r/Bedbugs•
woolsockz

Think I was exposed to bedbugs....

My dad lives in an apartment. A few weeks ago his roommate showed him a bug he found and asked what he thought it was and mentioned that he had bedbugs several years ago. He followed by sprinkling something on the couch cushions and my dad assumed it was to prevent bedbugs or kill them maybe. 2-3 days ago, my dad was on the couch and felt things biting him and looked but couldn't find anything. This morning he said he felt more things biting him within minutes of sitting down and then looked at his arm and saw one tiny bug crawling up his arm and he had to take his glasses off to focus better on it since it was so small. He said it looked very much like what he had googled of bed bugs but wasn't certain.

The bites would swell up and itch for a few minutes but now they're just red spots on his arms and wrist and a few smaller swollen but not really red bumps on his thumb.

Problem is, I was on his couch LAST WEEK and had laid my head on the cushion and he offered me a pillow which had all these ink-like stains but there were some smaller blood like stains on it and I thought 1. bedbugs or 2. he had a cut or something on his face. My dad is an alcoholic and forgets things that happen a lot and unfortunately living this lifestyle isn't shocking to me.

Then he asked me to hang out with him, I picked him up since he can't drive and he sat on my fabric seats and we drove to get brunch and there hew as like "I have to talk to you about something. Nothing too serious but still... I think I have bedbugs". Of course I flipped a shit because I had lied down on his couch, had him in my car, hugged him AFTER he first suspected them a few days ago and I am petsitting for three families this week!!!!!! He said he showered and had everything on the hottest setting in the dryer today before he left, even his backpack and shoes. He assured me he wouldn't do anything to subject me to them. But I am freaking the fuck out now.

Fortunately I already encased my bed for dust mite allergies and it's supposedly good for bed bugs, too, but I have carpet in my room. I live with my aunt and uncle too, so others are at risk. I don't have bites YET that I have noticed. I also have horrible anxiety and OCD so I'll be checking like a maniac. I am sitting on my half stripped bed. I don't know whether to wash and HEAT dry EVERYTHING and vacuum or fucking throw out my clothes and shave my head and hire someone else to watch these animals and houses I am responsible of. Help me stay sane. How at risk am I? If I brought back bed bugs from last week, would I have already been bitten? What do I do!?!? THANK YOU

Posted May 29, 2016, 7:58 PM UTC

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