Poison Ivy vs Bed Bugs

I went to another dermatologist today, and he took a look at the bites on my body and said it is poison ivy/contact dermatitis.

Yes, I did do about an hour work in the garden back on May 20th. But I did not get any red itchy bumps until May 25th, and that was only

1 on my left arm, and armpit and some on my torso. A week later (friday June 2nd) went to the dermatologist, she looked at the ones on my arm and said Exzecma, then saw the bites on my body and said looks like 'insect bites, probably bed bugs' - since I travel for work. Plus I wake up every morning with a few more bumps.

Today (monday June 5th) went to another doctor for a second opinion, he looked and said it did not look like bed bug bites. I told him that I scratched the bites so it might not look like it originally did. But he pointed out that I have 3 bites (2 on left arm, 1 on rt) that has a clear head/water bubble. He said bites dont cause that, and he just doesnt think it looks like bed bug bites.

I told him that I wore a shirt and pants when I worked in the garden, and I told him that I get new itchy bumps every morning even though its been 2 weeks, and he said that happens sometimes with poison ivy, it comes on gradually and can keep coming even 2 weeks later.

But he did say my scratching has caused the bites/bumps to get bad, so I have a serious reaction now, he gave me a cortisone shot and gave me a prescription for some cream and pills for the itching (atarax)

Could you take a look at the pictures of my torso and let me know what you think it COULD be. (I did not take pictures of the bumps on the arms and knees) I know you all are not medical professionals, I am just relaying on your practical experiance, so dont worry, I wont sue =)

Thanks!!!

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Reply to
tforms1
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I don't know what it is, but have you considered that you may have contaminated your bedding. Urishinol can get on fabrics and persist for some time. my mom had problems that way.

Reply to
Charles

But it doesnt look like poison ivy (according to pictures I found on google)

Also, I stay in a hotel during the week, and this weekend I took out new blankets. Same result, more bumps the next morning.

Thanks

Reply to
tforms1

That may be what is happening, or scratching with contaminated finger nails. If I even think I have poison ivy/oak, I coat it with Caladryl Clear Lotion. It dries clear on the skin, stops itching and seals in the poison so it's not being spread to other parts of the body. I use to use Calamine Lotion before I heard about Caladryl.

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at your local drug store

Just personal experience - I'm no doctor or bug expert

Reply to
Tom J

Looks like a staff infection to me.

Yes, I did do about an hour work in the garden back on May 20th. But I did not get any red itchy bumps until May 25th, and that was only

1 on my left arm, and armpit and some on my torso. A week later (friday June 2nd) went to the dermatologist, she looked at the ones on my arm and said Exzecma, then saw the bites on my body and said looks like 'insect bites, probably bed bugs' - since I travel for work. Plus I wake up every morning with a few more bumps.

Today (monday June 5th) went to another doctor for a second opinion, he looked and said it did not look like bed bug bites. I told him that I scratched the bites so it might not look like it originally did. But he pointed out that I have 3 bites (2 on left arm, 1 on rt) that has a clear head/water bubble. He said bites dont cause that, and he just doesnt think it looks like bed bug bites.

I told him that I wore a shirt and pants when I worked in the garden, and I told him that I get new itchy bumps every morning even though its been 2 weeks, and he said that happens sometimes with poison ivy, it comes on gradually and can keep coming even 2 weeks later.

But he did say my scratching has caused the bites/bumps to get bad, so I have a serious reaction now, he gave me a cortisone shot and gave me a prescription for some cream and pills for the itching (atarax)

Could you take a look at the pictures of my torso and let me know what you think it COULD be. (I did not take pictures of the bumps on the arms and knees) I know you all are not medical professionals, I am just relaying on your practical experiance, so dont worry, I wont sue =)

Thanks!!!

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Reply to
Gloria

My son developed something like that when he was a kid and was told by a dermatologist that it was a terrible, inherited permanent disease that would not go away. It took six months to heal up then came back. Fortunately, an allergist took one look at it and diagnosed it as Poison Oak and prescribed a surprisingly large dose of cortisone which cleared it up.

He turned out to be able to catch poison oak just walking past a plant and it would develop slowly over four or five days, spreading each day. He did not need to touch the plant to get it! He could not go walking in the woods at all. He got the rash a couple more times, but each time he took a large dose of prednisone early which kept it from lasting more than a few weeks, instead of months. Then he stopped getting it. Has not had the allergy in years now that he is grown up.

Give the cortisone a chance.

--Jenny

Reply to
Jenny

are gone. Which means the bites should get better and there is nothing to kill. As I understand it our bodies are just responding to an attack we did not notice. Hate them!!!!!

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a guest as I'm no doc but I've had similar mostly below bely button level. Try not to scratch . Your Doc may prescribe cortisone cream. Could be an annual occurrence here but August is a time for viewing our garden not working in it except for fast forays.

The timing of you bites is much different than here in N.J. USA. Perhaps you are more South?

Bill

Reply to
William Wagner

My understanding (been doing a lot of research lately!) is that chiggers mostly attack where the waistband meets the body. They like the tight surface. But Ive gotten these bites all over the body and some on the knees and arms too.

It looks like bed bugs (which would suck) but the dermatologist today was adament that it was not them.

I am in NYC.

Thanks

Reply to
tforms1

I don't think it is clothing contaminated with poison ivy. I have had this problem and in my experience it would be one or more large broad patches, not a lot of little ones.

Reply to
wrkg_onit

In article , snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com says... :) But he pointed out that I have 3 bites (2 on left arm, 1 on rt) that :) has a clear head/water bubble. He said bites dont cause that, and he :) just doesnt think it looks like bed bug bites. :) :) Another post reminded of an insect that CAN create a "blister" type sore when they bite...the western conenose bug, aka Kissing Bug.

Reply to
Lar

I was thinking that I have so much "bug saliva" in my system (Im very allergic to mosquito bites), that when I scratched my shoulder, I actually SCRATCHED it, so it got red and swollen.

The reasons I am doubtful about the poison ivy diagnosis are:

  1. I was outside for 60 minutes with a shirt and long pants and sneakers on a Sat. got a thing behind my ear, 1 under my armpit and 1 on my bicep on a Thursday. (plus I showered right when I was done outside, and I rarely go into the garden)
  2. I have about 80 "bites" but only around 3 with a waterbubble head. Yes, it could be true that I had more, but when I scratched it got broken. But a lot of them also do not have the waterbubble head (when they were new)
  3. I get at least 4 more every morning. I take a count at night before I go to sleep and count it in the morning, and I get more when I wake up. When I take the count at night, the number is the same.
  4. Plus my dermatologist from Friday said it looked like bites. Granted, I forgot to tell her I was in the garden, since it was a week before and the symptoms did not start until almost a week later.

Is that true? My mother told me that if you break a poison ivy bite, the liquid/pus does not spread the poison ivy.

Hopefully....Im sure all Pest Control specialists hear this: "Im scared to go to sleep!"

Dont you think this picture of insect bites and hives:

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like: (left side of picture, my lower right side of my torso) Plus a lot of the bumps have been scratched and "burst" by me.
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poster above speaking about clothing with poison ivy: "and in my experience it would be one or more large broad patches, not a lot of little ones. "

Thanks for all your help! A lot of professionals wouldnt take the time to help out so much. Thanks to everyone also.

HOPEFULLY it is poison ivy *but I still have doubts =( * and not insects.

To be honest, I dont care about the itchiness as much, what has been bothering me the last 5 days is worry about bringing bugs into the house (since I get more bumps at home).

Reply to
tforms1

I've always been a bit afraid of insects, especially now with my bed bug scare, IF, I ever saw a bug like that near me....I would FREAK OUT!!!

I dont even like looking at those mini-spider-looking red bugs that move around really quickly on brick/concrete steps.

Luckily I live in NYC, where we do not have those semi-fire type ants that they have in Florida and Atlanta. When I was there and saw how quickly they came out of the anthill with any disturbance, its freaky. Or those giant flying roaches. Or brown recluse spiders.

Reply to
tforms1

Good post - I take issue though with the vaseline,etc. part becaiuse that was an old remedy for scabies mites which chiggers are not.

If the OP were working around any area where animals have a 'trail' it is very likely to be chiggers. But, as a general rule, they're not gonna be in ones 'garden'. I suppose a neighbor could have dogs, sheep or some other kind of animal that might be a source. Or if the OP were working on a hiking trail, etc. I have actually looked on the tip of long Johnson grass blades and seen the little devils lurking there. They are very small and red. Under a microscope, the 'nose' is almost as long as the body and is folded underneath!

I have also been bitten by imported fire ants and they will leave a bite that resembles a very small 'whitehead' acne lesion. Though, unlike chigger bites, there is usually immediate pain.

My vote is some type of insect/mite. Indoors or out, I dunno.

Carl

1 Lucky Texan
Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

I told you I thought it wasn't BB's. I kind of figured it was something else after our last conversation and you all of a sudden noticing more bumps. I had figured it was something that you had missed in your daily routine of things you had done. You never thought about the gardening because it had been so long ago had you? What is happening is you are scratching these and opening them up and spreading the poison around to new places on your body. If you can fight off the urge to scratch you will help yourself to end this soon. The med's your doctor gave you will also help to end it pretty soon also. The pictures do most definitely look like poison ivy to me. The bumps look to have heads on them or look like small boils, the only insect bite that will look anything like that is usually a spider or a stinging insect of some kind, not a bedbug.

I am glad you found out what it is and if the itching gets to bad you can always take a bath in oatmeal, trust me it works. They make a bath especially for that and they are wonderful. I have had to use them before in situations where I get out in the woods and get chiggers.

So you don't need to call out an exterminator for your home, that's a relief. But if you do ever need one for anything else let me know and I will recommend a good one for you.

Reply to
bugs

One possible way to narrow down WHERE or if it is insects, count the bites before either bed or garden work - then use some insect repellent and go to bed or go to work. Then count the lesions after wards - or possibly use repellent on one - say - your upper torso - and see if all new bites are on the untreated area.

Carl

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

There arent many animals in the part of NYC where I am. I am in the surburbs of NYC. Back yards are about, 100 feet by 30 feet.

The only animals I have seen around are squirrels, racoons and once in a blue, a possum.

Its not exactly a garden...we planted bamboo years ago, and they grew like crazy, including into the edge of the neighbors property. So I hoped the fence and cut down the bamboo that invaded their property. It is hilly and with a few trees, so not much for animals to do there. That took about 10 minutes, then I worked on the bamboo on our grass for the rest of the time.

I think I have seen those. They look like spiders, but VERY small, and FAST...actually they look like crabs (they kind that lives in the ocean) They usually crawl on the brick/concrete steps

Reply to
tforms1

In article , snipped-for-privacy@aol.com says... :) Chiggers are basicly "Biting Mites". Just as in female mosquitoes, :) only femal mites will attack humans. They bore into a pore in the :) skin, suck blood, and then lay their eggs INSIDE the poor. You will :) most likely never be able to see a Chigger in action as they are even :) smaller than head lice. However, the itching and inflamation :) associated with Chigger "bites" are fare more worse than any mosquitoe. :) :)

Actually...... chiggers are the larval stage of the harvest mite. The latter nymph stages and the adult mite are totally harmless and feed on plant matter. They don't lay eggs since they are the "babies". They don't drink our blood, but inject an enzyme that will dissolve the skin cells and they feed on our liquified skin.

Reply to
Lar

I rarely garden. This year I have gone out twice to remove bamboo only.

But I do keep a count and it does seem to increase by a few when I do wake up. Which leads me to believe bed bugs, But this has happened in 2 different hotel rooms in the last 2 weeks, and this weekend, in my bedroom 1 night, then when I slept in the living room, it happened there too.

Reply to
tforms1

In article , snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com says... :) I think I have seen those. :) They look like spiders, but VERY small, and FAST...actually they look :) like crabs (they kind that lives in the ocean) :) They usually crawl on the brick/concrete steps :) :)

You are probably seeing clover mites.

Reply to
Lar

Just looked on google images, and yeah, I think you are right.

Do you have an opinion on what my wounds look like? Bed bugs...poison ivy?

Thanks

Reply to
tforms1

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