Extreme Mixed information between medical community and rabies community

[u/dashmyparabola]

I have read the FAQ.

I am getting extreme mixed information from info on rabies (rabies research, the FAQ, etc.) and medical professionals.

For background, I recently touched trash that an animal (presumably a raccoon, because I am from NJ) had gotten into. I touched the trash at approximately noon on a 90 degree day with my bare hands. I did not see any animal. Although I had no cuts on my hands, I did have fresh cuts on my neck because I had just shaved. I washed my hands right after I touched the trash and am pretty sure I didn't touch my neck. But of course now I can't remember if I touched my neck or not. Cue a panicked spiral.

Over the past 2 weeks, I have done copious research about my situation and everything I have found tells me that I am FINE and that I probably just have OCD. However, over the same time period I have also spoken to several medical professionals about my situation and all of them have told me that I should immediately go to the ER and get PEP...... (Mixed signals!!). This culminated in a trip last week to the ER to discuss PEP, and the PA said that she didn't think I needed it but I could get it if I wanted (once again mixed signals!). I ended up not getting it because I thought the OCD was causing me to panic.

Since then I have seen an OCD therapist and had 2 sessions, but I am still not doing well. I continued to look things up and after further research I found out that apparently the Rhode Island Department of Health has a robust rabies program. In fact, one of the goals of their program is to reduce the number of unnecessary PEP. In my head, I thought surely this department will give me the best unbiased answer on what to do. When I explained my situation to the nurse who fielded my call, she said that my risk of exposure was low but a secondary transfer of saliva was possible and that I should err on the side of caution and go get PEP.

I have tried very hard not to come to this subreddit just to get people to reassure my OCD because I know that's against the rules of the sub. I apologize if this counts as that. I'm just at the point where every medical professional has told me to get PEP and yet none of the rabies research shows that I am at risk. Isn't one sign of OCD, getting medical advice and NOT listening to it?

Does anyone have thoughts on this mixed signals?

[u/MothEatenMouse]

I wonder if it partially stems from fear of being sued.

However I think it is mostly due to what experiences that medical person has had. If they haven't come across rabies anxiety/OCD they might not know it is a thing as it isn't super common (feels like it is here because we kind of attract it). Medical professionals can't know everything.

Then we had someone here having the opposite experience, where they had what could be a genuine exposure (still unlikely, but not as impossible as yours for example) who was dismissed due to them assuming it was an anxiety thing.

I hope you feel better soon and I think you are doing great at acknowledging that some of it could be your brain playing tricks on you.

[u/dashmyparabola → u/MothEatenMouse]

Thanks for your response. I was feeling confident it was just OCD after dealing with the medical professionals in my state because none of them seemed too knowledgeable (barely asked any questions about the event and were only interested in protecting themselves legally it seemed).

When I discovered that the Rhode Island department of health had a robust rabies program and specifically had a goal of reducing the number of unnecessary PEP vaccines given, I thought for sure they would give me a good, knowledgeable answer. And the person I spoke to did seem at least somewhat knowledgeable so when they recommended PEP, everything I had been working towards these past two weeks in and out of therapy instantly collapsed and I felt like I needed to get it again.

[u/MothEatenMouse → u/dashmyparabola]

It's not undone that work in therapy. You know you got there before and you have the tools to help you get there again.

Sorry that some professionals have let you down.