<p>Gah! Bedbugs are out of control in some places in nyc…</p>
<p>“…that they are in hospitals, movie theaters, and airports…”</p>
<p>Yeah…they’re everywhere it seems. The bites are itchy as hell, and if the bugs are literally in your bed, you’ll notice bite patterns from them, usually in 2’s or 3’s (in a row). Best way to relieve the itching is either a compress of peroxide or some gold bond powder (I found those were the most effective methods).</p>
<p>Great that the hotel is being so responsive to you.</p>
<p>I am so paranoid about this matter that it has dulled my enthusiasm for travel. It is not necessarily the fault of the hotel if bedbugs are found there. The rise of international travel and banning of DDT have both contributed to the situation. These are, of course, good developments but they do have this potential negative consequence. </p>
<p>And when my D was looking for an apartment for grad school (NOT in a major city, by the way), we found this to be an issue as well. We ruled out several apartment complexes that admitted having had a bedbug issue, and she ended up renting in new construction. </p>
<p>When my D had been away with a friend at a (very nice) B & B last summer, she noticed before checking out that there were mini bloodstains on the sheets. When she came home we encased her luggage (still packed) in several large black trash bags, sealed them, and left them in the car to bake. She took an immediate shower and washed what she was wearing. We sealed her sneakers in plastic in the car as well – left these things sealed there for at least a month during the rest of the summer. </p>
<p>Once bedbugs are in a house it is extremely difficult to get rid of them. Apparently they can go over a year without a meal! They can hide in books, wood shelving, etc.</p>
<p>I try to always check beds when checking into a room. Level of hotel is no guarantee these days.</p>
<p>1) The hotel referred our case to an insurance company and they settled with us. I used the funds to escape to Florida in Feb. You better believe I checked those beds!</p>
<p>2) We threw out a lot of stuff, including our suitcases. Thankfully, no signs of bed bugs in our home. Thank the lord. </p>
<p>3) I had a nasty case of bites all up and down my legs. In pretty rows. Horribly itchy. They did fade away after about 2 weeks. No scars…except the ones in my head!</p>
<p>I am glad this thread popped back up again. I have had some bites on my neck and behind my ear for the last week that don’t act like mosquito, ant or flea bites. At first I thought I had eczema as there was a itchy patch behind my ear; then I had what looked like either bites or maybe poison ivy under my chin. It was hard to tell as it looked a little rashy, but also like bites. It has now been over a week and the itching and rash are still there. </p>
<p>I started looking online and some of the bites are in a line like is mentioned in bed bug bites. I was at a hotel with my husband and daughter 4 weeks ago, but these bites cropped up about 10 days ago. Neither my husband or daughter have any bites on them, although I have read that is not unusual. I have examined my sheets, mattress pad, and mattress and I do not see any evidence of bed bugs. I am outside with the dogs a good bit and while neither of them seem to have fleas, I guess I could have been bitten while out with them. </p>
<p>Usually when I get a bug bite, they clear up within a few days; this is the longest I have still had places on my body as well as itching. I have an appointment with the dermatologist on Monday, but I am now thinking he isn’t going to be able to tell the difference either. I am due for a body check for moles, so the appointment will go on! I just want to figure out if it is bed bugs so I can clear my house. If they are not in my bed, could I still have them? My mattress and linens are all white, so it is easy to see if anything is there.</p>
<p>ICK! Glad the hotel was responsive & sypmathetic (probably horrified)! I guess sometimes it pays to have a more upscale hotel. When we had to cancel our reservations due to health issues, the 5* hotel and the B&Bs were very nice; Holiday Inn has been the stickler so far & made us go thru the most paperwork to try to get our refund. Hope you had a nice February getaway & didn’t come home itchy!</p>
<p>snowball…your doc may be able to tell. Good luck to you. I understand how nerve racking this is. I was a mess for about a month…obsessed actually. I’m OK now but VERY vigilant when we travel. I spend about 5 minutes really checking out those beds wherever we go. </p>
<p>No problems on the February trip. It was glorious. Sometimes there IS justice.</p>
<p>A new bite just showed up on my stomach! I am now thinking fleas as there is a tiny hole in the center of this new bite and I read that bed bugs do not leave a hole. Hope that information is true; I would much rather have fleas than bed bugs!!</p>
<p>Tomorrow I am pulling the bed and night tables out to vacuum and look around. It needs to be done, so this is as good of a reason as any to get it done. I use to do this twice a year, but as new mattresses have gotten so heavy, I haven’t bothered in a while.</p>
Hope you had a nice February getaway & didn’t come home itchy!</p>