Re: 20-year anniversary with bird-mite-mare update

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the update Z3. :) I was thinking about you yesterday and wondering how you and your hubby were doing after all this. It is so interesting to me how it evolves over time. With the work on attrition we get to a certain stage where there is less and less that bothers us. I would like perfection and 100% cure, but maybe I need to just accept that there will be some bothersome symptoms, but if they aren't too bothersome, maybe there is a way to accept too. Life goes on during and after this experience. They probably die or adapt and we do adapt. My mind wants me to continue focusing on all the imperfections but the mind is better as a servant than a master in my experience.

What you shared here is really valuable to me, so thank you so much for the update. I'm so happy to hear of your progress. It has been nearly 3 years now for me and my hubby.. overall I feel there is a growth in us that has taken place through the experience; maybe a little stronger. There may be tough times ahead in this country (I think there will be) - but we have all got to toughen a bit and relax while it is happening.

This phenomenon is worldwide I believe.

20-year anniversary with bird-mite-mare update

Hi All,It has now been 2 years since the original bird mite infestation in our home from a nest and we figure that we now likely have very few bird mites in our home remaining from the original infestation. However, we still have either some mites living in our bodies (perhaps the animals too) or we still have a secondary infection from the mites which has caused biting mites everywhere we go to be attracted to us. In either case, I call what we have: Human Biting Mite Host Syndrome (HBMHS).The good news is that our HBMHS is very very mild now compared to 2 years ago. Our HBMHS was so bad 2 years ago that life was absolute torture for each of us for the entire first 12-18 months. At one point we took a 'vacation' to Italy and France and continued to be bit up every day no matter where we went, especially in museums and in bed. Thank goodness we are much better now and can travel without so much trauma.We have easily spent well over $30,000 in an effort to rid our home and our bodies and animals of this. So much for retirement some day... :-( However, none of the things that cost us the most such as heating the house professionally with Therma Pure (and they ruined all of the wood floors, $$$$$ to repair) was helpful to us. We are not even sure if the 2-person sauna has made any significant difference. We also did not notice any difference from eating only organic and non-GMO foods. Although is may be a GMO-organism that caused this condition in the first place.The things that have been the biggest help to us so far are: 2-way carpet tape, swifter dusters, vinegar, ironing clothing, BioKleen Plus detergent, sulfur sprayed outside, sulfur soap, a scrub brush, h2o2, supplements and maybe doxycycline 3-times per day (not sure). Sulfur-lime dip for the animals and revolution frequently has helped them.Putting vinegar and then H2O2 directly on all lesions/bites this appears to have helped us both heal more than anything else. But this forms Peracetic acid as the 2 substances mix together and it is toxic when absorbed through the skin... so I would NOT recommend it. We decided the possible risk to our health was worth the benefits... but we really don't know the extent of the long-term risk from do this. Will it affect our livers, our kidneys, our skin????????I've recently cut down to taking supplements only in the morning (~20 pills in total) and rarely get any new bites at all. If I stop taking the supplements for 2-3 days, then I do get new bites still. Eventually I will start cutting out 1 supplement at a time per week to see which one do not really help. For now I just don't want to risk getting bit. We still often feel itchy and our skin is generally very sensitive. We've both developed an allergic dermatitis all mites now, including dust mites. So we often get itchy on upholstered furniture, even when we don't get any bites. I'm trying to let my skin heal and form a protective normal oil-flora -fauna layer as much as possible now, so I've reduced the number of showers I take to 1 time before bed. And I am no longer 'scrubbing' my skin in the shower and am no longer using vinegar or h2o2 directly on my skin unless I am SUPER itchy or have an actual bite on one particular part of my body. I just very gently wash my skin with the ESP sulfur soap as it is very moisturizing in the shower. I've been using Nyzarol Shampoo to wash with as well sometimes in the shower. We still sleep with the base of our bed surrounded by 2-way carpet tape. We still keep all clothes/linens in plastic bins on plastic tables surrounded by 2-way carpet tape. I still iron clothing when possible. Life is still full of crazy rituals in an attempt to live as bite and itch free as possible. We still both work more-than- full-time (very intense) jobs... We still try to find time for regular exercise, sleep, and laughter.We still put revolution on the cat and dog 1-2 times a months. Most our furniture and almost all our stuff is still in our garage. We are still afraid to go in the garage to deal with any of our stuff. Every so often we do go in the garage and get rid of all things more and more things that we can stand to part with and we clean/sanitize things we things may be cleanable.Lastly, I think I do have more mite activity in general when I drink alcohol... and perhaps when I eat a lot of sugar and simple carbs. My husband does not think so, but I think he may be in denial cause he loves to have one beer or a glass of wine when he gets home from work. Certainly, if there is a connection, it takes more than just a little sugar or alcohol to make an immediate difference for us. I suspect that increased blood sugar feeds whatever is attracting mites to us... but is just a 'contributing factor' vs. a main cause of bites.Sorry this is so long... I did want to provide everyone with a complete update. z3

[Guest guest]

I'm sure on some level it felt like 20 years! lol

Love ya Z3.

20-year anniversary with bird-mite-mare update

Hi All,It has now been 2 years since the original bird mite infestation in our home from a nest and we figure that we now likely have very few bird mites in our home remaining from the original infestation. However, we still have either some mites living in our bodies (perhaps the animals too) or we still have a secondary infection from the mites which has caused biting mites everywhere we go to be attracted to us. In either case, I call what we have: Human Biting Mite Host Syndrome (HBMHS).The good news is that our HBMHS is very very mild now compared to 2 years ago. Our HBMHS was so bad 2 years ago that life was absolute torture for each of us for the entire first 12-18 months. At one point we took a 'vacation' to Italy and France and continued to be bit up every day no matter where we went, especially in museums and in bed. Thank goodness we are much better now and can travel without so much trauma.We have easily spent well over $30,000 in an effort to rid our home and our bodies and animals of this. So much for retirement some day... :-( However, none of the things that cost us the most such as heating the house professionally with Therma Pure (and they ruined all of the wood floors, $$$$$ to repair) was helpful to us. We are not even sure if the 2-person sauna has made any significant difference. We also did not notice any difference from eating only organic and non-GMO foods. Although is may be a GMO-organism that caused this condition in the first place.The things that have been the biggest help to us so far are: 2-way carpet tape, swifter dusters, vinegar, ironing clothing, BioKleen Plus detergent, sulfur sprayed outside, sulfur soap, a scrub brush, h2o2, supplements and maybe doxycycline 3-times per day (not sure). Sulfur-lime dip for the animals and revolution frequently has helped them.Putting vinegar and then H2O2 directly on all lesions/bites this appears to have helped us both heal more than anything else. But this forms Peracetic acid as the 2 substances mix together and it is toxic when absorbed through the skin... so I would NOT recommend it. We decided the possible risk to our health was worth the benefits... but we really don't know the extent of the long-term risk from do this. Will it affect our livers, our kidneys, our skin????????I've recently cut down to taking supplements only in the morning (~20 pills in total) and rarely get any new bites at all. If I stop taking the supplements for 2-3 days, then I do get new bites still. Eventually I will start cutting out 1 supplement at a time per week to see which one do not really help. For now I just don't want to risk getting bit. We still often feel itchy and our skin is generally very sensitive. We've both developed an allergic dermatitis all mites now, including dust mites. So we often get itchy on upholstered furniture, even when we don't get any bites. I'm trying to let my skin heal and form a protective normal oil-flora -fauna layer as much as possible now, so I've reduced the number of showers I take to 1 time before bed. And I am no longer 'scrubbing' my skin in the shower and am no longer using vinegar or h2o2 directly on my skin unless I am SUPER itchy or have an actual bite on one particular part of my body. I just very gently wash my skin with the ESP sulfur soap as it is very moisturizing in the shower. I've been using Nyzarol Shampoo to wash with as well sometimes in the shower. We still sleep with the base of our bed surrounded by 2-way carpet tape. We still keep all clothes/linens in plastic bins on plastic tables surrounded by 2-way carpet tape. I still iron clothing when possible. Life is still full of crazy rituals in an attempt to live as bite and itch free as possible. We still both work more-than- full-time (very intense) jobs... We still try to find time for regular exercise, sleep, and laughter.We still put revolution on the cat and dog 1-2 times a months. Most our furniture and almost all our stuff is still in our garage. We are still afraid to go in the garage to deal with any of our stuff. Every so often we do go in the garage and get rid of all things more and more things that we can stand to part with and we clean/sanitize things we things may be cleanable.Lastly, I think I do have more mite activity in general when I drink alcohol... and perhaps when I eat a lot of sugar and simple carbs. My husband does not think so, but I think he may be in denial cause he loves to have one beer or a glass of wine when he gets home from work. Certainly, if there is a connection, it takes more than just a little sugar or alcohol to make an immediate difference for us. I suspect that increased blood sugar feeds whatever is attracting mites to us... but is just a 'contributing factor' vs. a main cause of bites.Sorry this is so long... I did want to provide everyone with a complete update. z3

[Guest guest]

Hi Zoe!Thanks for your update. I´m quite new here still, but have had the fortune to read some of your former notes , as you know.Seems like things are pretty ok. I´m glad to hear.To keep living like you do with everything plastic etc. would be very hard for us with 2 kids 1 year and 7 year old. They hardly have any toys or things and we have no ordinary beds or a couch. That´s hard enough, so maby we won´t make this as good as you...At least we´re on our way selling the house With open cards about the mites (it is much better now for us, after changing pCO firm though) and it seems like we have a buyer. We just hope this will make things better, but otherwise we´ve lost all our savings by selling the house cheap. Guess you know that one

is willing to risk everything just to get out of this!!!I am taking H2o2 on my bites but only that and it helps a bit. I get about 2 new bites every third day by now and some crawling during night recently gone for 3 weeks but back again in my ear the other night. Did you move?Do you still keep your matresses in plastic?ALl the best!CeciliaFrom: "Goldstein@..." <Goldstein@...>bird mites Sent: Sun, January

16, 2011 7:32:37 PMSubject: Re: 20-year anniversary with bird-mite-mare update

I'm sure on some level it felt like 20 years! lol

Love ya Z3.

20-year anniversary with bird-mite-mare update

Hi All,It has now been 2 years since the original bird mite infestation in our home from a nest and we figure that we now likely have very few bird mites in our home remaining from the original infestation. However, we still have either some mites living in our bodies (perhaps the animals too) or we still have a secondary infection from the mites which has caused biting mites everywhere we go to be attracted to us. In either case, I call what we have: Human Biting Mite Host Syndrome (HBMHS).The good news is that our HBMHS is very very mild now compared to 2 years ago. Our HBMHS was so bad 2 years ago that life was absolute torture for each of us for the entire first 12-18 months. At one point we took a 'vacation' to Italy and France and continued to be bit up every day no matter where we went, especially in museums and in bed. Thank goodness we are much better now and can travel without so much trauma.We have easily spent well

over $30,000 in an effort to rid our home and our bodies and animals of this. So much for retirement some day... :-( However, none of the things that cost us the most such as heating the house professionally with Therma Pure (and they ruined all of the wood floors, $$$$$ to repair) was helpful to us. We are not even sure if the 2-person sauna has made any significant difference. We also did not notice any difference from eating only organic and non-GMO foods. Although is may be a GMO-organism that caused this condition in the first place.The things that have been the biggest help to us so far are: 2-way carpet tape, swifter dusters, vinegar, ironing clothing, BioKleen Plus detergent, sulfur sprayed outside, sulfur soap, a scrub brush, h2o2, supplements and maybe doxycycline 3-times per day (not sure). Sulfur-lime dip for the animals and revolution frequently has helped them.Putting vinegar and then H2O2 directly on all lesions/bites this

appears to have helped us both heal more than anything else. But this forms Peracetic acid as the 2 substances mix together and it is toxic when absorbed through the skin... so I would NOT recommend it. We decided the possible risk to our health was worth the benefits... but we really don't know the extent of the long-term risk from do this. Will it affect our livers, our kidneys, our skin????????I've recently cut down to taking supplements only in the morning (~20 pills in total) and rarely get any new bites at all. If I stop taking the supplements for 2-3 days, then I do get new bites still. Eventually I will start cutting out 1 supplement at a time per week to see which one do not really help. For now I just don't want to risk getting bit. We still often feel itchy and our skin is generally very sensitive. We've both developed an allergic dermatitis all mites now, including dust mites. So we often get itchy on upholstered furniture,

even when we don't get any bites. I'm trying to let my skin heal and form a protective normal oil-flora -fauna layer as much as possible now, so I've reduced the number of showers I take to 1 time before bed. And I am no longer 'scrubbing' my skin in the shower and am no longer using vinegar or h2o2 directly on my skin unless I am SUPER itchy or have an actual bite on one particular part of my body. I just very gently wash my skin with the ESP sulfur soap as it is very moisturizing in the shower. I've been using Nyzarol Shampoo to wash with as well sometimes in the shower. We still sleep with the base of our bed surrounded by 2-way carpet tape. We still keep all clothes/linens in plastic bins on plastic tables surrounded by 2-way carpet tape. I still iron clothing when possible. Life is still full of crazy rituals in an attempt to live as bite and itch free as possible. We still both work more-than- full-time (very intense) jobs... We

still try to find time for regular exercise, sleep, and laughter.We still put revolution on the cat and dog 1-2 times a months. Most our furniture and almost all our stuff is still in our garage. We are still afraid to go in the garage to deal with any of our stuff. Every so often we do go in the garage and get rid of all things more and more things that we can stand to part with and we clean/sanitize things we things may be cleanable.Lastly, I think I do have more mite activity in general when I drink alcohol... and perhaps when I eat a lot of sugar and simple carbs. My husband does not think so, but I think he may be in denial cause he loves to have one beer or a glass of wine when he gets home from work. Certainly, if there is a connection, it takes more than just a little sugar or alcohol to make an immediate difference for us. I suspect that increased blood sugar feeds whatever is attracting mites to us... but is just a

'contributing factor' vs. a main cause of bites.Sorry this is so long... I did want to provide everyone with a complete update. z3