[Tiago]

Hi

I have been posting at bedbugger.com (try the "Is it real?" thread) and they directed me here. I have a couple of questions I really can't figure out on my own and they also don't know the answer, therefore I'm turning to you.
My whole ordeal started in January. I moved into a new (rented student accomodation) flat in the beggining of December but went on vacation to my parent's place right after I moved. I spent a month there and, as far as I remember, I had no notice of bedbug bites. I came back on 7th January and, a couple of days later, I was bit from my hands to my shoulders and from my ankles up almost to the hip. It took me a week to identify the problem but then I turned my bed around and found a few bugs, which I took to the rental company's PCO. I should add that I am living in Sweden (I am Portuguese, trying to do his PhD in Biochemistry) and the only PCO I've heard so far is Anticimex. I threw away my bed (I didn't know anything about bedbugs at that time) and they came and sprayed with Empire20 (or Dursban - chlorpyrifos) around the baseboards and in the closet. They told me to take the things out of the closet, which I put in the drier and back in the closet after they finished. Nobody mentioned bagging stuff.
I bought an inflatable bed which I surrounded with double-sided tape. They came back after 3 weeks and did another spraying. A couple of days later (I can't remember if it happened before that, sorry) I noticed some marks, not like the first ones, scattered in the body. I panicked. Called them again and asked them to do an inspection of the place. They came, looked around with flashlights and didn't find anything. No bugs or sign of them. They them sprayed with a mixture of Demand CS (which I'm sure you know) and Starycide (Triflumuron, an IGR). I was still getting these scattered marks, with no apparent regular pattern. They returned after 2 weeks, at my insistence, looked around again, found nothing once more. They then proceeded to take away the baseboards, spray with the Demand + Starycide mix and then put them back and caulked the cracks. In the meantime, the management got me a bed (not new), whose feet I put in cans with cooking oil (I had to improvise). Still the same, scattered marks. I managed to find some sealable plastic bags and took most of my belongings into one of our labs -20 C freezing rooms. I kept three outfits, which I rotated, into and out of the bags. I slept in a Tyvek suit, with socks and a t-shirt. To no avail. In total, they came to my place 6 times, in the 3 month interval this lasted.
Last month I asked them to please give me another place. They took all my stuff and put it in a chamber with Vikane. I just hope this was done properly. I travelled home, getting up at 5 AM to put the clothes that I was going with in the drier, for around 90 minutes. The clothes were all I took, along with my wallet (also went in the drier) and cell phones (in sealable bags). When I got there, I took the clothes off, put them in sealable bags, took a bath and put on clothes from my parent's place. I had been away for 3 months - the next day, I got marks. Just like when in Sweden. You can read this part at bedbugger.com forum.
I am now back in Sweden, in a intermediate room, where they put some of my Vikane'd stuff. The bags I brought back, I separated "heatable" and "non-heatable" items. The heatable ones, as well as the clothes I was wearing, I put in the drier for around 1 hour. The non-heatable ones I put in the fridge (this place has no freezer).
Now, I'm finding these very small red spots arranged around the veins in the hands and in a spread out line in the inside of my legs. I am afraid, very afraid. I don't want to start it all over again in the new place. I want to live without fear again. What on earth should I do? Also, what is your opinion about the products they used (Empire, Demand and Starycide)?

Thanks loads
Tiago

[Tiago]

Just wanted to add that both my parents never complained about anything. They live in a fairly big house, my bedroom is in the same corridor as theirs, around 10 meters away. I took some things from Sweden to their place, in December, clothes I didn't need and other stuff. We have a cat indoors.
I am now taking antihistamine pills and that may explain why I only get these smallish red spots. I am not posing the question "how is it possible" anymore. I don't care. I just want to do whatever possible to stop it.
What do you think of all this?

Best regards
Tiago

[Proudcdn]

Hello Tiago,

1) Vikane will kill 100% of all stages of bed bugs.

2) Let me start by explaining a few things about bites that I myself am experiencing first hand.

I have a colony of bed bugs that I maintain for research purposes. Naturally they require feeding (I know ... gross).

I began feeding a few bugs at a time and gradually worked up to 25ish per feeding. For a period of two weeks starting with the initial feeding I received no marks, no reaction, nothing.

Roughly at the two week mark into this feeding I broke out. Everywhere I have ever been bitten by bed bugs all reacted at the same time. I had what looked like poison ivy.

I ceased feeding.

The bites lasted for about a month, all the while flaring up, dying down, etc. They looked worse in the morning then they did in the evening.

Roughly eight weeks after the initial biting I would still show signs from time to time (red dots, splotchiness, etc.).

It seems that people can experience a delay in the time of the first bite to the time of the reaction from that bite. In my case they all reacted at once, perhaps a sign that my body had reached a threshold of the bed bug saliva content.

In your case you may be experiencing a purely time based delay. I.e. bite 1 reacts after 1-2 weeks, bite 2 1-2 weeks after etc. You may be experiencing the remnants of the last bites.

You may also be experiencing what I did and that is the flaring and dying down.

3) From the measures you and the PCOs have taken I would suggest that the bed bugs are gone and that point 2 applies. I could not tell with 100% certainty as I am not there to inspect things first hand.

I hope that helps.

Sincerely,

Sean.

[Tiago]

Dear Sean

I cannot tell you how much I appreciated your reply. I want to believe this is over. I am doing a small experiment with the help of my parents. I could be dangerous but they have agreed to do it for me - what can I say? Parents are that way... They are sleeping in my bed, where I slept and had the marks for the two weeks' time I spent there last, for this weekend. So far, no sign of anything suspicious. As I mentioned, I'm a biochemistry PhD student, so I take it that, being their son and being reactive, at least ONE of them should react to the bugs, since I have half the genes from one and half from the other. What does your personal experience tell you?
Yesterday, while preparing t go to bed, I found somthing "suspicious" under my pillow. I kept it in a sealed bag but it's too small for my eyes... I'll show it to my PCO and pray a lot in the meantime...
I wanted to ask you this, also: when preparing for the Vikane treatment, I put my belongings in bags and, sometimes, I put bags within bags. I told them to take the stuff out of the bags, so that they would be more exposed but I don't think they actually did it. I just hope there are no airtight pockets anywhere... My idea is to discuss with them, even if I need to pay for it, so that they do it with the things out of the bags and with everything that's in this transition apartment. I'm even thinking of buying new clothes and, on that day, give them all my stuff, take a shower, put on the new clothes and throw the old ones away... I don't know about the shoes, though...
In the office, nobody has complained about anything to this day - and I hope it remains that way. I was taking anti-histaminic but will stop today. I am afraid the marks are going to return - I have the feeling they will, because I still find red "spots" which appear and disappear quickly.
I need to go into this new place with peace of mind. I even don't know how to do about the bed, I will have to buy one (the apartment is unfurnished), it will have to be transported and that's a "loose end" I cannot control. The previous tenant said he had not noticed anything, by the way.
As for my marks, they were following the same pattern for weeks, appearing anywhere (5 mm size, usually, with the red aureolae and itchy) and disappearing within a couple of hours. I had that for more than 2 months, while still in the old place and also at my parents place. Again, nobody else has had anything like it (good!). I can only be sure of the places where they bit me initially, which are different from where I got the marks later. This is all very confusing...
Any comments, thoughts, ideas would be greatly appreciated - although I have been forbidden by my mother to contact this sort of sites again - says "my mind is already too disturbed..."

All the best and, again, thank you for your time.
Tiago

[Proudcdn]

Hello Tiago,

Is is almost always the case ... mother knows best. There is no doubt that over-thinking a situation such as this can drive one mad.

If the bags used in the Vikane treatment were porous then the gas would penetrate. If they were wrapped as well as you say it is possible that the gas did not reach all areas.

For your new mattress you can purchase an encasement from Mattress Safe LLC (www.mattresssafe.com). This will prevent bed bugs from getting into or out of the box spring and mattress. Basically covers you either way.

Sincerely,

Sean.

[Tiago]

Hello again

Thanks for the advice, although I had already ordered some covers from National Allergy. Unfortunately, I woke up today with half a dozen marks in my inner left thigh, one in my chest and another, smaller, near my left shoulder. The anti-histaminic effect has worn off by now, I suppose. I cannot tell you how I felt. I really can't think of it as a "delayed reaction to my older bites" anymore. But nobody, absolutely nobody believes me anymore. The marks were gone after a couple of hours, as it has happened for over 2 1/2 months now.
I talked to my PCO yesterday, he told me what I feared, they didn't take anything out of the bags, he said he only stabbed them with a knife. But I really don't know. Are they in my lab office? Nobody else has complained so far... Would it be possible that they would stay in my desk/chair/whatever, even when I'm gone and other people are sitting here (I mean, for a week, for example), and not attack them?
I am supposed to move next week, so I need to think of everything and do it right this time. Otherwise... Sorry, it's really not your business but I'm way, way past depressed now. I used to be a very joyful person, actually. I am not talking about this with my colleagues, anymore, because everyone's absolutely convinced that I have "some sort of skin problem". I have talked to my doctor and he is scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist for me. To be quite honest, I don't think much of it - I've heard the "take some anti-histamine" line before and it has clearly not done anything.
And, plus, I have to go to Vienna in July, for a congress. And I usually stay in a double room with a colleage.
I really don't know what to do. I'm completely lost. You have been in this for much longer time than me. Have you heard of anything like this before, is it normal? What else can I possibly do???

I know I had promised my mother I would stop visiting these sites but... I couldn't help it, you're the only real expert I know.
All the best
Tiago

[Proudcdn]

Tiago,

If they punctured the bags than the gas would have permeated inside. It is a gas, and it will equalize into the spaces available.

It is not likely that they are in your office (but not impossible). If coworkers are not being bit (and some may not show signs) then this is a good sign.

Most dermatologists are not trained on bed bugs, or have inexperience with them. This is as new (if not newer) to them as it is to the pest control industry. Take what they say with a grain of salt.

Wash the clothes you want to take to Vienna on a hot wash and dry cycle and put them in Ziploc bags (they make XL sizes). To be certain, purchase a cheap luggage bag and store it at the office (away from where you work). The night before you are ready to go, pack everything up and leave the bag in the middle of the kitchen.
When you arrive to Venice inspect your room (headboard, bed frame, mattress seams) for signs of bed bugs.

I can not stress how over exaggerated the advice on the trip to Venice is. But as you have said you want to be sure.

Sincerely,

Sean.

[Tiago]

Dear Sean

Thank you once again for your attention. I don't know what is going on in here. I talked to the PCO and he says he never had any experience like this. They will go there now (I'm just leaving) and check the place where I'm staying. And I will take every possible precaution when moving into the new, definitive apartment.
This morning I had over a dozen marks, scattered, as usual and they are fading, as usual. God knows...
I have promised my mother that I will not search for any more bedbug related information. I thank you once more for your availability and advice. I will not post, at least for, say, 2 months. Then I'll tell you something about it again. Wish me luck, because I really need it.

Best regards
Tiago

[Proudcdn]

Hello Tiago,

It is very common for pest control companies to say; "I have never seen (or heard of) anything like this." This is because this is a relatively new problem and of course there are new scenarios all the time in this industry.

Please keep in mind that my bites still show up in the morning and fade in the afternoon (to almost nothing). I can assure you that I am no longer being bitten. This is a possibility for you as well. Not saying you are not being bitten, just keep in mind that you may not be.

Send me the details of the success story

Sincerely,

Sean.