Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Reader questions (do not fit into other categories)
Think I don't have them, don't know how I'll ever know
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goingcrazy
junior member
Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 17 2007 15:38:22
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Hi again.
The good news is that I haven't had any new bites in over one week. I was never sure if I had them or not. My bites looked and felt a lot like mosquito bites, but I questioned it because I had so many of them. Also, they're taking a long time to heal, although I never really paid attention to how long my mosquito bites in the past took to heal, so I don't know - is 1-2 weeks a long time for that? Most of them are almost completely gone, but I still see hints.
I scheduled a highly reputable PCO in NY to inspect the place on Monday (don't think I should say the name) who ended up keeping me waiting and then canceling, essentially. I can reschedule if necessary, but since I haven't been bitten in one-two weeks and don't have any definitive signs, I'm just wondering when it's safe to assume that they were in fact, just mosquitos.
I'm still being extremely careful so as not to spread them if I do have them, but if anybody could give me some advice as to when I can truly relax, I'd appreciate it.
(And I'm encasing my mattress tonight with the product recommended on this site, just in case/to help in the future.)
Thanks!
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nightshirt
senior member
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 455
Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 17 2007 15:51:52
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if you thought you had them and had 1 treatment and do have them you would need more treatments. i would use another pco - that one is not reliable. for about 9-11 days after my treatments i did not get bit then it started again b/c of births from eggs that were not killed by the chemicals.
truly relax - no bites for 55 days. mine have been gone since last january and i am just letting myself relax. even though you dont see them they can be there.
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Wait, goingcrazy--I thought you had had NO treatments. If that is correct, it could be bed bugs, but they may have bit you outside your home. Did you sleep elsewhere? GO to a movie? A new hangout? Bars and restaurants may even have them. It is not that widespread, but you could have been bitten somewhere else. They can take time to appear. The question is whether they all appeared at once. If not, then you probably were bitten over time rather than in one shot.
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goingcrazy
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Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 17 2007 18:22:06
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I had no treatments. I didn't sleep anywhere else. Yes, I've gone to movies. No, new hangouts. They didn't appear all at once.
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It doesn't have to be a new hangout. It's POSSIBLE that somewhere you go regularly (friend's, bar, a room in the workplace) is infested, if there's somewhere you have not been since 1-9 days before the last bite. It does not have to be the whole place ("work"); it could be one chair, one couch, one friend's car. I'd be seriously vigilant.
On how many separate occasions did you experience bites?
It is also possible that you have a few bugs and they are not feeding very often (perhaps it is cold), but 2 weeks seems like a long time between bites.
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goingcrazy
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Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 17 2007 21:49:33
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I'm a law student, so I don't really go many places besides school. When I do go places, it's usually to a movie or a restaurant, but this is NYC so I don't really have a regular place for either of those things, and can't think of anywhere I was twice recently. I live in the city, so no cars. Although I have visited friends at home, I haven't visited any of them in their home more than once recently.
I had bites on three separate occasions:
The first occasion I was bit all over my arms and legs, and I had really loose fitting pajamas on that could've rolled up. (No bites above the knee or upper arms.)
However, the second occasion I had my window open and the screen down, which is why my doctor thought some bites could be no-see-ums, since they can get through screens.
The third occasion I only got one for sure bite, and two maybe bites (I think one was a zit, and one was just paranoia-related, not sure.)
Up until the time of the last bites, I was seeing mosquitos all the time.
I encased my matresses tonight with the vinyl covers from National Allergy. I was very careful, but one of them ripped along the seam! Will they send me another, do you think? Should I just tape it up? When I was moving the mattress/bed, I looked all around and saw nothing. I know that doesn't mean much, but I'm still hopeful! My friends all seem convinced I don't have them, and keep telling me I'm being ridiculous when I tell them I don't want to come over for fear of spreading them.
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Call them goingcrazy. Their cloth covers are what I use, but their vinyl ones are supposed to be stronger than the usual vinyl ones. It should not rip so easily.
Lots of people have them and do not see them. You may have a few. They can hide well, anywhere in the room.
What was the spacing between bites?
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goingcrazy
junior member
Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Thu Oct 18 2007 0:22:49
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Ok, I'll call them. The cloth covers didn't say expressly bed-bug proof, which is why I didn't get those. I'm not sure - it may have been ripped before I even put it on - I noticed it as I was putting it on.
It's just I'm wondering - at what point do I assume I don't have them? Because while it's true that I could have them and not see them/signs of them, and have them and not be getting bitten, it's also possible that I simply don't have them!
I think the bites were roughly a week apart each time. Unfortunately I didn't really keep a record of them.
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buggeroff
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Joined: Jul '07
Posts: 180
Posted 2 years ago
Thu Oct 18 2007 12:40:10
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Well, you have two choices: Let it slide until the cold weather hits. If you're still getting bitten at that point, mosquitoes is probably not the reason why (though fleas could still be a possibility, evenin the city) and you call the PCO then.
Call the PCO now and let him inspect. If he finds nothing and you get the impression he knows what he's doing, well, then chances are good it was mosquitoes and you'll get further confirmation of that when the weather cools off.
It seems to me that the only downside of having a PCO come over is that you have to wait around the apartment for him. Unless he's trying to charge you money for the inspection, that is.
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goingcrazy
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Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Thu Oct 18 2007 14:40:56
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The reason I gave up on the PCO after the no-show was because I had another PCO tell me they don't inspect because they get false negatives a lot of the time, and I've had people tell me that they've heard of PCOs actually planting a bug to get some business.
Plus, I really don't have much availability during work hours, as I am at school almost all day, so having to wait around in my apartment isn't always possible.
I really have no reason to think it could possibly be fleas.
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Goingcrazy, if you read the descriptions, these cloth plus polyurethene covers have been tested to keep bed bugs from going through the fabric or zippers.
(The site sells lots of other products, but these do mention having passed the bed bug tests. There's test data linked from the descriptions.)
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goingcrazy
junior member
Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Oct 19 2007 8:20:40
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Okay.
Seeing as how one of the vinyl ones ripped, I'm going to see how they handle that before even thinking about giving them more business, and I really don't need yet another mattress cover now.
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pleasehelp
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Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 301
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Oct 19 2007 9:02:31
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Please let us know what they do about your ripped cover!!!! Thanks.
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goingcrazy
junior member
Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Oct 19 2007 13:17:16
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I just called them, and they said they'll send me another one, no problem. They were very nice. Awesome!
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They are nice, goingcrazy. We wouldn't recommend them if not.
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goingcrazy
junior member
Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 45
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Oct 19 2007 17:18:35
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And now I'll recommend them too.
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I would seriously suggest people use the cloth ones though. The vinyl are meant for box springs and the cloth are secure and so comfortable.
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