To ask if you ever get blood on your bed sheets? Bed bugs..

[Waitrosescheapestvodka]

We had bed bugs confirmed 18 months ago. Tiny infestation, no bugs seen or evidence found other than blood spots smeared on the sheets, and 2 bugs caught in a trap that you put on the legs of your bed. No bites, we assumed that neither me or DH react (apparently 1/3 of people don't).

Since then I've become very neurotic about checking bed sheets for blood. I check every morning. When we've found blood I have insisted on getting pest control out and washing everything on a hot wash. This has happened 3 times now. We haven't seen other evidence or caught more bugs, despite the traps still being in place.

I have found a blood spot today again. DH thinks it's from scratched acne or (sorry) his outbreak of piles. He thinks I'm being neurotic. I want to believe this but feel triggered!

So MN, do you ever find blood spots on your linen?

Ordered some cimexa - thank you.

Bed bugs UK have refused to come out without conclusive proof. We didn't have this pre-treatment before so don't expect it again. I've ordered passive monitors but don't feel I can wait 10 days with no action. I just can't sleep right now. A new pest control guy is coming today.

How did you get on today?

Honestly, the main issue at the moment seems to be your anxiety and this will still hold true even if it turns out you actually have bugs. You are not alone, these fuckers are well known for causing terrible anxiety and despair. 'Headbugs' are a common problem, even years after an infestation:

bedbugger.com/forum/forum/psychological-and-health-problems-caused-by-bed-bugs-besides-bites

This is bad for two reasons:

1. obviously you're having a shit time, which is shit

2. it's less easy to make rational decisions when you're feeling extremely anxious and distressed.

Anxiety can make you want to BLAST THE FUCKERS RIGHT NOW WITH COMPLETELY EVERYTHING but that can do more harm than good. It takes a certain level of calm to follow instructions such as:

• don't just throw away all your stuff as you are likely to spread them through the house. Also you'll have no stuff, and what will you do if you buy all new stuff and then see another bug?

• stay in your own bed - you need to act as bait and if you sleep in a different room you'll have bedbugs in a different room.

I think cimexa is the best product there is for tackling bed bugs. Make sure you don't overapply it. You want a very thin dusting, if you apply it too thickly they will avoid walking through it.

In my case I knew they were living in the bed base so I pulled the bed away from the walls a couple of inches and painted cimexa in a complete ring just where the sheet tucked under the mattress. Get a cheapo 2" paintbrush and a dust mask.

A relative of mine brought bed bugs back from Spain after putting a suitcase under her bed on holiday. I would recommend getting a pest control firm in, it'll be expensive about £1000 and they will get rid of them. My relative has never had them again and she had a lot of bites. Have you lifted the mattress up and looked ?

And when you've done all that your DH's bumgrapes might still leave the occasional blood spot on the sheets.

One thing I learnt from the bed bugs forum was to never put my suitcase on the hotel bed.
I always look for the little stand thing.