What is biting me? At my wit's end!

[Dreamcatcher]

Hello,

This is a bit random but I'm so desperate for help I thought someone might be able to help me figure out what has been biting me daily for the past 6 weeks?

It started after dragging in an old wicker basket from outside a house on Pellatt road with a "please take me" sign attached to it. Really wish I hadn't!

In a nutshell I've been getting bites every day, they are tiny (really tiny) and there's usually two next to eachother. I have had my house treated for bedbugs and similar insects (although I've never once seen a live bug anywhere and believe me I've looked everywhere, mattress, bed frame, carpet etc), I've also been treated for scabies. I've washed all my clothes, curtains, bed linen at 60+ degrees, and the bites are still happening. I've ruled out skin conditions as the doctor guaranteed those were bites. Does anyone know what it could be?!?!?

By the way the basket is long gone, it went before the house was treated by pest control.

My skin is itchy all over and worse at night or in a hot bath/after hot bath.

I've already seen my GP twice and I was sent for blood tests although I'm sure they will come back normal. Is anyone a dermatologist or does anyone know one they could ask? It is driving bonkers I've been crying everyday I'm in so much discomfort from the itching and barely sleeping. Thank you so much. I'm attaching a picture of the kind of "double bites" I'm getting.

[Kathleen Olander]

Could they be flea bites? They may have been in the basket and ended up laying eggs in your carpets?

I can't really tell from your photo but flea bites go quite red, probably due to scratching.

Hope you get to bottom of it and feel better soon.

[Seabag]

Are the bites mainly on the lower leg

If so, it's probably fleas

http://m.wikihow.com/Make-a-Flea-Trap

Try making one of these to be sure

[Dreamcatcher]

I have none on my lower legs, they mainly on torso, arms, hands and thighs

[caz]

I've got the same thing !!! Mine look exactly like yours and are on my arms and hands. I'm using hydrocortisone cream which has helped and luckily mine don't itch. Very weird.....

[Lynne]

Could be cat or dog fleas.They would go and live in your carpet after the basket came in.

If it'd any comfort, they will die away eventually if you haven't got a cat or dog. Perhaps you'rs unusually sensitive to them

[Dreamcatcher]

Would I not see them if they were fleas? Also, wouldn't they have all died after the pest control treated the house?!?

[uncleglen]

the only things in the UK that make double puncture wounds are spiders that I know of.

[Sue]

Might a vet or other animal specialist be able to advise?

Or ask the people at the house which had put out the basket what it had been used for, as that might narrow down the possibilities?

Poor you.

[Lynne]

Cat fleas are very small, you might not notice. Put paper or white material on your floor , then sit by it. Cat fleas will usually come towards your body heat and you'll notice little black specks jumping on the paper/cloth

[Blah Blah]

Yes worth asking the people who put out the basket (good suggestion Sue).

Fleas can be ruled out as they bite at any time of the day, can usually be seen and tend to attack the lower legs.

Whilst spiders are known for double bites, you would be able to see the fang puncture marks.

From what you describe dreamcatcher I would suspect bedbugs, who bite the areas you list and are difficult to get rid of. Bedbugs only bite at night and can travel meters from wherever they hide to bite you. A bedbug can go for a week after one feed without feeding again. A whicker basket is a perfect hiding place for them too.

[intexasatthe moment]

Bed bug bites are BIG ,not tiny like dreamcatcher's.

[adonirum]

Dreamcatcher did point out that they had had the house treated for bed bugs.

[Saffron]

Bed bug bites can be large or small. Some people don't react at all. They often bite in 2 or 3, but can be single bites also. They're extremely hardy and can survive in crevices in the walls/floors. You may need up to 3 treatments from a professional to get rid of them. The best way to confirm would be to catch one, but they can go a week without feeding. So you may find them hard to catch. Worth speaking to a specialist and having the property (re)treated. There's a v interesting bed bug thread on the Forum recently. Apparently the area is prone to them. :-/

[Blah Blah]

Saffron is correct. Bedbug bites can be any size depending on the level of reaction to them. And they are difficult to get rid of because of their feeding and breeding cycles.

[Dreamcatcher]

Thank you for all the comments guys!

[Saffron]

Blah Blah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Saffron is correct. Bedbug bites can be any size

> depending on the level of reaction to them. And

> they are difficult to get rid of because of their

> feeding and breeding cycles.

Indeed, and I was surprised when I learned this as well, because the 'classic' bb bite is the big, sort of weepy one. Ewww. But people do react very differently to them, so I've read. I looked into this a while back when little Saff and I were getting bitten by something. It wasn't bbs in the end, as the problem didn't worsen and eventually cleared over a couple of weeks never to return. We suspected blandford flies (as it was spring/summer) but never saw them.

I think the key is the feeding/breeding cycles with bbs. With cluster bites that are recurrent over weeks or months bbs would unfortunately be a likely candidate. :-( Spiders would also leave a double 'bite', but spiders wouldn't bite you repeatedly. If you've been bitten at night by a spider, it would have been an accidental and traumatic encounter for the spider too. We're not their food. We're all the wrong size, and probably not tasty. For bbs, however, we're quite a feast.

[chuff]

have you thought about this?

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Molluscum-contagiosum/Pages/Introduction.aspx

my children had it and I spent ages thinking we had bed bugs or fleas from the cat/dog were biting them. It was only after another parent told me that her son had it and we went back to the doctor to ask if it could in fact be molloscum that it was confirmed. They were mostly on their arms and torso and the spots were definitely not bright red like lots of the pics you can find on the internet, they were white or pink and quite small. No cure but it does clear up eventually.

Just an idea if the bed bug/flea investigation comes up with nothing.

[MsRial]

I was getting bitten a short while back too. Don't know what it was maybe fleas, bugs but every day i was getting at least 5+ bites & know how you feel, it was really bringing me down.

Someone advised me to get StayKill or Acclaim sprays, i got both. Sprayed my whole place with the stuff left to dry for at least 30mins then hoover everywhere & i mean everywhere. I continued this for about 5 days & then no more bites. Something to try anyway!

[natty01295]

You need to ask to speak to a specialist skin parasite bug bite person

Go back to your GP/ Doctor

and he/she will refer to a Specialist who is skilled in this area of expertise

[Giacomelli]

I think they are flea bites. When I moved into my flat the previous owner's cat had left them there. I actually got them on my thighs and wrists as strangely they waited until I went to the loo to bite me... It was there that I actually saw one for a split second. As tiny as the top of a pin. I used those flea bomb things and spray and hoovered 3 times a day, but still had to get professional help. The bites are the most itchiest thing ever though so sympathies. I think they itch more at night due to you lying down or less adrenaline? Not a scientist but I remember reading that they are worse at night.

[BrownsPest]

It could also be Mites and mites are impossible to see. You would need a microscope. But if sprayed right the Pest control should have got rid of infestation.

Bedbugs you would have blood spots on sheets.

Fleas are very active so you would feel them jumping around

[jenny pink]

Fleas will NOT die,after pet free....the pupa(larvae) can live without food for 'ONE YEAR'.....

so retreat

[Mick Mac]

http://www.m.webmd.com/allergies/ss/slideshow-bad-bugs

Pics 20 and 21 look similar to your marks. It may be a red herring that you sometimes have two together, may just be same bug biting twice.

Dreamcatcher and bedbug are an ironic combo.