Re: Damsel in distress high above vacious invisible mites

Posted by ddx on July 27, 2005 at 20:35:14:

In Reply to: Re: Damsel in distress high above vacious invisible mites posted by Martin on June 14, 2005 at 02:34:13:

I have collembola also, it has been a nightmare although mine sound smaller and less aggressive than Darlene's experience--you poor thing!!
Try Dermatech RX. They have a powerful disenfectant which kills mites on contact, and although they won't (can't) tell you this unless you ask. USE DISENFECTANT DIRECTLY ON YOUR SKIN...everywhere in your house. Most importantly they have a product that will kill the &*^*% eggs. Pay special attention to anything/anywhere DAMP, your bed and your car. With lots of effort, and lots of coaching (and $$$) they are at last getting better not worse. Call the company's hotline for best advice.
GOOD LUCK!
ddx

: : Thank you so much for your website -- very informative! I would like to suggest one thing to be added to your website, if it isn't a problem. A search feature would be extremely helpful, particularly going through the Forum Archives.
: : -----------------
: : As I write this, I'm sitting on top of a table and made it my temporary bed (4AM this morning), after having no sleep for 48 hours. I dare not walk on the carpet too long or sit on furniture. Although my experience started 2 weeks ago, my nightmare really escalated 3 days ago. Sorry for any typos, I'm still a little tired.

: : Okay, here's my situation and I haven't seen a posting in your archives(2005)for this situation. The bites I receive are from an invisble parasite, needle-like sensations but somewhat like a very sharp pinch on a tiny surface. There are absolutely no markings or tunneling on my skin. The link to this person's experience is the closest to my experience http://members4.boardhost.com/Kritters/msg/2040.html.
: : I came to your website looking for additional information.

: : What started out as an occasional stinging bite on my feet, developed into a carpet (literally in bedded)with angry invisble critters that are everywhere! The pest "fogger" seemed to aggravate them and I believe they multiplied.

: : These critters are aggressive. I have been bitten on every part of the body with no pattern, but mainly on the feet, toes, fingers, and head when I sleep. I have been bitten night or day. There are more active, however, later in the day.

: : The bites initially felt like they burrowed into the skin. My last resort to getting rid of the stinging parasite was to add bleach directly to the site (essential oils or nail polish remover didn't relieve symptoms). I'm pretty sure that one did lodge itself deeper and after 2 washings of bleach, I thought I felt it exit from my foot -- of course, I bleached the area hoping to get it. Now I don't give them time to burrow or bite, if I can help it.

: : Twice I had them go into my ear while sleeping. I was very afraid that it would lodge itself in the drum causing a host of problems (first miracle, the first mite lodged itself somewhere else, and the second one never had an opportunity). Each time, however, I was able to remove them by using yellow dock tea. I now have yellow dock tea handy in a dropper bottle; every other day it is made fresh and kept in the refridg.

: : Throughout the night I had a couple mites (I'm assuming from their behavior)go in my mouth while I was asleep, and one severly bit my tongue (very painful). I was finally able to get rid them off by vigorously bushing and rinsing. One did go into the lung, because it felt like a large bur and breathing was painful. Somehow(another miracle)45 minutes later, I was able to cough it up into the throat where I was able to gargle/cough it out. They have attempted to go into the nostrils and was able to vigorously blow them out.

: : Also, while sleeping I can feel movements on the face and into the second night of this, I was really afraid that they would go into the eyes or eyelids. Throughout the night I would wipe my hands over my eyes, making sure none went into the eyes. From another site, I found pouring alcohol on the scalp after my shower helped.

: : Today, they feel like they are marching around my head and face. I'm going to try Chris' suggestion of baby powder to see how that works and borax on the carpet. I also got some coal tar shampoo to see if it helps, then afterwards I'll rinse with alcohol -- I'll be trying these after this posting.

: : I have moved into this apt in the fall, last year. I don't know if the previous tenent had a bird, I asked the manager and was told no. If so, the eggs could have been dormant until now. A neighbor did tell me that the building had a problem with mice. When I moved in, I did hear them within the walls at midnight, but never saw one or heard one running around when I went to bed at 2AM. (They were exterminated in the buildings basement. I live on the 2nd floor.) Additionally, the carpet in this apt is brand new. Oh my gosh -- what if this carpet was stored in the basement!!! (I'll have to inquire tomorrow, although I was told the carpet was stored in a good place.) Would mites spring up everywhere at once?

: : If the above two things are ruled out,I can only conclude that these mites came in from an open window even though I live on the second floor. This follows with the occassionally bite(on my right leg)which was closest to the window. I have a floor pillow next to that window and they could have been their initial home site. Would an army of bird or mouse mites travel to the 2nd floor? When I closed the window before using the fogger, I had multiple pin-prick "slivers" attached to my finger tips. Again, I hever saw anything but felt it. Additionally, I don't know if it is the same invader inside because lot of bugs hangout near or on windows!

: : A great suggestion that I found on another site suggested a good way to capture invisble mites and bring them to pest control for evaluation. Have strips of tape or sticky paper available. Anytime you feel a bite, tape the area and lift off the critter. It should show up under a microscope. I have looked at the tape or tissue, and can't really see anything. I have seen a micro-period (.); but my experience with seeing mites that are pepper size or a period, is that they will move. I have seen no movement, therfore, it could be anyting on the numerous "samples" I have collected.

: : I also took an empty baby jar, ran it along the carpet(catching whatever) hoping this would be effective rather than a vaccum bag for critter collection.

: : Is it possible for me to clean up these mites myself? -- the manager has called in an exterminator but I think it will make it worse. Do you know if anyone tried Chris's borax trick? Why would borax work rather than the bug killers? I will also go with the suggestion (by Janet?)on cleaning and bagging everything.

: : Do you know anyone else with vacious invisible mites, like these? Again, many thanks for your site.
: : Darlene

: I have the same problem here in Toronto. My family is in various stages of infestation. We are doing all the things you mention and sometimes we seem to be able to control them but I am begining to think all our furniture like sofas has to go too (or at least be covered in plastic). Our mattresses are covered in plastic. The sheets are washed every day. Towels are one use only. the floors are vacuumed daily.

: Doctors and such are pretty useless. You can bring them as many tapes of them as you like, they say they don't see anything. I bought a little handheld magnifier at Radio Shack and at about 60X you can see them. If what you have is the same they are small, round to tear drop shaped black spots which have a tail which is sometimes visible. Some people say they are springtails (Collembola). If you visit headlice.org they may have some information for you. There are lots of people selling cures that don't work. I'll try the yellow dock tea. Good luck.

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