at all.
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