In the past I have pointed to the warming climate as a possible source of the increase in biting mite infestations. Some other interesting ecological changes are record size crocodiles around the world, MonsterQuest on History Channel documented record size crocs in India, the Everglades etc.
Another is the moving of a species of giant squid to off the coast of San Francisco in a recent BBC article. These squids used to be found in warmer waters off of Central America, but scientists now believe they have created a permanent presence off of California.
A third climate related issue with changing ecology was reported on livescience.com, large trees in Yosemite have decreased by 24% in a recent period.
The book, Unstoppable Global Warming documented changes in the north-south ranges of plants and animals during various climate shifts from the past. Apparently Ontario, Canada, had trees in the past that now grow in the American South. This may well be why cases of bird and rodent mites are "apparently increasing," increased levels of humidity and a warmer climate.
On the other hand, the same changes in the pest control industry that have affected bed bug increases may be responsible. They used to use much stronger chemicals and sprayed residual pesticides to control ants and cockroaches that may have also affected mite populations. For example, Malathion is no longer permitted indoors and it is an effective miticide, as was DDT banned much earlier.
An interesting connection is that both bed bugs and parasitic mites appear to have a connection to the commercial poultry industry. Scientists from a variety of universities, including Texas A&M have found that bed bugs never left the US, they persisted in major poultry facilities in Texas, Arkansas, and Delaware. Thus, the bed bugs found in the US are genetic descendants of the bed bugs from before the 1950's and lack the expected genetic bottle neck.
Apparently international travel is not as much responsible for bed bugs as a switch to bait pesticides, prohibition of effective pesticides, and unhealthy conditions in poultry houses. Both parasitic anthropoids, mites and bed bugs, have thrived on poultry and are making a come back side by side.
In effect, what we have done is coming back to us. In the past, people might have been exposed to bird mites from a backyard chicken coup. If they wanted to eat chickens, they took the risk of being infested by their parasites. Now, we eat chickens without the responsibility of keeping them healthy in our backyard, so by eating the chickens that have been raised in cramped conditions has increased our likelihood of contracting their parasites in urban and suburban settings.
Nature is keeping us accountable for how we treat our animals. Most people won't draw a connection between what bites them at night and what they eat at lunch.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Taking Care of Cats During a Mite Infestation
Always follow label directions when using pesticides, if you have doubts or questions, discuss them with a qualified veterinarian or a pest control operator.
Our cat got sick again recently when I was taking care of our environment, vacuuming and then powdering our apartment. He really likes to stay in corners and on the edges of the room--places that I was treating with pesticide dust in order to kill the mites that sought shelter or wanted on the walls (along with the salt and borax sprinkled all over the floor--this time, I made sure the borax mix didn't get in his food or water).
So, I was convinced that he sat in the corner as he always does when we prepare for bed and then groomed himself--licking up the pesticide dust. He looked lethargic and depressed and vomited. Apparently the pesticide's active ingredient is only mildly toxic but due to a cat's small/poorly functioning liver, cat's are the most sensitive species to pesticide dust.
I vacuumed the pesticide dust and replaced it with Sergeant's Nature's Guardian carpet powder. This powder is even more pet safe than most flea powders marked for cats, so I knew my cat could still rest in the corners and he'd be fine.
If your cat gets a mild poisoning from pesticides, remove the pesticide from the environment, do not apply again. If it is in the cat's coat, wash the cat with non-flea cat shampoo (flea shampoo gives him more poisons to deal with). Give him plenty of water to work the stuff out of his system. Our cat vomited out the poison on his own. It is also a good idea to call a vet. Different poisons have different procedures. You could kill your cat with non-cat flea products--dog flea products often result in the death of a cat. I learned my lesson. I think that Nature's Guardian flea powder is probably the safest for both us and the cat.
One thing we tried was Sergeant's Nature's Guardian spot treatment for cats (putting it on the back of the neck). It is composed of essential oils and is not toxic to cats. The package said that a heavily flea infested environment may require more than one treatment during a month and it was safe to put the stuff on the cat several times a month, although a maintenance dose was once a month. After about three days, the cat was itchy again. Apparently the stuff only worked as long as it was drying into the coat (which makes the cat look greasy and scruffy--he is a long haired cat). So, this product did not work well for bird mites.
I also tried Nature's Guardian cat spray (you spray it all over the coat). It had the same results, plus the cat was very irritated at the spraying noise which is similar to a mother cat hissing.
According to the Nature's Guardian website all their products are the same for cats and dogs except the spot-on treatment for dogs has more of the substance than that for the cats. It says on the website that if you accidentally use the spot-on meant for a dog on a cat, the cat is safe, it's just extra greasy. So, it is safe to buy the powder and sprays from the dog aisle for a cat, just avoid using the dog spot-on on the cat (in any case, the spot-ons don't seem to work well for this line of products against bird mites). The two things I recommend buying that are Nature's Guardian are the carpet powder and carpet/furniture spray that works like an aerosol. Both of these are to treat the environment and are not intended to be applied to the cat itself. This is unusual for a flea product, to be interchangeable and safe for both cat's and dogs.
Today, I went to the vet and got him ivermectin (Heartgard-$35 for six doses in "kitty treat" form for one dose a month--also available for dogs, follow weight and species specific labeling). I used to take ivermectin myself during a time of high bird mite infestation. Even though the birdmites.org site says that it is not effective in killing the mites or is ineffective in preventing bites, my wife and I found that the mites did not like us at all when we were on ivermectin. We stopped treating ourselves in this way as it cost about $100 every month and the doctor said that it had never been tested on humans for such a long time, usually humans only take one or two doses in their entire life for scabies or lice. When my wife had blood work done, I was nervous about her liver and kidney function, but they were normal. Of course, cats and dogs can take a specified dose each month with no problem, it's just that it is not labeled for humans to use it in this way.
Heartgard is given cats to prevent heartworm. Heartworm is carried by mosquitoes and allows for a round worm to lodge itself in the lungs or heart of the cat. Heartworm can be deadly to cats. Ivermectin apparently can kill mosquitoes and roundworms. So all you need to do is go into the vet's office, tell the receptionist you would like to prevent heartworm in your cat and that you would like to buy some Heartgard.
The Heartgard can be bought in six doses a package (one dose per month) and can be used at the same time as Frontline. I also purchased some Frontline from a pet shop and will use it if the cat gets itchy again. A spot-on type product helped the cat get through last summer without itching to death.
I found that the cheaper spot-on treatments were not effective against mites last summer. The lady at the pet store took the three months of doses of Frontline from inside a locked cabinet and it cost about $70.
This is different for the Nature's Guardian essential oil spot-on. The package asks that you not use more than one flea treatment at one time, but the lady at the pet shop said that the cat should be fine if we washed it with a non-flea cat bath before applying the chemical pesticide. Nature's Guardian appears to be the least toxic spot-on, but as I said, it doesn't work well against mites. Of course, use your best judgement and ask a vet if you have questions concerning the dangers to your cats from different treatments.
Of course, if the cat gets into a poison and you need your vet's help, tell her exactly what the cat ate and if possible tell her the name of the product and the active ingredient in the product. She needs this info to save your cat.
When I went to the pet shop, the lady was skeptical that an indoor cat would have fleas, so I told her that we are being bitten by something and the cat is super itchy--this description sounds like it could be fleas, but it is also true for these mites. If you tell them you and your cat have a bird mite problem, they will look at you like you're from outer space and may be unlikely to cooperate in purchasing flea products. In any case, if fleas or heartworms decide to cross your cat's path, you will have done plenty to prevent them--prevention is a perfectly legitimate and on-label use of these products. In the mean time, hopefully they're helping you with bird mites--incidentally.
If you actually take your cat to see the vet, you can explain that you believe he has mites and tell him you are also affected. Many vets are familiar with mite problems and they may help you identify your mite if you do not know the original host. A knowledgeable vet may be your best bet at identifying the problem. It may be a mite problem specific to cats or dogs such as sarcoptic mites (scabies/mange), cheyletiella (walking dandruff mites), or some other external parasite that the vet knows and can treat. The treatment for many cat external parasites is similar to fleas, although the mites will show more immunity to chemical treatments than fleas would. Vets have a number of methods for obtaining samples of external parasites from a cat's coat and can analyze what they find.
It seems the Heartgard is working at the moment as the cat is not scratching or trying to eat something out of its fur, which it does when mites are attacking him. I am curious to see if he will be OK the entire month till the next dose. If not, I am prepared with Frontline. If this doesn't work, I'll look into something else. In any case, he seems very happy and purry with Nature's Guardian powder along the walls and salt and borax on the floors. I brushed him today and played with him--a happy healthy cat.
Our cat got sick again recently when I was taking care of our environment, vacuuming and then powdering our apartment. He really likes to stay in corners and on the edges of the room--places that I was treating with pesticide dust in order to kill the mites that sought shelter or wanted on the walls (along with the salt and borax sprinkled all over the floor--this time, I made sure the borax mix didn't get in his food or water).
So, I was convinced that he sat in the corner as he always does when we prepare for bed and then groomed himself--licking up the pesticide dust. He looked lethargic and depressed and vomited. Apparently the pesticide's active ingredient is only mildly toxic but due to a cat's small/poorly functioning liver, cat's are the most sensitive species to pesticide dust.
I vacuumed the pesticide dust and replaced it with Sergeant's Nature's Guardian carpet powder. This powder is even more pet safe than most flea powders marked for cats, so I knew my cat could still rest in the corners and he'd be fine.
If your cat gets a mild poisoning from pesticides, remove the pesticide from the environment, do not apply again. If it is in the cat's coat, wash the cat with non-flea cat shampoo (flea shampoo gives him more poisons to deal with). Give him plenty of water to work the stuff out of his system. Our cat vomited out the poison on his own. It is also a good idea to call a vet. Different poisons have different procedures. You could kill your cat with non-cat flea products--dog flea products often result in the death of a cat. I learned my lesson. I think that Nature's Guardian flea powder is probably the safest for both us and the cat.
One thing we tried was Sergeant's Nature's Guardian spot treatment for cats (putting it on the back of the neck). It is composed of essential oils and is not toxic to cats. The package said that a heavily flea infested environment may require more than one treatment during a month and it was safe to put the stuff on the cat several times a month, although a maintenance dose was once a month. After about three days, the cat was itchy again. Apparently the stuff only worked as long as it was drying into the coat (which makes the cat look greasy and scruffy--he is a long haired cat). So, this product did not work well for bird mites.
I also tried Nature's Guardian cat spray (you spray it all over the coat). It had the same results, plus the cat was very irritated at the spraying noise which is similar to a mother cat hissing.
According to the Nature's Guardian website all their products are the same for cats and dogs except the spot-on treatment for dogs has more of the substance than that for the cats. It says on the website that if you accidentally use the spot-on meant for a dog on a cat, the cat is safe, it's just extra greasy. So, it is safe to buy the powder and sprays from the dog aisle for a cat, just avoid using the dog spot-on on the cat (in any case, the spot-ons don't seem to work well for this line of products against bird mites). The two things I recommend buying that are Nature's Guardian are the carpet powder and carpet/furniture spray that works like an aerosol. Both of these are to treat the environment and are not intended to be applied to the cat itself. This is unusual for a flea product, to be interchangeable and safe for both cat's and dogs.
Today, I went to the vet and got him ivermectin (Heartgard-$35 for six doses in "kitty treat" form for one dose a month--also available for dogs, follow weight and species specific labeling). I used to take ivermectin myself during a time of high bird mite infestation. Even though the birdmites.org site says that it is not effective in killing the mites or is ineffective in preventing bites, my wife and I found that the mites did not like us at all when we were on ivermectin. We stopped treating ourselves in this way as it cost about $100 every month and the doctor said that it had never been tested on humans for such a long time, usually humans only take one or two doses in their entire life for scabies or lice. When my wife had blood work done, I was nervous about her liver and kidney function, but they were normal. Of course, cats and dogs can take a specified dose each month with no problem, it's just that it is not labeled for humans to use it in this way.
Heartgard is given cats to prevent heartworm. Heartworm is carried by mosquitoes and allows for a round worm to lodge itself in the lungs or heart of the cat. Heartworm can be deadly to cats. Ivermectin apparently can kill mosquitoes and roundworms. So all you need to do is go into the vet's office, tell the receptionist you would like to prevent heartworm in your cat and that you would like to buy some Heartgard.
The Heartgard can be bought in six doses a package (one dose per month) and can be used at the same time as Frontline. I also purchased some Frontline from a pet shop and will use it if the cat gets itchy again. A spot-on type product helped the cat get through last summer without itching to death.
I found that the cheaper spot-on treatments were not effective against mites last summer. The lady at the pet store took the three months of doses of Frontline from inside a locked cabinet and it cost about $70.
This is different for the Nature's Guardian essential oil spot-on. The package asks that you not use more than one flea treatment at one time, but the lady at the pet shop said that the cat should be fine if we washed it with a non-flea cat bath before applying the chemical pesticide. Nature's Guardian appears to be the least toxic spot-on, but as I said, it doesn't work well against mites. Of course, use your best judgement and ask a vet if you have questions concerning the dangers to your cats from different treatments.
Of course, if the cat gets into a poison and you need your vet's help, tell her exactly what the cat ate and if possible tell her the name of the product and the active ingredient in the product. She needs this info to save your cat.
When I went to the pet shop, the lady was skeptical that an indoor cat would have fleas, so I told her that we are being bitten by something and the cat is super itchy--this description sounds like it could be fleas, but it is also true for these mites. If you tell them you and your cat have a bird mite problem, they will look at you like you're from outer space and may be unlikely to cooperate in purchasing flea products. In any case, if fleas or heartworms decide to cross your cat's path, you will have done plenty to prevent them--prevention is a perfectly legitimate and on-label use of these products. In the mean time, hopefully they're helping you with bird mites--incidentally.
If you actually take your cat to see the vet, you can explain that you believe he has mites and tell him you are also affected. Many vets are familiar with mite problems and they may help you identify your mite if you do not know the original host. A knowledgeable vet may be your best bet at identifying the problem. It may be a mite problem specific to cats or dogs such as sarcoptic mites (scabies/mange), cheyletiella (walking dandruff mites), or some other external parasite that the vet knows and can treat. The treatment for many cat external parasites is similar to fleas, although the mites will show more immunity to chemical treatments than fleas would. Vets have a number of methods for obtaining samples of external parasites from a cat's coat and can analyze what they find.
It seems the Heartgard is working at the moment as the cat is not scratching or trying to eat something out of its fur, which it does when mites are attacking him. I am curious to see if he will be OK the entire month till the next dose. If not, I am prepared with Frontline. If this doesn't work, I'll look into something else. In any case, he seems very happy and purry with Nature's Guardian powder along the walls and salt and borax on the floors. I brushed him today and played with him--a happy healthy cat.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Responding to past comments
Ahopeful-I haven't tried the permethrin blitz but I do know someone who beat the mites with Zodiac, which someone else in the comments had used. I think my cat has used flea collars with the other ingredient from Zodiac. The flea collars seem to help him a lot. It seems the mites adapt to pesticides quickly, so the best way would be to kill all of them at once as you did. If you still have pigeons nesting on the roof above, this needs to be taken care of to finish them off for good.
I've been considering buying a pesticide powder to see if it might help further. So far, the best thing has been a salt and borax powder mix that I have used on the carpets. This has worked so well that we have stopped vacuuming the carpet regularly and we have not used the ozone generator.
Someone in the comments was talking about treating the car. The best solution I have found is to have the car professionally vacuumed. Steam cleaning was $100 per cleaning, but a professional vacuuming was about $10 a time, so it is chemical free and it can be done often. If you vacuum it yourself you might pay $1, which is cheap. I put the seats in large plastic bags (so I sit on a big bagged seat) and lots of borax on the floors.
Recently a friend of mine who has struggled with mites for some time found that he probably had a squirrel living in his attic and mice living in his walls. Any treatment for these is likely not to work so long as you have some small animals or birds living in your building.
Never use a flea collar meant for a dog on a cat. Some dog collars contain Amitraz. While Amitraz is the most effective pesticide for chicken mites (and likely for other types), never use it for a cat.
Another friend who is struggling with them has found that Ortho Home Defense really helps. He sprays his house and car with it often, but the constant use of strong chemicals may not be very healthy.
I'm very glad to read about people getting rid of this! It gives me hope and makes me glad.
I've been considering buying a pesticide powder to see if it might help further. So far, the best thing has been a salt and borax powder mix that I have used on the carpets. This has worked so well that we have stopped vacuuming the carpet regularly and we have not used the ozone generator.
Someone in the comments was talking about treating the car. The best solution I have found is to have the car professionally vacuumed. Steam cleaning was $100 per cleaning, but a professional vacuuming was about $10 a time, so it is chemical free and it can be done often. If you vacuum it yourself you might pay $1, which is cheap. I put the seats in large plastic bags (so I sit on a big bagged seat) and lots of borax on the floors.
Recently a friend of mine who has struggled with mites for some time found that he probably had a squirrel living in his attic and mice living in his walls. Any treatment for these is likely not to work so long as you have some small animals or birds living in your building.
Never use a flea collar meant for a dog on a cat. Some dog collars contain Amitraz. While Amitraz is the most effective pesticide for chicken mites (and likely for other types), never use it for a cat.
Another friend who is struggling with them has found that Ortho Home Defense really helps. He sprays his house and car with it often, but the constant use of strong chemicals may not be very healthy.
I'm very glad to read about people getting rid of this! It gives me hope and makes me glad.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Update
It has now been well over a year that this problem has persisted.
Yesterday I spread a powder mix of 20 Mule Team Borax and salt everywhere on the carpets. Frontline and flea collars have stopped working on the cat.
I found that Zyrtec made me too drowsy and did not help with the cat. Allergist said that Claritin just works better for some people, so I switched back to Claritin. He said that it helps with the itching, too. It does for me, but it seems my partner does not get relief from allergy medicines.
I find that Head and Shoulders with Mint helps keep the hair clear. I also use Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, the orange label with tea tree oil. Antibacterial Dial helps. Shampoos with sulfer help, these include Selsum Blue, one of the Head and Shoulders brand shampoos, and some generic types copying the Selsum Blue bottle.
I've used Diatomacious Earth several times on the apartment. It appears to have no effect. The mites are not visible (although both of us and the cat are itchy), so it may be D. Gallinae which apparently is harder to dessicate (kill by drying it out).
Sarna Lotion and Activ On Anti-Itch stick (purple label) are excellent. I used to use Sting Eeze and Benadryl itch sticks but Activ On is much more effective even if it is bulkier to carry around.
I've dropped my laundry to only Borax and an Arm and Hammer detergent. I am also only using Bounce dryer sheets now.
I still find the dehumidifyer to be helpful.
The ozone generator appears to suppress the mites temporarily.
My car hasn't been a problem in a long time. I have it vacuumed frequently and still keep plastic bags on the seats and Borax on the floor.
I still spray myself with Cedarcide each night as well as my bed. I also use my Eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, and witch hazel home-made bug spray on my bed and sometimes in my hair. Very little of the oils, witch hazel is the main ingredient as a carrier.
I've stopped taking ivermectin, but my partner gets better when they take it and worse if it is forgotten.
I intend to put rodent poison behind some kitchen fictures as I'm assuming anything that might be there would hide from the cat.
Yesterday I spread a powder mix of 20 Mule Team Borax and salt everywhere on the carpets. Frontline and flea collars have stopped working on the cat.
I found that Zyrtec made me too drowsy and did not help with the cat. Allergist said that Claritin just works better for some people, so I switched back to Claritin. He said that it helps with the itching, too. It does for me, but it seems my partner does not get relief from allergy medicines.
I find that Head and Shoulders with Mint helps keep the hair clear. I also use Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, the orange label with tea tree oil. Antibacterial Dial helps. Shampoos with sulfer help, these include Selsum Blue, one of the Head and Shoulders brand shampoos, and some generic types copying the Selsum Blue bottle.
I've used Diatomacious Earth several times on the apartment. It appears to have no effect. The mites are not visible (although both of us and the cat are itchy), so it may be D. Gallinae which apparently is harder to dessicate (kill by drying it out).
Sarna Lotion and Activ On Anti-Itch stick (purple label) are excellent. I used to use Sting Eeze and Benadryl itch sticks but Activ On is much more effective even if it is bulkier to carry around.
I've dropped my laundry to only Borax and an Arm and Hammer detergent. I am also only using Bounce dryer sheets now.
I still find the dehumidifyer to be helpful.
The ozone generator appears to suppress the mites temporarily.
My car hasn't been a problem in a long time. I have it vacuumed frequently and still keep plastic bags on the seats and Borax on the floor.
I still spray myself with Cedarcide each night as well as my bed. I also use my Eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, and witch hazel home-made bug spray on my bed and sometimes in my hair. Very little of the oils, witch hazel is the main ingredient as a carrier.
I've stopped taking ivermectin, but my partner gets better when they take it and worse if it is forgotten.
I intend to put rodent poison behind some kitchen fictures as I'm assuming anything that might be there would hide from the cat.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Allergy Medicines a Big Help.
The first allergy medicine that I used for these mites was Benadryl. I used it only to fall asleep and it seemed to help with itching. Then, I've also used Claritin which is non-drowsy. I thought it didn't help as much as I would have hoped and didn't use it much as I thought it might be a waste of money. Then, I started to take Claritin as I am allergic to cats. There has been very little itching, but my bites can be rather large.
At one point, I found a bed bug infestation in the apartment I live in. I got alarmed that perhaps I did not have mites after all, but I had just suffered from bed bugs for many months. The PCO came and did his thing three times and I haven't seen any signs of bed bugs, but the itchiness and bites persist. I went to a clinic where they looked at my bites and told me that they are not from bed bugs. They were certain that they were from "small spiders."
Fancy that, mites are arachnids and so they are small spiders. They told me that I needed to put a 1% Cortisone cream on my bites to put down swelling and to take Zyrtec once a day. They told me that I should use Zyrtec rather than Claritin as for some reason Zyrtec is more effective on skin allergic reactions.
Since I started taking Zyrtec, I've noticed drowsiness, but particularly if I use Melatonin to fall asleep. I haven't slept so well in a long time. Studies showed that 14% of those given Zyrtec experienced drowsiness with a 6% drowsiness in the placebo group. This means that the medicine is more likely to cause drowsiness in perhaps around 8% of people. None of the candidates stopped taking the medicine due to drowsiness.
It doesn't seem to help as much with the cats that I am allergic to. I find that I have a stuffy nose and my eyes water. I am also not convinced that Zyrtec affects me as long as the 24 hour promise. They told me at the clinic that everyone's body is different and that if Zyrtec doesn't help with the cats, I can go back to Claritin.
Now, I am planning on using up the remainder of my Zyrtec and then moving back to the Claritin and using it up before I buy anything more. I figure if both cover only one of my problems, why should I waste my money buying more of one to not treat the other. They told me not to use both at the same time.
To be honest, I try to buy generic medicines whenever possible and I don't use brand name medicines if I can at all help it. The reason I use the names of brands is that it is easier to understand what I am talking about. Claritin's scientific name is Loratadine and Zyrtec is Cetirizine. Both are over the counter now. Any pharmacy or big box department store will carry these as generics.
I hope to make a post soon comparing the prices that I found for Cetirizine at various big box stores and pharmacies to help you know where you might want to go if you want to get some to relieve swelling and itchiness.
Always use medicines as directed on the package and inform your health care provider if you start a new medicine. Make sure you are aware of any effects it may have on other medicines or health conditions. Be aware of side effects. If you have questions or problems with medications, direct them to your health care provider.
Concerning other medicines and supplements I have taken in the past: I want to give my liver and kidneys a rest, so I've stopped taking Ivermectin and all supplements except a multivitamin tablet along with my allergy medicine.
At one point, I found a bed bug infestation in the apartment I live in. I got alarmed that perhaps I did not have mites after all, but I had just suffered from bed bugs for many months. The PCO came and did his thing three times and I haven't seen any signs of bed bugs, but the itchiness and bites persist. I went to a clinic where they looked at my bites and told me that they are not from bed bugs. They were certain that they were from "small spiders."
Fancy that, mites are arachnids and so they are small spiders. They told me that I needed to put a 1% Cortisone cream on my bites to put down swelling and to take Zyrtec once a day. They told me that I should use Zyrtec rather than Claritin as for some reason Zyrtec is more effective on skin allergic reactions.
Since I started taking Zyrtec, I've noticed drowsiness, but particularly if I use Melatonin to fall asleep. I haven't slept so well in a long time. Studies showed that 14% of those given Zyrtec experienced drowsiness with a 6% drowsiness in the placebo group. This means that the medicine is more likely to cause drowsiness in perhaps around 8% of people. None of the candidates stopped taking the medicine due to drowsiness.
It doesn't seem to help as much with the cats that I am allergic to. I find that I have a stuffy nose and my eyes water. I am also not convinced that Zyrtec affects me as long as the 24 hour promise. They told me at the clinic that everyone's body is different and that if Zyrtec doesn't help with the cats, I can go back to Claritin.
Now, I am planning on using up the remainder of my Zyrtec and then moving back to the Claritin and using it up before I buy anything more. I figure if both cover only one of my problems, why should I waste my money buying more of one to not treat the other. They told me not to use both at the same time.
To be honest, I try to buy generic medicines whenever possible and I don't use brand name medicines if I can at all help it. The reason I use the names of brands is that it is easier to understand what I am talking about. Claritin's scientific name is Loratadine and Zyrtec is Cetirizine. Both are over the counter now. Any pharmacy or big box department store will carry these as generics.
I hope to make a post soon comparing the prices that I found for Cetirizine at various big box stores and pharmacies to help you know where you might want to go if you want to get some to relieve swelling and itchiness.
Always use medicines as directed on the package and inform your health care provider if you start a new medicine. Make sure you are aware of any effects it may have on other medicines or health conditions. Be aware of side effects. If you have questions or problems with medications, direct them to your health care provider.
Concerning other medicines and supplements I have taken in the past: I want to give my liver and kidneys a rest, so I've stopped taking Ivermectin and all supplements except a multivitamin tablet along with my allergy medicine.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Suggestions for man with mites from Iraq.
The Dallas Morning News ran the following story in November 2007:
"My son returned from Iraq and thinks he brought back biting mites that are infesting his house. He has set off insect bombs and sprayed and mopped with orange oil, but nothing helps. Do you know about this mite and how to get rid of it?
R.J., Canton
"I'm not familiar with such a bug, but here are a few suggestions. First, don't use bug bombs. They are toxic, coat the entire house with chemicals and don't work.
Wash all clothing and bedding. Add a cup of hydrogen peroxide and a capful of orange oil to each wash load. Spray the house with orange oil mixed with a product called Plant Wash or a mild liquid detergent. Use 1 ounce of Plant Wash or liquid detergent and 2 ounces of orange oil per gallon of water. Spray surfaces well and then wipe them dry with a cloth. This will help get rid of pests and clean residue left by the bug bombs. (If you cannot find Plant Wash in stores, the manufacturer's Web site is www.soilmender.com.)"
"My son returned from Iraq and thinks he brought back biting mites that are infesting his house. He has set off insect bombs and sprayed and mopped with orange oil, but nothing helps. Do you know about this mite and how to get rid of it?
R.J., Canton
"I'm not familiar with such a bug, but here are a few suggestions. First, don't use bug bombs. They are toxic, coat the entire house with chemicals and don't work.
Wash all clothing and bedding. Add a cup of hydrogen peroxide and a capful of orange oil to each wash load. Spray the house with orange oil mixed with a product called Plant Wash or a mild liquid detergent. Use 1 ounce of Plant Wash or liquid detergent and 2 ounces of orange oil per gallon of water. Spray surfaces well and then wipe them dry with a cloth. This will help get rid of pests and clean residue left by the bug bombs. (If you cannot find Plant Wash in stores, the manufacturer's Web site is www.soilmender.com.)"
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Current Protocol.
Use your own discretion if you try any of this, read labels, follow directions, research their safety, I am not responsible for any action taken in relation to whether someone does what I am doing. This is what I'm doing right now. I've gotten a bit sick from past things I've done and if you get sick from anything, stop right away.
1) Shower before bed and when getting up (after breakfast).
2) After shower, thick vaseline around ankles and in areas that themites like, for me on the inner thighs, pubic area, chest,shoulders. I shave off all body hair and since I'm a guy, my head. Iput the vaseline on after both showers. Once when I tried notputting it on, I got bad bites in those areas.
3) Spray bed with Witch Hazel (by rubbing alcohol in stores)with adribble of tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil before shower so it driesout a bit by the time I get to it, you can buy these in largerquantities at GNC and Vitamin Shoppe etc. Witch Hazel is good fromgeneric brands.
4)I spray myself from head to toe with Cedarcide before bed andsometimes I spray my bed as well. This repels them so well, I eatbreakfast with the stuff on, but because of the smell, I need to washup before I go out of the apartment. Some people have been able toget rid of them completely by fogging their house several times witha trijet fogger using Cedarcide (Joan).
5) I take Garlic and Cayenne Pepper supplements several times a day.I used to take B1 and Vitamin C a lot but I've cut down.
6)Thick layer or Borax on car floor (thanks Rita) and 50 gallon blackgarbage bag over car seat.
7)Synthetic clothing--sports wear (thanks Myrtle Maui). The bugsdon't infest them very easily and they wash easier.
8) Avoid sugar and alcohol.
9)Use foot powder in your shoes. Puff some in there and then shakeit so it spreads inside. Take out the sole of the shoe and do it,then do it again with the sole inside.
10) After wearing shoe, spray inside with Witch Hazel conction(mentioned earlier) and rubbing alcohol.
11) Sarna anti-itch lotion on itchy bites.
12) Hemp lotion seems to repel them--I've largely shifted to hemplotion (from Nature's Gate from Whole Foods) when I used to useCutter repellant that contains Picardin. I still use Picardinrepellant on the outside of clothing when I go to my car.
13) Baby powder can be poofed liberally inside underwear when thebugs start biting or crawling.
14) Rubbing alcohol can be sprayed on crawling areas or biting areas,it kills on contact. Try not to inhale it. I spray the floor andseat of my car with it before going in, but you need to air it outthen.
15) In addition to the Borax etc. in laundry, for drying, I use threeBounce sheets and 4 Arm and Hammer "Essentials" sheets. "Essentials"contain essential oils that seem to help a lot in killing/repellingthe mites. I ran out just recently and it seems I had much moretrouble with clothes that I hadn't treated with "Essentials."Lavender is a good scent with this. I'm now going to experiment withanother.
16) Stromectol brand ivermectin every week. This is a prescription drug. Your doctor would have to be willing to sign off on its use as an off label use. This is a decision that you will have to make in consultation with your doctor. To my knowledge, ivermectin has never been approved for long term use in humans and may have unexpected and possibly dangerous side effects.
19) Shave all body hair and if you can, your head.
20) I wash with Dial Anti-Bacterial Soap the entire body and then with Tea Tree Oil Shampoo. I've used a variety of brands of Tea Tree Shampoo. The American Crew worked well for me but I can't find it now. I've also used Jason, Nature's Gate, and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap.
I have full spectrum lights in my room, but I don't know how wellthey help. I also have a dehumidifyer, that I believe helps a lot,and an ionic air purifyer that creates small bits of ozone and helpsa bit, I think.I am limited in how well I can treat this. I can't use an ozonegenerator or spray stuff, or put down diatomacious earth or Borax onthe floors, so I can't take care of it as whole sale as I would like to, but these are ideas.
Also, check for birds or rodents in your house or around your house.Put out rodent traps just to see if you catch any and poison to seeif it gets eaten (if you don't have pets). Rodents can get in reallytricky places and they can bring this plague of mites on us. I thinkI may have rodents nearby and they may be making things worse. This all started for me with a dead rat.
1) Shower before bed and when getting up (after breakfast).
2) After shower, thick vaseline around ankles and in areas that themites like, for me on the inner thighs, pubic area, chest,shoulders. I shave off all body hair and since I'm a guy, my head. Iput the vaseline on after both showers. Once when I tried notputting it on, I got bad bites in those areas.
3) Spray bed with Witch Hazel (by rubbing alcohol in stores)with adribble of tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil before shower so it driesout a bit by the time I get to it, you can buy these in largerquantities at GNC and Vitamin Shoppe etc. Witch Hazel is good fromgeneric brands.
4)I spray myself from head to toe with Cedarcide before bed andsometimes I spray my bed as well. This repels them so well, I eatbreakfast with the stuff on, but because of the smell, I need to washup before I go out of the apartment. Some people have been able toget rid of them completely by fogging their house several times witha trijet fogger using Cedarcide (Joan).
5) I take Garlic and Cayenne Pepper supplements several times a day.I used to take B1 and Vitamin C a lot but I've cut down.
6)Thick layer or Borax on car floor (thanks Rita) and 50 gallon blackgarbage bag over car seat.
7)Synthetic clothing--sports wear (thanks Myrtle Maui). The bugsdon't infest them very easily and they wash easier.
8) Avoid sugar and alcohol.
9)Use foot powder in your shoes. Puff some in there and then shakeit so it spreads inside. Take out the sole of the shoe and do it,then do it again with the sole inside.
10) After wearing shoe, spray inside with Witch Hazel conction(mentioned earlier) and rubbing alcohol.
11) Sarna anti-itch lotion on itchy bites.
12) Hemp lotion seems to repel them--I've largely shifted to hemplotion (from Nature's Gate from Whole Foods) when I used to useCutter repellant that contains Picardin. I still use Picardinrepellant on the outside of clothing when I go to my car.
13) Baby powder can be poofed liberally inside underwear when thebugs start biting or crawling.
14) Rubbing alcohol can be sprayed on crawling areas or biting areas,it kills on contact. Try not to inhale it. I spray the floor andseat of my car with it before going in, but you need to air it outthen.
15) In addition to the Borax etc. in laundry, for drying, I use threeBounce sheets and 4 Arm and Hammer "Essentials" sheets. "Essentials"contain essential oils that seem to help a lot in killing/repellingthe mites. I ran out just recently and it seems I had much moretrouble with clothes that I hadn't treated with "Essentials."Lavender is a good scent with this. I'm now going to experiment withanother.
16) Stromectol brand ivermectin every week. This is a prescription drug. Your doctor would have to be willing to sign off on its use as an off label use. This is a decision that you will have to make in consultation with your doctor. To my knowledge, ivermectin has never been approved for long term use in humans and may have unexpected and possibly dangerous side effects.
19) Shave all body hair and if you can, your head.
20) I wash with Dial Anti-Bacterial Soap the entire body and then with Tea Tree Oil Shampoo. I've used a variety of brands of Tea Tree Shampoo. The American Crew worked well for me but I can't find it now. I've also used Jason, Nature's Gate, and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap.
I have full spectrum lights in my room, but I don't know how wellthey help. I also have a dehumidifyer, that I believe helps a lot,and an ionic air purifyer that creates small bits of ozone and helpsa bit, I think.I am limited in how well I can treat this. I can't use an ozonegenerator or spray stuff, or put down diatomacious earth or Borax onthe floors, so I can't take care of it as whole sale as I would like to, but these are ideas.
Also, check for birds or rodents in your house or around your house.Put out rodent traps just to see if you catch any and poison to seeif it gets eaten (if you don't have pets). Rodents can get in reallytricky places and they can bring this plague of mites on us. I thinkI may have rodents nearby and they may be making things worse. This all started for me with a dead rat.
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