AIBU to worry after a possible bat hit my forehead?

[OneQuickCoralQuoter]

Hi all, this evening I decided to go for a walk as I’m struggling with my MH and anxiety - namely health anxiety. I was walking down a quiet street past a hedge when I felt something impact the side of my forehead. I was confused and thought something had been thrown at me but it appeared something flew off past me very quickly. I didn’t see what it was but due to the time I’m going to guess it was a bat.

My skin has no bleeding or wounds and I don’t think I was bitten or scratched by it.

However, I’m now completely beside myself. Google is telling me to call 111 for rabies advice but I text a few family members about it who seem to think it’s just funny and this is an over reaction, and my partner thinks the same.

i have extreme health anxiety so this is just a complete nightmare to me.

AIBU to panic over this?

It does seem like it! Soon we will be unable to type horseshoe or mouse-eared!

Yes I would do the same. Ring GP in the morning. Try and have a bath, relax, get some sleep and have a bag packed ready with bits if GP sends you to urgent treatment centre tomorrow or wherever has the vaccines. If you've been bitten you might feel some.pain over the night too so you'll know more by morning. If you're too worried then get up early morning and call 111 before your GP opens as they'll prob just send you to the same place anyway.

God, not another bat thread.

@OneQuickCoralQuoter
I can completely relate with how you are feeling.
I have got crippling health anxiety and once you have got an idea in your head it’s just impossible to dismiss it ☹️
If it was me I think I would try and tell myself that there is nothing I can do about it at the moment, that the chances of catching rabies is really very low. If I still feel as anxious in the morning I would contact 111.
I know it’s easy for me to give this advice, health anxiety can just take over your life

Bats have some serious echo location skills in order to chase insects in the dark. They ain't crashing into people's fucking foreheads

This is a bit rude really. It felt like the body of something rather than an object and it was dark and late. It’s not unreasonable to question if it was a bat.

Thank you. ☺️

If you don’t have any broken skin, then even if it was a rabies-carrying bat, it would be difficult to contract rabies.

i wouldn’t even be worrying about this, but as you are, then give 111 a call.

Maybe people could get through to 111 easier if they had a dedicated health anxiety line so people with genuine issues could get through

Therapy is better than over using 111 it is there for a reason

I didn't post but I was trying to catch a bat this week, it got loose, started flapping and flew into my neck, got caught in my hair where was easily able to grab it and box it up to go off to the bat man! Only a mild bit of panic and a fair ole bit of laughing and humour. Definitely no concern whatsoever about rabies!

I’ve used 111 about once in the last five years for my toddler as advised by the GP. So it’s really bold of you to just make the assumption I ‘overuse 111’.

fantastic 🤣

YANBU - you’re probably batshit now.

Robin will sort the bat out.

Call Van Helsing. He will know exactly what to do

Maybe a weasel riding on the back of a woodpecker?

Do you even use Mumsnet if you haven't been hit in the head by a bat and panicked over rabies? I think not.

@PollyBell
I’ve never actually rung 111 in my life so please be reassured that my health anxiety isn’t stopping anyone from receiving the help they need 🙄

It's alarming to see people giving 'wait and see' advice on potential bat bites. Here are the facts:

You might not feel or see a bite: Bat teeth and claws are so small that scratches and bites can be virtually invisible.
Rabies is present in UK bats: While terrestrial rabies is gone from the UK, European Bat Lyssavirus (EBLV) is present in the UK bat population.
Time matters: Rabies is almost 100% fatal once symptoms start, but entirely preventable if treated promptly.
If you have had potential contact with a bat, do not wait. Contact NHS 111 or your out-of-hours GP service right away to be assessed for urgent vaccination. Wash any potential contact site with soap and water for 5 minutes immediately.

YABU but if youre that worried go for an assessment

One wee’d on my husband’s bald head in the bat house at Chester zoo. We just thought it was hilarious (him not so much, it stank). Never even gave rabies a second thought 🤣

You may as well just call 111. I wouldn't worry about a bat flying into my head giving me rabies, but I don't have crippling health anxiety, and by the time you've worried about this, asked chat gpt, started threads on the Internet, and still felt worried, you may as well have just called. Save your time and make the call. You'll probably still be worried about it anyway, but at least you'll have taken appropriate action.

She wasn't bitten.

I think the chances are it was a large moth, bats tend to fly higher...I very much doubt it was a bat.

Do some grounding and breathing exercises and a fun or calming activity to help your anxiety!

The OP will know all this though.

Yet they’re choosing to wait until the morning.