This post is about my "rabies scare" approximately 2-1/2 months ago when a bat flew about 25 feet over my head. My hands were in my pockets, I was not bitten and the bat was simply feeding and appeared perfectly strong and healthy. I've been a lot closer to bats than this one and did'nt have all the fear I've had these past few months.

Anyway, shortly after that incident, a movie was on TV and it was (of all things) about a man who was infected with rabies. In the end, this guy had double vision, hyperventilation and was really acting like a mad man. At first I thought this was just a lot of drama but then I read that double vision was indeed a symptom of rabies.

So this played on my mind for the next month and I began doing this little test where I would cross my eyes to simulate a double-vision affect and then un-cross them again. Then I'd "compare" the difference between the two in an attempt to convince myself that I did'nt have double vision. Sort of like "ok, this is double vision and this is not...see?...your normal!".

This really did'nt help at all and I continued to worry. One day my room mate came to the door while I was sitting at my desk and as I turned around in my chair to look at him, it looked like he was "drop-shadowed". In other words, I saw two of him - one image sort of overlapping the other. When I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, the "double vision" became even more pronounced. However, when I turned all the way around in my chair and looked at him head-on, both eyes focused on the samer "target" and he looked normal again.

Was this because the bridge of my nose was separating my eyes so that I was projecting two separate images or was it because I have rabies or something?. I felt the panic welling up inside of me as I contemplated this. I've either never experienced this before or did but just never payed that much attention to it. Is any of this normal?.

I sit at the computer a LOT, just came off of Benzos in the last week and am currently taking Vistaril. I've only been taking the vistaril for about 3 days for the insomnia caused by what I *think* might be benzo withdrawal. Or could it be rabies?. I also took 30 days of Cipro XR (1,000mg). The horror stories surrounding this drug abound everywhere.

Do this. Look at someone head-on and focus on them for a few seconds. Then slowly move your head to either the left or right while continuing to keep your eyes on them. Do you begin to see a double image of them as you slowly turn your head?. I know this might seem silly but please do it. It will only take a few minutes of your time but will save me a LOT of continued worrying. I've been through absolute hell with this and I really need this favor...please!!.

- Thank you!