Rabies paranoia

Over the past couple of weeks I have been slightly ill.. I just had a very minor cold two or so weeks ago, then my lymph nodes swelled up (and went down) which caused quite a bit of panic, and then I noticed a small sore on my abdomen, like a spider bite. I worried about MRSA for a while, and then it didn't become a boil or produce pus, and although I still have it, I've accepted that it's probably healing, it just seems to be taking so long because I'm constantly monitoring it! haha.

Anyway, a bit more background to this is that I moved out to a rural property seven months ago, handled some old cattle bones and then became FREAKED out about rabies. I was suresureSURE I was going to get it until I did some extensive research, and realised the virus doesn't live a very long time at all, and even on bones it's EXTREMELY unlikely, impossible even.

Well that's all fine and dandy, until a few days ago that I start getting muscle weakness and difficulty swallowing at times (the latter may be triggered by my persistent anxiety; I've put my body through a lot recently with all my worrying). I feel sort of off-balance and things feel heavy sometimes, expecially with my right arm.

So I did a little more research on rabies virus, and I see that the later-stage symptoms are anxiety, depression, abnormal behaviour and the like, but I told myself "But it's impossible to get rabies from cow bones, dammit" and then I read about bat bites.

Now I'm so so scared that at some point I've been bitten by a bat, especially considering I moved into a new house. I sleep in a room in the basement with an unfinished ceiling in the open closet, and I'm irrationally paranoid that a bat bit me in my sleep.

I feel weak now, and I'm really scared. Advice?

Dessbie,

You seem to migrate from one fear to the next, increasing the intensity of your anxiety each timew. Prolonged anxiety like this can cause such problems as muscle weakness. When we're anxious, adrenaline is being released into our bloodstream, but if you're always anxious, then the prolonged effects of adrenaline can make your body physically tired/worn-out. I think that what you're describing is more related to OCD than hypochondriasis, but they are much the same thing I believe. If you feel up to it, then arrange an appointment with your local doctor. I assure you that he/she will have heard many similar stories, and that it's not actually a specific problem that only you suffer from.

Kevin

wow, I didn't think that there is another person with rabies paranoia. I think I just have a few more days to live because I have rabies. My own dog bit me. She wet thru 10 days observations, from medical point of view, she couldn't give me rabies. Ok, I know that. But I'm developing all symptoms of rabies:( It is crazy . Dog is healthy and happy and I'm dying.