Success in not spreading? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Success Stories

Success in not spreading?

(16 posts)

Tags:

kpabarue

ACCOUNT CLOSED
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 49

Posted 10 months ago
Sun Jan 11 2009 18:44:36
#

Login to Send PM

A different kind of success, I suppose...

Wondering if anyone has had success with not spreading these to family and friends, or any hopeful words? I found my infestation right after coming back from Thanksgiving at my parents' house. From what I've been able to tell (which, I know, is no guarantee), my infestation has not been too large. However, I did take home the pair of PJs that I wore the night before I left. EEK! My parents are encasing mattresses and boxsprings, using white sheets, and checking once a week for signs, but I'm crossing fingers (and toes) that I didn't take them home with me, although I'm sure the odds are against me...

So if anyone has been lucky in this respect, I'd love to hear!
buggyinsocal

oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 1,130

Posted 10 months ago
Sun Jan 11 2009 22:57:56
#

Login to Send PM

I suspect I was first introduced to bed bugs in March at a hotel.

I didn't find and realize what the infestation was until June.

In the intervening months, I visited the homes of at least two friends, and stayed with friends at two hotels.

Never in all those times--even though I wasn't taking any precautions (because, after all, I didn't realize I had bed bugs) did I pass them on to anyone else.

While I was prepping for treatment, I had two friends who came over and helped me prep. I took full precautions with each of them. In addition, I went to work all those months and didn't pass them on there.

My experiences may not be typical, and I certainly let all those people with whom I'd come into contact know about the issue, but no one got a secondary infestation from me.
parakeets

oldtimer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 866

Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 12 2009 11:30:26
#

Login to Send PM

I have to agree with bugginsocal. I've had bedbugs cycling up and down for years, never fully eradicated, and am very careful, only taking things with me that have been washed and dried on hot and sealed in ziplocks. For example, I won't even use a suitcase when I travel by car. I carry my clothes in ziplocks inside a larger ziplock bag. I haven't knowingly spread bedbugs since I've taken these careful precautions (I stay with my family very frequently), but it amazes me even more that before I knew I had bedbugs and was taking absolutely no precautions and my infestation was heavier, I didn't spread them then, either, thank heavens. Bedbugs do spread easily, and I know people who got them from staying at a hotel, or some other one-night exposure, but I have been staying with my family many times and none of them said they have bedbugs. We are a highly allergic family and we all react so they would know.
Jeanette

newbite
Joined: Oct '08
Posts: 34

Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jan 22 2009 16:04:23
#

Login to Send PM

I have been bed-bug free for about 7-months now but am ever vigilant and still follow protocol. I did not use a PCO but self-treated the mild infestation I had with success in so far as I have not been bitten or seen a bug in about 7 months.

So I visited family for about a month during the Christmas holidays, taking great care to wash and dry the clothes I was taking with me on high temperatures and putting my knapsack and vinyl check-in bag in the dryer on high heat. During the packing process and before I left with them, I placed these bags on plastic bins (in which I have sealed and stored washed clothes)with double-sided carpet tape around the bottom-level of the bins so that in case I had a stray bug and it approached the bins it would stick to the tape. No bugs stuck to the tape and I am very thankful that I did not carry any bugs with me to my family.

During the past few months, I have visited family and friends in town, always making sure to wear freshly laundered clothes and taking my bag and shoes out of zilock bags. I don't think I have the bugs any more but still take precautions. As well, I go to work and to social events, always following protocol. Life after bedbugs is not the same for me, as yet. I live a normal life and have fun but, at home, I still launder and store my things in ziplock bags and am ever vigilant.
Metermaid

newbite
Joined: Dec '08
Posts: 24

Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jan 22 2009 16:33:23
#

Login to Send PM

I moved in with my parents after learning about my bedbugs and was very worried about bringing them with me. I washed and dried all my clothes on hot and looked inside my shoes and sprayed alcohol inside my boots where I couldn't see. Even after a few weeks, I was so paranoid that I had brought them with me. I kept examining the sheets and scratched my legs all night. But it's been almost two months now and I'm sure that I didn't bring them with me. I also have a neighbor who was bitten terribly in a motel where she was staying. She woke up in the morning covered in bites. Not knowing any better they just packed up and went home. They never vacuumed their suitcase or examined their clothing. But thankfully, they didn't bring any bugs home with them.

On the other hand, you hear so many stories.... I got them from the apt next door. The old lady who lived there is rumored to have gotten them either from the hospital bed that was brought in for her, or from the home healthcare folks who stayed with her at night. Someone said the hospital bed was an unlikely source bc they are made of plastic and are on a metal frame.

But, all the precautions you're taking seem to be right, so you should be fine.

Rita
Itchy-Scratchy

senior member
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 452

Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jan 22 2009 18:03:57
#

Login to Send PM

It was likely about 5 months before we realized we had an infestation. During that time I went to work and my parents home -- neither were infested. I had a certain neighbour into my apartment a few times -- he was not infested. I guess it's a bit of a crap shoot.

Note that, after discovering the infestation, I began to follow strict protocols.
Kate
kpabarue

ACCOUNT CLOSED
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 49

Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 16:37:29
#

Login to Send PM

The idea of the bugs being in my parents' house has really been a struggle for me. It's the feeling that these stupid things have made me so uncomfortable in my apartment in New York- my parents' house was always my safe haven, the place that I was most relaxed and happy. So, thinking that maybe they were there has been making my stomach turn ever since I found the infestation in my apartment. They haven't gotten any bites since I was there in November, and although I know this is not an indication, since so many people don't react, both my father and I are highly allergic to virtually EVERYTHING (my mom called him the "Original Princess and the Pea"), so I was hoping that ws a good sign. My parents just did an inspection of their bed/surrounding area and are working on my brother's. They bought encasements and are putting them on as soon as they come. I've bombarded them everytime we're on the phone together (quite frequently), reminding them how to check, how important it is, how I'm uncomfortable coming home until they inspect (I think that's what really got them). I've sent them articles and information as to what to look for.

I got an email from my mom today saying: "I looked at the whole bed under and over and in the wood cracks and in the nightstands and blanket chest. No black nothing, no bugs, no debris. But I did look all the way through your attachment and would know them if I saw them." In addition, my dad wrote me: "We did a complete inspection of our bed today and Mom is ordering the cases. Checked the bed frames, etc. No sign of anything. We will continue to be vigilant."

They're going to check my brother's bedroom next. I know that this does not rule out the possibility of them being in my home, it makes me feel a little better that they're looking. I'm trying to breathe a little easier...
itchyandtired

junior member
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 66

Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 21:49:09
#

Login to Send PM

I have had BBs for 7 months now. I have stayed at my parents everytime my place was being treated. And visited friends and family. I have never passed them on to anyone.
kpabarue

ACCOUNT CLOSED
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 49

Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 22:33:35
#

Login to Send PM

itchyandtired
I have had BBs for 7 months now. I have stayed at my parents everytime my place was being treated. And visited friends and family. I have never passed them on to anyone.

That's so good to hear! I'm trying to remain optimistic...I took no precautions when I stayed with my parents, but that was because I didn't know abot the infestation at the time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
JoanB

newbite
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 2

Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 23:36:36
#

Login to Send PM

My daughter and her 2 roomates had them at their first college apt...both romemates spread them to their family and boyfriends. My daughter didn't really stay at the apt until after it was treated for 6 weeks and so far they haven't spread here.
OutOutDarnBugs

member
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 164

Posted 8 months ago
Sat Feb 28 2009 10:44:07
#

Login to Send PM

So... obviously this is the question still on my mind.

No one has slept in the bed/room I slept in since I was home in November. My house is big, but not massive, easily (I'm assuming) navigated by a BB. Neither of my parents (who sleep in the same room) or my brother (who sleeps farther away from my room) have experienced any bites. They've checked their beds, frames, and surrounding furniture/rugs and have found nothing. They've encased and are checking on a semi-regular basis (I'm more vigilant than they are). They haven't seen anything.

So, my question remains. If the BBs are there, wouldn't they have moved to other rooms with people by now? My family hasn't left or slept in other locations since I was there, so I'm assuming (is this wrong?) that the BB would travel towards them, cause there's nothing going on in my room. Or are they just laying dormant in my room, waiting for someone to come, even though there are other people in the house?

But also, after 3 months, even if no one reacted, if the BBs were around, wouldn't there be signs in my parents' room and brother's room?

I guess I'm focusing on the lack of bites and lack of signs. If no one in the house reacted, but there were still signs they were around, then it'd be one thing. But no one has bites, and there hasn't been traces of the bugs... what do you guys think?

Sigh.
itchyandtired

junior member
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 66

Posted 8 months ago
Sat Feb 28 2009 10:50:27
#

Login to Send PM

After seven treatments, I am still getting bit. The last treatment was a month ago. Even though I am getting bit the PCO says I don't have them anymore. I know I do But I can not find any signs of them anymore. I have heard that it is possible to have them and never see any signs of them.
OutOutDarnBugs

member
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 164

Posted 8 months ago
Sat Feb 28 2009 10:55:20
#

Login to Send PM

itchyandtired - 3 minutes ago »
After seven treatments, I am still getting bit. The last treatment was a month ago. Even though I am getting bit the PCO says I don't have them anymore. I know I do But I can not find any signs of them anymore. I have heard that it is possible to have them and never see any signs of them.

Hm. Yeah, I know what you mean... I guess you don't know if no one reacts AND you don't see signs. But then the (eternal question) becomes: are they ever really gone? What if you just stop reacting to them? Is it possible that they're actually not there (if you're not getting bites and you're not seeing anything)?
itchyandtired

junior member
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 66

Posted 8 months ago
Sat Feb 28 2009 10:58:46
#

Login to Send PM

My boyfriend either stopped reacting to them or stopped getting bit about three months ago. My daughter and I still get bites here and there so I know there still here.
nycbedbug

junior member
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 51

Posted 3 months ago
Wed Jul 29 2009 21:07:40
#

Login to Send PM

Hi all, this is my first post. I discovered I had bedbugs about a week and a half ago and the PCO is coming in 5 days. I am really upset and overwhelmed, as I think most of you understand. Aside from the nearly impossible prep work that I am doing (following instructions to a T), I'm really worried about spreading them.

Today my sister came to help me with all of my laundry. When we were almost finished, she noticed some bites on her leg. Then I saw one on her upper arm. I immediately broke down in the laundromat because I'm so afraid of spreading them (I was really hesitant for her to come because I was worried about this). She has not been in my apartment, so there are only a few ways that she could have gotten bitten, all really scary possibilities:

a) My parents' house, where my sister was until yesterday, when she came to help me, is infested as well (I visited them before I knew I had bedbugs, immediately after the trip when I got them from a hostel). My parents have not seen any signs of them and are trying to calm me down by saying "we'll deal with it," but I wish they were being even more vigilant.

b) A bug escaped from a laundry bag as I was putting it in the washing machine or from my laundry supply bag, in which case I'm freaking out about bedbugs now in the laundromat where I always do my laundry. (Should I somehow notify them that they should get inspected??)

c) A bug survived the hot water wash and hot dryer for 60+ minutes (what if the dryer was overloaded and there was a seam on something that harbored a bug?). This would mean that after spending all day and over $100 washing everything I own, and carefully packing the clothes right into Space Bags, my clothes could still be infested. In which case, once I open them after my apartment is treated, I could re-infest it.

d) A bug crawled off of me and onto her when we went to dinner last night when she got into town, then it hid in her shoe until it decided to bite her at the laundromat. Not very plausible, I know. I'm having trouble thinking, so please forgive this if it sounds even crazier on your end.

My sister had brought with her a plastic grocery bag with a change of clothes, which was tied up all day. After we left the laundromat, she came to my apartment to take a shower and leave all of her clothes and shoes, then put on her un-infested clothes and immediately left. Does this sound OK?

What should my parents do? They have a small house with a lot of stuff, so the thought of inspecting or, worse, having to prep & treat it, is so overwhelming beyond my current level of overwhelmedness that I don't know what to do.

Like one of the members who posted above, I am terrified about going through all of the work, money, and anguish in order to eradicate the bugs from my apartment, only to go home to stay with my parents and get re-infested.

I don't know what advice I'm really asking for, but I would definitely welcome any suggestions or support.

I might add that luckily, the PCO I'm using, M&M Environmental, seems to be highly effective. They are the company my building already uses for monthly cockroach extermination, so I got really lucky on that one. Otherwise there's no way my landlord would have payed for a high quality PCO.
BB_Hell_NYC

newbite
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 8

Posted 3 months ago
Fri Jul 31 2009 12:14:12
#

Login to Send PM

This is exactly my worry! I had friends over, and i slept over at my boyfriend's house and my best friends house before we knew we had them. i am so worried that i spread them and they just do not have any signs yet. I'm moving in with my boyfriend soon and would hate to have to go through this again, especially after throwing out all my belongings and spending $2000 on dealing with the little bastards!