Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » General Topics
Please help! - Not again
(19 posts)-
cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jun 27 2012 22:08:25
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Hello everyone,
I scarcely know where to begin. I had an infestation a few years ago when I was still married and in the family home. I am no longer married or in the same home. My ex husband has since moved frim the home as well. At the time of our first infestation, he was not altogether cooperative because he had NO reaction to the bites. My son and I have reactions to the bites. Mine are very severe. They become very large and make the bullseye ring. I am allergic. When I say he was uncooperative, it just wasn't as big a deal to him and he was reluctant to the bagging and throwing away process, among other things. Well, he just caught a bed bug on his couch and showed it to me. They were the bane of my existence, so I am positive that it was a bed bug. I told him not to take most of the wooden furniture and old blankets with a few holes in them, to the new place. Although, I feel that we had gotten rid of most of them as I stopped having the bites, I was still paranoid. Before he moved out of the home, I noticed egg casings on the mattress covers- yes they were bed bug covers and had been on for more than a year and a half. I know that his new bed bug could have come from anywhere, but now I worry that I will get them again. My son has to be over there on a regular basis. I am not on bad terms with my ex but he is not going to clean, declutter, bag, dry or even exterminate. He will also not be meticulous with my son's belongings. He says he can't afford new furniture, or the exterminator and he is not very neat to begin with. I am horrified at battling this all over again as it was an emotional nightmare. My bumps were abnormally large. I will post pics, if I need too. I feel like I already have them again and have been on this website for hours already. I am soooo sad and soooo afraid. And when life gets busy, who can keep getting reinfested. That's a worry too, that I can get rid of mine (if I get them) and still get them back. What do I do? Please help.
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hopeful_in_Cincy
newbite
Joined: Jul '10
Posts: 7offline
Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jun 27 2012 22:26:03
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I know that the dreaded things are even more terrifying when so many of the circumstances are out of your control—and your ex-husband's habits are, largely, out of your control.
But there are some things you can control. You can send your son to visit him with as few belongings as possible. You can carefully quarantine and heat anything he comes back with, after a visit. Do you have (or can you afford) a Packtite? That might help.
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jun 27 2012 22:27:45
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Sorry for the typos. If I wasn't clear, we separated and I moved out. He moved out months later, but not before I noticed castings or casings from bedbugs on the outside of my son's matress cover (a bed bug mattress cover from bed bath and beyond almost $100). I didn't take any furniture with me when I moves d. I told him to at least not take that bunk bed. It was really huge and had millions of places for them to hide. I notice that my son's mattress which is at my ex's place, doesn't have the cover on it any more. He said it was dirty. But I guess he didn't want to put it back on. He probably felt I was being paranoid. I digress. Even if he did take it off to wash it, everything in it should have been dead, because it had been more than 1.5 years since it was on there. But even with that, there is some reason there were shell casings on the outside of the matress cover, unless they were hiding in the wood. My son rarely slept in that bed when I left home, but now he does sleep in it at his dad's new place. I do not see fecal matter on the mattress, but I feel decidely worse that he was able to catch a live one. People do not seem to understand the horror unless they go through it and maybe not even then, if they can't feel the bites. I hope this is not too much information but I am soooo afraid. Did I mention that the circumference of my bite rings was a couple of inches around. What can I do to not make my son feel bad when he strips at the door? Is that necessary? I know it is, but what else? A packtite? Is that enough without major cooperation from his dad? My son is only nine. He won't be careful enough. Please help.
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jun 27 2012 22:31:09
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I really can't afford a packtite. But I will make myself afford it. Do I wash his clothes first when he comes in or take them off and put them in there immediately. Thank you so much for the advice.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,707offline
Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jun 27 2012 23:27:15
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You can put belongings and clothing in the Packtite when your son gets home. Or you can seal clothing in bags until it can be washed/dried, or even toss it right in if you have a washer/dryer.
If you have bed bugs in your home now, you need
proper treatment. Do you have bed bugs now? If so are you renting, in which case a landlord is responsible for treatment in many places. If you are an owner or it is otherwise your responsibility, try to get an experienced, knowledgeable
pro.You can get rid of bed bugs and you can even avoid reintroducing them. Try to calm down so you can proceed in a rational manner. You can get through this.
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 0:27:01
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Hi,
Thanks so much hopeful and nobugsonme. I really appreciate the encouraging words and rational advice. I guess I feel like since he has them and is not careful, that it's just a matter of time before I do. But to answer your questions, I do not have bedbugs right now nor do I own a packtite yet. I will be getting one as soon as I can. In the meantime, I will put the clothes in bags. Are the ziploc bags really effective for keeping them out of my home until I can launder the clothes? Also, I know most people feel confident about the bedbug mattress covers that have the zippers. Can anyone figure out why there would be cast skins on a mattress cover after no one in the house was showing signs of being bitten and more than a year after infestation and treatment. I just wonder about the effectiveness of the covers, that's all. Oh, and I am currently renting in MI. I don't know whose responsible in my state but I will find out. Also, do you think I will need to have my son to remove his shoes before he walks in the house or is there a low likelihood of BB's traveling on shoes?
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,707offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 0:32:15
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I would personally run shoes in a dryer until you can Packtite them. Some shoes (crocs, flip flops) probably shouldn't be dried but can be rinsed instead. If you need I use a laundromat, they may be easier to deal with for now.
Can you post a photo of the cast skin?
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,707offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 0:34:20
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And yes, properly sealed ziplocs should be airtight. Keep
away from young kids, cats, etc. -
cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 1:07:00
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Unfortunately, I cannot post a photo of the cast skins, because I noticed them some months ago before my exhusband moved. I implored him not to take certain furniture, blankets etc. Now, in his place, he has removed the protective mattress cover and I don't know where it is. I will post pictures if I see anything else at his place indicative of an infestation, besides the bugs themselves. I should get mattress covers for the beds I have now huh? That or the packtite first? I wish I had thought to take pictures then, but somehow, I just thought I wouldn't have to worry about infestation again. And I sorta thought that maybe the skins were old ones and not a result of dormant ones needing to come out. I also found it weird that they would hang around on the mattress cover at all. So sorry to go on and on. Do you they can live longer than 2 years?
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,707offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 1:31:25
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No -- They probably can't live much longer than a year. (The research which showed they could live 18 months is now considered out of date and not applicable to current populations.)
I think the most bang for your buck is going to be a Packtite, to help you decon items your son brings home (clothing, luggage, etc.)
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hopeful_in_Cincy
newbite
Joined: Jul '10
Posts: 7offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 16:59:23
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Right—the packtite you can throw shoes, luggage clothes right in and bake them clean. That's probably your strongest line of defense, and like nobugs says, the most bang for your buck if you're on a budget.
Some say to cover as a safeguard, but others say it's not necessary until you see the bugs. Myself, I am using a passive BB alert monitor ($20) and waiting to see signs of an infestation before I start covering the mattress.
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 20:55:58
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Hi again,
Thank you all again for the advice about prevention. I do have a question though. Has anyone considered that the bed bug mattress encasements might allow them to live longer than expected? I put those covers on the mattress and box springs in Aug of 09 during treatment. I lived there for another 2 years and didn't show any signs of being bitten during that period and I had embarrassingly large reactions to the bites. My exhusband probably removed the Mattress covers in January of 12. He just told me he saw 4 live ones on the box spring. I had also seen signs that they were still hanging around the bed just before he moved even though he nor my son were sleeping in that bed (just a few bb casings, but no one complained of bites). I know most will believe that he just happened to get reinfested, but I truly believe they just slowed down and were never actually gone. That's a horrible prospect. I feel so hopeless...like I'll never be free of them. So sad. They're not even here yet. I hope my vigilance can keep them out. In the meantime, I don't want my son or his dad to suffer either.
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ShelaghDB
junior member
Joined: Apr '12
Posts: 108offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 21:28:10
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perhaps your son is a non reactor and you never got rid of them, and they were hiding in the bed, the wood, and he didn't know he was getting bites?
Is that possible?No -- They probably can't live much longer than a year. (The research which showed they could live 18 months is now considered out of date and not applicable to current populations.)
Not to disbelieve you but i have seen so many people say they can live up to 18-20 months without feeding if in a bed after someone has put mattress covers on.
You say that information is now out of date.
Are there others that can confirm this?This to me is a crucial point ad I want to be sure enough of the experts all agree that this time period is too long before i accept it verbatim
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jun 28 2012 22:28:54
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Hi ShelaghDB,
I guess that it's possible he didn't react as much as he did before. But initially, his bites would swell up to to size of spider bites or some insect like that. His were not quite as big as mine, but big and itchy nonetheless. I suppose that could have changed.
Truly though, I just wonder about the encasements, because no live ones were found until recently, when they had been removed.
I guess it's also possible that they were never gone, but it just seems unlikely that both my son and I would stop having reactions to the bites when our reactions were so noticeable and stressful before.
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 8 months ago
Sat Sep 15 2012 11:05:58
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Hi everyone,
Well it did happen. I have bed bugs. I have no proof except for my bites. And I am 100% sure that that's what they are...bed bug bites. This is my second time going through this and I am very sad. I knew my son's dad and my son would inadvertently infect our house. So, I slept on the couch one night and that's where I was bitten. Since then (only a few days ago). I have only slept on the couch. I just wonder if a pco will find signs this early in the infestation. I feel like it's early because it's only been a few bites and I haven't found signs. I know some will say that it could be something else, but I have been exposed by my son going over to his Dad's. Can you guys give me some advice? Do I really have ti wait until they start laying more eggs and start pooping on my couch? I know that I have to clean and declutter and have my son take his clothes off at the door and call a pco, but what else would you do? And I am so overwhelmed because my exhusband is a non reactor who believes that washing his clothes and leaving them in the basement in a pile , is good enough. I think they are also in his car. My son hasnt spent the night since we found out but the behavior on the other side with his dad is very disturbing. I feel like he will be dealing with this problem a long time, and by extension, so will I. I am working on getting a packtite ASAP. I also feel like he will reinfest bevause for example, he has piles of stuff in the car and is just not very careful at all. This is all just too much. Please advise. I know I can only control my home and therfore, have to start with that. There is no way I would have ever thought I would have to go through this again! Now what? Just venting, I guess.
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 8 months ago
Sat Sep 15 2012 11:11:50
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Using a cell phone, sorry for the typos.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,707offline
Posted 8 months ago
Sat Sep 15 2012 13:49:02
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If you only have skin reactions, you cannot be sure they are from bed bugs. You need to find bed bugs, fecal stains, cast skins or eggs to confirm the problem. Not confirming before treatment is a big mistake. Treatment will not solve your problem if it's actually something else.
If you have had bed bugs for at least two months, there will be fecal stains. You need to look for them or get a professional to do this.
Bed bug monitors may also help you confirm the problem.
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cryingallthetime
newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 19offline
Posted 8 months ago
Sat Sep 15 2012 14:23:54
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I totally understand what you are saying, but I'm sure that's what it is. The bumps in me get really big, unusually big and regularly occuring like before. If it were my first time, I wouldnt be so sure... and my son is getting bites too. And we regularly come in contact with some one who has them coming out for afternoon tea. I will get a monitor, but I just didnt want to waste any precious time...i thought I could catch it early and have someone out. Its just a matter of time before it is confirmed though. So unfair...
Thanks for your prompt response too. I understand that the protocol is confirm then treat, so that's what I will do. It's confirmed in my mind but I know I need more than that. Thanks again.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,707offline
Posted 8 months ago
Sat Sep 15 2012 15:33:18
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Right now it's a belief, not a confirmed fact. I am glad you will get confirmation, before treating. Good luck!
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