Finally something that isn't TMS!

I feel very itchy all of a sudden….

Oh, Njoy, I do feel for you. And Anne, your ant story……!!!!

 

Sulfur could do the job. I don't have any but always keep Hot Sauce handy.
When Annie was a pup she chewed on my window frames and the gear shift knob on my car.
I poured some Louisiana Hot Sauce on both and she stopped the chewing right away.
I also used it on my dog Max before her, when he began biting an itchy spot on his arms.
He stopped biting himself right away. Veterinarians never told me this, but what do they or MDs know?

 

Sulfur, for sure, Walt. We just haven't got around to fumigating the house, yet. Too busy with life on the "farm". Not to mention it's quite a scary process.

Unfortunately, TT, there are two types of bird mites (if that's what I've got) in North America and one is almost invisible to the naked eye. It's called Dermanyssus gallinae Also, they don't hop and fly. They crawl. Several times, I have put my finger on what felt like a hard little bug at the exact site of a bite. One of these I wrapped up well in tinfoil and was planning to take it to the vet. But the little s.o.b. exited, something they are very good at. They really have to be caught on tape (sticky tape, lol) to be identified.

As to the finger nail bite, I saw a similar "something". My husband has since started using a tiny microscope with a bright light on it. We've seen some weird stuff but not an actual mite. At this point, I only think the problem is bird mites because the description (sharp pinpricks and crawling sensations) fits and so does the fact that they are far more active at night. There are other possibilities, of course. One is little critters who live in hay and cause Itchy Farmers Everywhere Syndrome (IFES). Just kidding, not about the hay critters, though. In brief, I don't really care what they're called although if I ever catch one I'll attempt to get it identified because different bugs respond to different treatments, obviously.

I've NEVER felt this buggy in my life so I actually don't think a delusional parasitosis diagnosis makes sense. Could be, of course, but ordinary TMS seems more likely and thinking it's TMS has helped to calm me down. I am no longer having much reaction to the bites but I do have to take something to sleep. When I woke up this morning, the feeling of having bugs on me was intense. I got up, showered and scrubbed off and felt good all day. Hardly an itch. As soon as we got home, though, it started up a bit.

I also don't think my problem is just TMS but with me TMS is always lurking ready to exacerbate the situation especially when I am tired and upset. I hope to avoid the extremes some folks go to get rid of bugs. It can get pretty crazy and is a heck of a lot of work:
http://yearofthemite.com/2012/05/27/welcome-to-year-of-the-mite/

We have booted the chickens back into their coop (no more free ranging) so they can't hang around our main door. Presumably the bird mites (if that's what they are) will follow them. It seemed to help for awhile although this super hot, occasionally humid, weather is not good. Most sites online say the mites can't reproduce on human blood but, sadly, I've found an expert in the UK who says they certainly can. Still, they prefer birds. So, I'm hoping they'll go bird hunting, eventually.

North Star, everyone I know feels itchy when I tell them. I'm scared to visit them (in their homes, especially) because I don't want them to go through this.

 

Hi njoy, I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but have you heard of formication (yes it's a real word and there is no N in the middle, lol)? I don't know if you are around menopausal age but it's a much less common symptom than the usual beasties, where the skin feels like there are bugs crawling and biting under the skin.

While menopausal symptoms may not strictly be TMS I know for me at least they are present in direct proportion to my stress levels. Just an idea.
Good luck, Terry

 

Thought it was a typo at first, never heard of it but it's good to learn new words, I'll try using it often especially in the hot-tub.

N'joy there are sticky pads exterminators use to i.d. critters and the extent of the problem, maybe you can get them over the internet. If you're being bit at night you would put them under the bed.

The (TMS) mind plays funny tricks on us with our senses. A few years ago my cat got skunked in the middle of the night, quite traumatic for all but not seriously damaging to the cat. It took my brain about a year to forget the terrible smell. I would get flashbacks of the skunk smell it in my nostrils that seemed very REAL. It was NOT real just my my sub-c playing a trick. It lasted for over a year, now it's history.

After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, I would worry about crossing over the Golden Gate bridge, that it would fall into the ocean while I was on it. I would always try to get off it as fast as I could. This fear thought lasted for several years. I no longer have this thought and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

These thoughts and flashback smells fall into the category, "...this too shall pass."--onto the next TMS symptom imperative.

 

njoy,

Just like with classic TMS symptoms, Googling is not a good idea. Perhaps you would find more peace of mind if you stopped Googling about your mite issues?

 

tarala, that's a good thought except I'm a couple of decades past menopause. In fact, I loved menopause. Talk about power surges! Best time of my life.

TT, me too about the bridge! I was watching the game when the earthquake hit. The next time I was in SF I didn't want to cross the Golden Gate. We were not alone with that one, I'll bet. I don't have much worry about earthquakes where I am (not like the entire Pacific Coast) but we do have a lovely "dormant" volcano that stirred a bit not long ago. Hub and I were in Ecuador a few years ago and I'd rather face -30 winters and the occasional grizzly bear than earthquakes or volcanoes. Wherever in the world, it's a dangerous place!

Ellen, you are probably right but when I was a child I had my nose full time in the Encyclopedia Britannica. This is a habit too ingrained to break. I find solutions or keep trying. Other people get drunk or garden to divert themselves. I don't divert; I google. Yes, it's anxiety-provoking but it's me. Moderation is a goal (and I do try) but can't get the hang of it. Not to mention, this bug thing is riveting. I usually have about 30 topics of interest on the go.