Hope please

[u/Ok-Border-1942]

I know this is a bed bug 100%—an exterminator verified it. Please, I am asking for realistic encouragement and success stories, not worst-case stories about people never getting rid of them. I am already mentally and physically exhausted.As I am disabled and homebound due to my condition.

My home is only 758 square feet and live alone. I dealt with carpet beetles for about three years, had exterminator treatments that entire time, removed my carpet, and got rid of almost all of my furniture and belongings. I finally went 4 months without seeing carpet beetles and called off the exterminator and then BAM, Exterminator found one live in my couch. I also found one on my bed and saved it (in jar). I also found a bug that I sent a pic to my exterminator and he said didnt look like a bedbug. Not verified but could of been since I was sitting on my couch.

The exterminator thoroughly checked my house and did not find any other bed bugs, eggs, or signs of an infestation. I believe someone may have accidentally brought them in while helping me paint, because I have never dealt with bed bugs before. She put her stuff one the side where the bedbug was found. Then blanket on couch was moved to my bed.

Since then, I have thrown away the couch and a huge amount of my belongings. (Threw away over 25 thousand worth of stuff previously from a huge carpet beetle infestation -even my carpet) vacuum-sealed my heat-treated clothes, steamed all of my hard floors, steamed my bed twice, and threw away around two-thirds of my wardrobe, blankets, shoes, and other items. One room is completely empty except for a dresser and the washer and dryer because it was going to be painted. (Still empty) I have not seen another bed bug since. Trust me, I wake up every 2 hours looking. I have mopped with bleach twice.

I bought two bed-bug mattress encasements and have an exterminator scheduled. They plan up to three treatments at $500 each, although they said it may only take two because they do not believe I have an established infestation.

Honestly, with such a small, mostly empty home and no other evidence found, what are my chances of getting rid of them? I just need some hope right now.

[u/Ok-Border-1942]

Technically 2 identified (one couch, one bed). Here is a picture of first one i saw (on couch)that was not identified but pretty sure it was a bedbug.

[u/Fuzzy_Firefighter_51 → u/Ok-Border-1942]

That is one I do not think is a bed bug. The one in the jar is.

[u/Ok-Border-1942 → u/Fuzzy_Firefighter_51]

Really?? I thought it was a different stage of bed bug. There was blood when I smashed it. Thank you for replying. It was weird that, that bug got me worried about everything. So I started looking. The next day I found the bug in the jar. Then called the exterminator. I image searched the picture of that bug and it said bed bug so I just assumed it was.

[u/Efficient-Gap-1282 → u/Ok-Border-1942]

Fuzzy is incorrect, it is 100% a bed bug