AFwife Claire Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 This is a little hard to explain, but I'm going to try to do it without going into too many details and revealing who I'm talking about. We have a friend who has felt for the past 4 months that he has been infested with something--that little bugs are crawling around on him, in his ears, etc. He says he's "itchy", but he doesn't really seem to scratch at all. It seems like the problem is more the sensation of things crawling around, biting, on him. It started when he went on a business trip to Colorado. He stayed in a cheaper motel, and when he came back, the itchiness had started. For awhile he was very concerned that he was going to infest his whole family and anyone he came in contact with, but no one in his house--not even his wife!--has ever had any of these same feelings. He treated himself for scabies, lice--pretty much every thing you can think of, even though he really didn't have the physical symptoms of anything. SO, it sounds like he's cracking up, right? But see, he's not the kind of person who would just make up symptoms! It's just so weird to watch. He has been several times to a family practice doctor, to a dermatologist, and also he's had an MRI. Nothing has shown up, although no one really did anything, like take skin scrapings or anything. He doesn't have any visible symptoms. A psychiatrist might be helpful, but since he is military with clearances, there is no way on earth he would go there and have that kind of thing on his record. A few weeks ago, a friend at his church told him that he had experienced these same feelings, and that is was a "bird mite" infestation, from a birds' nest right outside their window. I googled bird mites, and while the symptons do seem to be similar, a lot of stuff doesn't exactly fit, like that fact that no one else has ever felt these things, and also that they started the beginning of March, which is not when birds are leaving the nest (esp. in COlorado!), and that seems to be the key for when these mites would invade a house or person. His poor wife is about to go crazy, and I really don't know what to say. Does anyone have any ideas? Known anyone who ever felt anything like this?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Does he have any other symptoms that would lead him to believe it is an insect or mite problem? Bites? Rash? Anything like that? We apparently have some kind of insect bite issue, but it is only really affecting two of my children. They get TONS of bites (esp. ds7) and the rest of us have the occasional bite. Doctor can't i.d. the insect and really there is nothing to do but threat the symptoms. Since most bites seem to be occurring on my ds's ankles, we decided to try a locally recommended treatment... mild bleach soaks. It has worked amazingly well. We fill a tub with just below hot-as-can-stand water then add 1/2 c to 1c bleach and soak. Ds usually sits on a stool so that only his legs soak since they are the most affected, and this allows him to dip his arms in but protects his private areas and face. After about 10 min. the itching is almost completely stopped and is relieved for at least a few hours. He is also being plagued by a kissing bug (we can tell that because of the pattern of the bites), but again, we can only treat the symptoms, shake out his sheets, and wash everything he comes into contact with for extended periods (clothes and sheets) with hot water washed regularly. Seems to help. Hope your friend figures out what is going on soon. How aggravating it must be to be so uncomfortable with no answers about what is going on or how to help stop it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Nerves. Stress. Fear. Anxiety. These all do it to me. It's worse at night. I've been awakened in the middle of the night with the horrible sensation of things crawling all over me. Dh never feels a thing. I never show any signs of being bit or any rash. It does help psychologically if I wash everything I slept in and on the next day. The fear of an infestation may even be enough to trigger it, talk about a vicious cycle! Recognizing the trigger so you can deal with it really helps alot. Now you'all are going to think I'm psychotic, or at the least terribly neurotic. I'm really quite normal, the doctor told me so. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Wow, that sounds exactly like it!! Hmmm . . . stress. Definitely could be--D.C. is not known to be a low-stress place to live! And it seems like it does feed on itself, and the more he thinks about it/focuses on it, the worse the manifestations are. The mind is an amazing thing. The thing is, how do you convince someone that their (very real to them) symptoms are, well, not real, and just in their head?! That's the thing. Thanks for the reply! It really does help to know that there are other people who have experienced this same sensation--none of his friends/family can relate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 See, that's the problem--there are NO physical symptoms. No bites, rashes, or anything else. He feels like the "things" crawl in his ears and nose, and hop around on his skin, but there is absolutely no evidence. I'm sure he'd try soaking, but there's no real affected part to soak. Thanks for replying! I'm going to pass these on to his wife! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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