New to this group, and I hope you can help me

[Guest guest]

Hello all, I know, after reading many of the posts here, that many of you are

suffering terribly from multiple diseases, perhaps caused by bird mites, perhaps

not. I can't really tell as I am joining in the middle of some of your

discussions.

But, I could really use some advice from people who are undergoing issues with

bird mites or have undergone them.

I guess I was living in blissful ignorance up til now. Wish I could go back to

that time before I ever heard of bird mites. I raised canaries. Well, I took

them over from my father when he passed away a year ago. One day I noticed

these little brown specks jumping onto my hand from the bird cages. Lots of

calls and conversations with Entomologists and Pest Controllers led me to

understand that these were red bird mites (chicken mites). I already had been

scratching a lot and thought it was fleas from my dogs. So, I got rid of all my

birds. I have an impaired immune system due to a rare disease called Dercums.

Lots of pain and fatigue and many other things.

After giving all of my birds to a fellow bird fancier, I immediately fumigated

my home. (Nygaard IGR with Onslaught and DE for the attic). This seemed to

help for a day or two and then I was attacked in droves of them (having no bird

to feed on, I was the next best. along with my little dog, who is old and not

well. My teen age son and his younger dog have been fairly unaffected). I did

everything I could. I vacuumed constantly, sprayed with ammonia, bleach, kleen

free, washed all my clothes in hot water with borax and ammonia, etc. etc.).

But after three weeks I could not take it any longer. So, called Pest Company

back out and they treated again. This time with a product called Zenprox. This

time I went through all of my closets and threw away almost all of my clothes.

What I kept went into plastic bags with moth balls and were kept outside or in

the garage. Again, the mites returned. So a couple of days ago, the Pest

Control company came out and sprayed again with Onslaught and an exciter (don't

know the product name) and drilled holds into the walls where the mites were the

worst (like my bedroom and the room where the birds had been kept) and put a

fogger into the walls. I had been away for a week in a local motel just so I

could get some rest and to combat multiple cold sores and a bladder infection.

Upon returning yesterday I noticed the mites are still here. Relentless. I

even started wearing a dog collar at night to keep them out of my mouth.

That is the absolute worst thing that has been happening. They just won't stay

out of my mouth. I am constantly coughing up mites. I am gargling incessantly

and wear Vicks Vapor Rub all over my mouth, nose and neck to discourage them

during the day. But they still get in. I have been battling these mites for

over 6 weeks now and nothing is working. I spent 3 hours vacuuming yesterday

but the PCO did not want me to doing anything other than that because she did

not want anything to counteract the fumigant. Most of my clothes I keep outside

now (even the ones that I wear). They are in plastic tubs with moth chrystals

in them. I am washing all my bed linens every day and whatever clothes I have

worn. This morning my back hurts between my shoulder blades and I am coughing

up brown stuff. I am very worried that somehow mites have gotten into my lungs.

I know they aren't supposed to be able to live off of humans, nor are they

supposed to live inside a human body. But I can't say that I believe this.

Has anyone in this group encountered anything similar to this? Or are there any

suggestions or advice anyone can give me. My daughter is getting married this

summer and my happiness for her and ability to help plan her wedding has all

been destroyed by these mites. I just don't know what to do.

Forgive me please as I know many of you are suffering far worse than me, but

still, I could really use some help.

Thank you so much and my best wishes to everyone here.

Terry