Post by TrudyCampbell on Sept 16, 2013 18:25:39 GMT -5
I'm sorry to say this, but as a former derm nurse (in NYC with a lot of bed bugs), I'd say that looks a lot like bed bugs. They are large bites, which is typical, and in the arm pic you posted there are 3 in a row.
Post by LauraMoser on Sept 16, 2013 18:30:54 GMT -5
Please know that DE doesn't always work. We tried it when we had bed bugs. We put down a hefty coat and left it there while we were gone on vacation for a week. Got home, cleaned up the powdery mess, and the bed bugs seemed to be angrier than before.
I would skip the DIY treatments and go straight for an exterminator. We tried a steamer, which we read was effective. It helped lessen them, but did not get rid of them completely. We tried bed bug spray from Home Depot, which did nothing. And as I mentioned, the DE did nothing for us.
Our exterminator recommended to toss everything in the dryer that was safe to put in there, and run it for 10-15 minutes on high heat. Make sure you carry the stuff in plastic trash bags to help prevent them from dropping off your laundry basket into other parts of your house. I was very vigilant with taking off my dirty clothes and keeping them on our main floor before going up to bed every night. Our exterminator told us that this was probably what helped keep them from spreading to our bedroom. (They were in our couches in the living room)
Also, know that getting rid of a piece of infested furniture doesn't usually get rid of them all. They are sneaky little bastards that crawl into the tiny space behind baseboards, around your windows, and any other tiny little crevice they can find.
They are fairly easy to find if you know how to look for them. Our couch is quite plush, therefore there are lots of little folds and wrinkles. Check those first. Flip your couch over (well have Dh do this, you're PG! ) and examine any wood, joints, wrinkles, flaps, etc. Like I said, they are sneaky little bastards that will hide in any tiny little space they can find. Do the same for your suitcases. Throw all of your clothes from your closet into the dryer.
Good luck. Bed bugs are miserable. I had the joy of dealing with them when I was PG too, and I think I was even more miserable than DH and DDs.
Also, like PPs have mentioned, not everyone reacts to their bites. DH, DD1 and myself all had bites, while DD2 had not one bite the whole entire time we battled the things. Doesn't mean she wasn't getting bitten, but that her body did not react to them.
Couple of things- it makes sense that you have bites and your H doesn't. Same thing happened with us. They tend to find someone to feed on and stay with them/ on that side of the bed. Maybe that's where the expression "wrong side of the bed" started?
Well, it makes even more sense because he didn't travel with me.
Well, it makes even more sense because he didn't travel with me.
Yeah, but it doesn't always take bites 14 days to show up. I had them the very next day. Chances are, by now your bed has been exposed to them and so has your DH. However, he may never get bitten even without treatment.
Mine showed up almost right away too. It sucks. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this Miso.
Is this your way of saying that there's no way I didn't bring any bugs home?
I admire your positive attitude but think it may not be fully based in reality.
But I really hope you're bug free. Last year Lucy's preschool had lice for months on end and while she never actually got them every freaking email from school with a bug update would give me a heart attack. I swear I started seeing white things in her hair and I walked around itchy for months. I blamed it on pregnancy hormones but I think I'd be just as squicked out now.
One more stupid question, katfco, do I just spray everything with the rubbing alcohol mixture?
Will that cause any cloth discoloration?
I didn't end up doing the rubbing alcohol, so I'm not sure about the cloth effects. A friend of mine who often gets things given to her does an alcohol spray on a regular basis, but she doesn't have high quality materials, so you may want to test it first.
Please know that DE doesn't always work. We tried it when we had bed bugs. We put down a hefty coat and left it there while we were gone on vacation for a week. Got home, cleaned up the powdery mess, and the bed bugs seemed to be angrier than before.
I would skip the DIY treatments and go straight for an exterminator. We tried a steamer, which we read was effective. It helped lessen them, but did not get rid of them completely. We tried bed bug spray from Home Depot, which did nothing. And as I mentioned, the DE did nothing for us.
Our exterminator recommended to toss everything in the dryer that was safe to put in there, and run it for 10-15 minutes on high heat. Make sure you carry the stuff in plastic trash bags to help prevent them from dropping off your laundry basket into other parts of your house. I was very vigilant with taking off my dirty clothes and keeping them on our main floor before going up to bed every night. Our exterminator told us that this was probably what helped keep them from spreading to our bedroom. (They were in our couches in the living room)
Also, know that getting rid of a piece of infested furniture doesn't usually get rid of them all. They are sneaky little bastards that crawl into the tiny space behind baseboards, around your windows, and any other tiny little crevice they can find.
They are fairly easy to find if you know how to look for them. Our couch is quite plush, therefore there are lots of little folds and wrinkles. Check those first. Flip your couch over (well have Dh do this, you're PG! ) and examine any wood, joints, wrinkles, flaps, etc. Like I said, they are sneaky little bastards that will hide in any tiny little space they can find. Do the same for your suitcases. Throw all of your clothes from your closet into the dryer.
Good luck. Bed bugs are miserable. I had the joy of dealing with them when I was PG too, and I think I was even more miserable than DH and DDs.
Also, like PPs have mentioned, not everyone reacts to their bites. DH, DD1 and myself all had bites, while DD2 had not one bite the whole entire time we battled the things. Doesn't mean she wasn't getting bitten, but that her body did not react to them.
DE is not an immediate fix, which is why the rubbing alcohol is also a good idea. It takes a while to kill all the generations.
Miso, if it makes you feel better my previous work place had bed bugs, bad, for like months before anyone realized. (Group home and no one saw any). I was getting bit every single time I went to work for over a month and we did not get them at home.
Post by LauraMoser on Sept 16, 2013 18:58:16 GMT -5
God does it ever take time! katfco We noticed them in October last year, and they weren't completely gone until April this year. We started with the DIY heat steamer treatment. I spent about two hours pretty much every night for the first three months going over our couches with steam. It made quite a dent, but they were no where near completely gone. We tried DE in February. Finally, in March, we found an exterminator through a former coworker of mine. He was willing to do it cheap for us, as we couldn't afford a full priced exterminator. He came two separate times. That spray he used was what ended up being successful. Next time I won't be wasting my time and money on DIY treatments, I'm calling the exterminator! lol
Miso, if it makes you feel better my previous work place had bed bugs, bad, for like months before anyone realized. (Group home and no one saw any). I was getting bit every single time I went to work for over a month and we did not get them at home.
I love you. I may love you the most in this entire thread. Thank you.
Miso, if it makes you feel better my previous work place had bed bugs, bad, for like months before anyone realized. (Group home and no one saw any). I was getting bit every single time I went to work for over a month and we did not get them at home.
I love you. I may love you the most in this entire thread. Thank you.
Hahaha Glad I could help. I swear I got at least 5 bites every Thursday night and I have not had one bug in my house!
Miso, if it makes you feel better my previous work place had bed bugs, bad, for like months before anyone realized. (Group home and no one saw any). I was getting bit every single time I went to work for over a month and we did not get them at home.
I love you. I may love you the most in this entire thread. Thank you.
Just be hyper vigilant! Like I said, I was very cautious about transferring them to other areas of our house. Our living room had them for at least six months, but they never showed up in any other part of our house. Its possible that you didn't bring them home with you, and I hope you didn't, but you may as well be prepared to fight the battle.
If you weren't so far away, I'd come help you hunt the darn things down. I got awful good at finding them, lol.
the only time I've heard of the de stuff is when someone told me he put it all over the house and was convinced it was making his head shrink. he has other issues, if that makes you feel any better