BED BUGS! Ewww!

Has anyone else out there had to deal with them?  I found out friday I had them and the exterminator is coming tomorrow and myself and my roomie are the bait to lurge them out.  It's so freeking creepy!!!!!!

I can't sleep because I keep expecting to find them (I've stayed with my parents and some friends since I found out because I didn't want to keep getting bitten).  It's so gross...  And they can't garantee them leaving forever.  A week after they spray we have to clean EVERYTHING.  Books, bookcases, dressers, everything.

This is such a nightmare!  Just wanted to vent and see if anyone else dealt with this and has tricks/tips for me.  This shiz is freaking me out...

I don't want to freak you out, but you ran the risk of spreading them to your friends and your parents houses. Did you make sure that you washed all your clothes, pjs.... anything soft that is in the area of your bed with scalding water and then use some sort of treatment?

yup, washed everything in hot water and put it in the dryer at hot.  i brought the laundry to my parents in plastic bags and i cleaned the floor area with bleach (where i put them down) in case there were eggs.  this is such a nightmare...  did you end up having to do the major clean-up in one day?

I've never had to deal with them personally, but one of my family members has to deal with them on a regular basis when her clients gets them.

I think you're going to have to do a major clean. The exterminator might also want to come back after a while to make sure that he got everything. You also might need to get a new mattress if its really infected with them. It makes it easier than treating it and cleaning it repeatedly- it might just not be possible to clean it properly. Also, make sure you check all the other furniture, rugs, carpets EVERY where in your house. The little buggers like to spread. It can take up to three days of cleaning to make sure you're completely free.

Good luck! and sorry.... that must suck.

yeah, this is gonna suck, but it must be done.  i'm determined to kill 'em all!  don't get me wrong, i don't hate animals, just these ones.  i hate the parasites..

thx for ur comments tho!

awww sorry that this is happening to you!! i had them last summer, most likely because we spent alot of times at hotels (bed bug breeding grounds) we had to fumigate, but i couldnt stand the thought of the little guys and got a new mattress, steam cleaned ALL my laundry and the carpets, bathed all my animals in a specail pesticide that a vet reccomended (i happen to work there too lol... ) and eventually they went away. and i understand, i love animals as well, my job is to save them, But bugs creep me out! they can live their lives in some one else habitat other than mine!

i'm trying to avoid getting a new mattress, since i DO NOT want to get a used one (i could get more that way!) and new onse are a good thousand bucks.  i don't have that kind of money...  the inspector is coming this afternoon while i'm at work to inspect (i'm assuming this will include looking at our matresses) and my landlord said he'd call afterwards to let me know what the inspector thinks.  i'm gonna go and vaccuum my matress seems tonight tho.  hope they aren't in there...  i'd prefer floors, cracks, picture frame.  cheaper to fix!  i know i don.t get to pick, but here's hoping!

Back in May, my husband and I woke up with small bug bites all over our bodies for a few days. I went to the Dr. and she said they were bed bug bites. I cleaned my entire house and washed everything. I had an exterminator come and they could not find a trace of them. I even woke up 2 hours before dawn in hopes of catching some in the act.  No luck. I did however use this product http://www.diatect.com/kill-bed-bugs.php and never got one more bite or even saw a bug. It is not that expensive but you need to stay committed to the routine. I understand the craziness you are going through!

sweet!  maybe this is what the exterminator will use...  where do u buy this stuff?  i live in canada

I had them, because our flat was infested when we moved in last year. You really will spread them. You will even spread them if you go from bed to couch! You can (temporarily) get rid of them by vacuuming your matt/box springs, then run and throw away your vacuum bag. Vacuum EVERYTHING-couch, floor, everything.
Wash everything as hot as you can. Bleach won't touch them, either.
I don't know if you can that stuff in Canada, the EPA standards my prevent it. And a lot of American exterminators are not coming out for bed bugs anymore.
Best of luck to you-do not throw the bed away yet tho. Vacuum it.
Just an FYI.

~Jordan

i was going to vaccuum it, but i'm going to also look for a steamer to get the edges and folds and stuff, just in case.  i don't know where to get one though, but i'm going to keep looking.  i'm bigger, i can kick theit little butts outta my house!

I ordered the powder offline, I am not sure if you can get it because of living in Canada? I am not sure if you can get it anywhere else. Maybe look at the active ingredient in the powder and see if you can find it anywhere else if you are not able to buy it off of the website. Good Luck!

ew!! 

i've never had them, but a friend of mine had an infestation that originated in the apartment above her.  blech!

rather than ordering something on-line that might be toxic and/or illegal, i suggest that you talk to the exterminator about how to follow-up and prevent future infestations.

good idea pgoergian!  i don't know if i'll meet himher since they're coming today while i'm at work and same thing tomorrow to spray/do their thing.  but i'll ask my landlord for their number or something to find out about follow up.

Your story reminded me of this that I just heard on the radio on THis American Life. You may be in for a long hard road.

http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sc hed=1255

if you know anyone with a rainbow vacuum cleaner, i'd suggest borrowing it! i have one of my own, and i use it quite frequently to vacuum the mattresses in my house. you wouldn't believe the nastiness that comes out of the mattresses. you can see it all floating on the top of the water bowl that collects everything sucked through the hose. it's just gross. really. it is. i'm tempted to post a picture here for you all to see....and this is coming from someone who vacuums their mattress a couple of times a month with one of the best cleaning systems on the market. it's gross. ugh. okay. i'm done now.

uh oh.  you stole cellulitedelight's name.  she's gonna be pissed.

I never had bedbugs, but I did get scabies when I was at school last year. Not as hard to get rid of, but very very uncomfortable. When you have them, you can see the actual scabie bugs under your skin and the "track marks" from where they move. SO glad to be rid of them. Just take a deep breath, relax, and try to live your life until they go away. That's what I did, and now they're just a funny memory. :)

Edit: Thought your post said you were in school. Oops. :)

unfortunately i'm done with school, this is in my apartment...  i'm trying to find everything single way to get rid of them though and i knwo that i will, but the whole process freaks me out: i have to sleep at home, be the bait and possibly get bitten anyway, just to kill them slowly but surey.  this could last for a manth and a half.  at least they don't carry diseases, but it's freaky!  they come out late at night to crawl into your bed and your clothes to suck your blood!!!  if that's not gross and creepy, i don't know what is.  definitely going to do the steaming though.  it's the only thing that kills the eggs.