[sobo555]

Uhh times like these make me so thankful for this website!
I have a problem that has been ongoing for about 1 month. I live in a row home with my boyfriend and dog. About 1 month ago I started getting bites on my hands and biceps area. They were itchy and looked like mosquito bites. They were on my wrist and top of hands. About 5 days after my bites, my boyfriend discovered 3 or 4 bites on his forarm. I went to the doctor and he diagnosed the bites as scabies. He treated both of us with cream. After a ton of research and nights of lotion, I learned it was not scabies. When the doctor said it was scabies we bagged up everything and covered all furniture for 3 days. We threw away all of our pillows, and got mattress bags for our bed. The bites did not stop - We then checked for bed bugs, however we can not find any evidence of bed bugs!! We checked the dog for flees and did not find anything. As precaustion we washed him and treated him with some extra flee meds. After washing all comforters and getting new pillows and covering the mattress... the bites continue. They moved from our hands and arms to legs and feet. I would say about 2 bites per night on average... Last week we both were bite free for about 5 days (this was completely random and we cannot pinpoint anything that we did differently) ! Now this week they are back. My boyfriend has four bites on his forehead and I have several on my arms. The bites look identical to mosquito bites - except as they heal they bruise a bit (this could me from the rubbing that we do because they itch like crazy!) We are only itching at a bite, not all over our bodies, and the dog is not itchy!
I have heard bed bugs bite in a quick row, we have separate isolated bites. Also with flees it seems we would be itching all the time, and we are not!

Any suggestions or guideance would be much appreciated. We will be heading to the dermatologist very soon however specialists can be expensive - which is why we were trying to avoid that!
thanks in advance!

[Catsmine]

Without a lengthy list of questions about your environment, I'm going with a first guess. Look at this website and see if it helps:

Itch Mites Prevention and Control

[sobo555]

Thank you so much for your feedback!! I was really excited as I was reading through the website because it was exact... except its winter here! I also live in the city with very few trees! My boyfriend and I work in an office... So I am not so sure how they would get in!! Thanks for the information!

[Catsmine]

Thank you so much for your feedback!!! I was really excited as I was reading through the website because it was exact... except its winter here!! I also live in the city with very few trees! My boyfriend and I work in an office... So i am not so sure how they would get in!!! Thanks for the information!

Oak gall mites are not the only species of itch mites out there. You may have to try to trap some to get an I.D.

A good trap would be one of the pasteboard sticky traps that are sold for mice. Put it under a desk or reading lamp (to stay warm) on your bed or pillow for a few hours. Good luck.

[sobo555]

Thanks again!! I am going to grab a trap after work!! We have been sleeping in our spare bedroom for the past three nights - and knock on wood NO BITES! I am thinking that this elliminates bed bugs because if it were bed bugs they would be in our spare bedroom! Its become like a game... either that or I have just gone crazy from a month of bug bites!

[Catsmine]

Thanks again!!! I am going to grab a trap after work!!! We have been sleeping in our spare bedroom for the past three nights - and knock on wood NO BITES! I am thinking that this elliminates bed bugs because if it were bed bugs they would be in our spare bedroom!! Its become like a game... either that or i have just gone crazy from a month of bug bites!

Let me know what you find. If you can post a picture it would help identify the critters. That is, if they're visible to the naked eye at all.

[enzoag]

Has this resolved for you? Did you find out the cause? About a week ago I have been waking up with a bite or welt. Most of the time it is just one located on my biceps in the same spot or area. Other times I could have more than one mark in various locations, like arm, leg or shoulder. We have been diligent and have checked for beg bugs, scabies, fleas, everything. We have no pets. Taking the same precautions, washing bedding, covering everything. Nothing seems to stop these marks from appearing. Last night while laying in bed for about 30 minutes around 9:30 pm I noticed an itch on my arm and a tiny little white raised mark appeared where I normally have the welt in the morning. I could not find any bug or anything in bed immediately after I felt the first itch. I tore down the bedding and looked all over. Nothing. I watched this tiny little mark turn red and blotchy until it turned into a raised red bump larger than the size of a quarter. My wife doesn't get any bites or marks, but she also sleeps clothed. Any ideas?

[Catsmine]

Last night while laying in bed for about 30 minutes around 9:30 pm I noticed an itch on my arm and a tiny little white raised mark appeared where I normally have the welt in the morning.

The white raised mark sounds like a welt from the irritant. Are there any puncture marks at the site?

The strange part is it only being on your arm. Have you tried sitting on that spot with other bare skin in contact with it, such as thigh or back?

[enzoag]

When I first noticed the mark, it was a tiny tiny dot. It didn't really look like a puncture mark of any kind, and if so, it would have been a very very tiny single mark. The skin around it started to get red and blotchy, then the raised welt-ish part started to encompass the whole thing. Only a few times did I get more than one "bite", and it appeared on my shoulder, thigh and calf. I keep going back and forth between it being some kind of bite or some kind of allergic reaction to something like hives. Besides tossing the bed, cleaning all bedding, cool showering at night before bed, nothing new in diet, no new stress, I can't figure out what is happening. My wife sleeps besides me, albeit clothed and doesn't have any bites ever. I haven't slept in bed for 2 days and no new "bites" or marks. One of my daughters offered to be a guinea pig and sleep there, for two nights, no bites. This isn't rare, as when happening sometimes I have gone a few nights thinking it was over, before a new mark would show up. I am going to try 7 days out of bed to make sure it isn't me or any allergy, then back into the bed I go. If I get a bite, then it is time to burn the house down... j/k... but everyone thinks I am crazy... ;) lol

[Catsmine]

As uncommon as it is, I begin to wonder if it might be something really strange like a mattress thread poking you when you lay on it a certain way with a certain amount of pressure. An allergic reaction should cause more than one welt, and an insect should bite more than one person.

Have you tried a comforter or thick blanket to sleep on top of?

[enzoag]

I am also leaning towards that conclusion as when I removed the bed from the equation by sleeping elsewhere for 3 nights, no incidents. No one else seems to have this issue. My wife thinks I am crazy now. But to let her know how I feel I am thinking of renting a scary spider movie to watch just before bed time. :)

[Catsmine]

I am also leaning towards that conclusion as when I removed the bed from the equation by sleeping elsewhere for 3 nights, no incidents. No one else seems to have this issue. My wife thinks I am crazy now. But to let her know how I feel I am thinking of renting a scary spider movie to watch just before bed time. :)

I admit that's cheaper than a new comforter (just kidding). Seriously, if you can pinpoint the location on the mattress, a strong needlenose pliers will pull the thread. The trick is finding it.