PLEASE PRAY FOR ME: Cat Bite & Rabies Shots!

Thank you for the sweet comments! The shot was fine yesterday, just a bit sore today but nothing terrible.

The shots are intramuscular and I guess since they had to give me 4 the first round they just did one in the arm and 3 in my very "muscular" behind!:rolleyes: In fact, I think that's why they didn't hurt ... never hit any "muscle"! :p Now I am finally thankful for my flabby behind!;) Yesterday's was in the arm and they will alternate arms from here on out.

Don't feel bad for me, I think I've discovered that if I just go out my BACK door when I leave home I will be just fine! Both my fall and my cat bite occurred on my front sidewalk!:D

Kim, You are still in my thoughts and prayers. So after all your shots will you have immunity to rabies?

Kim, I'm glad to hear that you're recovering well and that the shots aren't too painful.:) Now please take care of yourself.

Yesterday from lunch time to bedtime was a bad day for me. My tummy was not happy at all!:( It wasn't the shot but the two powerful antibiotics finally catching up to me. I can't take it so I've stopped them both! I know that's a "no no" but my hand has been infection-free for several days now and I'll take my chances! I am allergic to all of the best antibiotics for most things, so that's why they had to give me two different ones. The Clindamycin is pretty nasty stuff. :(

Finally just before bedtime, thank GOD, I began to feel better and with a sleep-aid was able to get a good night's sleep.

The rabies shot will build an immunity to rabies but I think that like everything else you really should get boosters each year or so. :rolleyes:

Did you tell your MD about stopping the antibiotics?

How long were you supposed to take them? It's only been 5 days now - correct?

I would hate to see the infection come back. Could you alternate days with them?

I sorry to be a pest about this, but as a nurse I have seen so many cases where folks stopped the meds too soon. And this is also how those nasty antibiotic-resistant bugs become so bothersome.

She's right, Kim........I know antibiotics are a nuisance; I was sick for days taking mine a couple of months ago, but please check with your doctor. Please?

Kim - several years ago I got bit by one of my own cats. I was stupid and waited 36 hours before getting treatment. I ended up on 2 antibiotics, each to be taken for 10 days.

Along about the end of a week I got Thrush and GI problems. Try eating yogurt, and go to a health food store and get some Lactobacillus acidophilus capsules. Those should help with both problems.

Kim!!!! Please go back on the antibiotics!!! You must take them for the number of days that they are prescribed!!! OR there is a chance that the infection could get worse!!! Cat bites are just awful because, like us, the cat's mouth is very dirty(that is loaded with bacteria). And the bite is a puncture wound!!! The bacteria can get trapped inside if the wound did not bleed enough. PLEASE take the meds!! As Grace suggested, eat yogurt, or if you do not like yogurt, you can take acidophilus caps OR there is for humans, I think it is called Lactinex(sp???), which will soothe your GI tract!!! The Clan wants their Auntie Kim to get all better soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS: Tina Peepers has great empathy with you!! She is taking Clindamycin 1 ml. bid x 14(!!) days for her pulled tooth!!!

Just a thought: perhaps you can ask your dr. if you could try erythromycin instead of clindamycin. I did two rounds of clindymycin recently w/no side effects but no success either. Erythromycin has always worked for me. I know that each is prescribed for different reasons but it couldn't hurt to ask. :)

Oh Kim, Please don't go off your meds!!! Listen to Grace and Sandra, they're trained, experienced medical professionals and believe it - THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!! If your meds are causing side effects, you need to tell your doctor immediately if not sooner. Just maybe there's something else that can be done for you.
I have to see an endocrinologist on a regular basis for diabetes. There are times that I don't want to bother with insulin shots or any of the other things I need to do anymore because no matter what I do the diabetes isn't going to go away so why bother. My endocrinologist is very supportive, we talk about it and she very often makes changes that makes all this easier while still maintaining effective treatment. Your doctor wants to help you but needs to know what's going on.
As always, you remain very much in my prayers!

I did stop both of my antibiotics and I have faith that all will be fine! I was on them a full 5 days and the infection cleared completely by the 2nd day. I will watch the wounds closely and at any sign of infection, I will quickly see a doctor. Remember, I was on TWO antibiotics at the same time and very high doses ... so they cleared it very quickly!

I have read all the horror stories online about stopping antibiotics too soon and such but I also have faith in my own body to heal properly. If I am wrong, then I have another antibiotic that I am able to take (Keflex) that I should have remembered to tell the ER doctor about. :rolleyes: These are the ones that I am allergic to as far as we know:

Erythromycin
Levaquin
Penicillin

other meds:
Codeine
Percocet (pain med)

Some of them don't suggest Keflex since it is a derivative of Penicillin, but so far I have always done well on it .... except the impending yeast infection I always get afterwards!:rolleyes: If they just go ahead and RX me a Diflucan pill then that's no problem at all.

I will try to remember to mention the stopping of my AB's tomorrow when I go for another rabies shot. If the RN thinks it is a big deal then I will see about getting a script for Keflex. OK?;)

Actually now that someone mentioned this......
Bruce's sister-in-law is going through a horrible illness and has been since about October of last year. And we believe it stems from having been on an antibotic for strep for a couple of days then the doctors got the culture back and she didn't have strep so told her to stop the medicine. Even though she was feeling better while on it, she stopped it "doctors orders". Then about a month later she got sick and none of the antibotics that would have normally helped her worked. And for about a month or so she couldn't even use her arms...AT ALL. She has lost too much weight and has relapses still to this day, about 8 months later. She is not completely back to her regular health yet.
With all that you do, I wouldn't want to see something like this happen to you, or anyone for that matter. I will hope that this will not happen and you will be all in good health here SOON! :)

Kim, I am just reading about this - I am so sorry that you got bit AND had to have the rabies shots. And of course, the troublesome antibiotics. I hope that you are feeling better each day and you know that you are the important one in all of this - it IS important that the cat be found and whatever needed done to be sure no one else has to go through the shots etc. We had cats when I was very young but I don't remember ever getting bit. Julia, my sister, has cats now and fortunately none have ever bit me although Cubby would have to liked to when we were trying to clean him up last week.

Hopefully this is the end of all the things that have been happening to you and you can have a good summer!

wow kim! i am just reading this too and glad you're doing better. with all the times that sig has bitten me, i should be dead. LOL! i know your situation is different and scary tho. glad all is better. :D

Aki

I just got home from my rabies shot. Just two more to go ... one in another week then the last will be two weeks from that one.

I asked the ER nurse (an RN) about stopping my antibiotics. She didn't act like it was any big deal and said she "probably would have done the same thing" due to the stomach upset. So, can we please drop the subject of the "dropped" antibiotics now? I know you all meant well but it has caused more anxiety in me than was necessary.

THANK YOU ALL for your support and concern through this!

Hugs,
Kim

Kim, I stopped giving Casey (I know she is a dog but antibiotics are antibiotics:D) anyway I stopped giving her some antibiotics after 5 days, she got so ill I thought she would die, it was for a parasite, after the retest the parasite was killed in those 5 days and the vet was fine with it.

I am glad you are doing okay. This sounds terrible but I watched kujo over the weekend and thought about you:D You are continued in my thoughts and prayers.

Good luck!

Just an update. I called Animal Control back to find out the status of the cat's rabies testing. THEY FORGOT TO HAVE HIM TESTED!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe it! I told the lady exactly what a TERRIBLE oversight this was!!!:mad:

That is really BAD...especially when it comes to Rabies...i bet they didn't really care either!!!
People just don't seem to care about anything but themselves it seems...unless there like us...saving cats or other animals or helping people...otherwise they seem to be very selfish.

:eek: ACK! They FORGOT? What in the heck do they think their job is?! :rolleyes: Geez!

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Originally Posted by kimlovescats

Just an update. I called Animal Control back to find out the status of the cat's rabies testing. THEY FORGOT TO HAVE HIM TESTED!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe it! I told the lady exactly what a TERRIBLE oversight this was!!!:mad:

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:confused::(:confused:

Oh dear! Have you finished your treatments?

...um, excuse me, isn't that their JOB? What a bunch of incompetents.:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I didn't take my last two shots. I went for the next to the last and got upset with the check-in nurse and left. She wouldn't believe me that the RN had stated I didn't need to be triaged and given a number to wait in line to be seen. I was already in a mood and didn't feel like sitting amongst a bunch of sick people just for a shot. I missed that one and my last one now too. I think I had enough shots to protect me anyway.

As far as the inept Rabies Control, I've considered taking it to the local news but just haven't felt like dealing with it. I really just want this nightmare behind me. I think it has really put a fear of strays into my mind for long term now!:(

I'd be very afraid of strays also....well,it's over and your ok...that's all that counts right now.
Thank Goodness your ok.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kimlovescats

Just an update. I called Animal Control back to find out the status of the cat's rabies testing. THEY FORGOT TO HAVE HIM TESTED!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe it! I told the lady exactly what a TERRIBLE oversight this was!!!:mad:

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They "FORGOT"? That is simply not acceptable!!!!! I understand that you've had more than enough of this entire situation, Kim, but something needs to be done. God only knows what else they're "forgetting" to do and who might be at risk because of it. When you feel the time is right, you may want to consider writing a complaint to the Board of Health, the mayor, then county and state officials. This place needs to be investigated and held accountable for their collective lapse of memory!
I'm happy to hear that you're doing well and hope that soon this will be behind you. As always, you're in my prayers!