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Lilmissme83
25-04-14, 02:57
Hello everyone,

Well this is my first time on the site, but it is time for me to do something!

I have suffered from depression, anxiety, OCD, and panic disorder from about the age of 8-9 years old. I never said anything about it when I was younger because I didn't know there was anything to be done and I thought I was being silly.

I suffered untreated until the age of 15 when my constant anxiety had caused stomach ulcers. As the problem developed further my stomach pain worsened to the point of an eating disorder. I was finally placed on SSRIs (Paxil), PPIs (Prilosec), and benzodiazepines (Xanax) to help with the symptoms. It was a tough battled which lasted until the age of 19.

I finally got a handle on my disorders and was able to discontinue all of my medication. I have done extremely well since then considering how severe my medical condition was.

I am now 30 years old I am working on my masters degree in biological sciences and am hoping to apply to a nurse practitioner program next year!

Here recently however I have been noticing a return of some of my symptoms! I have always handled the stresses of life extortionately well (funny for someone with anxiety huh?) so I don't believe it has anything to do with school or work.

My most recent "obsession" is that I worry I might have contracted the rabies virus! I was visiting my Aunt this weekend and she had a very ill puppy. It was vomiting, lethargic, and had bloody diarrhea (I know these signs strongly suggest the Parvo virus). I cared for the puppy giving it pedialyte and pepto by syringe all day Friday and Saturday. Sadly however, the puppy passed away Saturday night.

I started thinking about the dog when I returned home and how none of the other puppies it sick (Parvo is highly contagious) and started thinking maybe it died from rabies. I know none of the symptoms indicated rabies but I have an irrational fear (that's why I am here). I didn't get bitten but I may have come into contact with its salvia (again irrational since I was wearing gloves) ańd I am scared I might have gotten it into my mucous membrane somehow.

Well Tuesday night I started feeling sick headache, fatigue, sinus pressure and this started my downward spiral! I actually went to the ER last night because I was so frightened! The doctor asked me a couple questions told me he hadn't heard of any detected rabies in that area, asks me if I was bitten, said it was very unlikely to get infected in that manner, and stated that it didn't sound like the puppy had rabies. He said he didn't think the rabies vaccine was called for in this case.

I can't stop thinking about it though! I have now had constant panic attacks, I am so nauseated I haven't eaten anything which makes me feel really bad. I am driving myself crazy (literally). I am not in a good state of mind. I can't believe I am doing this to myself.....I have studied diseases, bacteriology, virology, physiology, etc. please help lift this cloud off me!

Forgotten
25-04-14, 03:10
I can only give you reassurance in the Doctor's words, but if anything his words are better than mine. :) Remember that you had proper care equipment, the chances were very highly unlikely, that it had signs of the parvo virus, but from what you know it didn't :) Make sure to eat better, get more rest, and stop worrying! :) Easier said than done, I know, but you have to think about how unlikely it is, and how the Doctor would have been able to catch it. :) Have a good night!

Leslie735
25-04-14, 14:00
From the sounds of it, the puppy didn't have rabies and even if it did you were not bit. The doctor is right, it's very unlikely (if the puppy had it) you'd get it that way anyway. Try to relax! I know how hard it is. We have an outdoor kitty and she scratched me a couple times and both times I was concerned of rabies even though I know she doesn't have it.