So scared

[Whiskers]

Hi everyone - this is my first post on this forum. I have found it to be really helpful over the past few weeks when I have had severe bouts of health anxiety but am now in a bit of a panic and am sitting at my desk at work not knowing what to do. It all started with pains down the backs of my legs - went to the doctors, they did some blood tests and came back clear. I then wnet back and felt some pain and tingling down my arm and was referred to a neurologist. I had had a fairly anxious time anyway with job interviews and then hearing this made me really panic and think I had MS. I had to wait a week for the appointment and during that time convinced myself I had a brain tumor due to face pressure behind my nose. At some point during that week I found this forum and that calmed me down a lot. I went to the neurologist and she did tests and felt it was more localised than general so is sending me for a lumbar scan. I was relieved at this and calmed down for a while. Then I remembered that on a greek island last year (September) I was bitten by a cat while feeding it scraps from the dinner table when we were out one night. I thought nothing of it but people said I should go to the doctors when I got back and I did and the told me it was either 'no risk' or 'low risk' (I could not quite hear and already had asked them to repeat it so did not again). Anyway forgot all about it and last night had a strange pain (like a splinter) in that finger and still hav it now and am now fully anxious all over again and have that awful 'skin crawling' feeling. I am totaly freaked out that I may have rabies. Can anyone offer any support / advise? I have always been an anxious person but have never had it to this degree before. I googled rabies a lot back in September and freaked myself out then but cannot remember much about it and am too scared to look it up again.

Thanks so much for any support anyone can offer.

[bottleblond]

Hi Whiskers

WELCOME aboard hun and i'm so glad the site is helping. First of all DON'T GOOGLE lol. The google monster is nasty and fills our heads with all sorts of silly things.

I'm quite sure if you were going to catch rabies from the cat, it would probably have happened well before now so i really wouldn't worry about that.

The pains you have been having could be something simple like a trapped nerve or something similar. Stick with the site hun and let us know how you get on with the scan!!

best of luck

Lisa
xxx

[bluebell68]

Hi whiskers... i totally agree with Lisa, rabies comes on within 24 hours, i think, so i am 100% sure it isn't that...i get loads of aches and pains when my anxiety is bad, which fade away when i am feeling better... i know that pins and needles are a common problem with anxiety, something to do with th adrenalin, i think..... and i also have regular back problems... like you i work at a desk most of the day and it plays havoc with the back, its an occupational hazzard.. have you had a desk assessment lately tho....how old is your chair and have you been assessed to make sure the desk set up is right for you, cos if your posture is bad you are gonna get problems...try not to worry you are gonna be fine... keep posting tho, cos it does help
Hugs :bighug1:
Rachel

[Whiskers]

Hi Lisa and Rachel,

Thanks so much for your posts - making me feel better but I am worried as I read that it can come out up to a year after you are bitten which is why I am freaked out now. It's the splinter pains in my finger which has really set me off - it just is so localised and right where the bite was. I have a GP appointment tomorrow which I booked about my anxiety in general before this splinter pain came on.

I then searched for rabies on this site and someone said symptoms are arm pains and I have had them too.

I don't know about you but when I am anxious I hate being on my own as my mind wonders - tonight I have to babysit until pretty late on my own and the thought of it is stressing me out as well.

Sorry to go on - feel very selfish here.

Sharon xx

[Whiskers]

Hello again, have just been to docs (felt had to bring forward as was working myself up). Said I there is no risk of me having rabies and she was so lovely and talked to me about my anxiety and I am now on a waiting list for counselling / CBT. Feel hugely relieved but still a bit anxious, anyway - guess you can't expect it to just go like that! Thanks again for your posts this morning. Finding this forum has helped me so much already and I hope it will in the future.

Nothing more reassuring than knowing there are lots of us going through the same things!

Sharon :)
xx

[chalky]

Hi Whiskers,

Welcome to the Forum.

:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

You will get loads of support and advice here.
Sounds like a really positive visit to the Doctor's.
Well done
Best wishes,
Chalky