[wwwcitricacid]

Hello, I don't mean to sound so desperate but I am in serious need of some reassurance right now. Ok, I am desperate.

I've had a nasty scratch from a cat about 1.5-2 years ago, and cleaned and treated it myself. But from time-to-time and particularly at night I get a tingling itching sensation at where the cut was, since I first noticed this new sensation I have developed quite a nasty fear of rabies.

This fear has gotten worse and it is making it hard to sleep since this tingling sensation is worse at night, I cannot forget about it because the sensation will remind me of rabies and life will seem like it is crashing around me. I am not sure if the tingling sensation is actually getting worse or that I think it is getting worse.

Sometimes I would panic so much that I would get cold-shivers coursing through my body, the shivers spreads from the 'cut' and travels throughout the body... This morning I woke up with difficulty breathing or rather a fear of breathing and that stupid tingling sensation is rife, I looked up the symptoms and yep it matched Rabies pretty darn well.

This feels very real to me, I am literally shaking, can barely walk, feeling cold and can barely breath.

Frankly, I am very very scared and I really really hope that this is not Rabies and that it is just my imagination.

Thank you for reading.

[wwwcitricacid]

Ok, I have calmed down a bit now... I can walk normally, shaking has largely subsided and can breath normally as long as I try to get my mind off of it.

The tingling sensation is still there but not as profound and may get worse at night again, hopefully the cat just damaged a nerve or two and nothing more.

[wwwcitricacid]

Due to the lack of replies I assume that people either find this post either ridiculous or worrying, which is far from reassuring.

For those of you who are worried, I feel better just have remind myself that it's all in my head and there is a flu going around at where I live so I may have the flu too.

For those of you who found this ridiculous I am sorry and if I can delete this post I would have by now but instead I posted this reply.

I'm so sorry no one replied, but you don't need to delete your post. After all, you're only asking for reassurance, and that isn't ridiculous at all.

I can't say much to help your anxiety, but it's comforting to know that you've calmed down a little now. Maybe you should avoid looking up the symptoms any further, and if it helps you, rabies can only be carried by the saliva of rabid animals, a cat scratch wouldn't give you rabies, especially not one that old.

Depending on how deep the cut was, the tingling sensation could just be the scar continuing to heal (don't quote me on that, I did very little Googling on the matter and what I did find was difficult to understand). It could even just be your mind playing tricks on you, after all, if you're constantly checking in to see if the tingling sensation's still there, you're bound to carry on imagining it.

Anyway, I hope I helped you, even if it was just a little bit.

[*Laurie*]

I am sorry no one has replied to your post. The forum seems quite slow lately. That said, I've been an active member for a year and seldom get more than 2 or 3 replies to posts. I never understand why.

Okay, to address your concern: I am not a medical professional. but I can assure you that, without ANY doubt, you DO NOT have rabies from a scratch that old. NO WAY.

What I would address is the anxiety you're battling. I know all too well what it feels like to struggle with such terrible anxiety. It's not a way to live a life. Is there any chance you can get into therapy? Maybe some self-help books would help you? Or YouTube videos on relaxation? Medication? Just please do your best to take the focus off the rabies and put it into handling your anxiety in a healthier way.

[Unrigged64072835]

Have you had a doctor look at it? That might ease your mind.

I don't think you'd still be alive if you had rabies. It might be the skin drying out and stretching.

Hope you can calm down. Deep breathing and meditation may help.

Hello. I am here. I am reading. I am listening.

If this happened 18-24 months ago, I would hazard to guess it is healed. That doesn't mean it healed properly (I once doctored my own split finger with superglue rather than go in for a stitch). There are a great deal of nerve endings in our hands and fingers. If they don't get lined up properly it may cause odd sensations in the area. Stress, anxiety, extreme temperatures, all of these can trigger sensations that don't quite feel right. In the case of my own finger if I am stressed it will get super hot as though it is burning during times of high stress. I have a thumb I once cracked that will get incredibly itchy.

Some of this will be psychosomatic (yes, in our heads) but some of it can be legitimate reactions to stimulii.

My advice is not to get worried that something is wrong. This may be as simple as a 'healing' mistake or as tough as an emotional trigger. In some cases, these sensations can even be emotionally soothing.

[*Laurie*]

We answered you...where did you go?

I don't think they've been online since. Their mood's stayed the same and I haven't seen them online.

[MissCathryn]

Oh my God! Totally NOT ridiculous. That was my life forqny years. I ruminate and can't stop obsessive scary thoughts and my mind going to the worst possible scenario with every single situation. About 15 tears of my life!

I've since been diagnosed Bipolar II. Not sure why, but my mix of meds seem to really, really help (almost eliminate) the thoughts.

I take Lamictal 350mg, Wellbutrin 200mg 2x a day, and doc just added Zoloft 50mg. I now primarily have major depression and I'm not sure which is worse. My.life has been a roller coaster.

Anyway, I wanted to give you some hope. A mood stabilizer pretty much cured my hypochondria and severe anxiety. Maybe talk to your doc about a change in meds?

Oh I also take Xanax 1mg 3x a day, as needed. For me, it stops obsessive thinking right in its tracks 90% of the time.

Hope this helps a bit

[wwwcitricacid]

Thank you all very much for your replies, they helped me a lot.

And by helped I mean pretty much every time my scar feels funny I go back to read the replies to give myself some relief and hope. Again, thank you.

[Tylerdallas]

Let me start off saying I am in no way a Dr but if you did have rabies then you would have most likely gotten very sick shortly after it happend. As far as the tingling in your arm, I have that too. I started walking 2 yrs ago and I mean major walking up to 15 miles as day and after 6 mths I had a tingling sensation in my elbow radiating down to my fingers with numbness in my fingers. I went to the Doctor and she seemed to think it was from over use of my arm while walking (weird) anyway she told me to take a nerve test an then physical therapy and then the insurance would pay for a mri. Well, months later I did the nerve test and it showed nothing so I just live with it. Some days it doesnt bother me other days its bad especially if I'm stressed. If your on the computer a lot of and you lean or put pressure on your elbows that can cause it. I bought a elbow brace and it helped a lot. Everyone has their issues, my issues are my teeth, I know sounds crazy. Not so much having work done, which I hate, but having a achy tooth and being at home or at night, the fear of when it might happend. I have to get an extraction done on the 31st and I am beyond scared of that. Everyone has their triggers big or small in our minds they are real and scarey. I am new to these boards but its comforting to known that I am not the only one. Good luck and don't worry, go to the Doctor and that will easy your mind so you can move on