[shughes]

hi all,
i'm a 26 year old grad student and i have reason to believe i contracted morgellons in september when i moved into an apartment building in jersey city, nj. i was on the first floor and noticed a pidgon problem outside my window one floor up above mine. there were tons of pidgon feces outside my window near my bedroom. i complained to the landlord who didnt seem to care about the problem. i made the mistake of opening the window a crack before moving in to 'air out' the place and i think somehow the place got contaminated.

interestingly enough, the place also had bed bugs (confirmed) and i thought that was the source of all my bites. naturally the bed bug bites disappeared over time, not the morg 'bites'.

my first symptom was getting a rash on my ankle that wouldn't go away for about two weeks.. it was incredibility itchy to the point that i thought i had shingles again (had it in 2006). then i started seeing what looked like tiny warts on my fingers. one of the marks had a black speck in the middle. they wouldn't itch but would last a few days then disappear. i've also had random scratch and cut marks on my hands that i know i did not give myself. then i noticed clusters of what looked like white heads on my forehead. even more disturbing i noticed colored fluff on toilet paper after wiping. then i noticed black specks in my stool and around my anus. i recall a crawling feeling up there too that lasted a few days, itching as well. i recall getting random stinging sensations on my forehead, near my eyebrows and on the backs of my legs. now i'm starting to get what appears to be ingrown hairs that aren't healing on the sides and back of my thighs which strangely enough are identically located on each leg. the final straw occurred about 5 days ago when after going to the bathroom and wiping a white and blue wound up like fibrous hairball the size of a dime came out of me.

i also had my cell phone battery just randomly die on me the other day and i read that there is a connection with that to morgs.

the only classic symptom i have yet to experience is the all over itching, crawling sensations.

like many of you, ive been to several doctors who aren't taking me seriously. i demanded my last doctor to do a stool sample and blood count which i'll don't hold out much hope because my stools have been relatively normal again. but prior i'd see what looked like empty egg shells, black specks, and general strange material.

since moving out of the apartment i've noticed a decrease in symptoms but i know the battle is likely far from over. i suspect i came down with this due to a decreased immune system since i recently learned that i have hpv.

my question to those still reading - what do you think is the first step one should take in starting with treatments? i already ordered some DSP cream for the marks on my legs. i have some supplements but i'm afraid of over doing it. does anyone have any new york or new jersey doctor recommendations?

i'm just generally terrified that i dont have control over my body and angry that i'm not being taken seriously by both my family and the doctors i've wasted money on. someone tell me that there is a way to live a normal life with this disease.. please.