General Discussion

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)

55. The policy with respect to universally fatal infectious diseases

Sun Sep 8, 2013, 02:32 AM

Sep 2013

MUST change. It is shortsighted, wrongheaded, foolish, and uncaring.

This is not India. It is not China. It is not Iran, or any of a hundred other medically medieval countries where people are left to fend for themselves when faced with a horrifically expensive preventive measure.

This is one of many reasons why medical "insurance" must cease to exist. And the corporations who profit from needless death and bankrupting the under-"insured" or uninsured need to be the ones to go bankrupt.

SINGLE. PAYER. NOW.

ETA: THIS tradition needs to go the way of Chinese footbinding:

"V01.5 PERSONS WITH POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS RELATED TO COMMUNICABLE DISEASES - Rabies

"This has been traditionally treated as a disease / injury process, and therefore covered under medical insurance guidelines -- not as a preventative service."

~~~~~~~

Idiocy knows no bounds. And bean counters have no place in the decision making process when it comes to universally fatal infectious diseases.

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Has anyone here ever been treated for post rabies exposure? [View all] JanMichael Sep 2013 OP

I understand it is a series of shots in your stomach hfojvt Sep 2013 #1

Hate to say this, but you are wrong on just about everything you wrote JanMichael Sep 2013 #3

Well, it's definitely better now enlightenment Sep 2013 #9

They don't even bother to investigate rodent bites WRT rabies anymore, kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #19

That is interesting. enlightenment Sep 2013 #22

Bats commonly carry rabies. Squirrels, NEVER. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #27

Okay - maybe it was a different critter. enlightenment Sep 2013 #47

Oh, I don't doubt that he got treated. I just think back then kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #49

Can't disagree with that. enlightenment Sep 2013 #68

You and me both!! As a vet student I had a single dose of the kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #72

Yikes. enlightenment Sep 2013 #73

That was over 30 years ago. Since 1981 we have been able to get the human diploid cell vaccine, and kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #76

Not never. LisaL Sep 2013 #79

I doubt that. I don't think it's ever been documented in wild squirrels. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #82

what about them black squirrels with a white stripe down their back? ChairmanAgnostic Sep 2013 #101

Those, my dear, are a HUGE rabies problem in some states. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #104

I graduated from tomato juice to hydrogen peroxide and baking soda ChairmanAgnostic Sep 2013 #110

I hear it works 1000% better, though, than tomato juice. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #120

A SQUIRREL....on the WHITE HOUSE LAWN???? In the FIFTIES?????? MADem Sep 2013 #38

*SNORK* enlightenment Sep 2013 #46

SNORT! And that would explain why people would be scared that he could spread rabies! LeftishBrit Sep 2013 #61

that's cool hfojvt Sep 2013 #14

About 3 percent of bats in the US JanMichael Sep 2013 #15

Wow. Glad I didn't know that when I was a kid. MH1 Sep 2013 #102

You are fortunate. You could have become a mere statistic or, kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #106

Yeah, I know that now, and more importantly, if it happens again I'll know to go to the doctor. MH1 Sep 2013 #108

I don't believe that the shots are in the stomach today. Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #7

Exactly...we have always enjoyed them JanMichael Sep 2013 #11

The "Pasteur" treatment with the duck embryo vaccine in the abdomen kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #21

How long does immunity last? Barack_America Sep 2013 #37

Duration of immunity is an individual variable. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #45

Are you saying that the pre-exposure shots Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #91

Day 1 of the post-exposure protocol involves a gigantic injection of immunoglobulin kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #93

It is amazing how much the OP is looking at for a cost then. Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #94

Exactly. And under Single Payer that would vanish - Uncl Sam would say we'll pay you 3x cost, period kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #96

That whole process became obsolete OVER 30 YEARS AGO. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #18

If you are sleeping or otherwise unconscious you could be bitten and not know it. pnwmom Sep 2013 #20

I am sorry that you have to go through this. Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #2

We would not have known to call the county health dept. JanMichael Sep 2013 #6

Uh, get the treatment. Rabies is nearly 100% fatal. Warren Stupidity Sep 2013 #4

We started treatment as soon as we found out JanMichael Sep 2013 #8

I don't know how quickly you have to have the shots. MissB Sep 2013 #5

Nope. Not in our county JanMichael Sep 2013 #10

My friend had a bat in her bedroom several years ago dflprincess Sep 2013 #12

About 70 yrs. ago when I was an infant broiles Sep 2013 #13

That is a great story! JanMichael Sep 2013 #16

I have. I got the preventive shots in vet school but was sick with the flu the day kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #17

You were lucky JanMichael Sep 2013 #23

I feel so bad for you. But because it is prevention, you kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #25

Yep...and nope. Obamacare rules haven't quite kicked that in yet JanMichael Sep 2013 #28

Take your cat in for a rabies booster just in case. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #32

She just had one JanMichael Sep 2013 #33

also need to add JanMichael Sep 2013 #34

There are at least 2 documented cases in the US of cats who never kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #40

I do believe that the protocol calls for all pets inside the home to kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #39

This wouldn't be considered Sgent Sep 2013 #41

What is your expertise in this area, and do you have a link of some sort? kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #48

Check you DUMail Sgent Sep 2013 #52

TL;DR Sgent Sep 2013 #53

The policy with respect to universally fatal infectious diseases kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #55

Originally this was a good thing Sgent Sep 2013 #57

I agree Marrah_G Sep 2013 #89

Everything everybody ever wanted to know about rabies, and then some: kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #24

Thanks....there is also a link JanMichael Sep 2013 #26

Currently listening to a great book on this Marrah_G Sep 2013 #90

Oh thanks for reminding me, I keep forgetting to pick up a copy of Rabid. Now that kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #92

It's a favorite topic of interest for me :) Marrah_G Sep 2013 #95

I love infectious diseases, period. That's probably because of my undergrad degree in microbiology. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #97

Current PEP protocol: kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #29

Wildlife rabies in the US: kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #30

Human rabies in the US: kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #31

2K out of pocket? Wow hibbing Sep 2013 #35

Once Obamacare kicks in in 2014, this treatment kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #42

I was treated with 21 shots in my stomach. karmaqueen Sep 2013 #36

They sure have. That treatment protocol disappeared forever kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #43

Why did the shots have to be in the person's stomach? I've always wondered that. nt raccoon Sep 2013 #77

I'm not sure why they were given in the skin/muscle of the abdomen (the stomach is an internal organ kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #81

That seems very high Sgent Sep 2013 #44

In this county...and most counties in NC JanMichael Sep 2013 #64

Some drug stores offer the vaccination struggle4progress Sep 2013 #50

You mean they administer it??? ROFL. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #56

Fair enough. I didn't check carefully: they're probably offering a pre-exposure protocol struggle4progress Sep 2013 #58

Important difference, lol. But I am THRILLED to see that the kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #71

I can order it on line/by mail and administer (veterinary) with no scrip or supervision Kali Sep 2013 #100

That would be animal rabies vaccine, not human. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #103

yes that is what I said Kali Sep 2013 #105

Oh my. Generic Other Sep 2013 #51

I was bitten by a raccoon Peaceplace80 Sep 2013 #54

OMG, that some thing happened to my friend next door. David__77 Sep 2013 #60

I know A LOT about this topic, and some of your information is incorrect. FourScore Sep 2013 #59

What did I write that was incorrect? JanMichael Sep 2013 #63

You seem a little defensive. FourScore Sep 2013 #75

I seem defensive because you spent an hour JanMichael Sep 2013 #84

Sorry if I offended. I was just trying to help. n/t FourScore Sep 2013 #118

We also started with the state wildlife department JanMichael Sep 2013 #65

Oh dear. Where to start? kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #109

WTF? I was trying to help. FourScore Sep 2013 #117

I think it would have helped to leave the ALL CAPS and multiple kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #119

They were meant to point out the most important stuff. FourScore Sep 2013 #121

Very best wishes - I hope the treatment isn't too unpleasant, and that the financial aspects are LeftishBrit Sep 2013 #62

We have good insurance....the cheapest out of pocket cost...will be around 2 grand SwissTony Sep 2013 #66

correct. Kestrel posted some CDC links JanMichael Sep 2013 #67

One of our local weathermen recently had a similar experience. MNBrewer Sep 2013 #69

My raccoon bit me. I didn't surrender him roseBudd Sep 2013 #70

One question: why do you have a raccoon? Marrah_G Sep 2013 #116

While we're on the subject of rabies..................... kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #74

The treatment isn't prohibitively expensive Warpy Sep 2013 #78

The treatment is prohibitively expensive JanMichael Sep 2013 #83

It wasn't always that way Warpy Sep 2013 #87

Back when I was a child, I got bit by a dog and had to have rabies shots. LisaL Sep 2013 #80

My sister rescued a sick horse. Turns out it had rabies. She went to the doctor and morningglory Sep 2013 #85

I'm glad you were told to go get treated Marrah_G Sep 2013 #86

Do you get many cases of rabies in the US ? dipsydoodle Sep 2013 #88

Do we?? And howdy!!!! Take a look: kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #112

Thanks dipsydoodle Sep 2013 #123

As a veterinarian I have had the "pleasure" of kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #124

Yes telclaven Sep 2013 #98

All we need is an occasional single booster. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #113

I had a bat clamp on to my face a few years back. Went through the whole $ shot thing. Owl Sep 2013 #99

Whoa. That's intense. FourScore Sep 2013 #122

I don't know--but don't you have to be bitten to get rabies? Deep13 Sep 2013 #107

You can get rabies without a bite AND DIE. I had kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #114

good to know. nt Deep13 Sep 2013 #125

I was bitten by a rabid dog and took 14 painful shots in my stomach dem in texas Sep 2013 #111

Not only are the shots not painful now, kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #115