This is it.

[MyMiddleNameisHypo]

I've been debating all week on whether or not I should post because I know that people are tired of hearing about my rabies situations but I can't keep it in any longer.

Previously I posted about being bit by something on January 11, 2013. It was two tiny "poke" marks 3-4mm apart on my left wrist. I debated getting a rabies vaccination due to my previous freak out regarding rabies. I chose NOT to get the shots.

Fast forward to this past Monday - I woke up with mild pain in my left hand, arm and shoulder. I figured it was from my crazy sleeping habits. It is now Thursday and my arm, hand and shoulder are still hurting. I have also developed a low grade fever of 99.3. My left hand has also been "clammy" since Monday. I overall feel very anxious and nervous. I am unable to concentrate which is especially difficult considering I started a new job today.

I don't know what to do or even what to say. I just needed to talk to someone.

[MrMoleHill]

Well, I went ahead "googled" it for you, because I don't have the rabies fear.  Without saying too much, the good news is that it does state, "The acute period of disease typically ends after 2 to 10 days."  You said this dates back to January 11th (2013), and it is now March 8th. If you had this, you would know it without question, based on what I read.  Of course, the obligatory disclaimer here is that I am not a doctor. 

I personally think you're out of the woods on this one. No pun intended.  Now, the question is, why are you fearing rabies?  Do you have a racoon, rodent, or bat in your home? Did you have an encounter with wildlife, recently, in the past?  Okay...just a moment...I just read your prior post on this, from January. Sounds like you're not sure. Well, two bite/poke marks sound like a spider.  Those southern house spiders, or wolf spiders, can be very large, and they do have fangs, though their bit is nothing substantially concerning.  True teeth marks would most likely have a circular shape, to indicate a top and bottom row.

I kind of sympathize with this post because my very first official panic attack started over a fear of bees.  Of course, later on down the road, I realized that it was only a cover, or distraction, from a deeper fear and problem.

[MyMiddleNameisHypo]

Hello MrMoleHill,

Thank you for responding. I believe when you said "The acute period of the disease typically ends after 2 to 10 days" is only in animals. For humans it can be anywhere from a week to 120 days. 

As for my fear of rabies and bats? I have NO clue where it has come from. I have never seen bats where I live and I've been here for 5 years. I was in a huge anxiety cycle last fall regarding my heart. After having several heart tests, everything came back fine minus some irregular heartbeats that is now controlled with a beta blocker. After I got the "go ahead" from my Cardiologist I literally woke up one morning and became absolutely terrified of bats/rabies. This fear has been with me for 5 months now. It has completely ruined my life unlike any phobia/fear has done before. I have even contemplated 0119 on several occasions due to the fact that I truly believe I have been infected by rabies. Every little pain or symptom I experience I directly contribute to "rabies". It's overwhelming.

I am on medication, and have had to increase it 3 times in the past 5 months because I am unable to cope with my fear of suffering to death. I was doing so well until this past Monday when I woke up with the arm pain. As crazy as this sounds, I don't know if the physical feelings I feel are real or just a product of my imagination. 

[Gizmo122]

I've had debilitating experiences with rabies fears on two separate occasions. (You can search my posts for details.) The reason you're concerned is precisely because the incubation period is so long--you believe you have months before symptoms could manifest, so there's no "safe zone" for your mind to turn toward.

I went back and read your January post: it seems incredibly unlikely you would not notice a bat land near you. They're large enough to be seen and make noise. It seems far more likely something like a spider bit you, or some other insect earlier in the day that didn't begin to feel irritated until later. Your current symptoms are likely psychosomatic. Yes, your mind can cause pain, tingling, and elevated fever. (99.3, incidentally, is nothing to worry about.) I'm also presuming you have no swelling or signs of infection in the hand.

Quite honestly, if you presented yourself to a physician immediately after the incident, I seriously doubt you'd even be given a choice about getting shots--in the absence of a bat sighting or any plausible evidence, the doctor would likely see the vaccination as medically unnecessary and refuse.

As I just mentioned to someone else: if you had a million dollars in the bank and were forced to bet on whether you were infected or not, would you honestly wager every cent that you have rabies?  Fewer than five percent of bats tested are even infected; no more than two people die in the U.S. per year from bat-transmitted rabies. Your chances are literally 1 in 150 million.