Need some rational people to talk with

[GRVY]

I actually was doing well but the numbness brought it back to my mind just this morning. I have been active with things and pretty much back to my normal self but then 2 nights ago and last night I wake up with numbness in my leg and it popped back in my head. The numbness in right thigh and hip are new. I never experienced them before. I am happy that it went away once I stood up and was moving for a few minutes. That reason alone makes me part of me think that it is nothing of too much concern since it goes away shortly after waking up. It is just an odd thing that has never happened to me before.

I am tired from not sleeping well last night because of this. Maybe I am just overreacting but it freaked me out.

[GRVY]

Well I have a dr appointment tomorrow morning. Since my last appointment after he did labs and recommended that my symptoms and lab results show that I should probably talk with rheumatologist, I’ve experienced more aches and pains and now the numbness that happened a few times at night recently(some of the aches and back stiffness is before my rabies fears and are legitimate pains). I feel he would want to know what’s going on and maybe he can help bump my appointment up with the rheumatologist dr. I am going to guess right now that he will likely think all these vague symptoms I am having are going to be related to what ever might be going on with me over the past year or so.

I am going to try yet again to push the rabies thing out of my mind and try realize my exposure was probably not even an exposure. The numbness just freaked me because of the neurological symptoms that can be associated with rabies and numbness is neurological. Thanks to all for responding.

[Double_Rainbow]

Sounds like you may have some rheumatic stuff going on. This is very characteristic of early arthritis, when you wake up sore but it goes away after you start moving. I hope it's nothing though, you know anxiety can cause all sorts of aches and pains. Keep us posted!

[GRVY]

So my doctor said his gut feeling is that I have ankylosing spondylitis. Won’t know for sure until my rheumatologist appointment. He said though that my persistent back pain, especially morning back pain that can take hours to subside (been going on for a year or more - more pain as of recent) combined with my positive genetic marker for AS and the inflammation on my SI joint that was noted on a ct scan from july leads him to believe I have it. He said the thigh pain, burning and numbness I occasionally have is something called Meralgia Paresthetica. He said it could be related to my back pain or any new excercises and isn’t a problem unless it gets worse or won’t go away after a few months. Either way it may be that the discomforts I have been having may be related to something else other than rabies. Who would have thunk it. Lol. I will no more in the coming months as I have more appointments. Part of me will probably still hold onto this rabies thing but the further I get from the incident the better i feel.

[Double_Rainbow]

Part of me will probably still hold onto this rabies thing but the further I get from the incident the better i feel.

You are NOT dead yet. That alone should stop the rabies fear right in its tracks. But of course anxiety is irrational. I hope that somehow you get past this. Rabies fear could be a true nightmare to deal with.

[GRVY]

I will get past it. It will just take time. Being able to talk with others who are similar situations helps. Rabies is really the ultimate health anxiety illness imo. It has very vague symptoms so you can attribute any slightest thing to it. Add to that that it is almost always fatal. It is an HAers worst nightmare.

[textsfromthemoon]

I will get past it. It will just take time. Being able to talk with others who are similar situations helps. Rabies is really the ultimate health anxiety illness imo. It has very vague symptoms so you can attribute any slightest thing to it. Add to that that it is almost always fatal. It is an HAers worst nightmare.

God do I agree with this SO much, I think you really pinpointed why this fear can be so hard to shake, but we'll get there! I've overcome it before and I'm ready to do it again