Kindly convince me that I'm not going to die of tetanus/lockjaw please.

[eurobin]

Mods, please feel free to move this if it belongs somewhere else. I'm not that good at selecting the best forum in my final moments.

DD and I are staying at my parents' house this week. I've been chilling out and drinking beer with my dad all day because my mom is watching DD. I decided to go check out their fort in the woods and apparently I did not bring enough sobriety to avoid the rusty nails. I poked myself in the finger (middle right if it matters) and it did some gushy bleeding but it's not so painful that I'm avoiding typing on it now.

I'm 29 so I was probably last vax'ed against tetanus when I was 17 and entering college. So twelve years. But isn't the real risk against tetanus when you're exposed to farm animals? Does it matter that we looked at (but didn't touch) sheep/goats/chickens/etc today?

I think I'm fine with a glob of Bag Balm and a bandaid. My parents tend to side with me but I'd really rather not die and leave Anna without a mother. What are my odds of dying? Do you think I need any additional treatment?

[paquerette]

If it's bled at all it's getting air. Tetanus is anaerobic and can't live with air. So you're safe. Also, it is found in soil that has been contaminated by poop, hence the farm animals. Rust has nothing to do with it. The connection with rusty nails is because the rusty nails that people used to be likely to step on were horseshoe nails, hence a lot of poop.

[eurobin]

So a morning of goats, followed by hand washing, followed by a rusty nail at waist level probably bodes well for me? *fingers crossed!*

[chaoticzenmom]

Oh man! You're a gonner. Got anything good to give away before you go?

[Porcelain Interior]

I freaked out over this recently. Against most people's advice I decided NOT to get the shot.

I stepped on a nail, pretty deep in, but I bled the hell out of the wound under running hot water, and washed it very thoroughly.

The one thing is don't put any ointments on it, and if you can don't cover it. Tetanus thrives in that environment- air is the enemy.

I'm pretty sure you'll be ok, but use your own best judgement.

[MayBaby2007]

Originally Posted by chaoticzenmom

Oh man! You're a gonner. Got anything good to give away before you go?

That wasn't nice






















But it sure was funny

[melvis]

At the first sign of lockjaw- run to the hospital- you'd have symptoms long before you croak. You will be fine!!!

I was highly allergic to the DPT as a baby and almost died from it, so when I was in college and I stepped on a rusty nail... I was told from the dr. that I could not get the tetanus, it could be fatal and if I did get the vax it could also be fatal. So I walked around for a couple of weeks thinking I was going to die-actually had a pretty crazy couple of weeks because I thought it was living my final moments too! Needless, to say nothing ever happened as a result.

You'll be just fine- I'm sure the beer helped stave off that tetanus (for me too!)

[baileyann3]

I think the worst part is that you won't be able to use your middle finger!

At least you have another one as back up

[Adele_Mommy]

You're not going to die. Do keep an eye on the wound though and if it starts to show signs of infection (redness, hot, etc.) or if you start to run a fever and feel sick, go to the doctor. They will probably give you a tetanus shot.

[RiverMamma]

My DH has never had a tetanus shot, & has stepped on plenty of nails. He always jokes that that is his tetanus shot! Of course it's always been fine. & yeah, bleeding out & having air are good.

[DevaMajka]

Moved to vax forum

[milkybean]

Just remembered this. Hubby's friend's ex-girlfriend actually had lockjaw. She's Christian Science and even though at one point her churchgoing friends/family were reminding her that it is each individual's choice whether or not to seek medical help (that was them urging her to get help) she didn't for a very long time. She could barely eat, it literally locked her jaw. But all she did was drop a bunch of weight.

She finally went to see someone, and something was done, and she was fine.


But FYI if you do go in and they do give you a shot, it's almost surely going to be the DTaP, not just tetanus. So be aware of that.

[momofmine]

I have read that the vaccine is probably good for way, way longer than 10 years anyway, so in all honesty, you are most likely covered under your previous vaccine. Even if you had never had a tetanus vax, I would probably just take extra SA for a few days, and look up the post on here about how to care for a puncture wound (I think by Emmeline?). It talks about soaking it in warm saline, I think. I might also look up the right homeopathic remedy, and take that too.

Hope your finger feels better!

[CookAMH]

no way do you need more - the wound bleed, tetanus can NOT grow/live in the wound any longer.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by melvis

I was highly allergic to the DPT as a baby and almost died from it, so when I was in college and I stepped on a rusty nail... I was told from the dr. that I could not get the tetanus, it could be fatal and if I did get the vax it could also be fatal. So I walked around for a couple of weeks thinking I was going to die-actually had a pretty crazy couple of weeks because I thought it was living my final moments too! Needless, to say nothing ever happened as a result.

The second time you won't die so easily. I am speaking from experience!

To OP - you are in no danger. Wash the wound with H2O2 for a few days and let it heal. No tetanus can live in oxygen. Blood is oxygen, so is air.