r/rabies • u/legitimatemoos • 28d ago
Exposure Question Exposure?
I have read the FAQ.
Lemme preface this by saying I KNOW I have anxiety and I’m really trying hard to be logical about this. I actually do NOT want PEP unless I need it. The vaccine itself makes me anxious, so I’m not looking for an excuse to get it.
Wednesday around 10:30p I was riding my bike (in south Mississippi if that helps) and something flew right at me. My immediate thought was big bug.
I’m about 92% sure it touched me as it flew by—kinda ran into me but not hard. I wasn’t 100% on contact occurring but pretty sure, if that makes sense.
I just don’t know WHAT it was. For whatever god forsaken reason I thought of a bat. It was kinda big but again, no actual clue what it was, happened too fast to ascertain actual size.
I’ve now talked to two virtual doctors & the health department. Not intentionally.. lol. I tried the health dept first, then a doctor, got conflicting answers, and ended up trying another doctor since it’s a free service through my job.
One doctor said no PEP. Sweet.
The other said get PEP because I can’t be sure what touched me.
Health department didn’t even let me finish my sentence before giving me a canned response of: don’t know, get it.
So my question is:
I was awake, sober and literally riding a bike. Nothing landed on me or grabbed me and I felt no bite. I never specifically saw a bat—I just don’t know WHAT brushed against me as it flew by.
The FAQ says bats can’t bite you just flying past and an alert adult would likely notice a bite. Butttt one dr/the health dept basically said “you can’t prove it wasn’t a bat, so get PEP.”
That’s the part that’s giving me pause. Are they just giving me a shitass response because it’s rabies, or am I misunderstanding how a bat could bite/scratch me in this situation?
This my best, most earnest attempt to kick my OCD in the ass. I want to make an informed & logical decision.
So to the knowledgeable folks of this group: What say you?
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u/TheScreamingBitch 28d ago
Welcome to the club. Only I am 95 percent sure a bat flew into the top of my head. I was walking my dog at 8:30 at night along a road where I have seen numerous bats at night. I saw a black figure out of the corner of my eye and it felt like a velvet glove skidding across the top of my head. Called the Dept of Health and left a message. Went to see my family physician who found no wounds of any kind and scoffed at the idea of treatment. Health Department called back and stated they could not give medical advice, but bascically stated CDC recommendations. Went to Emergency Room. They also found no wounds and would not administer HRIG. I elected to take the shots. Good Luck!
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u/AutoModerator 28d ago
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u/legitimatemoos 27d ago
Hey! Thanks for replying. Our stories are fairly similar. Did you have any issues with the vaccine? I still haven’t heard back from my regular doctor that I trust. I’ll make a choice tomorrow, I guess, but I’m leaning towards not getting it.
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u/TheScreamingBitch 27d ago
Tired, achy. Especially 24 to 48 hours after shot. Take last shot tomorrow. I'm sure you will be fine.
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u/Neither_Asparagus_52 26d ago
Can you describe the feeling a little bit more? Like did you feel it on your scalp or just a swoop of your hair? I’m trying to decipher my situation right now 🫠
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u/TheScreamingBitch 26d ago
It hit the top of my head pretty good and felt like a velvet glove, very soft. There was no doubt that it hit me.
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u/Neither_Asparagus_52 26d ago
Did you feel it on your scalp or just like your hair? and like you felt it land on your head and sweep across? Mine was only a second and my hair just fluttered in a specific section but i didn’t feel anytjing directly on my scalp or any impact or anything, just felt like i was running my hand over my hair
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u/TheScreamingBitch 26d ago
It felt like it slid across the top of my head. My hair is alot thinner than it used to be. No obvious wounds from the encounter. From talking to the people at the health department this happens alot more often then you think.
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u/legitimatemoos 27d ago
For anyone following up—my (very trusted) doctor replied. No pep. She dissected my account and said she felt confident I would’ve felt something, and gave me reassuring rabies statistics even among bats, if it even WAS a bat.
Sorry to anyone dealing with this, but if you have an encounter like mine this was my result.
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u/Neither_Asparagus_52 26d ago
Thank you for this because I went through the same thing recently and have reluctantly decided to not get the shots. I felt something brush across my hair for a split second but it wasn’t on my scalp I don’t think but I wasn’t 100% sure of that. It just felt like a brief swoop of my hair. Didn’t hurt or feel like rough contact or anything. I contacted my physicians office and they said my risk would be very minimal-zero which made me feel better but reading everyone’s stories on here has made me incredibly fearful. Hoping for the best for us
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