rabies indirect exposure please help

[okaykassie]

so on october 26 i touched a trash bag directly where a raccoon ripped it open in the middle of the night. i don’t know if he did it with his teeth or hands. regardless i had a cut in my pinky that i got on october 25 (the day prior) and i had no clue if i touched the bag or not. the raccoon went through the trash before 5am since my boyfriend saw the trash bag destroyed when he was leaving for work and i picked it up at 8am. the bag was wet either from trash juice, condensation, or because the animals fur was wet from the rain. there’s no way rain could’ve gotten onto the bag since i live on the third floor of an apartment complex that has hallways to enter that are covered. i keep attributing everything to rabies even though logically i feel like it can’t be since i had doctors tell me i’m fine very low risk and they wouldn’t have gotten the vaccine. i have also had health departments and vets to tell me to worry about something else, they wouldn’t worry, no vaccine is necessary, extremely low risk, the virus dies in seconds/minutes when exposed to oxygen etc. i just can’t stop freaking out. is it possible my anxiety and stress and OCD can be doing all this to me. i’m so scared of dying, i am experiencing muscle tremors, leg and arm weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness. this all started once i stopped taking my xanax as well. i had taken 30 0.5mg pills in two and a half weeks. i never weaned off it, i tried to but it made my body feel super weird so i just stopped all together. i don’t know if these are withdrawal symptoms or symptoms of anxiety/stress/ worrying. please help me i’m so scared.

 

[E.B]

You answered your questions in the post. I sympathize because I have been down the rabies rabbit hole with irrational worry. You have had pros tell you that you are fine. It is Just something you have to go through during this season of anxiety. You are also more then likely dealing with withdrawals...check with your doc regarding what they can do to help with your withdrawal. You are ok.

 

[okaykassie]

are withdrawals even possible after two weeks of xanax usage? it was 0.5mg but i would take two or three per day

You answered your questions in the post. I sympathize because I have been down the rabies rabbit hole with irrational worry. You have had pros tell you that you are fine. It is Just something you have to go through during this season of anxiety. You are also more then likely dealing with withdrawals...check with your doc regarding what they can do to help with your withdrawal. You are ok.

are withdrawals even possible after two weeks of xanax usage? it was 0.5mg but i would take two or three per day

 

[E.B]

I'm not a med pro so I'm not going to attempt to give you advice on that. I know I've dealt with strange withdrawal side affects throughout the years I've been on. For example I was on paxil for years went off cold turkey, did deal with withdrawals...went on seraltine and if I miss a day I can feel withdrawal type symptoms whereas with paxil I wouldn't and traditionally it should be opposite...point is you never know with med. Very well could be anxiety, or it could be Xanax leaving your system.

 

[okaykassie]

I'm not a med pro so I'm not going to attempt to give you advice on that. I know I've dealt with strange withdrawal side affects throughout the years I've been on. For example I was on paxil for years went off cold turkey, did deal with withdrawals...went on seraltine and if I miss a day I can feel withdrawal type symptoms whereas with paxil I wouldn't and traditionally it should be opposite...point is you never know with med. Very well could be anxiety, or it could be Xanax leaving your system.

but no rabies? right

 

[E.B]

but no rabies? right

Nope

 

[Ari]

You’re fine. Rabies is short-lived. Outside of the body, it can survive for just a few seconds. Even if the raccoon had licked the bag like crazy, the saliva had dried up by the time you picked up the bag. Moreover, you don’t even know that the animal was infected.

 

[Phillies Phan]

On top of all that, you’re talking about what, 5 weeks ago? If you had rabies, which you 100% do not, you wouldn’t be typing on this forum. You. Are. Fine

 

[okaykassie]

On top of all that, you’re talking about what, 5 weeks ago? If you had rabies, which you 100% do not, you wouldn’t be typing on this forum. You. Are. Fine

hi! this was almost two months ago by now and i feel fine. just anxious from time to time which doesnt help my case at all

 

[Tswiz2014]

hi! this was almost two months ago by now and i feel fine. just anxious from time to time which doesnt help my case at all

I had the same thing! December 23rd my dog got bit by a raccoon (she’s up to date on shots) because she cornered it and it was trying to run away and then 4 hours later I woke up and pet her and I had a small cut on my pinky that was scabbed over what are the chances we have similar stories same time frame haha

 

[Angie33]

I know this is an older thread but it caught my attention because I think this question is a very valid concern and you are not out of norm to ask it. We moved to a wooded area with lots of racoons. Anyhow long story short we ran out of trash can space so double bagged some garbage and left on the curb. The next day it was ripped open. My husband picked it up without gloves. I was like wait what? Did you wash your hands after? I always wear work gloves when I bring the cans back in the next day. I know they are crawling on it and it makes me feel better.

 

[Gooze17]

I know this is an older thread but it caught my attention because I think this question is a very valid concern and you are not out of norm to ask it. We moved to a wooded area with lots of racoons. Anyhow long story short we ran out of trash can space so double bagged some garbage and left on the curb. The next day it was ripped open. My husband picked it up without gloves. I was like wait what? Did you wash your hands after? I always wear work gloves when I bring the cans back in the next day. I know they are crawling on it and it makes me feel better.

It’s not a really valid concern. I don’t think there’s ever been a single case of rabies being indirectly transmitted. The virus could not survive on a surface long enough for this to be reasonable. At the absolute miiimim, you’d have to watch a rabid animal lick something, then immediately lick the same thing

 

[Angie33]

It’s not a really valid concern. I don’t think there’s ever been a single case of rabies being indirectly transmitted. The virus could not survive on a surface long enough for this to be reasonable. At the absolute miiimim, you’d have to watch a rabid animal lick something, then immediately lick the same thing

They say that moist air keeps the virus alive longer - if it dries up in 70 degree weather it should die in minutes. One study showed that it can survive on leaves for 24 hours. I don't think OP has to worry about anything but I can understand her though process.